Storystorm 2023 Day 2: Mirka Hokkanen Crafts the Perfect Tetris-Pizza-Supreme

January 2, 2023 in STORYSTORM 2023 | Tags: , | 937 comments

by Mirka Hokkanen

Now that the holiday season is over, it is time to get off the couch, stretch and get those idea-generating muscles warmed up again. Let’s get ready to rumble with Storystorm 2023!

Today I’m sharing about how Storystorm helped me on my journey to becoming a published author, and my recipe for generating irresistible tetris-pizza-supreme books. I hope that my story inspires you to show up every day for the next month, flex your idea-generating muscles, and write down those ideas, no matter how good or bad, because you never know where the next idea might lead you.

Roughly seven years ago I started on a journey to become a picture book illustrator. I spent my time soaking up everything I could about picture books and the publishing industry; reading, going to classes/webinars/conferences, joining SCBWI, meeting with peers and critique group(s), and even getting agent representation. Things were going great by all measures, but it still felt like actual illustration work was impossible to come by. My work was good, but never the best in the room, so I felt like someone else was always going to get picked over me.

As I learned more about the industry, I figured that if I could write stories, it would be a shorter path to publication. But that was a major roadblock for someone who never understood creative writing or book reports in school, and always teetered on the brink of failing assignments. Rather than write, I drew as a teenager, and my mom kept telling me that I should create comics and make that into a career. Great idea, if I could only come up with a viable plot! I tried a few times, but never got past the middle. Eventually my little sister cut pages I’d started into confetti and I gave up. By the end of middle school, I had lost my will to read and write all together, and just wanted to make art and ride horses.

Fast forward about 20 years, and 2 young kids later, I knew if I wanted to make it in publishing, I should probably figure out how to write. So I took some more classes and wrote and illustrated several stories… and let me tell you, they turned out fantastic!

Just kidding—my stories were terrible, because I didn’t have good ideas. But I kept trying because I had a burning desire to publish work that would bring joy to readers like I’d felt reading with my own kids. Then I heard of something called PiBoIdMo, and thought it couldn’t hurt (even if I couldn’t pronounce it). I made it through the month and had 30 ideas. They weren’t the greatest, I was a skeptic, but that was still 30 more ideas than I had the month before. Done is better than perfection!

I showed up for PiBoIdMo, now Storystorm, every year and packed those ideas in. I read the posts and some resonated with me more than others. As time went on, I noticed that ideas started trickling in on their own. What started out flowing like dry oatmeal, started to ooze like syrup from the cracks of my life, until the dams broke open. Ideas jumped at me from all over the place, from things I saw online, in my life, in books, etc.

And now we get to the juicy part: What I didn’t realize at first, when doing the prompts, was that I was starting to use my idea generating muscles. And like with all muscles, when you use them, they get bigger and more developed, and easier to use.

Mechanical became organic, and I figured out how my brain likes to generate ideas and what makes it tick. So if trying to generate ideas gives you a cold sweat, I want to encourage you to stick with it. Exercise and nurture those muscles, because when you get them built and warmed up, they are a gift that keeps on giving.

As a second half to generating ideas, I encourage you to read prolifically in the genre for which you are writing. It’s kind of like the protein drink that helps those muscles grow stronger.

This year is special for me, as I am not only debuting one, but three books that I have written (and illustrated) and I wanted to share how the idea for the first book came to be. It came on a Storystorm month, during which I am always really busy turning things around in my head and more sensitive than usual to prompts bubbling up in life. We were living in Hawaii, where coconuts grow on every street corner. For me as a girl who grew up in Finland, that was pretty exotic, and I would often hum a tune from my childhood that told the story of a guy wrecking his house trying to crack a coconut.

I thought that it would be a pretty funny idea for a picture book, and then used my skills learned in Storystorm, to develop the idea further.

I would describe the way I develop ideas as “pizza tetris”. I start with the main theme or frame for the book, like “impossible-to-crack coconut,” which is like the frame for different-shaped pieces. Then I start fitting pieces in and out of the frame to see which ones fit the best. I often first think about how to turn an idea upside down, and if I can’t think of anything good, then I toss that idea and start shuffling unexpected locations and characters in and out of the frame to see what looks interesting. Once those are figured, and you have a frame of pieces that fit, that’s like having a pizza base and tomato sauce, but then we need toppings.

For toppings, I jot down anything that can add extra layers and depth into the story: possible plot points, scenes or lines that I want to add in, additional themes or concepts, target audience, class curriculum tie-ins, etc. At the end, my goal is to have a delicious, well balanced, tetris-pizza-supreme, that is irresistible to editors, educators, parents and most importantly, we all know who loves pizza the most, kids!

So to illustrate: My completed coconut-tetris-pizza supreme consists of two bickering gnomes and an impossible-to-crack coconut as the base, and then a forest backdrop, a surprise character reveal, friendship, trying again after failure, creativity, early readers as target audience, rising graphic novel format, a heap of humor to top it off, and a side order of sequel ideas.

