Hello, dear readers!

Here, at the Oasis, the inspiration keeps going. And as always, it's great to have you visit! This is still the place to refresh your spirits, recharge your creativity, and get a literary mood boost!

Now, stretch your smiles wide once again and get comfy and cozy for a lovely chitchat because today we have another spectacular creative on the KidLit Oasis series... Children's author Nell Cross Beckerman is here to share some wisdom, insight, and inspiration with us!

Plus, check out the DOUBLE giveaway and my announcement of an epic all-day, in-person workshop with Random House Editor, Frances Gilbert, at the end of this interview!
 
Welcome, Nell! Thank you for joining us on the blog. Please briefly describe your journey to publication.

A: I first started out writing middle grade. I actually wrote a book and got an agent, but then found myself completely blocked for revisions and quit writing for 10 years (and had kids.) I felt like a failure. As my kids started to get older, I realized that I was their role model, and if I wanted them to be brave and live big, I had to as well. Finding the book, THE ARTIST’S WAY, by Julia Cameron, helped me understand my creative blocks and how to nurture my inner artist. Everything fell into place after that—I was definitely my own worst enemy!

Q: What do you find most challenging in this business, either on the creative or publishing side of things? What do you find most rewarding? What helps you stay motivated?

A: The thing that feels the most challenging, that we hear time and time again, is that all the agents and editors are totally subjective. You only need ONE yes. So you can doubt yourself if the “nos” pile up, but you just need that one person to connect with your work. This has happened on every project with me. It’s funny to see my first book coming out, getting nice reviews, and to look back at all the rejections it got early on. But it just had to find that right home. This is the biggest challenge we writers have to wrap our heads around.

The most rewarding for me so far is finding my critique group and being part of the kid lit community. My group is incredibly special—we are super supportive but we also challenge each other. Most importantly, we keep each other going. During these pandemic times, they are my group chat. And I love going to conferences and meeting more writers, agents, and authors.  ​

​Q: Could you share any craft tools or techniques that you find most helpful to you when working on a project? What does your revision process look like?

A: My creative foundation is from THE ARTIST’S WAY. Morning pages, writing freely for three pages first thing in the morning, always helps if I’m feeling stuck. Then also: going on an “artist date”—this is doing something alone, just for fun. For me that might look like going to get a huge cookie and a big glass of milk at a bakery and just reading a book, it might be going on a hike and turning off my phone, it might be doing something totally unusual like trying to watercolor a dummy of the story I’m working on (I’m not an illustrator!). I’ve tried to dummy in different ways and it has helped me with revisions and tickled my brain in a different way. For one project I used Keynote slides and just pulled images off the internet to convey the visuals I was looking for. It helped and was fun!  I also work with a freelance editor and check in with my critique group, and then finally my agent, Lara Perkins at Andrea Brown Literary Agency, who has incredibly savvy thoughts and knows how to pull the best out of me. One last exercise—I’ll go to the library and find a bunch of mentor texts and retype them. I’ll read them aloud over and over and try to get their brilliance into my bones.

Q: What's coming up for you next? Please tell us about any new releases, exciting news, upcoming events or anything else you'd like to share with our readers?

A: DOWN UNDER THE PIER released April 7 from Cameron Kids, illustrated by the fabulous Rachell Sumpter. It is inspired by the Santa Monica Pier and all the time I spent there with my kids—everyone knows how to have fun on top of the pier at the amusement park, but it is down under the pier, at low tide, where the real magic happens. I plan to do a series called “Demystifying the Debut” where I retrace all my steps and share my experience and advice in having my debut published. Please join my mailing list at www.NellCrossBeckerman.com if you want to get those sent to you!  You can also see the book’s trailer here.

In 2021 I’m looking forward to my second book, WHEN THE SKY GLOWS, coming from Beach Lane Books/S&S with the fantastically talented David Litchfield illustrating. That will be a non-fiction book celebrating all the different ways that nature makes the sky glow, and the bonds formed by those witnessing it.

