Karlin Gray

In April 2016, I interviewed Maria Gianferrari about her #firstpicturebook PENNY & JELLY: THE SCHOOL SHOW (published in 2015). So what has Maria been up to since then? The sequel to PENNY & JELLY along with six other books! To check out her #firstpicturebook Q&A, click here.

To learn more about Maria’s other books, follow these links:

Penny & Jelly books:“Craft-minded kids will particularly enjoy watching Penny at work. … A pleasure for reading aloud.”—Booklist

Officer Katz and Houdini: “An entertaining romp about rivalry and friendship."—Booklist

Hello Goodbye Dog: “Effortlessly inclusive, Gianferrari and Barton's creative Hello Goodbye Dog becomes an inviting mirror or window for any child, welcoming every reader in."—Shelf Awareness Review, starred review

Coyote Moon: “’Yip-yip-yip-yip!’ indeed, for this sympathetic portrayal of a not-often-celebrated creature who shares our world."—Kirkus Reviews, starred review

Terrific Tongues: “Perfect for a group storytime, this is a useful addition to the wonders-of-animals shelf."—Kirkus Reviews

Hawk Rising: “This captivating introduction to the red-tailed hawk concludes with more than a half-dozen facts about the common bird of prey and further reading."—Publishers Weekly, starred review

Operation Rescue Dog: Coming September 2018!
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The Stratford-Salariya Picture Book Prize is a competition held by the Stratford-upon-Avon Literary Festival and Salariya Book Company to find a picture book by an unpublished author deserving of publication. In 2017, Camille Whitcher won and now her #firstpicturebook has been published in the U.K. and will be available in the U.S. this August. Congrats Camille!

Q. Was LUNA AND THE MOON RABBIT the first picture book manuscript you ever wrote? If not, what was the first picture book you wrote and what happened to it?
A. It was indeed my first picture book manuscript. I never considered myself to be a writer before as I was much more focussed on illustration.

Q. What inspired LUNA AND THE MOON RABBIT?
A. I’m a big fan of folk tales, fairy tales and myths and wanted to do something based on one. I’m also a big fan of rabbits, though unfortunately I’ve never owned one. Having lived in Japan for a while, and of course having a Japanese parent, I’d known about the East Asian myth of the rabbit on the moon. I thought it was the perfect basis to create the story.

Q. How did you pick the title of your book?
A. Initially it was simply “The Moon Rabbit”. However, there were one or two other books with the same or similar titles so then it was decided that the girl’s name should appear in the title.

Q. Do you write by hand or on the computer?
A. I would have to say both. I probably start off with handwritten notes, usually on scraps of paper — I particularly seem to like used envelopes to doodle/scrawl on! I then take these scraps and type them up into chunks on the computer and start trying to make sense of them from there.

Q. What is your favorite part of the book? And was that part in the first draft?
A. I think my favourite part is the image where the two characters are lying beside the river watching the koi and it certainly was in the first draft. I had been experimenting with different media initially and found an old bottle of Quink that I’d bought years ago. I thought it’d be appropriate to use for a book set at night time. I’d found out from somewhere that it reacts to bleach well so I experimented painting koi in bleach on slightly diluted washes of Quink. I liked the outcome so made sure the koi were in the book.

Q. How did you select the names for your characters? 
A. I chose the name Luna not only because it means moon in English or Latin based languages but also because it exists in Japan as a girl’s name (spelled Runa when Romanised). It’s often written using the kanji for moon - the first character meaning moon.

Q. Why did you decide to tell the story third person? 
A. I don’t think it was a particularly conscious decision to do so. I think I naturally write in the third person unless I am specifically writing a story about me. Having said that, it’s probably obvious that the way I’ve designed Luna shows that this story is my own wish fulfillment!

Q. How much of the story did you know when you began writing LUNA AND THE MOON RABBIT? 
A. The myth that Luna and the Moon Rabbit is based on is quite well known in East Asian countries. I knew that there was a rabbit as opposed to a man on the moon and that he is seen pounding rice for mochi in the Japanese version of the myth. I didn’t know too much more than that until later on. There seem to be a couple of versions of how the rabbit ended up there. Both interesting, though I didn’t want to illustrate an existing story, I wanted to make it my own.

