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by Marzieh Abbas
I have been kicking off every new year (since the past three years) with awesome Storystorm blog posts! I’m happy to report, at least three of my upcoming picture books began as idea that were sparked from January blog posts! I’m super excited to be a guest blogger today. Let’s get right to it!
You’ve probably heard: “Write what you know” several times, as have I. But when I sit to write what I know, I usually draw a blank. That’s when I dip into my memories, especially photographs from my childhood and my phone’s gallery. Childhood memories are great for recalling important milestones, but everyday clicks of things which seem interesting to me and for pictures of my kids doing fun and silly stuff also bring many story possibilities.
Let’s start with childhood memories: thankfully, I wasn’t the last of four siblings, so my parents took loads of pictures of me as a child (my youngest sister has all of five pictures of her toddler years…lollll). Sometimes I open up those albums and think about all the fun we had and all the lovely memories we made. Sometimes a picture will remind me of a mood or what a specific location made me feel. It’s a springboard for more memories; even those not captured in those albums. There’s fun moments and not-so-fun moments, all great for story ideas!
A picture I came across a few years ago when my mom was cleaning out her storeroom. It had one of us sisters wrapped in a dupatta, an oversized South-Asian scarf, that had been tied like a sari. It was from the time we were visiting Karachi to see my Dadi, my grandma. She always wore saris and loved to dress us girls up in pseudo-saris, using fancy dupattas. She was a quirky grandparent who was married off at 16 and widowed at 28. She, herself, was a treasure trove of stories. A few years ago she passed away. My father, the youngest of three sons, had moved back to Pakistan to be with her in her last years. A few weeks after she passed, we noticed my dad had been sleeping with her dupatta tucked beside his pillow. He had asked my mother never to wash it, as it held her scent and helped hold her memory close.
Not only did this stay with me for a long time, it was the spark of an idea for my debut picture book, A DUPATTA IS… which releases on April 11th this year (published by Feiwel & Friends and illustrated by the super-talented Anu Chouhan).
It also made me think of all the memories that I can tap into by using a particular scent as a clue. Sometimes a waft of cinnamon will remind me of the home remedies my mother made for us when we had a flu. And then I’ll think about other connected memories– comforting vibes, or the panic I’d experience about a test I’d miss if I had to stay home due to a flu. Once Anu started sharing the illustrations, her settings, inspired by her own childhood with her grandma, resembled my own Dadi’s home, right down to the bangle stand and wooden cupboard, and subsequently brought in a flood of memories.
I encourage you to flip through your childhood memories. Does a particular picture remind you of a place or setting that evoked a feeling? Could that mood, or feeling possibly take center stage for a story. Maybe a picture in an old house would remind you of a nosy neighbor or a neighborhood friend you’ve long forgotten. Think about the sounds that you heard in that neighborhood, or the secret stash of your candies you hoped your sibling would never find. These may not be ideas in themselves, but it’s always great to jot these down for later; they may inspire a character quirk for a side character, or a specific detail for your current WIP.
Now coming to my phone gallery photos. I usually take pictures of unusual things I spot as I drive through my city, Karachi, or roam the bazaars. I also click a load of food and produce pictures. Sometimes I transfer photos and videos to an album that I’ve labeled “Story Prompts.”
When I had initially gotten married, my mother-in-law taught me lots of her secret recipes. I loved to cook and getting introduced to so many new recipes, while learning of new customs, was great. One of those recipes was a samosa stuffed with coconut shavings, sugar, cardamom, and lots of crushed nuts.
I had only ever eaten savory samosas. I recreated the sweet samosas many times. Many years down the line it was the story spark for my upcoming AWE-SAMOSAS! book that releases in 2024 (published by HarperCollins and illustrated in the most beautiful, warm hues by Bhagya Madanasinghe.)
My memories are a constant source of inspiration, and I’m sure yours are, or will be, too!
Raised between the bustling cities of Dubai, U.A.E and Karachi, Pakistan, Marzieh Abbas loves traveling, reading and samosas. She is a member of SCBWI, 12×12, and a graduate of the Lyrical Language Lab, Children’s Book Academy, and Storyteller Academy. She is active on Twitter where she continues to form connections with the Writing Community, runs a kidlit review group on Facebook and blogs about her author journey and life in Pakistan on Instagram. You can find out more about her at MarziehAbbas.com and follow her on Twitter @MarziehAbbas and Instagram @marziehabbas_author.
Marzieh is giving away a picture book critique (under 650-word fiction and non-rhyming manuscript).
You’re eligible to win if you’re a registered Storystorm 2023 participant and you have commented only once on today’s blog post. ↓
Prizes will be distributed at the conclusion of Storystorm.
Happy Earth Day! Let’s talk mushrooms!
My good friends forage for mushrooms. I went to their house around Halloween one year and saw a huge skull on their dining room table…what a perfectly spooky decoration…except…it wasn’t a skull at all! It was a giant puffball mushroom, and it was good eats! They sliced it up, seasoned and pan-fried it, and we fork-and-knifed it like a steak. It tasted divine. Since then, we’ve had all kinds of foraged dishes, including pasta in a creamy chanterelle sauce. What about morels, you ask? They’ve found them, too. (And I’ve eaten them!)
Fast forward to a few weeks ago when I received this beauty, MUSHROOM RAIN by Laura K. Zimmermann, illustrated by Jamie Green.
I had to ask Laura about it!
Laura, my blog is all about brainstorming ideas for writing books—so where did the idea for MUSHROOM RAIN originate?
Storystorm (technically, when it was PiBoldMo)!
Ooh, a Storystorm Success story!
I was looking for information on female scientists to add to my ideas for the month and came across a story about Beatrix Potter’s research with mushrooms. Sadly, that manuscript didn’t sell but it did help me see mushrooms in a new way. So when I came across a story about mushroom spores helping to create rain, I had to read it. And when I did, two words popped into my mind. Well, technically 6. “That is so cool…Mushroom Rain!”