My agent is just now sealing the deal on my third book, which I’m completely thrilled about—it’s another lyrical nature-themed story. And I have a really special picture book out on sub now, that I wrote in collaboration with a TV personality that I’m very excited about, fingers crossed on that one!

Thank you, Nell -- it was a pleasure having you and chatting with you! All the best with your projects and your journey! I hope you'll be back to visit again.

Dear readers, please support our featured authors/illustrators by following them on Twitter, requesting their book through your local library, posting reviews on Amazon and Goodreads, and of course, purchasing their books. 

Connect with Nell Cross Beckerman:
Website: www.nellcrossbeckerman.com
Twitter: @NellBeckerman
​IG: @NellCrossBeckerman 

Hello, dear readers!

Welcome back to the Oasis ― it's great to have you here! As you probably already know, this is the place to refresh your spirits, recharge your creativity, and get a literary mood boost! How great is that?! 

Now, once again, stretch your smiles wide and get comfy and cozy for a lovely chitchat because today we have another awesome creative on the KidLit Oasis series... Children's author Kelly Jordan is here to share some wisdom, insight, and inspiration with us! Plus, there's a giveaway -- hooray!

Welcome, Kelly! Thank you for joining us on the blog. Please briefly describe your journey to publication.

A: I initially wrote the manuscript for The Little Blue Cottage as an exercise in Laurel Snyder’s picture book class offered through Decatur Writers Studio in early 2016. The assignment was to write a story drawn from our own personal experiences. When I thought about the places and moments that meant the most to me in childhood (and as an adult!), my dad’s bay cottage came to mind. My brother, dad, and I always have referred to it as “Blackwater” for the dark color of the water in East Bay, Florida. It’s a simple place, but one where time tends to slow down. When I think of Blackwater, it’s inextricably linked to the love I feel for my dad, as well as boat rides, skiing, seeing pods of dolphins, and long afternoons swimming. To me, it has always been a place that represents simplicity, beauty, pure joy, and magic.

After writing the initial draft, I spent two years revising and shelving the story. I felt like there was something there, but it didn’t quite fit the “quirky, funny” picture books that it seemed everyone was looking for. So, I held off on pitching it to any agents or publishers.

During #PBPitch in 2018, I Tweeted a pitch of The Little Blue Cottage and Charlotte Wenger, former editor at Page Street Kids liked it! Since I got a “like” from her, it was an open invitation to submit to Charlotte. So, I did! She and I sent the draft back and forth for various revisions, then, in August 2018, she sent me a publishing contract. I didn’t stop smiling for weeks! Through the process, I was also able to find my amazing agent, Stephanie Fretwell-Hill of Red Fox Literary! 
 
Q: What do you find most challenging in this business, either on the creative or publishing side of things? What do you find most rewarding? What helps you stay motivated?

A: I’d say the most challenging aspects of both writing and publishing are patience and perseverance. You’re going to receive a ton of rejections and it hurts every time. But, you get tough! And, it’s important to remember that when you get rejected, it’s nothing personal. At the end of the day, publishing is a business. So, I always do my best to keep perspective and to take those rejections as opportunities to practice and learn. I also allow myself to feel disappointed and sad. When you work hard on something, it’s ok to let yourself feel! The important thing is to move on and keep pursuing your dreams!

The most rewarding aspects of writing are the sense of accomplishment I feel when the words and story finally come together and I get to hear from another person (be it my husband, a critique partner, or my agent), “I love this so much!” To have your words evoke emotion from another person or to transport someone is such an amazing feeling!
I’m a huge reader and I’ve always wanted to be a writer. I also find that when I’m my happiest, I’m writing! So, those two things keep me motivated, as well as the cheerleading I receive from my critique partners.

Q: Could you share any craft tools or techniques that you find most helpful to you when working on a project? What does your revision process look like?

