Welcome back, Patricia Newman! Thank you for returning to the KidLit Oasis as my guest—which means you liked my hospitality the first time ☺, but it also means you have a new book coming out that you'll be sharing with our readers! Congratulations!

So, first, let me ask you this: I know that every book is special to its author in a particular way—how is this book special to you? Dear to your heart in a different way? What was the experience like, compared to previous ones?

A: Hi, Rosie. Thanks for that warm welcome. Like most of my books, A RIVER’S GIFTS happened by accident. In the fall of 2018, my husband was chatting with a colleague about what her college-aged triplets did over the summer. She mentioned that Theo, one of the triplets, worked on the Elwha River Restoration in Washington. Engineers had just breached two dams to drain Lake Aldwell above the one-hundred-year-old Elwha Dam and Lake Mills above the eighty-five-year-old Glines Canyon Dam. Theo helped replant the barren lakebed with native seeds and seedlings, one member of a small army of botanists and volunteers who would go on to plant 400,000 plants on 800 acres of lakebed over seven years.

After hearing about this amazing effort, my husband came home and said here’s your next book. His instincts are good after living with me for thirty-eight years, so, I started digging. Every fascinating piece of information I found led to more questions, which led to more digging.
​
I gravitate toward these complex environmental stories with several stakeholders. For A RIVER’S GIFTS, I worked with a scientist at the Olympic National Park and several different members of the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, aka The Strong People. I loved that the Elwha’s story focuses on environmental justice and our connection to nature. The river’s restoration was a community effort characterized by hope and renewal. One reviewer called A RIVER’S GIFTS an example of rewilding, and I completely agree.

Is there an interesting behind-the-scenes about the idea for the story, its creation, an unusual journey to publication perhaps? What stands out?

A: One particularly thorny question we had was: Did The Strong People build weirs across the Elwha to trap fish? Sources at the National Park said probably not because the Elwha is a fast-moving river, but tribal sources said the weirs were likely. A tribal librarian found the proof for me, but to complicate matters, that proof was not scheduled to be publicly released until after A RIVER’S GIFTS was published. I had a decision to make. I went with the tribe’s traditional knowledge, knowing that someday verifiable documents would also be available to support the tribal wisdom.

Q: And to piggyback on the questions above, did anything surprise you with this book or the publisher's approach (whether it was the same publisher or a new one)? Did you learn anything new? Was it harder or easier to bring the book into the world?

A: I always learn a ton of new stuff when writing a book. I LOVE research and I think that’s the main reason I write nonfiction. As I mentioned, nature is a particular interest of mine because most of us don’t understand our connections to nature and how it supports us. Whenever I find a story that highlights CONNECTION, I need to know more.
​
If you are familiar with Planet Ocean, Sea Otter Heroes, Eavesdropping on Elephants, Zoo Scientists to the Rescue or Plastic, Ahoy!, you know those books are for middle-grade readers and illustrated with photos. With A RIVER’S GIFTS, I proposed something brand new to my editor, Carol Hinz at Millbrook Press/Lerner. I knew this book needed to be illustrated because the story begins thousands of years ago when the Elwha River first formed. I also proposed a 48-page picture book format, which is much longer than the standard 32-page picture book. Add to those changes, a completely new, lyrical writing style to mimic the river’s flow that Carol had never seen from me before. I admit I took a calculated risk, but I wrote my proposal to show why the book needed these elements, which I hoped justified the extra production expense. 

​Q: When did you find out who the illustrator was for the project and were you asked for an input? What was it like working with the illustrator for this book? When did you first see the art and what was your reaction?

A: Yes, definitely. Carol proposed Natasha Donovan as the illustrator right from the start. I immediately knew she was right for the project. Natasha is Métis and lives near the Elwha River, so the Pacific Northwest flora and fauna are in her blood. The cover image of her website shows young salmon in a river habitat!
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I first saw sketches from Natasha. Sketches with bold dark lines but no color. Even in her sketches Natasha recreated the rough and tumble of the river. I was hooked, but when she added color, I fell in love with the spreads. They perfectly capture the movement and beauty of the Elwha River and its importance to The Strong People’s culture, livelihood, and spirituality.

Q: What do you hope to accomplish within the next 2-3 years? Any specific goals or aspirations—personal or writing related—that you could share with us?