And it worked! MOSSY AND TWEED: CRAZY FOR COCONUTS was sold in a two-book deal, with the first book releasing on January 10th, and the sequel coming out later this year! I am so excited to bring these books out into the world, and hope they will inspire kids to pick up a book and learn to read.

Thank you so much for going on this journey with me. I hope that you keep showing up and working those muscles!

Mirka Hokkanen is an author and illustrator who cannot think of 7 impossible things before breakfast. She generates ideas much better after a pitcher of tea. Her best ideas wait for her in the worst times of the day; usually when driving or right as she is falling asleep. When not writing or illustrating, Mirka likes to relax at home with her three young kids. Mirka is also a teacher on Skillshare, a licensing illustrator and a printmaker. Find her online at Mirkah.com.

Mirka is giving away a copy of MOSSY AND TWEED plus a picture book critique to one lucky winner.

You’re eligible to win if you’re a registered Storystorm 2023 participant and you have commented only once below.

Prizes will be distributed at the conclusion of Storystorm.

Storystorm 2023 Day 1: Tara Lazar Presses “Play”

January 1, 2023 in STORYSTORM 2023 | Tags: , | 1,014 comments

by Tara Lazar

December 2022 will forever be known to me as “The Month of YouTube.”

In the afternoons, I’d settle into my comfy blue couch and flip on the Smart TV, which now lives and looms above my fireplace mantle. You can’t escape its Black Mirror pull.

At first, I watched videos of dog and cat rescues, my own adopted kitty Phoebe purring upon my lap. But then, the algorithm would serve up other items of interest, like tours of available New York City apartments, reviving the search from when our daughter moved this summer.

Cue the artsy stuff. Maybe NYC brought it forth.

I found videos on pottery throwing and watercolor painting, convinced I could do both with aplomb, but I resisted the urge to purchase a wheel and expensive sable brushes, knowing the experts just make it look easy.

Then I discovered a talented man who sculpts curvaceous, realistic animal figures out of wood and epoxy resin while wielding a chainsaw. He even conjured a majestic eagle out of Styrofoam and old bicycle tires (free from any repair shop, as the shop has to pay to recycle them).

Turning wood on a lathe also became a favorite watched pastime. (Relaxing in time-lapse!) Creators even epoxy colored pencils together to turn the whole kit and caboodle into kaleidoscopic jars and bowls that have leaped onto my wish list.

I’m a fan of mid-century modern design, so furniture restoration videos surfaced. I got a thrill when a battered Lane Acclaim coffee table was purchased at a thrift store for a few dollars, then repaired and refinished into the iconic 1960’s masterpiece it once was.

Thrifting finds is what perhaps led to the treasure-hunting videos. I located a rock hound who filmed the “green sand beach” in Hawaii. The sand is actually tiny gemstones, green peridot, that have eroded from the lava rock and compressed ash surrounding the beach in horizontal striations. Perfect geological conditions formed this fascinating phenomenon.

Photo via @viespinoza Instagram

All the way across the globe, in Scotland, a British mother-daughter team of mudlarks visited a similar beach where red garnets dot the black lava granules. The beach, however, isn’t red sand, for the gemstones are less plentiful and much more evasive. You slide your hand along the top layer of dark stones to spot a tiny crimson glint.

I know what you’re thinking—“what’s a mudlark?” I thought the same, so I visited their channel, Northern Mudlarks, to find out.

Back in the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries, mudlarks scavenged for items of value to resell. These items were embedded along the muddy banks of the River Thames, detritus buried from garbage dumped into the water. Mudlarking was an occupation for the poor and destitute, often orphans who lived in the streets and scrambled into the water whenever a passerby tossed a coin to tease them.

If your face is all screwed up in disgust, I beg you to reconsider. In modern times, mudlarks are amateur historians. The foreshore holds onto a plethora of secrets mudlarks unearth.

In Scotland, not only do mudlarks ramble along river banks, but they roam former bottle dumps that have grown decades of forests atop them, covering pressed glass and spongeware pottery with verdant landscape. With a few scoops of a shovel and a scrape of trowel, cobalt blue poison bottles featuring molded bands and the warning “not to be taken” reveal themselves. Heavy ceramic marmalade jars roll into view along with embossed bottles disclosing names of defunct Victorian companies who peddled strange elixirs and medicinal tinctures lost to time (and scientific sensibility). Metal jewelry like Albert chains, watch bezels, dress clips, brass rings and sterling silver Chatelaines mix within the mud and glass.

But my favorite mudlark find? No, not the gold sovereign. Frozen Charlottes!

Photo via Northern Mudlarks

Photo via Northern Mudlarks

Frozen Charlottes were small, inexpensive bisque porcelain dolls, molded in one piece, without articulated, movable limbs—sometimes referred to as “penny dolls” or “pudding dolls”.  (“Penny dolls” because of their modest cost; “pudding dolls” because they were baked into the Christmas pudding as a holiday treat to “unwrap”.)

They are truly the “needle in the haystack” discovery, some no bigger than a pinky finger. Occasionally a Frozen Charlotte still displays glazed pink cheeks, ruby lips, and raven hair—a glossed beauty starkly contrasting the dirt and rubble in which she was found.

