Category: Amanda

Musings of a Library-Lifer

4/8/2019

An architect's rendering of the Pretoria Public Library (1937). The building currently houses the State Library.

~by Amanda Smith

When I was a little girl, my father would take my brother and me to the Pretoria Public Library every other week, where we could each check out two books. I would tightly hug my books against my chest as we crossed the busy street, skipped up the wide steps, and entered the grand red granite building through enormous oiled teak doors.

The Children’s Library was on the second story, accessed by an enchanted staircase that magically transported itself from the greatest castle of a fantasy novel. My dad would let us ascend to the Realms of Upstairs by ourselves as he continued on the adult shelves. Inside the children’s library, I was greeted by the kind librarian who always remembered my name. She received my books like the great treasure they were, and paid me with the keys to the universe, my two sunshine-yellow library pockets. My tickets to Narnia.

There, between the dark wood shelves, lined with rows upon rows of books, hugged by silence, breathing in the wholesome, dusty smell of historical building, knowledge, and art, I lost myself. And found myself.

And a place to belong.

Many, many years later, when my husband and I immigrated to the US, one of the first things we did, was to join our local library. It was there that we learned to navigate this new culture, were educated about US holidays and celebrations by exhibits librarians thoughtfully pulled together, and ran into acquaintances who became friends.

We found a place to belong.

When my children were toddlers, we were regulars at library story times and craft mornings. When they became independent readers, we signed up for summer reading programs and activities such as visiting magicians, hand-drum sessions and worm races. Parents huddled in the back in quiet conversation, watching kids play, and maybe made arrangements to meet at a playground later in the week, finding community.
And a place to belong.

Last summer, as part of a road trip, our family visited friends in Pittsburgh. Proud to show off their city, they took us to the Carnegie Museum and amazing Carnegie library (true kindred spirits). Their kids dragged our kids to the youth room as we explored the fabulous architecture of the library. When we returned to the youth room, we found our children playing board games with other kids who happened to be there. Some kids were knitting, others had fabric scraps laid out over the table, making elaborate fabric art plans, others were playing computer games. As I looked at these city kids (and my country bumpkins dragged into the mix) contently engaged and interacting, I saw kids who found a safe place.

The place they belong.

Recently I have watched our small-town library undergo a transformation. When we pop in after school, we have walked in on Taco parties and art classes. A youth director has been hired to provide after-school activities to students who stay at the library every afternoon. She offers homework help and recommends books. I have heard her give pep talks and friendship advice. Today’s library is a far cry from the quiet place that provided sanctuary to me. When I watch my youngest lug a stack of graphic novels taller than himself to the check-out counter, I marvel at all the ways libraries have changed.

Upon entering our library, we walk past the expected: books, DVDs, music. We greet the patrons: the elderly, the scholars, the unemployed doing a job-search on the computers provided. We scan the flyers advertising activities hosted by the library: Yoga classes, book clubs, sewing and art classes, local authors’ support groups. We browse the ever-growing audiobook section. We lose a child in the expansive graphic novel section. And then we pause at something new: A Library of Things: board games, toys, puzzles, Lego!

What other international institution has adapted to a continuously changing world as successfully as libraries have? Libraries have their finger on the pulse of their communities, and constantly adapt and grow to meet their communities' needs. Yet libraries continue to do what they have always done.

Provide a place to belong.

April 7- 13 is National Library week. If you haven’t visited your library since your childhood, I would like to urge you to look in and discover all it has to offer. If you are a lifer, like me, this is the perfect week to thank your librarians.

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INTERNAL STRUCTURE - Part III: When Structure is More than a Skeleton

3/19/2019

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~by Amanda Smith

Over the last two weeks we have looked at linear and circular story structures, and ways in which we can jazz up these basic structures. In some books, though, structure transcends itself. It becomes more that the skeleton on which the story hangs. Structure becomes meaning.

In these kinds of books, the author adds an extra layer that lies, like some magical being, just beneath the surface of the story. It piques the curiosity in advanced readers to dig deeper. And once it is uncovered, it contributes to a deeper understanding of the text and a more exciting read.

This “form has meaning” internal structure is most evident in novels in verse, such as Solo by Kwame Alexander or The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo. The Poet X is written in three parts that distinctly highlights sections of the main character's struggle to find her voice. Xiomara’s way to her voice takes on an internal journey (circular) structure, but each part is titled by a quote from scripture that applies to Xiomara’s experiences, awareness, and growth within that part, thus structure equals meaning. Examples where form echoes meaning are the poems in which she argues with her mother, where the two voices are in two languages, or where her mother argues with biblical quotes that she answers with her poetry, as well as the assignment pieces Xiomara writes for her English class. She writes “What I wanted to say” – her true voice – in poetry. But “What I actually said” is in prose, an symbol of her constricted voice.

Structure as meaning is not exclusively reserved for novels in verse. In Still a Work in Progress, by Jo Knowles, the chapter headings are requests found in the school’s suggestion box. They provide comic relief, shines a light on the setting and characters, and acts as the backbone of the story. Initially the headings are silly and lighthearted, but towards the end of the novel, they become sincere and encouraging, telling their own story of growth and development within the student body, and also highlighting the emotional arc of the main character. Two chapters do not have headings. These chapters take place when the main character is not at school, and therefore wouldn’t have known the suggestions placed in the box. This detailed attention to structure lets the reader know that the headings are not just there, but should be further inspected to find the underlying treasure.

Gary Schmidt builds Wednesday’s Wars around the plays of Shakespeare, and Okay for Now around Audubon’s Book of Birds. Neither one of these topics are at the core of the story, but the plays and the bird images help reveal character growth, add levels of symbolism, and provide a solid structure around which the plot is shaped.

In Okay for Now the metaphor of Audubon’s birds is used as an organizing thematic pattern. Not only does the reader have images of the birds at the beginning of each chapter that create a circle structure beginning and ending with the Arctic Tern, but also the book is saturated with imagery. The author uses the bird imagery in structure and story arc. The main character recognizes the imagery in the bird pictures and keeps drawing metaphors from his study of these paintings. Thus, the reader enjoys layers of metaphors, created both by narrative and structure, which leads to multiple levels of understanding and immense depth of meaning.

Mary’s Monster, Lita Judge’s biography of Mary Shelley, is one of those books where, at first glance, the structure seems like a purely practical choice, but once a reader looks deeper, the structure adds meaning to the content. Using three distinct voices in three different fonts, Judge mirrored the three voices in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein’s Monster. Judge’s book is also presented in nine parts, echoing the nine months it took Shelley to write her novel. At the beginning of each part, Judge uses quotes that is relevant to that section, and her artwork at the end of each of the nine parts acts as a full stop. It is a snapshot of that moment in Shelley’s life, a moment for the reader to take a breath, and an indication that something is about to change. Lita Judge’s novel invites curious readers to investigate, and they will not be disappointed at the layers of meaning and symbolism buried in the structure.

The structure of The Inquisitor’s Tale (Or Three Children and Their Holy Dog) by Adam Gidwitz mirrors medieval texts, such as Canterbury Tales. In this book the structure supports the medieval setting, educates readers about medieval texts, but also provides opportunity for multiple narrators in a way that is accessible to young children.

Meaning in structure is also attainable in picture books. In 2015 Caldecott Medal winner Beekle, author-illustrator Dan Santat uses the whole book’s physical structure to deliver the full message. On the front end-papers the reader sees many children with their imaginary friends. Each child-imaginary friend duo has their thing they do together – their purpose. But Beekle, centered on the right-hand page, stands alone. When we get to the last full-spread of the book, we find Alice and Beekle surrounded by drawings of their adventures. These drawings are images from the book we are holding in our hands. On the back end-papers, Beekle and Alice appear together in the center between all the other children and their imaginary friends, holding the book Beekle. Making this book was their purpose. The structure of the book echoes the meaning of the book that is about the making of this book.

2018 Caldecott winner Wolf in the Snow by Matthew Cordell has a mirroring circular structure. The wolves’ journey mirrors the girl’s. This mirroring reflects the theme that we are the same, and have the same basic needs, regardless our appearance. The story structure is echoed in the circle motif of some of the illustrations.

In Drawn Together, written by Minh Lê and illustrated by Dan Santat, structure contributes to the readers understanding of the relationship between grandfather and grandson. Initially the illustrations are in frames, like a comic book, alluding to the boxed-in, restricted relationship between the two characters.