That is cool! Speaking of cool, have you ever gone mushroom foraging?
So far I have only foraged for pictures. My nieces and I found a ton of different varieties in South Carolina and I have come across quite a few at the Arboretum near where I live. I joined the Mycological Association of Washington DC but haven’t had time in my schedule to drive out to the locations they have been foraging. I’m hoping to later in the summer or fall. Given that I thought a white mushroom I saw was a cute innocent thing—I later learned it was a destroying angel—I think it is best that my first true forage be with people who know more than me.
When I’m with my mushroom friends, they do all sorts of things to ID the mushrooms, like put them on a sheet of paper to check spore prints. Spores do so much (wink, wink)!
The illustrations by Jamie Green are gorgeous, and I love the unique choice of the black background, which really makes the mushrooms pop.
It’s an interesting and brilliant choice. One might expect greenery or blue sky considering the subject matter. How did you feel when you first saw the illustrations?
I was both surprised and thrilled when I saw Jamie’s art for the book. It’s not an approach I ever imagined, but now I can’t picture it any other way. The wonderland feel captures the kingdom of mushrooms perfectly!
Yes, it feels rather regal and majestic!
You have two spreads of fascinating back matter in this book. What is your approach to back matter?
As a scientist and nonfiction picture book writer, research rabbit holes are one of my virtual homes. I deep dive into any topic of interest and collect my favorite bits. Anything that doesn’t make it into the book, tries to find a home there.
What tips do you have for other non-fiction picture book writers?
Follow topics that won’t let go wherever they may lead. Straight or winding the path will take you where you want to go—even if you don’t know where that is at the start. Then double and triple check your facts. Find everything you can and reach out to those who know more than you. Many wonderful and patient experts helped make Mushroom Rain what it is today. And I’m sure you’ve heard this before, but it bears repeating. Join SCBWI. Use Storystorm and other challenges to push your writing forward. I am the writer I am today because of them and my amazing critique partners that I met, you guessed it, through SCBWI.
Laura, thank you for stopping by on Earth Day and sharing this enchanting story of mushrooms.
Blog readers, Laura is giving away a non-fiction picture book critique (plus a signed bookplate and SWAG) to one lucky winner.
Comment once below with your favorite mushroom.
A random winner will be selected next month.
Good luck!
College professor by day and children’s writer by night, Laura K. Zimmermann has published numerous academic articles on human development as well as nonfiction stories in AppleSeeds, Ask, Muse, Odyssey, and Root & Star magazines. Her debut picture book, MUSHROOM RAIN, is here now from Sleeping Bear Press.
When she’s not writing, you’ll find her teaching classes and conducting research at Shenandoah University or wandering through nature with Junior Explorer Tivy.
Online you can find her at LauraKZimmermann.com, @LauraK_PBwriter on Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest.
by Patti Richards
I’m so excited to be here today to talk about my new picture book, MRS. NOAH (Little Lamb Books)! The book sets sail on October 19th but will be available for pre-sale on October 5. It’s about the unsung hero of the Ark story, Mrs. Noah, and all she does to get the ark ready AFTER Noah decides the job is done.
It seems like every idea I add to my Storystorm list each year has its own story, and MRS. NOAH’s is one of my favorites. So, here’s how it all happened:
I was packing my family for a big trip to celebrate my parents’ 50th wedding anniversary. It was our very first cruise and I was running around like a crazy woman trying to prep for the two-day drive to Florida (we thought that would be fun…yep). So along with planning for the actual cruise, I had to book hotel rooms and make sure everyone had enough clean clothes and toiletries for the two days before and the two days after. Not to mention buying up enough pet supplies and snacks for our house sitter, stopping the mail, making sure everyone had a swimsuit and shoes that fit, plus paying all the bills and getting the house cleaned before we could leave. My husband, who always helps, had to work extra hours so we could have this week away. This meant he was at the office until late every night, so I was on my own. And just six weeks earlier, my son had undergone a big surgery to remove a benign tumor from his skull base, so there were follow up appointments to get the “all clear” just a few days before we left. Needless to say, I was a shipwreck waiting to happen.
Somewhere in all of the craziness, I had this thought… “If I’m this stressed trying to get everything done before we leave for our cruise, how in the world did Mrs. Noah get everything ready for an ark full of animals and the rest of her family?” This made me laugh out loud. The idea of Mrs. Noah settled in and stayed (I call ideas like this “God whispers”) and by the time the trip was over, I had the first lines of the story in my head.
When I got home, I immediately put MRS. NOAH on my Storystorm list, and that’s where it stayed for six years (yes, you read that right)! Each year I’d sign up for Storystorm, and each year I’d add MRS. NOAH to my list at some point during the month. I wanted so much to write this story, but other projects kept bumping it out of the way. Then, in 2018, I was able to quit my full-time freelance writing job, and for the first time in more than 25 years as a writer, focus completely on my work for children. That’s when the idea finally became a first draft. After a year of sharing it with my critique group, revising, sharing and revising again (I had a total of 13 versions at this point), I saw that a Twitter event called #FaithPitch was coming up and I thought, “Why not?” and I pitched the title throughout the day but didn’t get any love.
Fast forward to February of 2019—I had completed another manuscript (also a Storystorm idea) that I thought might be a good fit for a faith-based publisher. I found three small houses that were taking unsolicited submissions and I sent in that manuscript. Months went by. It was now October and I was enjoying a writing retreat day with my critique group. We’d taken a break and I was checking email and there it was…a message from Little Lamb Books about the manuscript I had submitted called MILLIE’S CHRISTMAS MIRACLE. In that email Rachel Pellegrino said they were interested in acquiring this story, but was MRS. NOAH still available? She’d seen it on #Faithpitch and if I hadn’t sold it, they’d like to have both and publish MRS. NOAH first. WHAT?!