But why is she named “Frozen Charlotte”? The 1843 poem A Corpse Going to a Ball by Seba Smith reveals the morbid (and yet slightly humorous?) answer.

And thus, “Frozen Charlotte” became my final picture book idea of 2022.

I completed a podcast interview with author Mel Rosenberg a few days ago where he mentioned that he doesn’t believe our conscious minds can fully understand from where we get ideas. I try to explain it like the 1980’s pop hit by The Fixx, “One Thing Leads to Another”.

Or, perhaps, one YouTube leads to another.

Some people are rattled by browsing privacy and online algorithms; I, instead, embrace them. They pique my curiosity, which in turn, leads to surprising discoveries and new story ideas. Instead of digging through decades of dirt, I’m digging through dozens of videos.

Today, idea hunters, press play—and play around.

 

Tara Lazar is giving away a fiction picture book critique to one lucky Storystorm winner.

You’re eligible to win if you’re a registered Storystorm 2023 participant and you have commented only once below.

Prizes will be distributed at the conclusion of Storystorm.

Unique Relationship Unfolds in LOVE MADE ME MORE (plus a giveaway)

December 27, 2022 in Picture Books | Tags: , , | 124 comments

by Colleen Rowan Kosinski

I’ve been waiting for this month for a long time. My new picture book, LOVE MADE ME MORE, released on December 13th.

LOVE MADE ME MORE is a heartfelt tale of a friendship between a boy and an origami crane that continues throughout the boy’s life.

LOVE MADE ME MORE book cover. Little boy holding an orange origami crane.

When a boy’s grandmother shows him how to fold an origami crane, the boy and crane become instant friends. They sail around the room and play, but the crane also watches over the boy and comforts him in a time of loss. The crane is always on the boy’s nightstand―it’s the last thing he sees each night and the first thing he sees each morning.

Over time, the boy grows older, and the crane becomes dusty. But even when the boy becomes a young man, the crane plays a part in the most important moments of his life. And one day, just like his grandmother before him, the man shows his own son how to fold an origami crane as the original crane looks on.

Black mother and Asian father sit at an outdoor table with son. On the porch there are baskets, books and papers. On the table are many colorful, decorative papers, and the father is holding an orange square of paper and showing the son how to fold it. A darker color orange origami crane sits on the table, watching.

When I showed my agent this book I thought it might be a hard sell. After all, we writers often hear that books written about inanimate objects are tough to pull off—and to sell. But I believed in this story and so did my agent. Also, it wasn’t my first rodeo writing and selling a book about an inanimate object.

In 2021, my story A HOME AGAIN came out. This story was told through the eyes of a house whose family had moved away—leaving it sad and depressed, not knowing if it could ever love again. My new story, LOVE MADE ME MORE, is told through the eyes of an origami crane and how it’s life and love changes over time. So why were both these books so successful in attracting an editor? I think perhaps it’s because, while writing, I always kept in mind the idea that these characters were children who were dealing with changes in life.

Boy sits in front of a white lounge chair. In the background is a floor-to-ceiling window and it is night--the sky is dark blue sprinkled with white stars. The stars seem to have come indoors to the room with the boy. He holds an orange origami crane that appears to be glowing with yellow stars and blue/green around it.

One of the things I did with both of these books was to think about emotions and how an object would express that emotion without the use of eyes or a mouth, or whatever attributes that object possessed. For example, how would a paper crane express excitement? Flutter its wings? Sadness? Let its tail droop? And, how about words associated with paper? Crinkle, fold, rip—could they also be incorporated into how the crane expressed itself?

Try it out. Find an object and see if you can think of creative ways the object could show happiness, sadness, anger, etc. It’s a really fun exercise.

I was also very fortunate to be paired with a talented illustrator named Sonia Sanchez. Being an illustrator myself, I know that endowing an inanimate object with emotion and making it a character that children will care about is not an easy task. But, Sonia pulls this off wonderfully creating graceful movement on the pages with her loose line work and bright colors.

So, now my little crane is soaring its way into bookstores and hopefully into the hands of many young readers. I think my little crane would flutter its wings, and swish its tail from side to side at that idea.

I think so, too, Colleen! Congratulations on your newest book!

Blog readers, Colleen is giving away a copy of LOVE MADE ME MORE. Just leave one comment below to enter. A random winner will be chosen…next year! (I mean next month.)

Colleen Kosinski writes picture books and middle grade novels. Her picture books include LILLA’S SUNFLOWERS, A HOME AGAIN, and LOVE MADE ME MORE (2022). Her middle grade novel is titled, A Promise Stitched In Time. She works as an editor at Reedsy.com and teaches classes on picture book writing. She is also involved in her local chapter of the SCBWI, and the Rutgers University Council on Children’s Literature. Colleen is a graduate of Rutgers University, as are her husband and sons. Her daughter followed the bright lights to work in the film industry in LA. Colleen works from her Cherry Hill, NJ studio with her canine assistant, Sage.

If you’d like to learn more about her or any of her other books, visit her at ColleenRowanKosinski.com.

Storystorm 2023 Registration is CLOSED!