As they find common ground, the frames disappear and the images are full of detail, color and movement. When the distance between them resurfaces, they are back in the frames, until they use their new tools to break out together in spectacular fashion, revealing the spread with the most movement and color.

As a graphic memoir, Hey Kiddo, by Jarrett J. Krosoczka, has a chronological, linear structure. The art is the simple line drawings we’ve come to love in books like Lunch Lady or Jedi Academy, but the muted color palette communicates to the reader that the subject matter is not light. Each chapter kicks off with a spread that uses Jarrett’s grandmother’s kitchen wallpaper as a background. Collaged on this pineapple wallpaper are mementos from his youth: letters from his mother, invitations, photographs and artwork from his childhood. The juxtaposition between the comic-style drawings and the real-life artifacts is a powerful reminder that what the reader encounters, really happened, and that one can overcome hardship with perseverance, humor and love.

When I encounter books like these, I often wonder about the author’s process. At what point in the writing did structure become meaning? I have had the privilege to ask both Kate Messner and Gary Schmidt this question. For both of them, the focus on meaningful structure happens after the first draft. Gary said that once he has the story on paper, he looks for the recurring themes, or objects, and then delves deep into that to make the most of it. Kate said, “ Mostly, those kinds of threads appear as I’m writing, and then I go back and strengthen them during the revision process.”

As you read mentor texts for research, pay attention to the internal structure. Is it simply a skeleton? Or does the structure contribute to meaning? And as you plot your own work, take some time to consider the backbone of your story, and whether your structure can be purposeful in more than one way. What suits your story best? What can you tease out or build upon to give your WIP an additional layer of meaning for those analytical readers?

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INTERNAL STRUCTURE - Part II: Circular Structure

3/18/2019

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~ by Amanda Smith

Last week we looked at the importance of strong internal structure and the role it plays in assisting readers to decode a text. We focused on linear structure. If you missed the post, you may access it here. This week we’ll be taking a look at circular internal structure as well as ways to add interest to structure.

In books with a circular structure, the characters find themselves in the same space, whether externally or internally, in the end of the story as in the beginning. Circular structure is satisfying to readers. It offers complete closure and provides opportunity for the reader to compare, contrast, and consider the growth and change that happened within the full circle.

A picture book example of circular structure is The Dot by Peter Reynolds. When Vashti’s own words are spoken back to her, her response drives home her growth. In A Mango Shaped Space by Wendy Mass (MG), the circular structure is evident in the main character’s synesthesia being present, being lost, being regained; the coming and going of cats; and a full-circle moment with her grandfather’s painting. I like to think of circular structure as a book hug. All the story elements are gathered together and complete, leaving the reader feeling fulfilled and loved.

Quest or journey books traditionally have circular structures. Characters are home, they voyage, they return home. Jessie Sima’s charming picture book Love, Z, is an excellent introduction to a quest book, where the main character undergoes both a physical and internal quest. Series such as Beyonders by Brandon Mull and Brotherband by John Flannigan, and stand-alones such as The Emperor’s Ostrich by Julie Berry are examples of MG and YA quest books.

Circular structure comes in many variations, preventing these types of books from becoming predictable.
In Be Kind by Pat Zietlow Miller the circle expands to the universal, but contracts back to the main character in end.

Sometimes the circle is ascending, almost like a loop-de-loop on a roller coaster. The character meets his full circle face on, and shoots past it, in a display of tremendous character growth and victory. After the Fall by Dan Santat and Drawn Together by Minh Lê are examples of this kind of uplifting, feel-good structure.

Mystery or suspense novels have a spiral structure where each clue or fact circles the main character closer to the solution.

A book can also contain multiple smaller circles within a bigger linear or circular structure, where subplots form mini-circles, or the main character has several circle-moments.

Ways to enhance simple structures:

Other structural elements can be added to basic linear and circular structures to provide interest.

Younger readers, and picture book audiences, find comfort in repetition. Repetition gives readers some control over the text, the ability to make informed predictions, and a sense of what is important. Repetition can be bold, like an echoing phrase, a similar pattern repeated, or in dialogue. But it can also be subtle, hidden within the way a series of actions repeat, or within lists that progress in similar fashion, or even within the rhythm of words. All these known elements in different circumstances, are familiar, comfortable places for young readers - places to rest and gather thoughts before the next intense moment.

Before You Sleep by Annie Cronin Romano, walks through the five senses in a linear way (and the illustrations show the four seasons), but the chorus repeating at the end of each sense’s section gives readers and listeners a clue that they are transitioning.

In picture books, repetition can also be present in the illustrations. In But the Bear Came Back by Tammi Sauer, images of and allusions to the bear are present throughout the book, even when the bear is absent.

In longer works repetition can appear in the form of themes, objects, or games, and sometimes a character has a saying or mantra that repeats. Even though the structure in The Seventh Wish (MG) is linear, Messner enhances the structure, and builds tension, with the Serenity Prayer repeatedly appearing in snippets and in full throughout the novel. It acts like a little red flag to readers, saying, “Pay attention!” and contributes to the main character’s development.

Cumulative structure, where the narrative builds upon itself, adds silliness or tension. Classic examples of stories with cumulative structure are There was an Old Lady who Swallowed a Fly or The House that Jack Built, and more current examples are You must Bring a Hat by Simon Phillip, Stuck by Oliver Jeffreys and The Red Sled by Lita Judge. Cause and effect books (If you give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff) also fall under this umbrella.

The Epic Adventures of Huggie and Stick (PB) by Drew Daywalt is a parallel journey, told by two narrators with very different points of view, creating two parallel circles. With parallel linear structure, like in Dear Dragon by Josh Funk, the same timeline is followed independently by two characters.

Both the above-mentioned picture books also employ different types of text. Dear Dragon is epistolary, while The Epic Adventures of Huggie and Stick is conveyed through diary entries. Unconventional texts such as letters, sticky notes and emails (Everything, Everything (YA) by Nicola Yoon), text messages, letters, newspaper articles, and poems (Breakout (MG) by Kate Messner), are all ways to jazz up basic linear or circular structures.

Bodies need strong frameworks to function properly. In the same way an author has to construct a story around a solid structure to keep readers anchored. Once the structure is sound, the other elements do not distract, but rather contribute to the structure.

What type of basic structure suits your WIP the best? Once you have settled on a basic structure, can you use one or more of the other elements to add texture?

Be sure to come back next week when we will look at books where structure also denotes meaning.

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INTERNAL STRUCTURE - Part I: Linear Structure

3/11/2019

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~ by Amanda Smith

When I taught elementary and middle school science there would always be a place in the school-year where I would ask something like this: What is the function of the skeletal system? What would you look like if you had no bones? Inevitably, there would always be one student who said, “Like a blob.” Just as our skeletal system provides structural support for the entire body, and, along with muscles, enables movement, stories also need bones in order to not be “blobs” of words.

Over the next three weeks we will take a deep delve into story structure. We’ll look at basic story structures, ways to use structure to add interest, and ways in which structure itself can create meaning. In The Magic Words, Cheryl B. Klein states, “Plot is simply the selection of events and structure in which these events unfold to create the desired emotional effects.” My hope is that by the end of this series, we will all have a better understanding of structure, and will give our story skeletons as much thought as we give plot development or character building.

Basic story structures include linear and circular. There are elements that can be incorporated to both these structures to add depth, teach concepts, or reassure readers. As those who write for emerging readers, we should also be aware that internal structure provides “coat hooks” or place markers for students to gather their thoughts and make necessary connections. When our stories have well-built structures, they offer support for young readers to navigate a text.

Let’s take a look at linear structure. Linear structure is the most common internal structure used by story tellers. It is how we teach young writers to write. A story must have a beginning, middle, and end; and as writers mature, we teach them the story arc.

Usually linear structure is connected to a timeline. The passage of time in a story can be brief, like in most picture books. However, a short timeline doesn’t necessarily imply a short text. The action in the middle grade novel Miss Bixby’s Last Day by John David Anderson mostly takes place over the course of one day. Periodic time stamps and other time references help establish the structure. The YA novel Read Between the Lines by Jo Knowles is also set in a single day, with time stamps at the start of each chapter.