Q. Did you write the story first, then illustrate it? Or did the images appear before the words?
A. The images definitely came first. In fact it was almost finished before the final draft of the text was written. I think predominantly in images and the atmosphere I want to convey. I find it more difficult to convey moods with words without cringing at what I’ve written!

Q. Did LUNA AND THE MOON RABBIT receive any rejection letters? If so, how many (ballpark)?
A. To be honest before entering the book into the Stratford Literary Festival-Salariya Picture Book Prize I didn’t send it off to any other publishers as I was too afraid of rejection! I’d shown the dummy version of the book at my Graduate Degree Show and from there I had significant interest from one publisher, but after one meeting nothing came of it. I found entering the book into a competition somehow easier than sending it off to publishers.

Q. Describe your reaction when you received an offer on LUNA AND THE MOON RABBIT.
A. When I won the picture book prize, and as a result a contract, I was pretty stunned. That feeling took a long time to dissipate too. I kept thinking they must’ve made a mistake and it was only a matter of time before they’d call me to retract the prize!

Q. How long did LUNA AND THE MOON RABBIT take to be published—from the time you received an offer until it was printed?
A. It was a little over a year. However, to get it to the stage where I was ready to submit the dummy for the competition took much much longer!

Q. Was there a part that you really loved but had to edit out? Or did you think of something later that you wanted to add?
A. There wasn’t anything edited out. As for things that could’ve been added, there are probably many! But then I guess those ideas are for another story. There’s nothing that I regret not including.

Q. Have you read LUNA AND THE MOON RABBIT to kids? If so, which part of the book gets the best reaction?
A. I have read it to kids at a workshop. At the first reading, they were all so quiet and I was so nervous (!) that I didn’t really pick up on any particular reactions. However, on the second reading to them at the end of the workshop, I made it more interactive and they seemed to enjoy spying all the hidden rabbits in the images.

Q. Did you create any book swag for LUNA AND THE MOON RABBIT? If so, what kind?
A. I have had a few postcards printed up — some of which were made from previous artwork which I then redid for the book. I don’t know if it counts as ‘swag’ exactly but I also hand carved rubber stamps to use at signings. I know some illustrators like to do a little doodle when signing but I have such a fear of messing it up I thought a stamp would be better.

Q. What is your #1 tip for picture-book writers?
A. I guess what’s been invaluable to me is my picture book maker friends. I have a few very close friends that I made whilst doing my master’s in children’s book illustration and I rely on them to give me honest and constructive feedback on both my illustrations and my writing. However, the latter is much harder for me to share as I’m much less confident with it.

Q. Do you have a favorite writing exercise or marketing tip that you can share?
A. I don’t think I’m qualified to give tips on writing exactly - or even on marketing for that matter! One thing I do, as I have a terrible memory, is make sure I have access to a pen and paper, or something I can take notes on quickly. Ideas can pop up and then disappear quite quickly so I need to make a note of them. A lot of them don’t make much sense to me later but some of them do and are worth developing. It’s the same with illustrating. I don’t create beautiful instagram worthy sketchbooks. Instead, I use sketchbooks as a safe place (I hardly ever show anyone!) where I can doodle, sketch and generally dump my ideas. When my ideas start to dry up, I go back to these sketchbooks and usually find an old forgotten doodle that sparks my imagination.

Q. What are you working on now?
A. I have several ideas on the go, some more developed than others. I need to get them to a point where they’re ready to be submitted to publishers - I also need to get myself ready and confident enough to submit them!

Q. Where can people find you? (Website, Twitter, Instagram, etc.)
A.
On the internet I’m here: www.camillewhitcher.co.uk
On twitter I’m @CamilleWhitcher
On Instagram I’m @milly_of_bunston
In real life I’m either daydreaming or running!