December 23, 2022 in STORYSTORM 2023 | 2,332 comments

Storystorm 2023 registration is now closed. 

You can still participate by reading the daily blog posts and jotting down your ideas, but you will not be eligible for prizes.

 

Welcome to STORYSTORM 2023 Registration!

Six years ago I changed the name and month of my annual writing challenge, from Picture Book Idea Month (PiBoIdMo) to STORYSTORM. Why? Answer’s here.

Although this challenge begun as a picture book writer’s event, any writer interested in brainstorming new story ideas in January is invited to join the STORYSTORM challenge of 30 ideas in 31 days. Any genre, any style; student, amateur, hobbyist, aspiring author or seasoned professional.

How does STORYSTORM work? It’s simple…

  • Register.
  • Read the daily posts on this blog, beginning January 1st.
  • Write down one (or more) story idea daily. (Do not share that idea with anyone.)
  • At the end of January if you have at least 30 new ideas, you can sign the STORYSTORM PLEDGE and be eligible for PRIZES.

So are you ready? Follow these steps:

  1. Register ON THIS BLOG POST by signing your name ONCE in the comments below. Full name, nickname, whatever name you’ll use for the entire event.
    Please leave ONE comment ONLY. Do not reply to say “hi” to a friend. Do not comment to fix a mistake. ONE COMMENT. Don’t worry if it isn’t perfect. Registering makes you eligible for prizes.Teachers participating with a class can register under the teacher’s name.
  2. Visit this blog daily (taralazar.com) in January for inspirational essays by guest bloggers—authors, illustrators and publishing industry professionals.
    Instead of visiting the blog directly, you can receive the daily posts via email by entering your address and clicking the “Follow Tara’s Blog” button in the left column—look under my photo for it. (You must do this if you want to receive emails. Emails do not come by signing your name in the comments.)

At the end of January, if you have at least 30 ideas, sign the STORYSTORM PLEDGE (to be posted on January 31) and qualify for prizes.

Prizes include agent feedback, signed books, original art, writerly gadgets and gizmos.

Remember, do not share your ideas publicly in January. They are YOURS. No need to prove that you have them at the end of the month. The pledge you will sign is on the honor system.

Are you in? Awesome!

Other OPTIONAL activities:

You can pick up an “Official Participant” badge (with art by Mirka Hokkanen) below and affix it to any social media account you wish. (Right click to save to your computer, then upload it anywhere.)

You can also opt to join the STORYSTORM Facebook discussion group. Everyone needs writing friends!

The Facebook group remains a year-round source of writing information and support, mostly focused on picture books, I admit, because that is where this all began.

STORYSTORM registration will remain open through JANUARY 7th.

In the meantime, head over to the STORYSTORM CAFEPRESS SHOP to pick up your official journal. All proceeds from sales ($4 per item, if you use the link above) will be donated to Save the Children Ukraine Relief. I’ll be adding more items—mugs, t-shirts—throughout the month.

Thank you for joining!

I wish you a creative and prolific month ahead!

Gifts for Writers: 2022 Holiday Edition

December 5, 2022 in Publishing | Tags: , | 22 comments

I wanted to kick this year’s holiday gift list off with a bang…

…but alas, this frilled lizard pencil sharpener DOES NOT EXIST! It’s simply a brilliant idea by designer mitiruxxx.

Somebody call FRED! They gotta get on this, STAT!

Something that does exist, however, is this Lego Typewriter.

I’m speechless.

(I know, right?)

From that fabulous FRED I mentioned earlier comes this “Filing Saucer” cow paperclip dispenser. I bet Bloop (shameless plug) would get carried away with this!

This is something for which I’ve been waiting a lifetime: Lite Brite Wall Art!

I envision this hung on your writing room door, lit up when you’re not to be disturbed, customized with the phrase of your choice (or a choice phrase).

And you won’t be bothered, because everyone headed your way will stop to play with it…and forget what they wanted from you. Genius.

While we’re on the subject of lights, this one is illuminating: Rainbow Light Bulb!

I’m not sure how much light it gives off, but it does emit an inspiring vibe! Just what you’ll need for Storystorm 2023!

Every writer needs a practical briefcase or laptop bag. These beautiful vintage-inspired creations by ECOSUSI are eco-friendly, free of animal products, made in ethical factories, and the company is female-led. And wow—hello, gorgeous!

We writers need a collection of comfortable writing loungewear. Hence the next pick: Peanuts Jammies from Hanna Andersson! (I’m filled with nostalgia this year!)

Folks, I’ve been purchasing Hannas for a long time, and although a bit pricey, they don’t pill or wear out, and the cotton is super-comfy. This is not fast fashion; it’s lasting fashion. Charles M. Schulz himself would be proud to don these PJs.

What writer couldn’t use some encouragement? I need a pick-me-up on a weekly basis. If you do, too, check out Chronicle’s Pep Talks for Writers: 52 Insights and Actions to Boost Your Creative Mojo!

From the description: Every writer knows that as rewarding as the creative process is, it can often be a bumpy road. Have hope and keep at it! Designed to kick-start creativity, this handsome handbook from the executive director of National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) gathers a wide range of insights and advice for writers at any stage of their career.