The internal structure of Wonder by R.J. Palacio is stretched over the school year. References to holidays and typical school calendar activities provide the skeleton for the story. Books with a linear structure can also be built around specific holidays, sporting events, competitions, or life-events. The autobiographical graphic novel Smile by Reina Telgemeier takes place over many years, yet its linear structure follows the author’s childhood dental injury and recovery.

Sequence of events or lists are also ways to create linear internal structure. In The Seventh Wish by Kate Messner (MG) the title reveals that the reader can expect a series of wishes and consequences. In a novel that deals with heavy subject matter, as well as multiple subplots, the rhythm of the seven wishes creates order. The BFF Bucket List by Dee Romito (MG) is another book where a list is provided early on in the narration. The reader has the expectation that everything on the list will be covered in the novel, and that structure helps the reader make predictions and eases the reader through the story.

Romance novels also typically follow a linear structure. There is the introduction of the main characters and growing friendship, the fall-out, and the happily ever after (or not).

In concept books, linear structure often helps to teach the reader something specific. Alphabet books such as Z is for Moose by Kelly Bingham, number books like There’s a Dinosaur on the Thirteenth Floor by Wade Bradford, days of the week books like The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle and season books, like Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn by Kenard Pak are linear by nature of their subject.

Retellings, fractured fairy tales and nursery rhymes typically have linear structure. As the new story is based on the structure of the old, familiarity with the original texts help readers navigate the new. Interstellar Cinderella by Deborah Underwood (PB) and Well, That Was Awkward by Rachel Vail (MG, based on Cyrano De Bergerac) are examples.

Linear structure is helpful, especially to emerging readers, because it connects text with familiar timelines and provides them road markers as they experience a story. In picture books, linear structure can also help reinforce concepts under the cover of a fun story.

Next week we will look at circular structure as well as ways in which linear and circular structures can be made more interesting. As you read this week, consider the internal structure of your reading material. What provides shape under the surface to help you make sense of the story, characters and emotions?

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Valentine's Day Release: FALLING FOR WONDER BOY by Kristine Asselin

2/14/2019

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~ by Amanda Smith

24 Carrot Writing celebrates with
Kristine Asselin
as her new Young Adult novel,
Falling for Wonder Boy
hits shelves today!

When sixteen-year-old Kate Anderson signs up for the New Hampshire Junior State Golf Championship, she has no idea how important it is for her to win. But when she finds out her family’s beloved golf course is on the verge of going broke, the pressure is on to bring home the top prize. If she can become the first girl to ever win the tournament, she’ll earn more than bragging rights and a college scholarship – she’ll become famous. And with fame comes a gigantic media blitz, and that type of hype is exactly the prize her family needs to bring back the crowds and chase away the threats of bank foreclosure.

Unfortunately, golf is a game of focus and Kate’s distractions are mounting by the day: her growing crush on her best friend Scott and dealing with the local bully seem tough enough without the extra distraction of the cute British exchange kid her dad hires for the summer. But when vandals damage the golf course and Scott is accused of the crime, the stakes suddenly become bigger than any tournament. To clear Scott’s name, Kate takes on the responsibility of finding the culprit before the course is vandalized again. Otherwise, winning the tournament won’t even be on the table, and neither will a future with Scott.

Kristine shares the inspiration behind the novel, as well as her path to publishing:

Falling for Wonder Boy has truly been a labor of love for me. When I started writing in 2006, I was drafting mostly picture book texts for my toddler—they were okay, but not great. I got some nice feedback, but nothing more. When a friend reminded me of an anecdote from our teen years, I had an epiphany. It would make a great YA short story.

My parents managed a golf course in the 1980s. They bought it when I was in the 6th grade. For my entire teen years, we lived, worked, and played golf. When I was in high school, I was the only girl in my four years to go out for the golf team. It just wasn’t a sport girls played in my world.

After I wrote the short story, I shared it with a few trusted friends. And the overwhelming response was that people needed to know more about the characters. That short story ended up being published in Golfer Girl Magazine in 2008 as “The Knight in Tan Khakis” and is more or less Chapters 9 and 10 in the book—where Scott tosses Kate a sweatshirt to cover up a see-through wet t-shirt.

Since 2008, that short story has evolved. For a long time, the title of the novel was The Sweet Spot. It’s been through a dozen revisions, it landed me my agent (more than once). It was acquired by a publishing company and then rejected after the decision was made that golf wasn’t something that would sell to teens. I’ve written other things, including a ton of nonfiction and two published novels (Any Way You Slice It and co-written The Art of the Swap). In fact, Any Way You Slice It was a direct result of that failed acquisition.

The Sweet Spot was shelved for years, but in late 2018, after ten years of close calls, I decided to work with K.R. Conway at Wicked Whale Publishing to independently publish the book. I changed the title to Falling for Wonder Boy and I haven’t looked back.

I’ll be honest, in some ways it’s scarier than anything else I’ve ever published. There are pieces of my heart on display for all to see—it’s mostly fictionalized, but there are moments that really happened (like the sweatshirt toss). Emotions that were real.

This book is truly the book of my heart. Not only is it firmly grounded in my own history, it’s also been the backbone of my writing career. Working on this book taught me how to write. It opened doors for me professionally. It deserves to be out in the world.

I’m grateful to K.R. Conway for her support, guidance, and amazing design skills. I could not have imagined a better skin for Kate and Scott to live inside. I’d love to engage with readers. Please let me know what you think!

Bio
Kristine is the author of sixteen works of children’s nonfiction as well as the YA novel Any Way You Slice It and co-author of the middle grade novel The Art of the Swap.

She loves being a Girl Scout leader and a Library Trustee, and volunteering with the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. Her alter-ego is The Query Godmother and she loves critiquing queries and helping people with submission packages. She lives on the outskirts of Boston with her teen daughter and husband, and is represented by Kathleen Rushall of the Andrea Brown Literary Agency.

Visit her at www.kristineasselin.com/

FALLING FOR WONDER BOY is available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo and other online vendors.

And a give-away!

One lucky reader can win a copy of one of Kristine's YA novels, Any Way You Slice It or Falling for Wonder Boy. A second reader can win a copy of The Art of the Swap, the MG novel Kristine co-wrote with Jen Malone. (Click here for a review.)

Leave us a comment. Winners will be announced March 1, 2019.

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Branding for Writers

1/30/2019

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~by Amanda Smith

Lately, I have been thinking a lot about branding. Not only because we have been thinking, planning, and talking logo at 24 Carrot Writing (see the introduction post here) , but also because I have been working on my personal website. I am constantly considering how I want to present myself, and here at 24 Carrot Writing, while we come up with a lot of cool ideas, we always circle back to the question: “How does this fit in with our main directive?” So, what is branding and how does it fit onto a writer’s life?

Branding is the ways in which a person or company establishes their image. It is the promise they make to their customer and the thing that makes them recognizable. Branding includes core values, interactions, slogan and logo. Anything a business puts out into the world, including websites or promotional materials, communicates its brand.

A logo is the foundation for brand recognition. Logos usually consists of text and image, although some logos, like Nike or McDonald’s, have become so recognizable that the text is often omitted. When logos are used correctly, they represent a business’ identity and build trust.

But why is all this business jargon important for writers?

Branding is unavoidable. Exposure from your work, blogs, social media, interviews, and podcasts all communicate your brand as a writer. As your public image is being formed anyway, you can be proactive in shaping it. Branding is ongoing and evolving, and you should play an active role in the message you communicate to your readers.

So, as you shape your brand, consider the following:

Brand should be independent from your book. The brand should transcend the book, so future books can benefit from the identity you have already built.
Branding often builds an audience even before your book is released, so work on those platforms now.
It should communicate what makes your work unique. What is your angle? That is your implied promise to your readers.
Know your audience. Make sure your brand correctly represents you and your work, and communicates effectively with your intended audience.
If you choose to have a logo,
- Make sure the text is clear and readable.
- Be consistent. Don’t make modifications. You want the logo to be memorable and recognizable.
- Consider having your logo professionally designed. It is your professional image, after all.
  - One could hire a graphic designer
  - Some print-shops have inhouse designers

In the world of platform building and author websites, a logo or badge can be useful to show your affiliation with a particular online group or challenge. Those of us who have participated in 12x12, or Storystorm (previously PiBoIdMo), or NaNoWriMo proudly display those badges on our websites. Displaying logos or badges can be an indication of how active one is within the writing community, and that in itself also helps build one's individual brand.

You are your brand. Moving forward, what strategies will you use to mold your brand?