A: I want to keep showing up for nature, finding hidden connections to help readers appreciate and understand why the environment is worth saving.

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

A: I have proposals written for two other amazing nature stories, so cross your fingers that editors like them!
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In my immediate future I will be presenting a one-hour webinar for Writing Blueprints on creating a nonfiction children’s book proposal. After that I am traveling to Georgia to speak to preservice teachers about the wonders of nonfiction: the components of today’s nonfiction and how to use it in the classroom to teach writing and to support content area instruction.

Happy Tuesday, everyone!

This week, my guest on KidLit Oasis is author and illustrator Amanda Davis, and I can't wait to hear more about her journey as a writer that led to the release of her debut, 30,000 STITCHES. Plus, a chance for you to win a copy of the book!

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

A: Hi Rosie, thanks so much for having me on the blog! I’m excited to be here to celebrate 30,000 STITCHES together! My love for art and writing stems back to my childhood. My father passed away when I was twelve, and I turned to art and writing to cope and process my emotions. This is what led me to teach art and later write and illustrate children’s books. I want to show kids the power in our stories-whether through writing, reading or visual art. In 2012, I took a continuing education course at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston called, Illustrating Children’s Books, with illustrator, Ilse Plume. This course was eye opening for me and kick-started my career in kidlit. I realized that children’s books combine all three of my passions: art, writing, and stories. After completing that course, I dove headfirst into the craft of writing and illustrating for children (while balancing my job as a full-time high school teacher). I joined SCBWI, 12x12, and found a local and online critique group. I tried to soak in all the knowledge I could about the kidlit industry. I began to query literary agents and editors with a few of my stories. Looking back, I probably queried those stories too early, but hey, that’s part of the learning process. The story that finally landed me an agent and later a deal is my debut creative nonfiction picture book titled 30,000 STITCHES: THE INSPIRING STORY OF THE NATIONAL 9/11 FLAG, illustrated by the amazing Sally Wern Comport and due out with WorthyKids/Hachette Book Group on May 4th.

I first learned about the story back in 2011 when I facilitated an art lesson around the story of the flag with my art students for the tenth remembrance of 9/11. The story lingered in my head, but needed time to flourish. Later, after visiting the National September 11 Memorial & Museum in 2014 and being overcome with emotion at the artifacts and the stories, it was a reminder of the importance of telling this story of the flag.So, I decided to try my hand at crafting a manuscript for it. I have a background in journalism, so it was a delight getting to research and interview primary sources for the story. From the Ground Zero Superintendent to Flag Tour Staff, the people who I spoke to about the flag, were incredible. Once I had the story polished up, which was many months later, I began to query agents and editors. The process of landing an agent and book deal was filled with ups and downs. I had many passes along the way but most were positive and many had personalized feedback, so I knew I was on the right track.  I even got a few requests to revise and resubmit. I submitted to WorthyKids by snail mail through the slush pile and after many months of not hearing back, I took that as a pass.

I continued to query the story and later, connected with agent, Melissa Richeson who signed me for the project. Seven months later, an assistant editor from WorthyKids contacted me to ask if the story was still available. Of course, I said a big and enthusiastic YES, connected her with Melissa. The rest is history!

Long story short, it took me about nine years to get my first picture book traditionally published! It can be a long and winding road to get there, but if you keep pressing ahead, you are bound to meet your destination.

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: Oooh, good question! There are many, ha! I think one of the biggest and most consistent challenges has been getting varying feedback from agents and editors when querying them with my stories-especially with nonfiction. As with any art, writing and illustrating are subjective. Each agent or editor has particular tastes and will have different opinions on how to make your story stronger (or you get little feedback at all). For example, when querying 30,000 STITCHES, some agents and editors wanted to see more of the factual information from the back matter directly in the text while others wanted to keep it more sparse. It’s hard to wade through these reactions and know exactly what to do. I remember putting so much pressure on myself to get the revisions right and thinking “this is my one chance!” In the end, many of those revisions didn’t end up landing me a deal but did lead me to a version of the story that sold to WorthyKids.  I think so much of what we do as creators is about taking risks, following our gut, crossing our fingers, and hoping for the best. On the business side of things, often times there are many factors that are out of our control, which can be also frustrating. For example, maybe a particular editor just recently acquired a similar story so they pass on yours, or perhaps their profit and loss statement doesn’t fall in your favor, or maybe they’re looking for very specific stories to balance out theirtheir list. Each of these scenarios has happened to me. So, with so many unknowns, all we can do is keep writing, revising, and lean into our critique groups and, loved ones for support. We must continue to remind ourselves to find the joy in creating and know that the more stories we write and illustrate, the better our chances will be that one will resonate strongly with an agent or editor. Most importantly, children need our stories. And, for me, if positive thinking and self-talk aren’t doing the trick, I turn to my rescue pup, Cora for comfort. She’s always willing to lend a listening ear. :)