Thank you for having me!
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You’ve sold your #firstpicturebook—congrats!!! Now what do you do?
Patience is key in picture-book publishing. My first book took three years—from offer letter to printed books. My second picture book, the read-aloud AN EXTRAORDINARY ORDINARY MOTH, took almost two years to be published. Everyone from the illustrator to the editor to the sales department needs their time to do their thing. So what did I do in the meantime?
Find out at LiteraryHoots.
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In 2016, I interviewed Heather Lang about creating her #firstpicturebook QUEEN OF THE TRACK: ALICE COACHMAN, OLYMPIC HIGH-JUMP CHAMPION which was published in 2012. Since her debut, Heather has published four more books, presented at conferences and schools around the country, and, just this month, won the SCBWI Crystal Kite Award for her picture book FEARLESS FLYER illustrated by Raul Colon. Congrats Heather and Raul!!

Here are a few links to Heather’s work:
ANYBODY’S GAME: KATHRYN JOHNSTON, THE FIRST GIRL TO PLAY LITTLE LEAGUE BASEBALL
SWIMMING WITH SHARKS: THE DARING DISCOVERIES OF EUGENIE CLARK
FEARLESS FLYER: RUTH LAW AND HER FLYING MACHINE
THE ORIGINAL COWGIRL: THE WILD ADVENTURES OF LUCILLE MULHALL
#FirstPictureBook Q&A for QUEEN OF THE TRACK: ALICE COACHMAN, OLYMPIC HIGH-JUMP CHAMPION

To keep up with Heather, follow her on Twitter at @hblang
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Cate Berry is a faculty member with the Writing Barn in Texas and also speaks at schools, libraries and conferences on such topics as "Gender Stereotyping and Poetic Devices" and "From Stand Up to Sit Down: Funneling Surprise and Stand-Up Comedy into Humorous Picture Books." Inspired by a class assignment, Cate wrote her #firstpicturebook which will be published on May 8th. Today she talks to us about crafting PENGUIN AND TINY SHRIMP DON’T DO BEDTIME!—a Junior Library Guild selection and “a definite do for bedtime” (Kirkus Reviews).

Q. Was PENGUIN AND TINY SHRIMP DON’T DO BEDTIME! the first picture book manuscript you ever wrote? If not, what was the first picture book you wrote and what happened to it?
A. It was close to my first book. I took two picture book classes at the Writing Barn in Austin, Texas (And I am lucky enough to teach there now). During my second class we were given the assignment of writing a bedtime book. I got a jump on the assignment and wrote this very quickly. It’s one of the few times something has come out “whole” and not needing a lot of revision (because that NEVER happens, as we know).

My very first picture book manuscript was called Puffin and Slip. It follows two creatures in a faraway galaxy. They are separated but stay connected through the moon and their special friendship. That manuscript is in a drawer right now but I think you’ve awoken my curiosity again! Thank you and I’ll keep you posted.

Q. What inspired PENGUIN AND TINY SHRIMP DON’T DO BEDTIME!?
A. As I stated above it was a class assignment. But also, as I examine it closely years later, it was a love letter to my children. They are only thirteen months apart and when they were little acted as one unit. Plus, they hate bedtime. Can you tell?

Q. How did you pick the title of your book?
A. Oh, that’s a fun topic. The book was originally titled This is Not a Bedtime Book. In the end, we wanted something a little more original and full of the voice of the characters. I brainstormed a list and Penguin & Tiny Shrimp Don’t Do Bedtime! was a favorite with the Harper Collins/Balzer+Bray team. I’m so glad we changed it. I really love the final title.

Q. Do you write by hand or on the computer?
A. I write by hand but I also write a lot on my iPhone notes app. I heard an interview with Annie Leibovitz talking about how the best camera to use was the one on you all the time. She champions iPhone photography and that got me thinking about using my Notes App for writing while I’m out in the world. There are so many opportunities to write: waiting for the dentist, right before your household wakes up, when insomnia hits in the dead of night. It’s freeing to just swipe over to an app and jot down inspiration when it hits.

Q. What is your favorite part of the book? And was that part in the first draft?
A. My favorite part of the book is probably the double spread of the “turn” or climax of the book. Penguin & Tiny Shrimp’s anti-bedtime shenanigans have reached a fever pitch and Charles Santoso’s illustrations are just so joyous and fun. He really captures my heart in that spread because it epitomizes being a kid.

Q. How did you select the names for your characters? 
A. I’ve been asked this a lot and I wish there were a snappier answer. But the truth is they just came to me very suddenly while I was drafting. You have to pay attention to your story when things are flowing. Things were definitely in “flow” that day.