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2018 Wish List

11/27/2018

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We've decided to shake things up this year for our annual writer's gift list. Instead of telling you what we like, we've asked our wonderful guest bloggers (aka gift elves) to share with you their illustrating and writing must haves. We are thankful for the excellent content these guests have provided to 24 Carrot Writing over the last three years. And they are doing it again - providing practical, fun, and sometimes frivolous ideas to add to your holiday gift list. At each author's favorite things, you will also find their newest books, because we all know books make the best gifts!

Tim McCanna has put this hand truck to the test for his school visits. Now he can carry everything he needs to entertain students (and not have to lug it all from his car).

Tim is the author of several picture books including Bitty Bot, Barnyard Boogie, Jack B.Ninja and Watersong. Learn more at http://www.timmccanna.com/

"I’m afraid my writing and illustrating habits are extremely dull and predictable! My favorite things are genuine Dixon Ticonderoga #2 pencils, and yellow legal pads from Ampad (ONLY Ampad—they’ve got a strong cardboard backer, a good paper feel, and really nice friction with the #2 pencils, and other legal pads just don’t measure up)." - Brian Lies

Brian Lies is the author and illustrator of the NY Times bestselling bat series (Bats at the Beach, Bats at the Library, etc.), and over two dozen other titles. His 2018 titles are The Rough Patch and Got to Get to Bear's. You can visit him at www.brianlies.com.

Janet Fox makes sure to dress the part of author, sporting bookish outfits like this cute dress from RedBubble.com. Her necklace was made by lenoradame.com.

Crystal Kite winner, Janet Fox is an author, mom, outdoor enthusiast, and former teacher. Her novels are written for children and young adults, but have won her fans of all ages. Find out more at www.janetsfox.com.

Picture Book author, Kate Narita, wishes it hadn't taken her years to pick up a copy of Save the Cat! by Blake Snyder.

Save The Cat! Writes a Novel by Jessica Brody is available, too!

Kate Narita is the author of 100 Bugs! A Counting Book . When she's not out and about driving, teaching or cheering on her two teenage sons, Kate lives, writes, and hikes on a small mountain in central Massachusetts. Read more about Kate at www.katenarita.com.

Always on Sue Gallion's gift wish list are new fun or funky pencils. "That's the souvenir I get when I travel, too. A new or newly sharpened pencil can give me a tidbit of inspiration. Little notebooks to stash in my purse or around the house are always a favorite of mine, too."
And speaking of sharpening pencils, here's a one-of-a-kind gift for any writer or illustrator -- and yes, she has one on her desk. It was a gift she bought for herself a year ago.

Sue Lowell Gallion writes for children because she is passionate about children, reading, and any combination of the two. Her picture books include Pug Meets Pig, illustrated by Joyce Wan and Pug & Pig Trick-or-Treat received. Her upcoming books are an early reader series, Tip and Tucker (March 2019), written with children’s author Ann Ingalls and illustrated by Brazilian illustrator Andre Ceolin. Read more at suegallion.com.

Kate Messner says, "For bullet journaling, I love the medium-sized Leuchtturm 1917 notebook with dotted pages. An index, numbered pages, and terrific feeling paper make me happy to check on monthly and daily goals.
I have a new favorite for everyday research, note taking, and brainstorming, too -- the F64 Expedient Notebook from Kyokuto. This one has reliable wire rings so it'll open flat on a desk along with a sturdy front and back cover so it's easy to hold in one hand while taking notes in the field.

Kate’s books have been New York Times Notable, Junior Library Guild, IndieBound, and Bank Street College of Education Best Books selections. Her newest novel, Breakout was inspired by a real-world prison break. Visit Kate's katemessner.com to learn more.

Matthew Cordell- "Probably the one big thing I've started using this year is a fountain pen for drawing. I used to think fountain pens were not able to use waterproof inks, and assumed they weren't of much use to me. I need my drawing inks to be waterproof, since I paint the finished drawings with watercolor paints. But thanks to several fountain pen-loving friends, I've found a bunch of waterproof inks that are safe for fountain pens, as well as certain pens that draw with a very irregular line, much like a dip pen nib. The pen I use almost daily is a 9018 Hero fountain pen with a Fude nib. I've been traveling a lot this year, and it's so nice to have a pen and drawing book that I can take out in the field. Traditional dip pens are not quite so travel friendly, and this had long been a obstacle for drawing out and about.

Matthew won the 2018 Caldecott Medal, as well as the 2017 Boston Globe-Horn Book, for Wolf in the Snow. Congratulations, Matthew! Go to matthewcordell.com to learn more. For truly special gifts for the art lover on your list visit Matthew's Etsy store: etsy.com/shop/MatthewCordellArt

Author illustrator Melissa Sweet uses Holbein acrylic paint.

Melissa Sweet has illustrated over 100 books as well as many toys, puzzles, and games for eeBoo. She has won several awards for both her writing and illustrating. Her most recent book is Some Writer! The Story of E. B. White. Read more about Melissa at melissasweet.net.

One of Alison Goldberg's favorite writer gifts is the Seven Year Pen. "My brother gave me the whale one when I first started writing my middle grade novel. Several years and drafts later, it still works!"

Alison Goldberg is the author of the picture book I Love You for Miles and Miles, illustrated by Mike Yamada. The board book edition releases December 31, 2018. Her newest book, Bottle Tops: The Art of El Anatsui is set to release winter 2020. To learn more about Alison visit her website at alisongoldberg.com/

Tami Charles' list is short and sweet:
1. Ginger tea with honey
2. Four Seasons by Vivaldi
3. Large sticky-note chart paper for plotting

Former teacher and debut author. Tami Charles writes picture books, middle grade, young adult, and nonfiction. Her 2018 titles are Like Vanessa and Definitely Daphne, and her picture book, Freedom Soup, debuts with Candlewick Press in fall, 2019. Read more at tamiwrites.com

Nancy Tupper Ling: Shutterfly will create a custom cell phone case. It is a great conversation starter. Look out for the company’s emails regarding their sales.

"I also love my custom laptop cover from SkinIt."

Yes, it’s a book lover’s dream. The mug that comes equipped with chalk so you can add your current reads to it. Just don’t put the chalk too close to the top where you’re sipping

And of course, who doesn’t need a motivating Reese’s now and then?

Nancy also loves a little light-up motivation from her mini marquee that she discovered at the New York Public Library’s gift shop.

Nancy Tupper Ling draws her inspiration from the multicultural background of her family and the interwoven fabric of familial culture which is, on the surface, seemingly everyday. Read more at www.nancytupperling.com/

Allison Pottern Hoch is obsessed with all things by Obvious State. "I have several of their posters and they now have this gorgeous line of journals at a reasonable price and I pretty much want all of them.

I also got this mug set for my birthday. Swoon! "

Allison Pottern Hoch is a writer and event coach with over eight years of experience in marketing, publicity, sales, and event planning. She’s worked with veteran authors, celebrities, and debut authors. For more information on her workshops and coaching services, visit http://events.pottern.com

Pat Zietlow Miller:
"Item No. 1. Library socks from Out of Print.
You might ask how socks help my writing process. Well, they make my feet happy, and when my feet are happy, so is the rest of me, which leads to better writing. I own these socks in several colors and wear them several times a week."

"Item No. 2. The book On Writing Well by William Zinsser.
This is the writing book that makes me nod vigorously along as I read it. He get so much right about how to write well. The title says its for writing nonfiction, but I say it’s for anyone who writes anything."

Pat Zietlow MIller has published Be Kind, The Quickest Kid in Clarksville, Wherever You Go, and the beloved Sophie's Squash. To learn more about Pat please visit her website .

Editor, Rob Broder reminds us of the greatest gift you can give the writer in your life: TIME. In the midst of all the holiday celebrations, writers still need time to figure out that plot point, listen to that character, and follow their muse. "I go for walks... or a run. And I think. I think on the story. Pushing all outside everyday life thoughts aside. And I think on the story. Play it over and over. What part isn't working. Why isn't it working and how do I get there, to make it work and make it flow. Think, think, think.... until something comes to me. Kind of like a mindful children's picture book walk."

Rob Broder is editor and co-founder of Ripple Grove Press. His debut picture book Paul and His Ukulele launched Fall 2018. To learn more about Rob, click here and here for more on Ripple Grove Press.