Where else can you find creative mojo? I head off to The Highlights Foundation when I need a creative kick-in-the-keister. A quiet, private cabin and three delicious Chef Amanda meals a day await you! A Gift Certificate for a personal retreat is the perfect gift for any writer! (You don’t have to be kidlit.)

This is “The Barn” where workshops (if attending one) and meals take place. Being disabled, I can vouch for the Foundation’s accessibility. I don’t hike the trails, but I can get from my cabin to the barn easily via my car, scooter and walker.

There’s an outdoor fireplace at Highlights with a basket of fixings for s’mores. To get that cheerful winter feeling—and your chocolate fix—make your own s’mores on the back deck with a City Bonfires Portable Fire Pit!

If all you want is a cozy ambiance (without the calories), there’s these wood-wick (with crackle and pop) soy candles in amazing scents, like Farmhouse Streusel! 

The Book Buddy is a reader’s best friend. I rate this “one thumb up” (the other thumb is busy holding my book).

Truth be told, I’m a tea aficionado, not a coffee connoisseur. However, I know there are plenty of writerly coffee lovers out there; I’m in the minority when it comes to my liquid mojo of choice. Javaphiles will jump for joy over 12 Christmas Mornings of Coffee Advent Calendar.

From the description: Caffeinated countdown: A dozen small-batch, seasonal ground coffees are nestled within this Advent calendar. Discover new flavors and profiles while tasting familiar wintertime notes like roasted chestnut, cranberry, sugar, and spice.

This gift reminds me of writer Jen Fier Jasinski. (She’ll know why.) Isn’t it adorable? It’s a Typewriter Planter with Succulents!

OK, here’s something you can write with (finally!). Don’t be intimidated by a fountain pen. These beginner pens feature a clear well design, allowing you to see how much ink is left. They come with full instructions, in a choice of cool colors. The TWSBI Eco Fountain Pen is affordable, too.

Tired of being distracted by dings, bleeps and alerts? Want to escape the pull of the Twitter hellscape? The FreeWriter Traveler is a calm in the laptop storm. The only thing you’ll be connected to is your manuscript.

“To be a good writer, you must be a good READER!” This is my message at school visits. Now you’ll be able to read way past bedtime (another shameless plug) with this Glocusent Rechargeable Neck Reading Light.

 

This year I asked a couple author friends what they’d recommend for a writerly holiday gift.

First up is Julie Falatko. Her most recent [adorably funny] book is RICK THE ROCK OF ROOM 214.

Here’s what Julie put on her writer’s wish list:

We recently got Ransom Notes and it is a perfect game for a family of readers and writers who all think we’re the funniest one at the table.

I love my Bookjigs bookmark for journals that don’t come with their own ribbon bookmark. (It works as a bookmark in any book, but I use it for morning pages journals.) I have this owl.

Lisa Tolin is next! Her debut picture book, HOW TO BE A ROCK STAR, was recently released! Woo-hoo!

I’m in love with this Storyboard Notebook. It’s designed for picture books, with 32 thumbnail pages on each of 63 spreads. (This sounds like math, but I wouldn’t do that to you.) I like seeing the beats of a story on a single spread for pacing. Plus, what writer doesn’t want another notebook? 

I’m also coveting kidlit art. A few on my list— 

Sophie Blackall has this print for the crossword lover. 

Jon Klassen’s mom makes adorable home accessories from his designs. 

Bob Shea makes these acrylic clouds and will even hand-bend them to go around a corner.

(Note from Tara: here are other kidlit illustrators with online shops: Charlene Chua, Nina Victor Crittenden, Susie Ghahremani, Diana Delosh, Rebekah Lowell, Lita Judge, Sean Qualls, Gareth Lucas, Anna Alter, Clover Robin, Joyce Wan, and Mirka Hokkanen.)

Also, check out my writerly gift lists from holidays past:

And last, but certainly not least, the Storystorm 2023 Idea Book/Journal is available NOW! (Yes, I finally got my act together and posted it before January!) The cover design is by Mirka Hokkanen. The proceeds of all sales ($4 each item when purchased via the link above) will benefit charity. I will name the charity (still deciding) when Storystorm begins in January.

Got a great gift idea for writers? Please leave it in the comments!

Happy Holidays!

Writing Dreams Come True with THE GIFT SHOP BEAR (plus a giveaway)

November 28, 2022 in Picture Books | Tags: , | 164 comments

by Phyllis Harris

I may be 60, but I am just getting started! C.S. Lewis said, “It is never too late to dream new dreams!”

Over the past 25 years, I have illustrated over 30 books for children for lots of different genres, but I have always dreamed of writing and illustrating my own books. It wasn’t until I took a sabbatical from the illustration side to really hone my craft of writing and give it the time it needed, before I was able to truly pursue my goal of becoming a published author of children’s picture books. Once I did that, I was able to create some stories I loved and eventually sign with an amazing literary agent, Adria Goetz. A year after that, my lifelong dream came true with the publication of my Christmas picture book, THE GIFT SHOP BEAR. It was published by WorthyKids, The Hachette Book Group, last year.