Q. How did you decide between telling the story in first, second, or third person? 
A. A teacher of mine from grad school once said, “Every writer gets something for free.” My “freebie” is dialogue. It comes very organically for me. This entire book is told through dialogue and that is very much my voice as a writer.

Q. How much of the story did you know when you began writing PENGUIN AND TINY SHRIMP DON’T DO BEDTIME! ? 
A. Well, my subconscious knew quite a bit since sleuth bedtime tactics had been my life for so long with small children. I think when I started the story I knew they would end up passing out at the end. I can’t believe in a story fully until I know the ending.

Q. Did PENGUIN AND TINY SHRIMP DON’T DO BEDTIME!  receive any rejection letters? If so, how many (ballpark)?
A. Oh yes. It was on submission for several months and we received around 8-10 rejections. But then, presto we got several offers all at once. The book ended up at auction with four publishing houses. It sounds cliché, but I guess the take-away is that you should never give up on something you believe in.

Q. Describe your reaction when you received an offer on PENGUIN AND TINY SHRIMP DON’T DO BEDTIME! 
A. My agent called me and I had to pull over because I was driving. I screamed, of course, and then cried. I was very, very happy. Getting a book published relies on a lot of things lining up perfectly. I feel grateful every day for this opportunity.

Q. What kind of input did you have in choosing an illustrator for the book? 
A. My editor was open to suggestions from me. I requested that she consider Charles Santoso among others. She was charmed by the idea of Charles illustrating the book and we were both thrilled when he agreed.

Q. What jumped out at you when you saw the first sketches and jacket cover?
A. Oh. They exceeded my expectations. Not only were they adorable but also they were also full of personality and verve. I don’t know how Charles did it. I have so much respect and admiration for illustrators in general. It was such a gift when the first sketches came in.

Q. How long did PENGUIN AND TINY SHRIMP DON’T DO BEDTIME!  take to be published—from the time you received an offer until it was printed?
A. I believe we sold the book in the fall of 2016. It debuts May 8, 2018.

Q. Was there a part that you really loved but had to edit out? Or did you think of something later that you wanted to add?
A. That’s a great question. There was not much editing on my end. However my editor did nudge me to perfect some of Tiny Shrimp’s lines, adding more specificity. I’m so glad she did as it goosed the humor, in my opinion, and made his character that much more fun.

Q. Have you read PENGUIN AND TINY SHRIMP DON’T DO BEDTIME!  to kids? If so, which part of the book gets the best reaction?
A. I have read the book to lots of kids! I think the biggest laugh always happens when the Uni-Hippo makes a surprise entrance. I think my biggest thrill is seeing kids delight in two aquatic creatures bounding into zany adventures avoiding sleep. It’s every kid’s fantasy, or at least the kids I know.

Q. Did you create any book swag for PENGUIN AND TINY SHRIMP DON’T DO BEDTIME!? If so, what kind?
A. Yes! My sister is a wonderful designer and she and I have just ordered postcards for librarians, bookplates, stickers and buttons. I also made an invitation for the book launch on May 20th at the indie bookstore BookPeople in Austin, Texas. You’re all invited!

Q. What is your #1 tip for picture-book writers?
A. Read, read, read and then read more picture books. Don’t underestimate how much you’re learning about the form while you read picture books, especially aloud.

Q. Do you have a favorite writing exercise or marketing tip that you can share?
A. I try to write something every day even when I have just a few minutes. One of my advisors in grad school taught me this. It can be as small as a picture book title idea or a stanza in a poem. But it does wonders for keeping your creative wheels greased.

Q. What are you working on now?
A. I’m in the middle of revising four picture books and I’m on my third major revision of a middle grade novel. I’m also dabbling in non-fiction picture books. It scares me because the research is so interesting I’m afraid I’ll fall down the rabbit hole and never come out!

I’m also reminding myself every week to pay it forward and be generous about helping other writers as much as time will allow. That’s important to me: connection and community.