I couldn’t believe it. After so many years in the submission trenches, I was finally getting a “Yes,” and not just for the book I’d submitted, but for MRS. NOAH too! And how sweet to get it when I was with my critique group who knew MRS. NOAH well and loved her as much as I did.
That’s the story behind the story! The real Mrs. Noah’s ark journey was 40 days and 40 nights and then some. My MRS. NOAH’s journey was 9 years. One started on an ark and the other on a cruise ship, but both have an ending full of promise and good things to come. I want to thank Tara for giving us the inspiration each year through Storystorm to always be on the lookout for new ideas. You never know what can happen when you look at an old, well-known story and see something new!
Wonderful, Patti! Congratulations on your dual picture book success!
Blog readers, Patti is giving away a PB critique to celebrate.
Leave one comment below to enter.
A random winner will be chosen in October.
Good luck!
Patti Richards lives with her family in Farmington Hills, Michigan. Her first children’s story, “Fishing on the Black Volta,” was published in Boy’s Quest Magazine. She has three nonfiction books, an ebook, and is part of the award-winning poetry collection, THANKU: POEMS OF GRATITUDE. Patti’s work has also been featured in Highlights Magazine and she’s been a Katherine Paterson Prize at Hunger Mountain honoree twice. She enjoys reading, gardening, singing, playing the piano, painting and tending to her flock, which includes Gracie the dog, Barnabas, the big black puppy, and Willow the cat. Visit her online at pattigail1.com and follow her on Twitter @pattigrichards.
by Jennifer Buchet and Little Medusa
A few Novembers ago, I was inspired to write a picture book story about snakes. Snakes are—
Little Medusa: Beautiful! Amazing! And very cuddly.
Actually, I was about to say that snakes rattle lots of people. They’re squeamish because…well…
The hissing. The slithering. The fork-tongues.
LM: Awww, how cute!
Not to everyone! But that’s the thing, Li’l Medusa. After attending a reptile show with my daughter at our local library, I…
LM: Best. Show. Ever!
…I wanted people to know that snakes are really fascinating. Did you know that snakes smell with their tongues?
LM: Of course! Snake are sssssuper sssmellers!
I drafted a story about pet snakes, but it needed more sparkle and less fang. Around the same time, I discovered PiBoIdMo (Picture Book Idea Month) was reformatting to Storystorm, and that come January, there’d be a whole new set of inspirational writing tips and tricks. Definitely something to look forward to because the holidays were knocking impatiently at the door. Instead of drafting stories, I was juggling magazine deadlines and planning the annual holiday party menu.
LM: Yummy! Did you serve buggy burritos?
Not quite (this party is rather swanky). I desperately wanted to vamp up the menu. Yes, tempura shrimp is delish, but having it at every special occasion “because it’s a tradition!” was constricting my appetite. With editors to please and taste buds to appease, I turned to mundane housework to alleviate the stress. Whilst sorting socks and sweaters, a real live mini-Medusa skipped into the laundry room.
LM: She didn’t turn you to stone, did she?
No, but she did scare me! This mini-Medusa was actually my daughter with a headful of tangled, knotted, serpentine-looking hair.
LM: Mama said I’d get used to traditional Gorgon hair but I don’t like Addie on my head.
Well in that moment, several events converged at once and I knew I had a tale about a Gorgon girl challenged by eons of family tradition.
LM: Oh, that’s me!! Just like you didn’t want shrimp, I didn’t want snakes in my hair!
Exactly. But I wasn’t sure how to morph this meatball of an idea into a grand bolognaise sauce. How would I make one of the most villainous figures in Greek mythology kid-friendly? I turned to Storystorm for tips on humorous writing and how to find the funny.
LM: My great-times-eight Granny Medusa is not funny. She was scary and mean. I don’t want to turn things to stone with a stare.
Nor do you like having Addie slither through your hair.
LM: Nope! Stony stares and slithering hair are not my kind of tradition. They’re more like pythonic problems!
Every day, I read the guest post and partook in the Storystorm exercise; you never know what new idea might happen, from a jazzy sentence or title, to a brand new story idea! By the end of January, not only did I have a bunch of new ideas, I also knew exactly where I was taking Little Medusa’s tale. I’m not sure where I’d be without Storystorm!
LM: Not having Storystorm? Now that’s a pythonic problem for you!
Absolutely! And the rest they say is hissss-story! Thanks to this wonderful, supportive and wise kidlit community, LITTLE MEDUSA’S HAIR DO-LEMMA is now on shelves, and in the hands and hearts of littles.
LM: Can we play Snakes ‘n Ladders now?
Sure!
LM: Hissy kissies, everyone!
P.S. The menu did include Tempura Shrimp—with Blood Orange Sauce!
Some days Jennifer Buchet rocks her own tangled Gorgon ‘do, but hopefully you won’t find a snake sliding through her hair! She’s an award-winning author, pre-kindergarten educator and self-proclaimed foodie. Her kidlit career officially started in 2011, writing for Cricket Media. Today, she’s a feature contributor for Faces magazine while also creating new picture books, chapter books and yummy recipes.
Her debut picture book, LITTLE MEDUSA’S HAIR DO-LEMMA (Clear Fork Publishing, May 2021) illustrated by Cassie Chancy, is on shelves now.
You can swap tales & recipes with Jennifer at buchetbooks.wixsite.com/mysite or on Twitter @Yangmommy.
You can easily support authors by leaving book reviews, asking libraries to carry their books and of course, purchasing their stories.
by Annie Bailey
This is me on June 24, 2019, in the Tetons, mountain biking with my husband. Afterwards, we had lunch at a charming café situated next to the runway of the town’s small airport where we could watch the propeller planes land and take off.