Annie Cronin Romano's enjoys shopping the book-themed stickers at Red Bubble. "I decorate my computer, and Red Bubble has fun literary stickers to add some writing spirit." She also loves the online store Out of Print. "My library stamp shirt is well-loved, and they've got some Harry Potter t-shirts I've got my eye on!"

24 Carrot Writing co-founder, Annie launched her debut picture book Before you Sleep: A Bedtime Book of Gratitude this year in October. Her second book Night Train hits shelves Spring 2019. To learn more about Annie, anniecroninromano.com.

Last, but not least, are a few of our favorites:
Searching for the right way to express yourself? Francine loves these additions to your typical thesaurus, available at Writers Helping Writers.

Everybody knows two writing essentials are chocolate and coffee. This year Amanda's favorite writing things are chocolate flavored coffee and a good day planner to track goals. She picked this one from Day Designer to stay on track in 2019.

Annie featured these dishes a few years ago, and we still love them. Don't miss the Open Book Dinnerware collection through the Library of Congress gift shop.

Kelly grabbed a store logo tote when a new local indie bookstore opened. It was a perfect carrot – and she even asked the owner to sign it! This year she is planning to take it back to book signings at the store so she can ask visiting authors to add their autographed to her tote. The Silver Unicorn Bookstore tote is available on their website, but you can visit your own local bookstore and grab a tote!

And finally, a small gift from us: Melissa at Literary Book Gifts.com reached out to us in 2018 to tell us about her new line of literary gifts. We think you'll love the t-shirts and totes she has to offer. Enter the custom promo code 24carrotwriting20 at checkout and receive 20% off anything in the store, no minimum. The best gift of all? That code never expires!

Please remember to support your local independent book store or order online through Indiebound.

HAPPY SHOPPING!

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HOW DO YOU CO-AUTHOR A NOVEL?

10/29/2018

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~Guest blog by Jen Malone and Kristine Asselin

Thank you so much for having us as part of Trick or Treat month, a theme that matches well with the overall question we get asked most often about our co-authoring experience (spoiler alert: definitely a treat). We’re thrilled to discuss some of the nuts and bolts of our experience to help illuminate a process that many writers express interest in trying (and to offer reassurances that it’s worth doing so).

To give you an opportunity to hear from each of us without trying to determine who wrote which section (though always a fun game with co-authored anything), we decided we’d interview one another, answering some of the questions on this topic we hear from fellow authors which we haven’t seen widely addressed.

Jen: Okay, Kris, you’re up first because, well, I simply decided it would be so in this case. The question is: How do you decide who will write which parts?

Kris: Ha! If you know Jen and I, you can totally figure out who wrote which piece. I don’t want to spoil it (but scroll to the end if you want to know!)

I think for us, in this situation, it came really naturally. Our natural middle grade voices really informed who would write each piece. I don’t even think it was something we consciously talked about...we just each knew who we would write.

Kris: *rubs hands together* My turn. Jen, tell our readers what tools we used to draft and revise?

Jen: Okay, here’s where we got lazy. We both knew that Scrivener offered a feature that allows for project sharing, but neither of us could figure out how to use it cohesively and we were too darn eager to get started. So we used Google Docs. The creepiest thing with Docs is that you can both be in the manuscript at the same time and if inclined, could literally watch the other type each word into a chapter. Much as I love and trust Kris, I definitely can’t write with anyone looking over my shoulder, so I would usually compose my chapters in Scrivener and then copy and paste them into Google Docs. However, Docs worked great in most other respects—it’s very easy to leave each other notes (and even have conversations) in comment bubbles as we went, we created a folder that also held our outline along with research pictures and sources for easy reference, there was no confusion about whether we were each working in the most up-to-date version because we weren’t emailing the manuscript back and forth, and we could easily check to see if the other had added new pages. We both found it really lovely to go to bed with one word count and to wake up to thousands more words added to our story, as if by magic! Google Docs proved more exasperating during revisions because we’re both accustomed to being able to jump around our manuscripts so easily in Scrivener and all the endless scrolling frayed the nerves… but we made it work.

Kris: Just to add my $.02. I wrote my sections in Word, and then pasted into Google. Google was a little slow and got a little cumbersome, but it was AWESOME to use a live document and see it updated every few days. A great thing about working with another person is that the word count goes up exponentially!

Jen: Okay Kris, speaking of frayed nerves, what were some challenges to marrying two distinct voices and two distinct viewpoints, if any?

Kris: The way we structured this book made this easier than it could have been. Each of our characters has her own distinct character arc. You could conceivably read each character’s story by itself--this made it a bit easier for each of us to tell our own character’s story. Of course there are a few times when the girls speak to each other through the portal, and whoever was writing that dialogue had to be sure to get the voice right.
There were definitely times when Jen had suggestions for me and vice versa, and some of the best scenes came out of those suggestions to make something bigger or crazier.

Kris: Jen, maybe you can explain how we approached our agents with this idea?

Jen: Sure! We’re represented by different agents, so once we determined we wanted to go for this, we reached out to our respective agents and pitched the concept. Both were enthusiastic, so our next step was getting their take on how they wanted to divvy up the agent tasks (such as submitting to publisher(s) and managing ongoing accounting for the title). Since we planned from the start to offer this to my existing editor at Simon & Schuster, rather than going on wide submission, that task was less of an issue. We were also able to have S&S split accounting on the title in-house and issue us separate (but equal) advances and royalty statements reflecting only our individual halves of the pot. Both agents collaborated on contract points—discussing negotiation strategies and specific terms together. While mine took the lead as point person in contract communications with our editor, Kris’s agent then stepped up later in the process when we had an offer for stage rights that needed negotiating… so overall the balance was kept even. Most agencies have clients who are co-authoring and I’ve found most are quite open to working with other agents to best serve their authors’ careers. In fact, this wasn’t my first time to the co-authoring rodeo, and my lovely and accommodating agent worked with six other agents on my title Best. Night. Ever., which was co-authored by seven of us. In that instance, she suggested a structure typical of anthologies, where the project’s editor (me, in this case) is the person of record with the publishing house (with respect to name on the contract and person receiving advance/royalty statements). Then each of the other authors signed contracts (through my agent’s agency) with me directly, laying out terms of their specific contribution and indicating how monies coming in from the book would be distributed from me, via her agency. (Note: in most anthologies contributors are issued a one-time flat fee, but since our case was a different in that we were all equal participants in the storytelling, we share equally in any royalties/rights sales in perpetuity. This means I forward royalty statements I receive for the title to each author, who then passes it along to her agent for review. An extra step, yes, but hardly a logistical challenge.)

Kris: I’ll pick up from here and explain what the publication process was like… how we sold the book and how we worked with our editor on it. Our experience working with the amazing Amy Cloud was wonderful. Jen had worked with her before, but every book is different. Amy was a champion of our concept from the beginning. She brought the book to acquisitions in early September 2015 and Simon & Schuster bought it with only about 50 pages written--though we had a very thorough synopsis, so she knew the entire story from the outset. We had a very brief celebration and then had to finish the book, which ended up taking longer than we expected.

One of the most unexpected things was having turned in the final version to Amy just before the election of 2016. We’d included a minor subplot of having a female president in Hannah’s present day. It was heartbreaking for us to have to change that thread, and for a millisecond we thought about not changing it. In the end, we feel like the book is stronger for the change, alluding to more work still to come in changing hearts and minds about women’s roles in leadership.

Jen: Okay, we’re getting wordy here, so before we write a tome posing as a blog post, let’s wrap up by each listing our least favorite and our favorite part about co-authoring. I’ll start:

Least favorite: Worries about not pulling equal weight at all times. I went through some life events right around our book’s release and wasn’t quite feeling in full-on extroverted promotion mode. It was a source of guilt (but also such a blessing) to have a co-author who picked up any slack with grace and care.

Favorite: Having another deeply invested person (even better because it’s a friend) to ride the ups and downs with and to share the excitement with (oh, and also the workload), especially when you balance out each other’s strengths and weaknesses.

Kris:
Least favorite: When Jen had fabulous ideas that resulted in more work for me! LOL. Not really, but case in point. The soccer match that Maggie plays was not part of the original story. In writing a believable soccer game, I did a lot of research and even consulted with an expert to get it right. I’m so glad I did, but man, it was hard. (And now you know which character is mine!)

Favorite: Having someone to share the success with--I love the things we’ve been able to do together, like go on a Girl Scout trip to Newport to visit the mansion with girls. I’m so proud of this book, and working with Jen made it so much better than doing it alone!