Q. Where can people find you? (Website, Twitter, Instagram, etc.)
A. I love to hear from kids, readers, and writers! You can find me here:
www.cateberry.com
Twitter: @cberrywriter
Insta: @cateberryatx
Cate Berry Reads PENGUIN & TINY SHRIMP DON'T DO BEDTIME!: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=7_kfuwBfvPc
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While you are waiting for your #firstpicturebook to be published, think about the little extras to add to your website for kids or teachers. I’m not a huge fan of printable bookmarks because I’ve never seen anyone use a bookmark with a picture book. But I do like the idea of coloring sheets or printable posters. (How great would a kid’s room be if the walls were covered in book posters?) Other extras include discussion guides, games, puzzles, and how-to-draw activities. What items would work well with your book? To get some ideas, take a look at the little extras these authors created for their #firstpicturebooks:

DOLL-E 1.0
How to draw book characters

GLORIA
Discussion Guide

THE FIELD
Teacher’s guide

I LOVE YOU BUNNY
How to draw book character

HALLOWEEN GOODNIGHT
Crafts and activities

THE TOOTH MOUSE
Activity sheets

ZEBRA ON THE GO
Activity kit

WHOBERT
Story Hour Kit

GRANDMOTHER THORN
Educator’s guide

NIAN MONSTER
Event kit

SALAD PIE
Activities

BACKHOE JOE
Teacher’s Guide

TICK TOCK BANNEKER’S CLOCK
Video and Activities

TOBY
Activities

HILDIE BITTERPICKLES NEEDS HER SLEEP
Teacher’s Guide

QUEEN OF THE TRACK
Discussion and Activity Guide

LADY PANCAKE AND SIR FRENCH TOAST
Character cards and book songs

THE WILLIAM HOY STORY
Teacher’s Guide

THE GENTLEMAN BAT
Hidden details

ACHOO! WHY POLLEN MATTERS
Activities guide

Click here to see the little extras for my #firstpicturebook NADIA.

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Shanda (rhymes with panda) McCloskey’s #firstpicturebook was inspired by watching her inventive daughters play with their toys and was later named by her husband. Now this family-made creation comes out May 1 and today she shares the nuts and bolts of DOLL-E 1.0—“an engaging story, arguing for the marriage of technology with creativity and play” (Kirkus Reviews ) and “an enjoyable romp for readers, whether they’re plugged in or not” (Booklist).

Q. Was DOLL-E 1.0  the first picture book manuscript you ever wrote? If not, what was the first picture book you wrote and what happened to it?
A. Hmm. I think this was probably the 3rd or 4th picture book I spent real time on. For a few of those, I was stuck on writing about how making art was similar to cooking with ingredients. The idea sounded fun, but it wasn’t when I actually wrote it. I still remember the looks on my writer friends’ faces when I finished reading my drafts aloud… poor guys, they had to tell me how bad it was without breaking my spirit. I guess, they succeeded, because I’m still here. :)
 
Q. What inspired DOLL-E 1.0?
A. One day, I was playing dolls and stuffed animals with my two-year-old daughter who naturally liked books and movies with robots in them. While we played, she said her doll was a robot. And that idea just flew all over me! I ran to write it down, and the next few weeks I researched robot picture books to see if this idea had been played out before. To my surprise, it hadn’t. And not only that, but ALL the robot-themed books I found in that time were made with boy readers in mind. A robot book with girl-appeal was missing!
 
Q. How did you pick the title of your book?
A. My husband, Ben, came up with this title. I loved it from the moment he said it, and I was lucky that my editor at Little Brown, Andrea Spooner, liked it too!
 
Q. Do you write by hand or on the computer?
A. A little of both, actually.
 
Q. What is your favorite part of the book? And was that part in the first draft?
A. This is the original image from which the story of DOLL-E 1.0 was born. Waaaaay before I had a agent or an offer, I wanted to draw tools, intense creating, plans, and mechanical parts, so I did. And aside from a few detail additions, this original image appears in the book!

Q. How did you select the names for your characters?
A. As I drew her, I thought the girl looked like a “Charlotte” and after I had called her that for so long, it stuck! I think it’s a strong, classic, yet cool and revived, female name.
 
“Blutooth” was a fun discovery! But legally we couldn’t use the trademarked spelling: Bluetooth. So, we took out the E. We also toyed with the idea of calling him “Megabyte”, but Blutooth rolled off my tongue much easier when I read my story aloud - which I will probably be doing a lot. :)
 
“Doll-E” was the first character to be named. An electronic play-on name for a dolly!
 