It was a perfect day, and our ride on the mountain trails had given me a lot of time to think. On the drive home, I turned to my husband and said something I never thought I’d say.
“It’s okay if I never get published.”
I’d been pouring my heart into my writing for years—starting just after my first son was born in 2003. In 2016, I signed with my agent. Since then, we’d worked together for THREE YEARS and hadn’t sold a thing. Two weeks before that day in the mountains, my agent and I had a very honest conversation about how things were going. We were both frustrated. But at the end of the discussion, I told her, “If you’re still all in, I am too.” And we both were.
But as I told my husband on the car ride home, it was time to let go of things I couldn’t control. Getting published was one of those things. I could write a story to the best of my ability, but I couldn’t control if an editor would want to publish it. I couldn’t control the state of the economy and how it influenced acquisitions, or the political climate, or if an editor had too much of this or that on her list. I would still write, of course. But I was no longer going to put pressure on myself to achieve results that I had no say in. I felt a lot of relief and peace when I came to that conclusion.
We had only been home a short while when my phone rang.
“You have an offer,” my agent said. For not just one book, but two. A series.
I’m so pleased to share the cover of my very first book in that series, an idea from my 2013 PiBoIdMo (now Storystorm) list.
10 LITTLE TRACTORS releases November 2nd, 2021 from Doubleday Books for Young Readers and is now available for pre-order.
The second title, 10 LITTLE EXCAVATORS, releases February 2nd, 2022.
Boy has it been a crazy year. But I’m still all in, doing my best to focus on what I can control in my writing journey. I hope you are still all in, too.
Thanks for sharing your success story, Annie! What incredible timing!
Blog readers, you can win a copy of 10 LITTLE TRACTORS, which you’ll receive after publication in November.
Comment once to enter. A random winner will be selected soon!
Good luck!
Annie Bailey is a children’s author, songwriter, and mom to four boys. She loves laughing, reading, playing the piano, soccer, biking and baking. Doubleday Books for Young Readers will release Annie’s first board books, 10 LITTLE TRACTORS and 10 LITTLE EXCAVATORS, in Fall 2021 and Spring 2022. Abrams Appleseed will release her first picture book, MUD!, in Spring 2022. She has also released a children’s album titled THERE IS JOY. Annie served on the 2015 and 2016 Best in Rhyme Award committee and currently enjoys serving as the Regional Advisor for the SCBWI Utah/Southern Idaho region. Annie lives in rural Idaho in a renovated farmhouse complete with her very own train car. (Which, of course, has time traveling capabilities.) Visit Annie at anniebailey.com or on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram @byanniebailey.
by Susan Macartney
Tara, thank you! I’m so happy to share my success story. Spoiler alert: It’s never too late to embark on this journey!
“Winding” doesn’t quite do justice to my meandering, zigg-zagging road to publication as an author-illustrator. I’ve always been drawn to both the arts and the sciences. So maybe I could have saved some time if I’d made a beeline for narrative nonfiction! Didn’t happen… First I studied zoology and anthropology and then ended up working in graphic design for 20 years. No question—a convoluted, interesting path, and along the way I continued to tinker with writing and illustrating children’s stories.
I joined SCBWI in 2012, was full of enthusiam about joining a writing “community”… and then my partner and I moved overseas. Temporary hold on my writing while all of “life’s dust” settled… Fast-forward to 2015, my desire to write and illustrate was still strong and I reached out again to the wide world of kidlit.
To give you an idea of how far I had to reach: I’m Canadian. I was living in Sweden. And Tara’s picture book webinar was being hosted by SCBWI… out of France! The host gave us the link to Tara’s blog and told us we should really try the November PiBoIdMo (Picture Book Idea Month) challenge—and the rest is Storystorm history.
Well, not quite… I moved again! But now the Storystorm challenge with all its amazing writing and illustrating advice was waiting for me wherever I landed. On January 5, 2018, I looked at my blank Storystorm entry page, armed only with the goal of gently exploring the theme of self-awareness. And oh yes, I knew I wanted an animal main character and for envirornmental issues to figure in the subplot. I first learned about the Galapagos Islands when I was seven. And it wasn’t long before the engaging Blue-footed booby waddled into my mind as a potential candidate—what’s not to love?
Two years later after many drafts, CP reviews and edits my debut picture book, BENJAMIN’S BLUE FEET: Pajama Press, was published.
Yay Storystorm! The discipline of a defined daily challenge enhanced by professional advice for ONE creative month, worked for me on so many levels. I’m goal-oriented and an early riser and embraced the habit of piggybacking my Storystorm entry with my morning coffee. Take note! Having that pen and dedicated notebook within easy reach also helped to minimize all the usual self-inflicted roadblocks to being creative.
Now my story ideas weren’t loose bits of inspiration scrawled on scraps of paper anymore, or worse, those “best” ideas that never even got recorded. They’re all there in black and white – no excuses, no delusions (about how great that idea actually was) – just lots of ideas to return to, mull over and mine!
It is never too late to set forth on this journey. Remember that there is a WIDE world of like-minded people out there – learn to reach out, relish the small joys along the way and PERSEVERE!
Blog readers, Sue is giving away a signed copy of BENJAMIN’S BLUE FEET!
Leave one comment below to enter.
A random winner will be selected soon!
Good luck!
Sue has taught art to children around the world and currently works as a nature sketch artist at The Bateman Foundation in Victoria, BC. You can find Sue online at suemacartney.com and on Twitter @suesumac and Instagram @suemacartney.
by Laura K. Zimmermann
First I want to thank Tara for inviting me to share my story, which begins with a new writer staring at her computer trying to decide whether or not to sign up for Storystorm (PiBoldMo at the time). I very nearly didn’t. I remember thinking that there was no way I could come up with 30 ideas in thirty days—that was more picture books ideas than I’d had all year. But there was nothing to lose, so I decided to try.