I also wanted to share a fun backstory of the inspiration behind THE GIFT SHOP BEAR. I was babysitting my granddaughter when she was 3 or 4 years old and we were going through her mama’s toy chest. We came across her mother’s old teddy bear, who had been tucked away in that dark box for many years, and she was very sad to think that old bear had not been loved or cared for so long. It was at that moment, the story idea for THE GIFT SHOP BEAR was born!

All year long, Bear watches from his spot in the attic as the seasons change, waiting for the first snowflakes that signify Christmas is coming. You see, at Christmastime, Bear gets to join his special friend, Annie, in the festivities in her grandma’s gift shop. But this year is different––the gift shop is closing and Bear’s future seems uncertain. Will Bear see Annie and Nana again? The heartwarming conclusion will make this story a family favorite at Christmastime each year. Author-illustrator Phyllis Harris brings a warmth and coziness to her art and storytelling that give the book the timeless feel of a Christmas classic.

I truly believe that no matter our age, if we persevere, it will happen. Laura Ingalls Wilder, author of the Little House series, was first published at 65 years old and I kept that in the back of my mind as I went after my goal of being published as an author.

If I can do it, so can all of you!

You can find THE GIFT SHOP BEAR wherever books are sold.

Here is a photo of me seeing THE GIFT SHOP BEAR on the shelves of Barnes and Noble for the first time. What an incredible feeling that was!

Thank you, Phyllis! It is a dream come true to see your own creation on bookstore shelves! And blog readers, you can see THE GIFT SHOP BEAR on your own shelves.

Just leave one comment below to be entered into a random drawing next week.

A winner will receive a copy of THE GIFT SHOP BEAR!

Good luck!

Phyllis Harris first started her career in graphic design at a newspaper while also freelancing at Hallmark Cards. She then shifted to illustration full time where she has happily continued for the past 20 years, creating the art for over 30 children’s books. In recent years, she has focused more on her writing as well as illustrating picture books. Her debut author/illustrator picture book, THE GIFT SHOP BEAR which released on October 26, 2021.

Phyllis has illustrated many different types of children’s products such as trade and mass-market books, religious and educational books, children’s games, and even rubber stamp designs. A couple of her favorites include a best-selling celebrity children’s book and a never-before-published Margaret Wise Brown book. She launched her online shop in 2012 and now has thousands of customers and collectors all over the world. Her art prints are also licensed and sold at many online retail stores.

Phyllis is represented by Adria Goetz at P.S. Literary.

 

 

Cover Reveal! RIVKA’S PRESENTS by Laurie Wallmark & Adelina Lirius

November 11, 2022 in Picture Books | Tags: , , , | 27 comments

We have been showered with gorgeous picture book covers lately and the latest one is truly a gift! It’s RIVKA’S PRESENTS, written by Laurie Wallmark and illustrated by Adelina Lirius.

It’s 1918 on the Lower East Side of New York City, and Rivka is excited to start school. But when her father gets sick with the flu, her mama has to go to work at the shirtwaist factory and Rivka needs to stay home and take care of her little sister. But Rivka figures out a way to learn anyway: she trades chores with the grocer, the tailor, and an elderly neighbor for lessons. As the seasons change, Rivka finds she can count pennies for the iceman and read the labels on jars of preserve. And one day, papa is no longer sick, and Rivka can finally start school! Full kindness and love for your neighbors, here is a story that introduces life on the Lower East side for a Jewish family during the flu pandemic of 1918.

RIVKA’S PRESENTS releases July 11, 2023 from Random House Studio.

Award-winning author Laurie Wallmark writes picture book biographies of women in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) as well as fiction. Her books have earned multiple starred trade reviews, been chosen as Junior Library Guild Selections, and received awards such as Outstanding Science Trade Book, Best STEM Book, Crystal Kite Award, Cook Prize Honor, and Parents’ Choice Gold Medal. Her titles include ADA BYRON LOVELACE AND THE THINKING MACHINE, GRACE HOPPER: QUEEN OF COMPUTER CODE, HEDY LAMARR’S DOUBLE LIFE, NUMBERS IN MOTION, and CODE BREAKER, SPY HUNTER. Laurie has an MFA in Writing from VCFA and frequently presents at schools as well as national professional conferences (NSTA, NCTE, ALA, TLA, etc.). She is a former software engineer and computer science professor. You can find Laurie at lauriewallmark.com and Twitter @lauriewallmark.

Cover Reveal for BRAVO, AVOCADO! by Chana Stiefel

November 4, 2022 in Picture Books | Tags: , , | 96 comments

by Chana Stiefel

Back in February 2020, I was sick in bed with a bad cough. In retrospect, the timing was right for a mysterious early case of Covid, but we’ll never know. In the meantime, I received an email from my awesome agent, Miranda Paul at Erin Murphy Literary, asking if I had a manuscript about an avocado.

In my feverish state, I grabbed a notebook and started brainstorming avocado puns: Holy guacamole. Guac and roll. Avocado had a pit in her stomach.

That last one got me thinking: Was Avocado anxious? And if so, why?