Q. Why did you decide to tell the story in third person?
A. I tried both ways, but third person with some dialogue seemed the best fit.
 
Q. How much of the story did you know when you began writing DOLL-E 1.0 ?
A. I thought I knew most of it, but as I mention in another answer below, just about ALL of it changed once I got better acquainted with my kid/kid-like characters.
 
Q. Did you write the story first, then illustrate it? Or did the images appear before the words?
A. Characters seem to come first, then I try to find their story, then I toggle between art and story in the dummy process. I take away, add, or rework until it feels close to right. I think I made 7 different dummies for DOLL-E 1.0 before I settled where I did.
 
Q. Did DOLL-E 1.0  receive any rejection letters? If so, how many (ballpark)?
A. Earlier versions of DOLL-E 1.0 got rejected 6 times, but some of these rejections had valuable feedback attached that resulted in good changes!
 
Q. Describe your reaction when you received an offer on DOLL-E 1.0 .
A. It was so flipping exciting! DOLL-E 1.0 went to auction with 4 offers! It was like the movies where I was always near my phone waiting on an update from my agent. I may never experience excitement like this over one of my books again, but I’ll surely NEVER forget it!
 
On the other hand, I didn’t feel like I’d won the lottery either. I felt like I had worked hard for this moment, and I still had a lot of work ahead of me once I accepted one of the offers.
 
Q. How long did DOLL-E 1.0  take to be published—from the time you received an offer until it was printed?
A. About a year and a half. I received offers in January 2017 and DOLL-E 1.0 is set to be on shelves May 1st, 2018. It was put on a “rushed” schedule because of the popular girl/tech subject. We didn’t want to be late to the party, so to speak.
 
Q. Was there a part that you really loved but had to edit out? Or did you think of something later that you wanted to add?
A. When I started writing DOLL-E 1.0 I had some beautiful themes/messages about what technology can’t replace that I was trying to write a story around. But, as I got to know my characters better as kids, I found that my “themes” were actually very grown-up thoughts. It was tough to let go of my lovely (but didactic) ideas and remember how my mind worked when I was a kid.
 
Q. What is your #1 tip for picture books writers?
A. Just keep plugging along ... working, reading, learning new things, trying new things, meeting people … and you WILL eventually see fruits from your labor. :)
 
Q. Do you have a favorite writing exercise or marketing tip that you can share?
A. Every year my critique group retreats to a cabin in Alabama for a writing weekend! We follow a schedule of working, eating, walking and critiquing each day. It has proven to be really productive AND fun!
 
Q. What are you working on now?
A. Currently, I’m working on a companion story to DOLL-E 1.0 where you’ll meet Charlotte’s neighborhood friends including Lucas and his drone named T-Bone!
 
Q. Where can people find you? (Website, Twitter, etc.)
A.
Web: shandamc.com
Instagram: @shandamccloskeydraws
Twitter: @shandamccloskey
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Almost two years after my #firstpicturebook was published, my second picture book is here! Check out my blog tour where I share my inspiration for the book, writing tips, a list of publishers that accept unsolicited manuscripts, and the best thing I did while waiting for my book to be published:

Kidlit411
Author spotlight and writing tips.

Maria Marshall’s Blog
My inspiration for the book and list of publishers that accept unsolicited manuscripts.

Celebrate Picture Books
“Through her vivacious rhymes, Karlin Gray elevates the “ordinary” back-porch moth to star status with fascinating facts that will lure kids to discover more.”

Pragmatic Mom
“This rhyming picture book covers a range of moth species and spreads a message of looking deeper to find what is unique and special in all creatures.”

Literary Hoots
The Best Thing I Did While Waiting for My book to be Published.

KidLit Coffee Talk
From my favorite coffee to my favorite books.

Picture Book Depot
“This is a sweet little book about moths that can double as a pick-me-up for any child who isn’t feeling special at the moment.”

Rebecca Grabill’s Blog
“A delight for the eyes and a fascinating look at the most ordinary of extraordinary creatures, the moth.