I began my hunt for ideas. I’m a nonfiction writer so I created a private list on Twitter where I collected organizations and people who tweeted about topics that interest me. Each day I poured over my list. I would also look through science report emails, conduct google searches, and started to look, really look, at the things around me. One day I came across a tweet about a graveyard. On the list of people buried there was someone called “The Blind Traveler” who was in no way associated with mushrooms, but did pull me into the world of picture book biographies.
Jump forward to the next Storystorm. With my new focus on picture book biographies I was searching for female scientists. I had uncovered several for my idea list, when I stumbled across a story about Beatrix Potter’s research with mushrooms. I had to learn more so I researched everything I could find. I read her journal and looked at pictures of her paintings, some of which I had seen in a museum many years earlier. The idea could work. So, I wrote the biography, and revised and revised and revised. But no one at the time seemed to be interested.
I should probably mention at this point, that prior to the Beatrix Potter biography I had never seen mushrooms as anything other than things you buy in a grocery store to put in soups, spaghetti sauce, and on pizza. But to Beatrix they were beautiful and challenging—from their curving caps and bladelike gills, to their varied textures and colors that ranged from the reddest reds to the softest creams and everything in between. She spent years scrutinizing and painting them again and again, training her brush strokes to capture every detail. Over time she developed questions for which she could find no answers and so began her own research. And as I worked to understand her mycological studies and read about masses of crisp yellow cups nestled in moss and troops with foxy-brown caps surrounded by black firs, I began to see mushrooms in a new way.
Then one day, I came across an article about mushrooms creating rain—a mushroom rain. There was a book there I just knew it. So I did more research, wrote and revised, and revised, and revised. But again, no one seemed interested. Enter my agent, Kaitlyn Sanchez. I sent her Mushroom Rain hoping she might see what my critique partners and I saw. I didn’t have to wait long. Later that day I had a list of suggested revision in my inbox. She loved it too and with a bit more revision she started to shop it. There were still a lot of no’s, of course, but you only need one yes, which we got from Barb McNally at Sleeping Bear, who loved it exactly as it was. It is now in the hands of an amazing, mushroom-loving artist, Jamie Green, and I can’t wait to see how it turns out. Beatrix Potter once said, “There is something delicious about writing the first words of a story. You never quite know where they’ll take you.” For me they led to a weird and wonderful world that, like an idea, springs up without warning and must be gathered before it disappears.
Although Laura has seen and eaten many mushrooms, she knew very little about them until she discovered them in Beatrix Potter’s paintings and journal. A mushroom hunter, artist, and researcher, it was Beatrix’s passion that led Laura to learn more about their weird and wonderful world. Laura K. Zimmermann is a college professor by day and children’s writer by night. She has published numerous academic articles as well as nonfiction stories in children’s magazines. Mushroom Rain is her first picture book. When she’s not writing, Laura can be found teaching and conducting research at Shenandoah University or wandering through nature with her Goldendoodle, Tivy. You can find Laura online at laurakzimmermann.com and on Twitter @LauraK_PBwriter and Instagram @LauraK_PBwriter.
by Amanda Davis
Hello fellow Storystormers! It’s Day 29, and we’re nearing the end of the challenge-a sad but wondrous thing. Give yourself a pat on the back for making it this far. Hurrah! I hope your well is brimming with at least 28 new ideas from the fabulous posts we’ve read and that you’re raring to go with your writing. So much inspiration! I’m excited to be here as a guest blogger and to help us close out the final days of the challenge. Storystorm holds a special place in my heart as it helped me focus in on developing the manuscript that later became my debut picture book, 30,000 STITCHES. Thanks, Tara!
Now, onto my post!
I’m a very action-oriented person and love when I find new writing or drawing challenges that I can apply to my practice to help me churn out new ideas or work. This is one of the many reasons I love participating in Storystorm each year! For this post, I wanted to share one of my own challenges that I created called, Haiku From Two. I crafted this challenge last year to help me get through the pandemic and needed something to keep me feeling inspired to create, read, and connect. I hope that you find it useful in your own creative practice as well!
WHAT IS HAIKU FROM TWO?
Haiku from Two started out as a 30-Day Challenge on social media.
The premise is:
- Randomly select two words from the current book you’re reading.
- Write a haiku* using those two words.
- Post your haiku on social media with the #HaikuFromTwo.
* a haiku is a three-line poem- five syllables in the first line, seven in the second, and five in the third (5-7-5).
HIGHLIGHTS FROM MY HAIKU FROM TWO EXPERIENCE:
READING: I don’t know about you, but I tend to have a large stack of ‘to be read’ books hanging around the house. I stare at them, feeling guilty that I haven’t made the time to dive in. When the pandemic hit, I figured that was a great time to whittle down the pile. I hoped the challenge of completing a haiku from each book would push me to keep reading, and it did just that!
WRITING: If you’re looking for a simple activity that can keep you writing, I found this was the trick for me! Some days were challenging, but it forced me to keep those creative juices flowing, which in turn helped me when I shifted gears to my picture book manuscripts, too!
CONNECTION: From authors, to editors, to cover artists, down to the book designers, whenever I would finish my Haiku From Two, I would photograph it and post on Instagram and Twitter, tagging all those involved in making the book. It was a great way to connect with others in the industry. Through the challenge, I’ve made some new online friends, and even e-chatted with authors such as, Ruth Behar. As I would search for the right people to tag in each post, it reminded me that it takes a village to bring our book babies into the world!
INSPIRATION: The reason we are all here, inspiration! These small haikus have the potential to turn into BIG ideas! I now have the option to develop these haikus further and use them as inspiration for new characters, settings, and themes. More on that below.