A: My critique partners are by and large the most helpful and valuable part of my revising process. These people are all incredibly insightful and honest in their feedback. I typically let a new draft sit for a few days or weeks—until I have a bit of separation from the work. Then, I work on revising the draft until the language and the heart are at a place where I’d like them to be. At that point, I print the story, read it out loud, and record myself reading it, which helps me hear awkward phrasings or unnecessary words. Then, if I really love the story, my husband reads it. After that, my critique partners review it and I make revisions that feel right based on their feedback. Finally, when it’s clean and as good as I can get it, I send it to my agent!
 
Q: What's coming up for you next? Please tell us about any new releases, exciting news, upcoming events or anything else you'd like to share with our readers?

A: My debut picture book, The Little Blue Cottage, illustrated by the fabulous Jessica Courtney-Tickle will be released by Page Street Kids May 12, 2020. Depending on whether we will still be social distancing or not, I’ll either do in-store events and school events throughout the Southeast or several virtual events to promote the book. Please check my website for updates and to order the book!

My second book, Chase the Moon, Tiny Turtle: A Hatchling’s Daring Race to the Sea, illustrated by Sally Walker, will also be published by Page Street Kids March 2, 2021.

​Thank you, Kelly, it was a pleasure chatting with you, and congratulations on the Kirkus starred review! I couldn't agree more about the most rewarding aspects of writing you talked about -- "the sense of accomplishment when the words and story finally come together" and also "to have your words evoke emotion from another person." That's how I feel, too!

Wishing you all the best with this book and all future projects!
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Readers, please support our featured authors/illustrators any way you could: by following them on Twitter and Instagram, requesting their books through your local library, posting reviews on Amazon and Goodreads, and of course, purchasing their books from your local indie bookstore.

I hope you enjoyed this post and will be back soon. Shares on social media are also appreciated, thank you!


                                    G I V E A W A Y!!!

Kelly is giving away one picture book critique! Comment on this post to be entered. The winner will be announced next week. 

Connect with Kelly Jordan:

Website: kellyjordan.com
Instagram: @kellyjordanwrites

Kelly Jordan is a children’s book author represented by Stephanie Fretwell-Hill of Red Fox Literary. Her Kirkus-starred debut picture book, THE LITTLE BLUE COTTAGE, will be released by Page Street Kids May 12, 2020, followed by CHASE THE MOON, TINY TURTLE: A HATCHLING’S DARING RACE FROM LAND TO SEA (also by Page Street Kids) March 4, 2021. She is a member of both SCBWI and 12x12, and is actively involved in the Atlanta writing community. A lifelong lover of words, Jordan is also a freelance writer and editor, whose articles have appeared in such publications as Atlanta magazine, Georgia Travel Guide, Redbook, Southern Living, Paste, Darling, and Flavors. Jordan is a Gulf Coast native and a graduate of the University of Georgia’s Grady College of Journalism. She is currently enrolled in Purdue University’s online Master of Science in Communication program. She lives in Decatur, Georgia, with her husband, cat, and dog. ​

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If you'd like to support my work, consider ordering any of my books while also supporting your local indie bookstores. (Click on the image to order.) Thanks!

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And the giveaway winner of Heather Macht's PB critique and copy of her book is...

Hello, dear readers!

Yay, you're back at the Oasis ― it's great to have you here! This is the place to refresh your spirits, recharge your creativity, and get a literary mood boost!

Now, stretch your smiles wide and get comfy and cozy for a lovely chitchat because today we have another fabulous creative on the KidLit Oasis series... Children's author Heather Macht is here to share some wisdom, insight, and inspiration with us! Plus, there's a double giveaway, too! 

Welcome, Heather! Thank you for joining us on the blog. Please briefly describe your journey to publication.