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Today is April 2nd and it’s snowing here in Connecticut! So I’m going to look back at some #firstpicturebooks that promise warmer weather and inspire me to keep writing . . . instead of hiding under the covers like my dog Ellie. Click on each book title to read the complete #firstpicturebook Q&A:

FINDING WILD:
“I've always loved spending time outside. When I was young I think I took this connection to the natural world for granted. I didn't realize that you really have to hang onto that, or the busyness of life will take over. With my own kids I've tried to encourage outdoor play and a sense of wonder for nature, in both big and little ways. I think all of this was in the back of my mind as I wrote FINDING WILD. I wanted to celebrate nature and the special connection kids--and, really, all of us--can experience when we take the time to notice the beauty and wild all around us.”

ISLAND TOES:
“One of my favorite parts of the book is the surfing spread where it shows a girl surfing. Not only is it wonderful to showcase girls in sports, but this young girl is clearly experienced enough to be able to surf “toes-on-the-nose” style. I remember this phrase coming to mind after I had been working on the manuscript for quite a while.”

TIP TOE GUIDE TO TRACKING FAIRIES:
“It was inspired by a nature walk I took with my daughters, who were then 6 and 8. They were not especially keen on walks at that time, so we decided that, to liven things up, we would take a stroll through our local nature preserve while being on the lookout for spots where fairies might be hiding. From there the story took on a life of its own - and the result is as you see it!”

MR. MCGINTY’S MONARCHES:
“One day, while walking my dogs, I found the milkweed along the side of our quiet road had been mowed. Milkweed is vital to monarch survival. Monarch caterpillars were clinging to the drying plants. Seeing this was upsetting. The monarchs are in trouble, and I wanted to share their story.”

SALAD PIE:
“My daughter and I were at the park and she was playing pretend and said, “Salad Pie,” which I thought was so clever and creative that I repeated it in my head over and over all the way home. Then, during her rest time, I scribbled out the first draft of the story.”

THE SUMMER NICK TAUGHT HIS CATS TO READ:
“I was remembering when my daughter began reading middle-grade novels. She sank so deep into those books that she was in another world.... So that’s what the first version of the story was about—a boy whose best friend (his cat) gets lost in books. Gradually the story changed so that the boy teaches the cat to read. And then two cats were being taught, but reading didn’t come equally easily to both...”

JABARI JUMPS:
“I've always loved to swim and remember clearly learning to jump off the diving board. I try to write stories about moments that are relatable to kids and that one stuck out for me.”

GREEN GREEN:
“My husband and co-author Baldev Lamba is a landscape architect.  Years ago, we were walking in a harsh urban area, and he pointed to some weeds and wild flowers springing up through cracks in the cement. And he said something along the lines of, "See that? Nature is always there just waiting to come back." That stuck with me for a long time, and became the inspiration for our book.”

THE FIELD:
“The idea for the story came while playing outside in the rain with my children. They were so happy running in rain, splashing in pools of water and rolling in the dirt.”

ACHOO!:
“I spent three months researching daily everything I could about pollen, forest animals, black bears. I dug up every creature that eats pollen, wrote to vetters to double check the science. I hiked through a few national parks and pine forests, visited live bears in New Hampshire, observed a large honeybee hive at the Boston Museum of Science, and constantly researched bees pollinating flowers everywhere I could. I also contacted beekeepers, and went to multiple butterfly conservatories.”
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When Daria Peoples-Riley was nine years old, she got her first job in the children’s section of her hometown library. Later, she became a teacher and now she is a full-time author/illustrator. Released last month, her #firstpicturebook THIS IS IT is “a beautiful tribute to the power of dance” (Kirkus Reviews) that “shows a girl gaining confidence in herself—an important message for all children” (School Library Journal, starred review).

Q. Was THIS IS IT the first picture book manuscript you ever wrote? If not, what was the first picture book you wrote and what happened to it?
A. No! Ha. The first picture book dummy I finished and submitted to agents was called Joy Ride, and it was rejected over and over and over again. 

Q. What inspired THIS IS IT?
A. THIS IS IT was inspired by my daughter. She is an aspiring classical ballerina, and I originally wrote the poem as a gift to give to her on the day of her first audition. After I enrolled in an online picture book class, I was asked to illustrate a manuscript. I didn’t have a manuscript, so I pulled out the poem to illustrate and it became a picture book in the class.