ALTERNATIVES: Let’s face it, writing/art challenges can be hard to commit to, so here are some ways you can alter the Haiku From Two activity to best suit your mood and needs.
In-between books? Don’t fret! Instead, use an old book from the shelf or maybe an article you read online. You can even use two words from your favorite song. A magazine or even a dictionary will do. Basically, anything that has words can work!
If you’re not into poetry, no worries! Scratch the syllables and make up a random sentence instead. Perhaps that sentence then becomes the first line of your new picture book manuscript or gives you an idea for some new characters in your story. For example, I’ve been playing around with developing the idea of “Flashlight Ghosts”.
These two words came from the haiku I developed from ONE CRAZY SUMMER by Rita Williams-Garcia. I’m not sure what or where yet but Flashlight Ghosts sure sound like interesting characters 🙂 Not to mention I had Rita herself playing along for this one, too!
If you consider yourself an artist as well, after you develop your haiku, you can illustrate it, too! I enjoyed this approach with the haiku I created for COME ON, RAIN, a picture book by Karen Hesse and John J. Muth. My two words were Hot and Air, which made me think of flying high in a hot air balloon.
Now, a new story about a hot air balloon adventure is waiting to be explored!
SIDE NOTE: Don’t put pressure on yourself to create every day! I initially began this challenge in March of 2020 with Lynda Mullaley Hunt’s FISH IN A TREE and intended to do a Haiku From Two each day for 30 consecutive days, but then…life happened…amidst a pandemic nonetheless.
Six months later, I finally reached my Day 30 in September with ALL BOYS AREN’T BLUE.
It took longer than I’d expected, but in the end, I read twelve new amazing books and now have a jar full of potential new story ideas and inspiration!
Even though I reached my 30 days, I’m continuing to partake in the Haiku From Two challenge. I hope you will join me! If you decide to take on the challenge in 2021, see below for the official rules. And remember, no pressure to complete the 30 days. Instead, think of this as another tool in your creative arsenal ready and waiting for the next time you’re in need of a muse.
So, as I close us out of Day 29, I challenge you to a Haiku From Two! Grab a book, randomly choose two words, and form a haiku! Voilá! Your next story idea awaits! Be sure to tag me on Instagram @amandadavis_art or Twitter @amandadavisart, and use #haikufromtwo to play along!
In case you’re interested, here is my Haiku From Two reading list:
FISH IN A TREE by Lynda Mullaly Hunt
ONE CRAZY SUMMER by Rita Williams-Garcia
THE BFG by Roald Dahl (I was in a throwback mood)
THE STORIED LIFE OF A.J. FIKRY by Gabrielle Zevin
A DOG’S WAY HOME by W. Bruce Cameron
LUCKY BROKEN GIRL by Ruth Behar
THE SUN IS ALSO A STAR by Nicola Yoon
AMAL UNBOUND by Aisha Saeed
THE POET X by Elizabeth Acevedo
THERE, THERE by Tommy Orange
ALL BOYS AREN’T BLUE by George M. Johnson
BROWN GIRL DREAMING by Jacqueline Woodson
One last note: today is also Multicultural Children’s Book Day! Follow along at #ReadYourWorld to help celebrate and raise awareness around kid’s books that celebrate diversity and help these books get into more classroom and libraries!
Happy haikuing y’all!
Amanda Davis is a teacher, artist, writer, and innovator who uses her words and pictures to light up the world with kindness. After losing her father at the age of twelve, Amanda turned to art and writing as an outlet. It became her voice. A way to cope. A way to escape. And a way to tell her story. She was thus inspired to teach art and pursue her passion for writing and illustrating children’s books. Through her work, Amanda empowers younger generations to tell their own stories and offers children and adults an entryway into a world of discovery. A world that can help them make sense of themselves, others, and the community around them. A world where they can navigate, imagine, and feel inspired—over and over again. When she’s not busy creating, you can find her sipping tea, petting dogs, and exploring the natural wonders of The Bay State with her partner and rescue pup, Cora.
Her debut creative nonfiction picture book, 30,000 STITCHES, hits stores May 4, 2021 with WorthyKids/Hachette Book Group, and her poetry and illustrations can be found in the Writers’ Loft new anthology, FRIENDS & ANEMONES: OCEAN POEMS FOR CHILDREN (November, 2020). Amanda is represented by Jennifer Unter of The Unter Agency.
To connect with Amanda and learn more about her work, visit her online at amandadavisart.com, Twitter @amandadavisart Instagram @amandadavis_art and Facebook.
Amanda is offering a 30-minute Zoom meeting to chat about a specific story or anything else kid-lit related OR for our educator and librarian friends, Amanda would like to offer a FREE 20-minute virtual classroom visit.
Leave one comment below to enter.
You’re eligible to win if you’re a registered Storystorm participant and you have commented once below.
by Sita Singh
Hello, Storystormers! It’s my honor to be your guest blogger today.
I first participated in PiBoIdMo (now known as Storystorm) soon after I started to write, and quickly realized that all my ideas come from real life experiences. I was born and raised in India and moved to the United States in 1999. My ideas are inspired either from my own childhood or from my experience of mothering three, first-generation Indian-American children.
BIRDS OF A FEATHER, my debut picture book began with an idea listed in my notebook as “peacocks.” It was inspired from my childhood memories of watching peacocks. But it isn’t enough to say, okay, I’m going to write about peacocks. I needed a story. I needed to craft a character readers would care about. I needed a problem. I needed tension. I needed a lot. I tried several ways to tell my story, but none felt good enough or satisfying. At that same time, I was working on another story idea inspired from my daughter’s experiences; listed in my notebook as “standing out and feeling different.” This too wasn’t coming together to my satisfaction.