A: Thanks so much for having me, Rosie! Wow, I’ve been interested in publication ever since I was a young girl. But my interest really peaked when I was 18 and graduating high school. I told my teachers and classmates that I was going to be a children’s picture book author. I knew there was nothing else I wanted to do. I spent years in libraries looking through the bookshelves, writing, querying, and yes, even receiving boatloads of rejections (and I mean BIG boatloads). However, after years of perseverance, I finally received my first YES. That was almost 13 years later after my journey started! My first book, You May Just Be a Dinosaur, was published in 2015. It was worth the wait. 😉
 
Q: What do you find most challenging in this business, either on the creative or publishing side of things? What do you find most rewarding? What helps you stay motivated?

A: You know, I was under the impression once I had my first, second, or even third book published that things would get easier. Yeah, I was wrong. It’s equally as difficult to get a book published the fourth or fifth time around. And it makes sense, too. The writing community is so talented! Publishers are constantly getting swamped with incredible manuscripts. You must keep studying and working on your craft. And, you must keep up to date on what’s getting published. This helps you make sure you have a fresh take and put a fresh spin on what you’re writing, so you can offer publishers something new (not something they’ve seen over and over).

What’s most rewarding and what helps me stay motivated actually share the same answer: I love reading to kids. My favorite type of events are school visits where I get to read and inspire students, and hopefully make them laugh (which I thankfully usually do). This is always a reminder of why I keep trying and trudging through rejections. It’s worth seeing their faces light up and making a connection with them! Added bonus: I have at least a handful of students tell me they want to be a writer, too, after my presentation. That makes my heart melt every time.
 
Q: Could you share any craft tools or techniques that you find most helpful to you when working on a project?
​
A: Yes, I have three techniques I swear by. Hopefully some of these will help other writers, too.

1. Are you stuck on a part of your manuscript? Do you have writer’s block? Take a break and read! Reading something else seems to help me relax, get inspired, and pick right back up with a new perspective.
2. Does something just not feel right with your manuscript? Open a new word document and retype/restart your story (without looking at your first version). It’s almost like a factory reset! Sometimes we become so stuck on our project we feel hesitant to make any changes. This gives you a fresh start and can unlock new wording and new inspiration!
3. Do you think your manuscript is ready to be sent off? Don’t hit send just yet. Before you query a publisher or agent, or before you send your manuscript to your critique partners, print it out! Read through a hard copy. Just seeing it in a different format can help you pick out any typos or errors. 

 
Q: What's coming up for you next? Please tell us about any new releases, exciting news, upcoming events or anything else you'd like to share with our readers?

A: My next book, Rex the…We-Don’t-Know, is coming out April 6th! It was the most difficult book I’ve written, probably because it means so much to me. Since Rex is a blend of all the animals I had growing up, I knew I had a special duty (to them) to make it extra heartfelt. 😉 Needless to say, I’m SO excited to have this book released into the world! I’m currently planning blog tours, book readings, school visits, and more so stay tuned for updates!

Thank you, Heather! It's always a pleasure chatting with you. All the best with Rex the…We-Don’t-Know and your future projects! 

Readers, please support our featured authors/illustrators by following them on Twitter, requesting their book through your local library, posting reviews on Amazon and Goodreads, and of course, purchasing their books. 

I hope you enjoyed this post and will be back for our next chitchat. Shares this post with writer friends, teachers, librarians and parents. Thank you!

Comment on this post for a chance to win a copy of 
Rex the…We-Don’t-Know AND a picture book critique! 
(One winner for both; US only; prize will be mailed after quarantine)

Connect with Heather:
Website: www.heathermacht.com
Twitter: @AuthorHMacht 

Hello, quarantined-but-unstoppable readers!

Once again, you have arrived at the Oasis! Thank you for visiting. I hope you find it to be a place to refresh your spirits, recharge your creativity, and get a literary mood boost!