I wrote several drafts about an avocado who wants to make friends with other fruits and veggies. But they all seem to have plans. No wonder Avocado had a pit in her stomach! Garlic, who never minces words, suggests that Avocado is bland. Avocado sheds lots of tears (well, Onion is nearby). But then Avocado pulls herself together and decides to meet up with other bland friends.

“Wanna play?” she asks.

“Sounds nice!” says Rice.

“Yes, please!” say Black-eyed Peas.

“Let’s go!” says Potato.

When the veggies who rejected her want to join the fun, Avocado says, “We might seem bland, but…WE CAN BLEND!”

To top off this work of genius, I included a recipe for guacamole in the backmatter.

THE END?

Nope.

Editor Tamar Mays at HarperCollins liked my writing, but the story? Not so much. Would kids connect to the bland/blend theme? And the marketing team was dead set against eating the protagonist at the end. (I sometimes like to go dark.) Luckily, Tamar was willing to give me another shot!

By then spring had sprung. I brainstormed new settings and situations for my little green character. I thought about my favorite trips to the Farmers’ Market with my critique partner Donna Cangelosi And voila! BRAVO, AVOCADO was born.

This new story is about an avocado at the Farmers’ Market who wants to be Today’s Special. Strolling through the aisles, Avocado asks her veggie friends what makes her stand out. Tomato offers to teach her salsa. Pumpkin proposes funny faces. Garlic suggests she add some zing! Nothing seems to work until—Ding ding!—the bright and shiny Toaster inspires Avocado to “reflect” more deeply. Avocado discovers that she was special all along.

Many of the funny puns remain from the earlier version, but only the ones that serve the story. And the social-emotional themes of developing self-awareness, discovering what’s inside us that makes us special, and uplifting our friends struck a chord. Tamar loved it! And illustrator Anna Sussbauer’s eye-popping colors and vibrant textures bring the story to life. Best of all, no fruits or veggies were harmed in the making of this book.

Presenting the cover of BRAVO, AVOCADO, illustrated by Anna Sussbauer! Coming March 28, 2023 from HarperCollins!

Hungry for a copy? You can win one upon release. Just leave a comment below (avocado recipes welcomed).

A random winner (US only) will be selected when the book becomes available.

Good luck! 

Chana Stiefel is the award-winning author of more than 30 punny and poignant books for children. Her nonfiction books include THE TOWER OF LIFE, the true story of Holocaust survivor and historian Yaffa Eliach (a Junior Libary Guild Gold Medal Selection, Scholastic); LET LIBERTY RISE: How America’s Schoolchildren Helped Save the Statue of Liberty (a Bank Street Best Book of the Year, Scholastic, 2021), and ANIMAL ZOMBIES & OTHER REAL-LIFE MONSTERS (a Top 10 YALSA Quick Pick, NatGeoKids). Chana’s funny fictional picture books include MENDEL’S HANUKKAH MESS UP (Kalaniot), MY NAME IS WAKAWAKALOCH (HMH), and DADDY DEPOT (Feiwel & Friends). Follow her @chanastiefel on FB, Twitter, and Instagram. To hear Chana pronounce her name, click here.

 

SAME HERE! THE DIFFERENCES WE SHARE by Susan Hughes (plus a giveaway)

October 31, 2022 in Picture Books | Tags: , , | 36 comments

One of my favorite things to do is watch food shows, especially those that travel the world in search of good eats. Have you ever noticed that every country has its own special bread? And a signature dessert? Or a hand-held goodie, wrapped up and portable? Yes? Well, this is the concept behind Susan Hughes’ delightful SAME HERE! THE DIFFERENCES WE SHARE, illustrated by Sophie Casson.

We may be different, but we share the same values. We all need to feel loved, we all need to learn, and we all need to dream. Susan uses these categories to travel the world in search of the specific things that are special to one culture, but are really things we have in common.

Susan, this is a gorgeous book. Where did you get the idea for SAME HERE!?

I first began this project 15 or more years ago (yes, soooo long ago!), so my memory of how it all began is actually a bit vague!

But I do remember researching online for another children’s book project I was working on—and coming across a fascinating brief mention of a specific type of fried dough treat loved by kids in a specific country. (I can’t remember which one!) I hadn’t heard of the food before but it definitely made me think of a doughnut.

On a whim, I began hunting around to find other mentions of “doughnut-like” treats eaten by kids in other countries. There were many! I loved the idea that kids in disparate countries all around the world all shared a love for a similar treat.

I filed the idea away and over time kept coming back to the powerful notion that, although kids around the world are significantly different in various ways, experiencing different geographies, educational opportunities and teachings, economic situations, and so on, there are fundamental things they share, including the need for love, safety, food, and so on. They might share the same basic needs which might be expressed in different ways and yet still share an enjoyment of these fried batter treats!

I decided to try to somehow find a way to write a book to share this idea with young kids!

Did you initially have the idea to separate the book into sections? Or did that come about as you collected various items?

I always knew the book would be split into sections simply because I knew I had a big topic to cover and it would be easier for young readers if it were in “bite-size” chapters.