Thank you again for hosting us here. We hope this helped demystify the process of co-writing a bit and that we convinced you to give it a try yourselves!

Click here for a review of THE ART OF THE SWAP in Book Picks.

Kristine Asselin is the author of several works of children’s nonfiction as well as the YA novel Any Way You Slice It. She loves being a Girl Scout leader and volunteering with the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. She is a sucker for a good love song (preferably from the 80s), and can’t resist an invitation for Chinese food or ice cream (but not at the same time!). She lives in Central Massachusetts with her teen daughter and husband, and spends part of everyday looking for a TARDIS to borrow. You can learn more about Kris at www.kristineasselin.com.

Jen Malone writes young adult novels with HarperCollins and middle grade adventures with Simon & Schuster. Jen’s published titles include The Art of the Swap (with Kristine Asselin), Changes in Latitudes, Best Night Ever, The Sleepover, the You’re Invited series (with Gail Nall), At Your Service, Map to the Stars, Wanderlost, and Follow Your Art (a collaboration with Dreamworks Animation and Penguin Random House on a companion story to the animated film Trolls). Her next YA, The Arrival of Someday, releases in Summer 2019. Jen once spent a year traveling the world solo, met her husband on the highway (literally), and went into labor with her identical twins while on a rock star's tour bus. These days she saves the drama for her books. You can learn more about Jen and her books at www.jenmalonewrites.com. Find her on Twitter and Instagram @jenmalonewrites.

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Stevie Lewis: Art on the Road

8/20/2018

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~ Hosted by Amanda Smith

Stevie has been living on the road for the past three years, furthering her passion for climbing, art, and the outdoors. Striving to live simply and tread lightly on the earth, she gathers inspiration from a variety of places, be it climbing in the high desert at Smith Rock, hiking in the forests of southeastern Alaska, or sharing laughs with strangers around a campfire. After working four years in animation at DreamWorks, she now illustrates children's books and creates art based on her travels. Her latest work includes PRINCE & KNIGHT (Daniel Haack; Simon and Schuster), THE FINDING SERENDIPITY series(Angelica Banks; Scolastic), and LOST IN THE LIBRARY (Josh Funk; Henry Holt & Co.), which will be on shelves August 28, 2018.

1. Tell us a little about your journey. How did you become an illustrator?

I remember always having a pencil in my hand as a kid. You would always see me doodling on the edges of my notebook, or on napkins in the restaurant. It just flowed out of me, and became the way I shared and communicated with the world. I decided to seriously pursue a career in art when I was a senior in high school, and ended up getting accepted to Ringling College of Art and Design in Sarasota, Florida. After working endless nights and creating, with my friend, Avner, our senior film, Defective Detective, I landed a dream job at DreamWorks Animation in the Bay area. After 4+ years of working there, I decided it was time to pursue children's book illustration.

2. You made a bold move, leaving a secure job in film animation, to follow a passion. What prompted this decision?

Working in animation was an amazing experience. I was surrounded by a wonderful team in the art department, and everyone who worked there was supportive, helpful, and full of team spirit. We were a small team of artists who got along really well. But, at one point we were unfortunate to have had a superior who wasn't the best leader. It was a rough time, and it affected everyone. Morale was low for a while, and I realized that a dream career in art shouldn't feel like that. It felt like the time to move on, and try a new venture. At the time, I had immersed myself in the rock-climbing world. I'd been taking several trips to Tahoe, Yosemite, and other local areas to learn how to climb outdoors. It had prompted me to move into the back of my Honda Element, and travel around the United States and Canada for a year. The combination of those two things happening in my life, convinced me to take the risk and do something completely new and exciting.

3. At an NESCBWI conference a few years ago, author-illustrator Dan Santat spoke about a similar move and how it had changed his art stylistically. How does your on-the-road lifestyle impact your art? Did you notice a big change in your art when you changed your lifestyle?

The change affected me in a really positive way and allowed me to be the artist I am today. When I left DreamWorks, my art became more about the outdoors and the wonderful people I met while traveling. I was inspired by how the rocks, trees, and lakes were rich with texture and life. I began to incorporate those elements more into my work, and share more of my art with others, through little portraits of them with their vans, or illustrations of all of us hanging out around a campfire. I felt like I reconnected with why I chose to be an artist in the first place. To share my experiences with those around me.

4. I’m an art supply hoarder. To me art supplies and a living out of a van sound incompatible. Most of your current art is digital. Did you make a decision about art media limits before you went on the road?

Ha, I know what you mean. I used to work with traditional media much more when I was in college. But, since I started working in animation, my work became heavily digital-based. It's incredibly easy to make changes, especially with big files and detailed pieces. Sometimes you'd have a note that would ask you to remove a few buildings and add a park with trees in its place. I can't imagine how hard that would be to do on paper. It's funny because I worked with a few guys who have been around since the PRINCE OF EGYPT days, and did all of their artwork with pencil, airbrush, or a variety of traditional techniques. Now they all work digitally and it's expanded their work to a new level. But it is nice to be able to go back to pencil and paper when desired. Living in the van, I've had to make a few sacrifices. While I don't have to pay rent, I had to limit what I could bring along (especially living with two dogs and a 6'4" partner). I pretty much have room for my computer, a small collection of gouache paints, color pencils, and some ink materials. Let's just say I have to make several trips to the art store when I'm working on a traditional project.

5. What is the one medium (besides digital) you have to have? Why?

Lately I've been experimenting a bit more with paper cutouts. It's been a change in pace and challenge for me. I like how I can reuse and recycle paper from old magazines or catalogs, and how it almost creates a sense of dimension off the page. Every year I try to focus on a new style or medium, just to mix things up. Next year I want to try screen printing!

6. When you first receive a manuscript to illustrate, what is your process?

After reading a manuscript for the first time, I immediately have ideas of what I want to illustrate. Once I’ve read it through a few times, done thorough research, and confirmed with my editor any details they want to see, I start sketching. They’re usually rough sketches, just to see my ideas on paper. If necessary, I’ll do research in person, for example, I flew out to the New York Library in Manhattan to spend some time sketching, taking photos, and gathering ideas for LOST IN THE LIBRARY, written by Josh Funk. Since that book took place in a beautiful, historical location, I wanted to capture as many details as I could.

Then, I’ll spend a bit of time doing color thumbnails, to try and layout the lighting and color progression of the book. With LOST IN THE LIBRARY I started with neutral earth tones until Fortitude stumbles upon the children’s room, full of fun shapes and color. It’s really fun to see it all come together from rough sketches to final color, something to be proud of!

7. What does your typical work day look like?

Since I live out of my vehicle, my mornings are usually slow. After making a cup of coffee and enjoying some yoga and a light meal, I get myself ready for the day with podcasts and music. Most days I work out of my van, which has a table to work on and solar panels to charge my tablet computer and other electronics. I’ll usually work a few hours in the morning, and take a mid-day break and go for a hike with my dogs. I’m very lucky to be parked in national forest, with endless access to biking and hiking trails. Then I’ll work for the rest of the day until my boyfriend gets off work. When I’m not working out of the van, I’ll end up in a coffee shop or at a library for most of the day.

8. There is a lot of dialogue about the importance of all children being able to recognize themselves in the books they read. Is this something you think about during the initial concept art of a book? How can an illustrator contribute to diversity and representation in kidlit?

It’s true. As a first generation Asian American, I’ve struggled to fit in throughout my life, especially when I was a young kid. I can’t think of any kids’ books growing up, that I read, which represented someone like me. I’ve always wanted to see diversity in animation and children’s books, and advocate for it when I can. Luckily, the few publishers I’ve worked with have been on the same page, if not pushing for it right at the beginning. When I worked on PRINCE & KNIGHT, we went back and forth on which main character would be the person of color, but it wasn’t a question that there would be diversity throughout the book. It’s hard to reach everyone, but it’s incredibly important to try. You never know if your book will be the one to make someone, somewhere in the world, feel like they belong.

9. You have also illustrated some middle grade books. How does the process of illustrating an MG differ from PB?

Honestly, the process wasn’t too different. I mostly approached it the same way, with plenty of research and sketching before jumping into the project. The major difference was the number of colored paintings in picture books. It was quite overwhelming at first, and I was nervous because I had to finish the entire full-color project in the same amount of time it took me to work on a middle grade book (color cover plus B&W interiors). What’s really fun about working on picture books was that I felt I had more freedom to explore different ideas, compositions, and lighting. I think it was because of the different format and the fact I had entire pages to fill.