Now, stretch your smiles wide and get comfy and cozy for a double delight of a chitchat because today we have another awesome creative on the KidLit Oasis series... Children's author and illustrator Janee Trasler is here to share some wisdom, insight, and inspiration with us! Plus, check out the giveaway at the end of this interview.

Welcome, Janee ! Thank you for joining us on the blog. Please briefly describe your journey to publication.

A: I started out as an illustrator. I enjoyed illustrating other people’s words, but I kept feeling that I wanted to tell more of the story myself. I wrote some truly awful first manuscripts before I decided to take a writing workshop and learn how the heck it was supposed to be done.

In 2006, I had a freakishly quick sale on my first two books (series), and thought “Wow! This is easy!”

Five (long) years later, I finally sold another book (thank you Jamie).
Books 13, 14, and 15 come out this year.
 
Q: What do you find most challenging in this business, either on the creative or publishing side of things? What do you find most rewarding? What helps you stay motivated?

A: I’m my own worst enemy sometimes. I have TONS of ideas. My brain spits them out constantly. It’s sitting down and shaping them that can trip me up. If it feels difficult, I start doubting the merit or the viability of the idea.

But, oh, when it comes together…

THAT’S what keeps me motivated—that awesome feeling when the idea, the words, the structure, the pacing, and the images all marry together into a satisfying story.
 
Q: Could you share any craft tools or techniques that you find most helpful to you when working on a project? What does your revision process look like?

A: I’m big on the planning stage of things. I want to know exactly where I’m going before I dig into the actual writing or illustrating. I need a solid storyboard. With a board book, picture book, or early reader, I like to number a blank piece of paper with the number of spreads. Then I usually jot down my idea of where I think the various plot points happen on those spreads for that particular story (intro, action 1, action 2, action 3, climax, resolution). Then I fill in the blanks.

I’ll probably revise this written storyboard six to seven times before I start writing.

I’m working on some longer format ideas now. I’m using more of an outline than a storyboard, but the same elements are all still there.

On the illustration side of things, I work completely digitally. My latest books were done on the iPad (and under the influence of many cappuccinos).
 
Q: What's coming up for you next? Please tell us about any new releases, exciting news, upcoming events or anything else you'd like to share with our readers?

A: I’m so excited! I feel very fortunate to be publishing a series of three emergent readers with Scholastic Acorn this year. Acorn is the younger sibling of the successful Branches imprint.

These three books follow the exploits of Frog, Frog, Frog, and Dog.

With our current world situation, we’ll all have to stay tuned about upcoming events. I hope to have a book launch in May for the first two books FROG MEETS DOG and GOAT IN A BOAT at my local library.

Thank you, Janee, it was a pleasure chatting with you! Best of success with the new releases and keep them coming -- your books are adorable and fun! Hope to see you again soon at a North Texas event.

Dear readers, please support our featured authors/illustrators by following them on Twitter, IG, requesting their book through your local library, posting reviews on Amazon and Goodreads, and of course, purchasing their books while supporting your local indie bookstores.

I hope you enjoyed this post... But wait, there's more! janee is generously donating a critique (board book or picture book or early reader) to one lucky winner! Simply comment below to be entered. And don't forget to share this post on your social media to help Janee spread the word of her new releases. Thank you!
 
Connect with Janee Trasler:
Website: www.trasler.com
Twitter: @janeetrasler
IG: https://www.instagram.com/janeetrasler/

​Janee Trasler is the author-illustrator of fifteen books for children, including the popular Chickies series from HarperCollins and the upcoming Frog and Dog series from Scholastic/Acorn. She also enjoys bringing other people’s books to life with pictures. Even when she’s not writing and illustrating books, she can still be found telling stories through music and puppets.
 
Janee is represented by Jamie Weiss Chilton at the Andrea Brown Literary Agency.
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Click on the book cover to order a copy from your Indie Bookstore!

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If you'd like to support my work, consider pre-ordering a copy of
Sunday Rain (Lantana Publishing/Lerner, 2021)