But initially, I wasn’t sure what would be in each section! It wasn’t until after the book was contracted that, with the editor’s help, we arrived at the idea to divide the book into sections representing the different “needs.”

Do you have a favorite section?

Ah, that’s a tough question! Must I choose?

If so, I’d say my favorite section is the last one: We all need to dream. The other sections describe more straightforward needs: the need to communicate, the need to feel loved and protected, the need to learn, to help our families, to play, and so on. But this one—the need to dream—seems such a beautiful concept and so perfect with which to end this book.

Thank you for sharing SAME HERE! with us, Susan. 

Blog readers, Susan is also sharing a picture book critique or Zoom session with a blog reader. Just leave one comment below about your favorite food specific to your heritage. (And I may ask you for the recipe!)

A random winner will be selected next month. Good luck!

SAME HERE! THE DIFFERENCES WE SHARE is available now from Owlkids.

Susan Hughes is an award-winning writer of many books for children, both fiction and non-fiction, including HOORAY FOR TRUCKS!, WALKING FOR WATER: How One Boy Stood Up for Gender Equality, and Off to Class. Also a freelance writer, editor, and story coach, Susan lives in Toronto, Canada. Find out more about her at www.susanhughes.ca.

Cover Reveal for ENOUGH IS… by Jessica Whipple & Nicole Wong (plus a giveaway)

October 25, 2022 in Picture Books | Tags: , , | 85 comments

by Jessica Whipple

Wow, it’s such a *gift* to be doing a cover reveal here on Tara Lazar’s blog. Thank you, Tara, and thanks for asking me to share a bit about how my debut picture book ENOUGH IS… came to be.

This was the first picture book idea I had, which came to me verbatim as a line of text, before I had ever considered writing picture books. It later became the last line of the book. (I won’t spoil it here, but you’ll remember if you *hopefully* read it.)

I wanted to find a way to help kids sense that fuzzy boundary between a little and a lot, between wants and needs… to discover Enough. As a parent I was struggling to explain this concept to my kiddos, then ages nearly 5 and nearly 2.

"Enough" in quick-script hand lettering, in purple

I see a movement to understand the concept of Enough, even in the grown-up world. It’s what’s behind capsule wardrobes and tiny houses, right? It’s why we feel so much freedom when we simplify. And if we all strived not for more but for Enough, think of how things could be different! I wanted to ask kids, “Do you know Enough when you see it?”

I pressed into my initial idea and kept jotting down thoughts. I wondered what Enough could be if it were something in a kiddo’s world. I wondered what it *wouldn’t* be. And I wondered what would happen if I tried to write all of this into a picture book so kids might understand.

That’s how I work, sometimes—I like to try a thing to “see what happens.” So I researched and took in everything I could about the kidlit industry—agents, submissions, critique groups, writing, illustrators, etc. With two daughters and an overflowing library bag, I already had the requisite exposure to picture books.

I kept working on the idea and pushed it to the first draft stage, and on and on from there. To make a long publishing story short, here we are! I’m grateful to Jonathan Eaton at Tilbury House, to Nicole Wong who so beautifully illustrated the book, to my critique partners and readers along the way, and to my agent Emily Keyes.

Of course I’m still learning to understand all of this in my own adult life. I likely will be forever! But perhaps this book can help get kids thinking about it now, before that fuzzy boundary disappears altogether.

And now for the cover…

"Enough is..." cover with title in quick-script handwriting with young Asian girl in an "oh" expression, long hair flowing, holding two purple flowers while two others blow away. The girl is wearing yellow rain boots and standing on a faint rainbow on the sidewalk.

Thanks for sharing your debut cover with us, Jessica!

Jessica is also giving away two prizes—a picture book critique or a 30-minute brain-picking session via Zoom. Two random winners will be selected and they can choose either prize.

Leave one comment below to enter.

Two random winners will be chosen next month.

Good luck!

ENOUGH IS… will be released from Tilbury House on March 7, 2023 and is available for pre-order (and then signed/personalized) from Jessica’s local indie. 

Credit: Nick Gould

Jessica Whipple has a background in marketing and communications. She has worked as a copywriter and in communications for a Pennsylvania nonprofit. She also writes poetry for adults and children. She and her husband and two daughters recently moved from Pittsburgh to Lancaster, PA. This is Jessica’s first children’s book. To learn more, visit AuthorJessicaWhipple.com or follow her @JessicaWhippl17 on Twitter.

Credit: Dan Medeiros

Nicole Wong was raised by a designer/painter dad and a fashion illustrator mom and never thought of becoming anything except an illustrator. She has illustrated over twenty-five children’s books including THREE LOST SEEDS (Tilbury House, 2019) and I’LL BE THE WATER (Tilbury House, 2020). Her illustrations for KIYOSHI’S WALK (Lee and Low, 2021) earned starred reviews from Kirkus (“captivating”) and SLJ (“wonderful”).

 

Like this site? Please order one of my books! It supports me & my work.

FLAT CAT is the winner of multiple state book awards, selected by kids!

Enter your address to receive this blog via email.

Join 14.6K other subscribers

My Books

Blog Topics

Archives