Then one day, it clicked. Like pieces of a puzzle. The thought of combining the two ideas (peacocks + standing out and feeling different) got my heart pounding and my imagination soaring. Right away, I knew what I wanted my story to be about.
For me, it took an amalgamation of ideas to spark a story!
Sometimes, connecting unexpected ideas, people, places, and objects, can result in stories that are fresh and unique. January is almost over, and if you’re anything like me, at least twenty-eight ideas must have come to you in form of words, phrases, titles, sketches, and some random thoughts, as well. If you ever get inspired to amalgamate any of these ideas, recognizing the ones that could come together to write a story only you can tell is exciting and rewarding. Here’s to recognizing those ideas!
When Tara asked me to write a guest post, I was curious to see who else has combined ideas to tell their story. Being a member of an incredible group of picture book writers and illustrators, Picture Book Scribblers, I didn’t have to go too far to find out. I was pleasantly surprised to see a generous number of stories come about from an amalgamation of ideas. Check out these ideas and look out for the fresh and unique stories coming to you in 2021!
HOME FOR A WHILE (February 2, 2021)
is an amalgamation of three ideas. 1) I wanted to write a story to honor the children with whom I’d worked when I ran a day treatment preschool. 2) I wanted to write about emotion regulation. 3) I wanted to write about seeing your strengths rather than just focusing on perceived challenges.
-Lauren Kerstein
THE BIG BEACH CLEANUP (March 1st, 2021)
is an amalgamation of three ideas 1) I passionately believe that if enough hands join together we can change the world. I wanted to write about little hands joining together to make big change. 2) I wanted to write a story that showed that you don’t have to be a superhero to make a difference. 3) I wanted to write a story that highlighted the growing plastic pollution problem and the steps that we can all take in our daily lives to make a difference.
-Charlotte Offsay
DON’T CALL ME FUZZYBUTT! (March 3rd, 2021)
I was inspired by both my son’s use of bad words and by our former president’s name calling. When my son was younger, he thought he was so grown up and cool when he used a word that he wasn’t supposed to say. I’d catch him saying it, and then he would come up with some variant of the word. “Mom, I said mitt. It’s not the word you think I said.” During this time, President Trump was also pretty much calling anyone a name who disagreed with him or his policies, and I couldn’t help but wonder what kind of impact are his actions having on our children.
-Robin Newman
A FLOOD OF KINDNESS (April 13, 2021)
1. I wanted to write about a child navigating through a disaster and 2) I wanted to write about how kindness can heal.
-Ellen Leventhal
PRINCESSES CAN FIX IT! (May 4, 2021)
I was specifically interested in writing a fractured fairy tale, and the Twelve Dancing Princesses is one of my favorites, 2.) I wanted to add an empowering, STEM twist and 3.) I was thinking about how rigid gender roles can be detrimental to both girls and boys.
-Tracy Marchini
FLY (Fall 2021)
is an amalgamation of Black Girl Magic and the childhood sport of double Dutch. As a kid I could jump rope, but double Dutch baffled me. I was always mesmerized by people who jump with two ropes. As a kid I didn’t tap into my potential as often as I could have, if only I had known my “magic”. My character, Africa, realizes her ability to double Dutch has and will always be part of her. Black girls are talented on their own.
-Brittany Thurman
BETWEEN TWO WORLDS: The Art & Life of Amrita Sher-Gil (Fall 2021):
1) wanted to showcase a South Asian female artist/painter AND 2) wanted to explore emotions around living across two cultures inspired by my own life experiences
-Meera Sriram
EVERYBODY IN THE RED BRICK BUILDING (Fall 2021)
When I wrote this story, I was raising my children in an apartment. I noticed that there were plenty of books about families in houses, and not as many about families in apartments. So my first idea was to write a book set in an apartment building. My second idea was to write a cumulative story. I loved The House that Jack Built when I was a kid. The logic of the structure was very comforting for me. Those two ideas combined – an apartment story and a cumulative tale – gave me Everybody in the Red Brick Building.
-Anne Wynter
BATTLE OF THE BUTTS (September 28, 2021)
is an amalgamation of two ideas. 1) After I saw a meme on Twitter about manatees controlling their buoyancy through farting, I went down an internet rabbit hole learning about animals that do weird things with their butts. 2) I used to watch way too many competitive reality shows (American Idol, Survivor, Amazing Race), often the more ridiculous the better. As I learned about these talented tushies, I imagined them competing against each other in front of judges, and I knew I had to write about it. I tried to come up with a title that riffed off one of these reality show names (Butts Got Talent! American Butt! Butt Idol!), but they sounded a bit awkward. So as an alliteration junkie, I decided to go with a homage to the old school battle of the bands to end up with BATTLE OF THE BUTTS.
-Jocelyn Rish
MY BORDERTOWN (Fall 2021)
is an amalgamation of two different cultures that have a lot of similarities. The story is in English and in Spanish and says the exact same thing in both languages, but the illustrations show very different cultures. Ultimately I wanted kids to know that even though people on both sides of the border have differences, they are ultimately the same.
-Nicolas Solis
BENNY’S TRUE COLORS (November 17, 2020)
is an amalgamation of these two ideas: 1) I wanted to write about a small brown bat who every night roosted in our brick entryway instead of flying around eating bugs like all the other bats , and 2) I wanted to write about assumptions and judgements made about people based on their outward appearance.
-Norene Paulson
Sita Singh was born and raised in India, and moved to the United States in 1999. She currently lives in South Florida with her husband, three children, and an immensely cute and curious dog. An architect in the past, Sita now enjoys writing heartwarming picture books with a South Asian backdrop. When Sita isn’t reading or writing, she can be found trying new recipes in the kitchen, experimenting with food photography, walking with the dog, or movie marathoning with the family. Her debut picture book, Birds Of A Feather, illustrated by Stephanie Fizer Coleman, will be published on March 2nd, 2021 by Philomel Books. Find out more about Sita on singhsita.com and connect with her on Instagram and Twitter @sitawrites.