Q. How did you pick the title of your book?
A. It was the last line of the poem, and it resounded the loudest to me. I thought it was fitting for a few reasons. First, there are only a few "This Is It" moments in life that can potentially alter the course of our destiny. It’s important for us to recognize these moments as they occur instead of in retrospect when often it’s too late, and we regret not making the choice we deeply desired. And, all of those choices determine our journey to becoming the best version of ourselves. We only have one journey, and one opportunity to accomplish all we dream and imagine for ourselves. This is it. The sooner we realize this, the better. And I hope children and the adults who love them receive that message after reading THIS IS IT.

Q. Do you write by hand or on the computer?
A. Both. Often, in the early stages, I write by hand . And, as I get further along, I move to my laptop. But truth be told, I’ve written entire manuscripts on my iPhone. 

Q. What is your favorite part of the book? And was that part in the first draft? (Please send an image from the book or link to book trailer.)
A. The middle spread. It’s a visual representation of surrender. Whatever happens, happens. Whether we succeed or fail, let it be. We’re here. We’re trying. We’re not eliminating ourselves by not showing up. And yes, it was in the first draft, and the first final art sample I submitted.

Q. How did you decide between telling the story in first, second, or third person? 
A. The poem came in second person, and it made sense because of all of the affirmations the shadow speaks to the heroine. 

Q. How much of the story did you know when you began writing THIS IS IT? 
A. All of it. It came out in one draft mainly because I never intended it to be a picture book. It was written from a mother’s soul to her daughter's heart, and that came from a place I'm not sure any other stories will ever come from again.

Q. Did you write the story first, then illustrate it? Or did the images appear before the words?
A. As I revised the text once it was acquired, my editor and I settled on the text first, and then I revised the illustrations.
 
Q. Did THIS IS IT receive any rejection letters? If so, how many (ballpark)?
A. Oh yes. Everyone rejected it in the first round. 6 or 7
times. But!! One of the rejections held a gem of advice that helped me revise it, and in the second round, it sold in a preempt within 48 hours. 

Q. Describe your reaction when you received an offer on THIS IS IT.
A. Well, I was sitting with my mother as we were waiting for my grandmother to go into surgery. Marietta called me, and something told me the book sold before I answered the phone. I stepped out of the pre-op room , and when Marietta told me the news, I accidentally kind of, sort of, might've shrieked in celebration, and my mom came out and yelled at me. I took the phone call in the restroom to continue  my celebratory dance. When I shared the news with my mom, we all got a little weepy. It was really special. Both my mother and my grandmother's mother tried to be published, so I felt like all of our dreams came true. 

Q. How long did THIS IS IT take to be published—from the time you received an offer until it was printed?
A. I received the offer in April of 2016, and its publishing date was February of 2018. 

Q. Was there a part that you really loved but had to edit out? Or did you think of something later that you wanted to add?
A. I was really pleased with every word. There was one line, in particular, that was changed in copy edits, but I was just as happy with my revision as I was with the original line.  

Q. Have you read THIS IS IT to kids? If so, which part of the book gets the best reaction?
A. Yes! Many times, and they all giggle when it says, "Shake it baby. SHAKE. IT. BABY." Then, they shake it. Haha!

Q. Did you create any book swag for THIS IS IT? If so, what kind?
A. I made bookmarks, posters of the cover, and little tote bags for the book launch.

Q. What is your #1 tip for picture-book writers?
A. Write a story for the audience of the one child who needs to read your story, and her story will touch the hearts of all the children who need to hear her story too.

Q. Do you have a favorite writing exercise or marketing tip that you can share?
A. Be yourself. There is only one you.

Q. What are you working on now?
A. I am illustrating a book by Jessica M. Rinker called Gloria Takes A Stand about the life of Gloria Steinem (Bloomsbury, 2019), and I am working on my next picture book with Greenwillow for Summer of 2019.
Q. Where can people find you? (Website, Twitter, Instagram, etc.)
A.
dariapeoples.com
Twitter and IG: @dariaspeoples
Book trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OzzKIhf45A4
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