10. While working on LOST IN THE LIBRARY, what was your greatest surprise or biggest challenge?

Before starting work on LOST IN THE LIBRARY, I’d never done a rendition of such a large, beautiful building, and I was nervous I wouldn’t do the best job since I hadn’t visited the library before. So I flew to NYC in hopes of seeing the library in person, and spending some days sketching, taking photos, and planning out the book. Oh, and I also never drew a lion before, so that was a challenge as well! But, in the end it worked out really well, and I feel like it all came together nicely. I’m really proud of the book, and thankful for the team at Henry Holt for believing in and trusting me with such an amazing project.

11. When I first saw illustrations from LOST IN THE LIBRARY, the expressions on the lions’ faces made my heart soar. What brought you the most joy in illustrating this book about Patience and Fortitude?

I loved creating a portrait of these lions. They’re so sweet and charming, and iconic for those who frequent the library. My favorite part of the book was when Fortitude discovers Patience in the children’s room, a place full of joy, learning, and most importantly, fun. For children, that’s what a library is all about. It was such a nice way to tie the book together.

11. During the last couple of years. Have you stumbled upon a parallel, epiphany, or metaphor regarding climbing and creating that you can share with our readers?

With any serious hobby or passion, you’re bound to find those parallels. For me, I’ve found that climbing is surprisingly a creative, thoughtful sport. As with art, climbing pushing me to think outside the box, especially when I’m stuck on how to climb something, or when I need to overcome worry of heights, safety of the gear, or fear of failing. The way you need to move your body to find the easiest way to ascend the rock requires placing your body in different ways, and getting creative. Another parallel I’ve made is how difficult being creative can be, when you feel stuck. With climbing, I’ve gone a few long stretches of not climbing either because I’ve been injured, working, or simply uninspired or motivated. And, I’ve come to terms with the fact that we as artists or climbers, shouldn’t blame ourselves when these moments happen. Sometimes they’re out of your control, and the best you can do is get back into it when it feels right.

Thank you, Stevie, for sharing your journey, process and amazing art with us!

To learn more about Stevie Lewis, visit her website here.

LOST IN THE LIBRARY will be in book stores, August 28. If, like me, you cannot wait, it is available for pre-order at indiebound and other book retailers.

To learn more about Josh Funk, 24 Carrot Writing contributor and the author of LOST IN THE LIBRARY, visit his website here.

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Birdsong, Jazz, and Poetry: An interview with illustrator Lita Judge

8/6/2018

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~Hosted by Amanda Smith

Few people in this world impress me more than children's book illustrators. I am constantly awed by the thoughtfulness of their process, the depth of their talent, the beauty of the art they create, and the truly humble and kind people they are. This month on 24 Carrot Writing we shine the spotlight on some illustrators who inspired us during this year.

We are honored to kick of Illustrator Month with Lita Judge. Lita is the award winning author and illustrator of 24 fiction and nonfiction books including MARY'S MONSTER, a YA novel about Mary Shelley and the creation of Frankenstein. Her picture books include BORN IN THE WILD, RED SLED, HOOT AND PEEP, and ONE THOUSAND TRACINGS winner of the International Reading Association Award and an ALA Notable Book. Her book, FLIGHT SCHOOL, was adapted into an off-Broadway musical and is currently running in New York and China. She lives in Peterborough, NH.

1. You came from a science background. Tell us a little about your journey into illustration and kidlit.
I graduated with a degree in geology and spent some time working as a paleontologist on dinosaur digs. Science came naturally to me, but I didn’t have a lot of exposure to art as a kid. I grew up in Alaska and the remote areas of the Northwest and had never been to any art museums. When I first walked into the Metropolitan Museum in New York City as an adult, and saw a show of Renaissance drawings, my whole world changed. I actually quit my job and started an adventure in learning how to really paint. The best advice I ever got from a great artist was to go look closely at great original paintings. So over the next five years, I traveled to Europe more than twenty times to study in art museums. I financed the trips by painting on-location street scenes and landscapes (in oil paints with a French easel) which I sold in galleries when I returned. I was influenced by the art I saw and my style was loose and painterly. But I felt like the aspect of “story” and narrative was missing in this kind of work. The desire to create art around stories really drew me towards writing and illustrating children’s books.

2. Not having any formal art training, how did you become so proficient in concepts like perspective, composition, and skills such as drawing and painting?
I think my science background helped me a lot. As a paleontologist I put dinosaur skeletons together and so much about drawing is knowing the structure of what you’re looking at. My grandparents were ornithologist and I spent a lot of time watching birds as a youngster so I think the skills of observation really helped. I kept journals and I drew and painted what I was seeing and learning. I worked from life a lot. I drew animals and thousands of plein-air paintings in the field. Gradually I started letting go of painting only what I saw and trusted my imagination to take me to drawing what I felt in my mind. I love weaving the intellectual act of observing with the imagination.

3. Your words, whether in print as in MARY’S MONSTER, or spoken, as the narration of your videos, are carefully chosen and lyrical. Have you always played with words? How did you discover your voice as a writer?
I love to play with the lyricism of words. Its extraordinary how a poem or a picture book manuscript can give meaning to an idea, and tell a story, but also have a musicality like birdsong. I find that quality transporting. I love how a beautiful poem can work together with the quality of line in art. They’re different mediums, but they’re surprisingly similar. Both require you to observe, and distill an idea, then let yourself be free to find the artistry that lies within that thought.

It did take me a while to find my voice as a writer. I’m such a visual person, sometimes I think I could have easily stayed in the realm of painting alone, without writing. But then I wouldn’t have the story I wanted. Finding the right words didn’t come as naturally to me as drawing. But it’s ultimately what gives my illustrations their full meaning. I needed both to feel I was creating a whole. One thing that helped me find the words was to recognize they didn’t have to come first in a project. Many people assume I write a story, and then illustrate it. But I almost always start with art, and then the words come as I see my way into a story. That was true even for MARY'S MONSTER. I drew for 6 months before I put a single word down. By the time I did, I felt like the voice of the work was already thrumming through my bloodstream.

4. Let’s talk MARY’S MONSTER. You deliberately set out to do something so new and unique with this book to mirror Mary Shelly. How did you arrive at this format – an illustrated biography in verse that reads like a YA novel?
It took me a while to discover this format. For years I had been drawn to the story of the teenaged Mary Shelley, but didn’t quite know how to tackle it. First I considered a graphic novel, but it didn’t feel like the format fit. Mary Shelley’s life was so intense. Her emotions needed to leap out of the page. Graphic novels are structured so that the art unfolds within several contained panels. They leave a lot of white space around the images. This can be great for developing action, but it didn’t give me the room I needed to fully develop the visual story with the emotional intensity I wanted. I wanted full bleed illustrations that viscerally poured out emotion. I also wanted poetry, something I couldn’t fit into graphic novel format. Mary’s life and her love affair with Percy Shelley revolved around poetry and literature. And I really wanted to do something different than what I had seen before. Mary Shelley developed a whole new genre - science fiction. I felt I needed to do something unique to capture her story. Or maybe, I was just inspired by her to be bold and brave. Whatever it was, I felt like the only way I could bring her story to life was by blending full-page illustrations with free verse.

5. During discussions of this book, our book group wondered about the genre of MARY’S MONSTER and how libraries would categorize it. Were you and your editors ever concerned that it would get lost in the adult biographies? And in your heart, to which genre does this book belong?
Yes, I was concerned about how libraries and bookstores would categorize this book! I went multiple times to our local library and my local bookstore, The Toadstool Bookshop, and asked them where they would shelve it. I was concerned that it would slip into adult biography or that it would be categorized in the graphic novel section. I love graphic novels, but that section really didn’t feel like home to this book. I see this being an illustrated novel, rather than a graphic novel, and I really wanted it to be shelved with other YA books.