Sita is giving away a copy of BIRDS OF A FEATHER.
Leave one comment below to enter.
You’re eligible to win if you’re a registered Storystorm participant and you have commented once below.
by Amanda Davis
Hi Tara! Thank you so much for hosting me on your blog. I’m super excited to be here and can’t wait to share my Storystorm Success Story with everyone.
In case you’re not familiar with me or my work, I’m an author, artist, and high school art educator who uses my art and writing to light up the world with kindness. After losing my father at the age of twelve, I turned to art and writing as an outlet. It became my voice. A way to cope. A way to escape. And a way to tell my story. Because of this, I was inspired to teach art and pursue my passion for writing and illustrating children’s books. Through my work, I hope to empower younger generations to tell their own stories and offer children and adults an entryway into a world of discovery. A world that can help them make sense of themselves, others, and the community around them. A world where they can navigate, imagine, and feel inspired—over and over again.
As you can see, art and writing have been a part of my life ever since I was little, but let’s fast forward to September 2011. The new school year was upon me, and I was searching for a lesson I could do with my high school art classes to teach them about the tenth remembrance of September 11, 2001. Each year, I touch upon 9/11 in my curriculum. We learn about the events and do an art project in remembrance. This year, while browsing through some magazines, I came across a little blurb about an American flag that flew over Ground Zero in the days after 9/11. The flag became torn and tattered and was taken down and stored away. Seven years later, the flag emerged from storage and was brought down to a small town in Kansas, to be retired. But instead, the flag was patched back together and later traveled to all all fifty states to be fully restored; returning to New York on the tenth anniversary of 9/11 as a symbol of hope and unity.
“Wow! This was it!” I thought. I’d found my lesson. So, that year, students learned about the National 9/11 flag, and we created our own patchwork flag that was inspired by the story of the National 9/11/ Flag. It was a beautiful project and a beautiful story that stuck with me long after the lesson was complete.
Fast forward again to January 2018. It was a new year, and I was reflecting on my writing and illustrating goals. Was I doing enough? How can I improve? What new resources are out there? Etc., etc.,. This is when I came across Tara’s Storystorm challenge—30 ideas in 30 days. This was the perfect way to commit to my creativity at the start of the new year. I was in!
Each day I collected my ideas in my special A.A. Milner Winnie the Pooh journal. On Day 5, there was a post from Corey Rosen Schwartz titled Begs, Borrows, & Steals. The post was all about borrowing ideas from YOURSELF. She talked about re-examining past ideas, pondering over them, and picking them apart. She suggested going back into your files, notebooks, and sketchbooks to see what was lingering. AHA! How brilliant! This led me back to the flag. The story always lingered in the back of my mind, but Corey’s suggestions brought it to the forefront again. I got to thinking, “Why not make this a kid’s book?” So, I noted this in my trusty journal, scribbled an idea for a pitch, and continued with my Storystorm journey.
Lo and behold, I ended up being a Storystorm Grand Prize Winner and now had the chance to pitch five of my Storystorm ideas to agent Jennifer March Soloway. I was blown away and super stoked! I polished up my pitches (the story of the flag being one of them… then called ONE STITCH AT A TIME) and sent them off to Jennifer. In her response, she encouraged me to focus on the flag story, calling it “a marvelous idea with great potential.” Hooray! With Jennifer’s insights in mind, I now had the confidence to forge ahead with my story idea, begin my research, and later query agents and editors with the story.
Now, ten years since I first conducted my high school art lesson on the National 9/11 Flag, two years after Storystorm’s inspiration, and many, many, many drafts later, 30,000 STITCHES is the story that landed me my first agent and is set to be published with WorthyKids/Hachette Book Group on May 4, 2021.
It will enter the world twenty years after the tragic events of 9/11. The beautiful spread that is pictured here, illustrated by Sally Wern Comport, shows the flag coming to its last stop in Joplin, Missouri before returning to New York. The image showcases the people and places the flag touched throughout its 120,000 mile journey across the United States—criss-crossing borders and cross stitching lives. With today being Election Day, I think this image perfectly captures the power of the people when we come out and come together. At the core of this story, are seeds of hope, seeds of unity, and seeds of strength. It’s about the power of working together to overcome hard things. It’s about kindness, compassion, and service to others. I hope that anyone who reads 30,000 STITCHES will be reminded that we are connected through our shared stories. Our stories are stitched together. Our stories are the fabric of America.
Thanks so much to Storystorm and to you, Tara, for giving writer’s opportunities to get inspired and share their work. Storystorm comes around again in January 2021!
Oh yes, one more thing, GO VOTE!
You can check out some of the 9/11 remembrance projects I’ve done with students here: 9/11 Remembrance Projects and stay tuned on my website for classroom activity guides for 30,000 STITCHES.
Amanda Davis is a teacher, artist, writer, and innovator who uses her words and pictures to light up the world with kindness. After losing her father at the age of twelve, Amanda turned to art and writing as an outlet. It became her voice. A way to cope. A way to escape. And a way to tell her story. She was thus inspired to teach art and pursue her passion for writing and illustrating children’s books. Through her work, Amanda empowers younger generations to tell their own stories and offers children and adults an entryway into a world of discovery. A world that can help them make sense of themselves, others, and the community around them. A world where they can navigate, imagine, and feel inspired—over and over again. When she’s not busy creating, you can find her sipping tea, petting dogs, and exploring the natural wonders of The Bay State with her partner and rescue pup, Cora. Visit her online at amandadavisart.com, on Twitter @amandadavisart, Instagram @amandadavis_art and Facebook.
Writing for Kids (While Raising Them) 