I was also concerned about whether it would be shelved as nonfiction or fiction, which has been an issue. It’s deeply researched and I tried to portray Mary Shelley‘s life as accurately as I could, but ultimately I chose to write it in first person. I thought that it was the only way I could capture the essence of this brave, courageous teenager who dared to throw off the shackles that society inflicted on women. But this is definitely not a straight up biography. It dives into the realm of what goes on in the mind of a creative soul. I didn’t want to be restricted by writing it in a purely non-fiction way because, in a strange sense, I didn’t feel that could possibly tell the whole truth of her story. And besides, there is also her creature. She gave him a voice in her book. I couldn’t ignore that. Her novel is about creating life from death, but ultimately she created life from literature. I wanted this story to reflect that. And to reflect the interaction that goes on between a writer and his or her creation. He just had to have a voice in this book.

6. What did you want the art to accomplish in this book?
The art was critical for portraying the emotional elements of Mary‘s life. She was such a strong and courageous young woman despite overwhelming grief, and mental abuse by both her father, and boyfriend, later husband. But despite that, she endured. I think if I had only words to convey all the tragic events in her life, the text would’ve felt very heavy. But the pictures can convey these searing emotions in a way that makes us empathize with her. At least that’s how I feel when I see a great painting. Art can also show the intensity of her creative process. The relationship between her and her creature evolves in the art. There is this back-and-forth movement of power between them. At times it’s almost like a dance between her and her creation. Sometimes her creation is lifting her up, as if to save her from her emotional ruin. Other times it threatens to overpower and consume her. All of these things can come through in the art in a way that would be very difficult to convey in text.

7. Like ogres and onions, MARY’S MONSTER has many layers for readers to peel back. You often used images as metaphors. However, as an English major, I also know that often scholars read symbols where authors or artists didn’t intend symbolism. Some things I wonder about in your book are: The black and white birds, the resemblance of the Creature to Percy, and mirrors/windows/reflection. Would you share some of the deeper symbols or metaphors with our readers?
I’m so thrilled that you picked up on the symbolism in the art! The book is loaded with visual symbolism. The creature does indeed resemble Percy. I had one picture of Percy to work from and Mary’s own description of the creature. I felt it was appropriate to create an eerie resemblance between the two. I used the same model for both! Like the creature, Percy was driven by a feeling of rejection and self-induced exile. He felt vilified by society. His internal demons drove him to be abusive towards Mary. She clearly empathized with the demons he faced. She understood the bitterness that grew in his heart came from his feelings of rejection – rejection of his poetry, rejection from his father, and rejection from society. I wanted to use the similarity between the characters to draw these parallels together.

For the windows and doors I wanted to show how Mary faced isolation due to the fact that society vilified her for running away with a married man. We think of doors as a place to escape from or enter through. Likewise, windows are a place where we can look through and mentally escape. But in the art the doors and windows are barriers. We often look from the outside, through a window where the grilles look like the bars of a prison cell. She can see the outside but she is not welcome there.

There is also symbolism represented in the hands, both Mary‘s and the Creature’s, because I think hands are so connected to the act of creativity. Sometimes Mary’s hands are literally lifting up her creature, representing her power to create. Other times the hands of the creature are enveloping her, almost at times threatening to overpower her. This is meant to represent the fine line she was walking between succumbing to all the grief and sadness in her life, versus using that pain and pouring it into her creation.

8. The amount of work that went into MARY’S MONSTER is vast. Your research, your sketchbooks, your photographs and models, your poetry and artwork. What practical methods did you learn along the way about organizing big projects like these?
      Hmmm, I wish I could say I had a plan, but really it was get up every day and write and draw the hell out of it. It was just full throttle rather than planned out vision. Maybe for the next one, I could come up with something a little saner. I’m just learning how to take a weekend off again.

9.    You worked on the HOOT AND PEEP books while you were working on MARY’S MONSTER. In which ways was it challenging to transition from the playful colorful artwork of making picture books to the dark, haunting paintings of MARY’s MONSTER? In which ways was it helpful?
Yes, I did work on HOOT AND PEEP during the six years I’ve worked on Mary‘s Monster. It was incredibly challenging going back and forth between the picture books and MARY'S MONSTER - not so much because the style of art was different, mostly because of the pacing involved in a picture book versus the pacing of a longer form book. Everything has to be spelled out but simple in PB art. Little readers have to be lead through a story differently. In MARY'S MONSTER, I had to trust that I could make big leaps, otherwise, it would have taken 5000 pages. But there, I could put a lot more hidden meanings into things because I knew my readers would have more life experience to interpret them. Working on the novel for such long spells made it hard to get back to the simplicity of a picture book.

But on the other hand it was incredibly helpful to have an oasis in which to fall back on, because MARY'S MONSTER was an incredibly intense project. At times I just needed to let my brain rest before diving in again. I often work back-and-forth between nonfiction and fiction picture books. I think creatively it can be good to work on more than one project at a time so that you allow yourself time to escape a project and then come back with fresh eyes.

10. You work mostly in watercolor, but in MARY’s MONSTER, the illustrations have a layered and washy quality. How did you adapt your techniques and media for the art in this book? Have you transported some of these techniques into your newer picture books?
I did have to adjust my techniques for MARY'S MONSER. To get the emotional depth to some of the pieces required a lot of haunting imagery. I found that digitally layering different washes helped me find the richness that I needed. In a picture book, simplicity is important. Young readers are just learning to explore visual images so my washes are often very simple and my line work bold. I’m not sure that the work I did with Mary will translate to picture books. But I’d love to find another project in the future where I can use these techniques. Artistically it was really fun to dive into this new style.

11. The choices you made in MARY’S MONSTER all seem deliberate, well thought through and planned. Your work has a sense of organization and forethought. Yet, in making art there are often “happy accidents”. How do you live in the tension between the two?
This is a great question! I think it is the crux of what takes a painting beyond representing something and into the realm of art. It is what makes it so hard, and yet so interesting. I perceive painting much like creating live music. For me, painting requires lots and lots of planning which is equivalent to rehearsal. But then, ultimately, the final art has to be like a jazz performance. I have to let go of all the planning, and trust that all the experience and practice will pour out into paintings so that they feel spontaneous.

12. At 24 Carrot Writing, we pay a lot of attention to goal setting and planning. Do you set illustrating/ art goals? If so, what do they look like?
I guess my biggest goal is always to have a challenge ahead of me where I remain really charged up and interested in my work. This means having a project in the works where I don’t know the answers, and I have to learn something in order to execute it. I guess I like to be a little bit terrified. It’s uncomfortable, but it what gets you into the studio every day. Fear can be such a powerful motivator. I don’t mean fear as in the way we usually talk about it. I mean, more like in the way maybe an explorer would think about it. The fear, alongside the excitement of the unknown. I always want to be curious and pushing against that fear. If I go into a project knowing all the answers, I’ll just start phoning it in. And what good is that? My goal is to always love the project I’m working on and feel like it’s an adventure. If I don’t feel both, I have to make a course correction!

13. What has been your greatest joy in your career as an author/illustrator so far?
Having my picture book, FLIGHT SCHOOL, get turned into an off-Broadway musical was an incredibly joyful experience. Creating a character out of your imagination and then watching him suddenly come to life, singing and dancing on stage, was mind blowing. I also loved seeing how other artists, in this case, the composer, lyricist, director, actors, and costume designer pour their energy into this character. I will forever be thankful for that experience. Plus, it’s pretty cool to crank up the volume and play the soundtrack of the musical and dance with my parrot on a rainy day!

14. What has been the biggest surprise?
As a kid I never imagined I’d get to be an artist. I really didn’t know people did this for a living. My mind was reeling with imaginary friends, basically because my family lived far out in the woods, and I didn’t have other kids to play with. It was kind of a lonely childhood and living in my imagination helped me get through it. But now I get to give those imaginary friends life within the pages of a book. Is that sappy? It’s just that they feel real to me. And then kids read those books, and in so doing, those characters become real to them. It gives me a strong sense of connection to people that I didn’t have when I was a kid. I wasn’t expecting that gift to come out of this career.

15. What is next?
I’m very excited to have another picture book coming out with the character from FLIGHT SCHOOL. This one is titled PENGUIN FLIES HOME and is coming out in January. I also have a non-fiction picture book coming out called HOMES IN THE WILD, which draws on my love of animals and the natural world. It’s full of all the cool ways animals create shelters and homes for themselves in the wild. And one more picture book – called Wingbeats. I wait to let that mystery unfold.

Thank you, Lita, for sharing your amazing art, insights and stories with us. To learn more about Lita, visit her website at www.litajudge.net.
For a 24 Carrot review of MARY'S MONSTER click here.
For book group discussion questions on MARY'S MONSTER click here.

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