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 revision process for my writing is much like my revision process for my art. Many versions, and much research. My first drafts for my writing are like my rough sketches for my illustrations-loose and organic. As I get feedback, I begin to revise and the images and words get more refined. I thought it might be fun to take a look at revision from the illustration side so I included a few examples from the illustrations I recently did for The Writer’s Loft, Friends and Anemones: Ocean Poems for Children anthology. Before even putting pencil to paper, I had to do a lot of research on the creatures of the deep sea such as, vampire squids, angler fish, and sea pens. Finally, once I had a solid idea of what the creatures looked like, I put pencil to paper and completed a rough sketch.  Same thing for my narwhal illustration. You can see the different versions and how the images evolved. With the narwhal illustration, the original poem started off sad but then the author was asked by the editors to brighten the mood, which in turn shifted my dark and dreary illustration. I had to flex and mold my image to fit the cheery new poem, which meant a brighter color palette to create a joyful mood and revising the expressions and positioning of the narwhal characters. When writing, my revision process tends to be the same, it’s important to stay open and loose with first drafts, not get too attached to any version, and of course, leave room for the illustrations. 

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: Yes! Tonight is my first launch event at The Silver Unicorn Bookstore! I’m super pumped to be in conversation with members of the flag tour staff as we discuss their role with the flag and reflect on the upcoming 20th remembrance of 9/11.

You can register for the event HERE! If you register, you’ll be entered for a chance to win a five-pack of lovely notecards featuring art by Sally Wern Comport from the book. The winner will be announced at the end of the event and must be in attendance to win. I hope you all can join us!!

​30,000 STITCHES celebrations continue throughout the month! The complete schedule can be found HERE or see below for the full list. Allevents are virtual, FREE and open to all! Follow along my virtual blog tour for more giveaways and interviews as well! It’s been such a blast chatting with you, Rosie. Thanks again for having me, and best of luck on your own creative projects!! Cheers!

​Amanda Davis is a teacher, artist, writer, and innovator who uses her words and pictures to light up the world with kindness. Amanda is the author of 30,000 STITCHES: THE INSPIRING STORY OF THE NATIONAL 9/11 FLAG and has poetry and illustrations featured in The Writers’ Loft Anthology, FRIENDS AND ANEMONES: OCEAN POEMS FOR CHILDREN. 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 her rescue pup, Cora. 

​Welcome back to the Oasis!

Oh, do I have a double treat for you this week! Two awesome authors are chatting about their new books, sharing the ideas that prompted them to write those stories, what's hidden in the illustrations of one of the books, and talk about their collaborations with their illustrators plus much more! 

Ready to dive in? Here are Chana and Kathy in conversation. . .

Kathy Doherty: LET LIBERTY RISE! HOW AMERICA’S SCHOOLCHILDREN HELPED SAVE THE STATUE OF LIBERTY has received wonderful write-ups from Kirkus Reviews and Publishers Weekly...and a starred reviewed from School Library Journal. How did you get the idea to write this story?
 
Chana Stiefel: Thanks so much Kathy. As authors we are trained to keep our eyes and ears open for a good story. And to paraphrase Elizabeth Gilbert in Big Magic, when inspiration comes, you need to grab it by the tail and hang on to it before it runs away. In 2014, I invited my author friends Jackie Glasthal and Sue Macy to my home for Friday night dinner. Jackie shared that she had published a middle grade novel called Liberty on 23rd Street. The setting for that book is lower Manhattan in the late 1800s, when the Statue of Liberty was under construction. Jackie shared this little-known slice of history—that children contributed their hard-earned pennies to the pedestal fund to build the statue. Hearing that story, I knew that it had to become a picture book. After years of research, writing, and revising, it’s finally here! 

Congrats to you, Kathy, on the launch of THE THINGITY-JIG, which has received starred reviews from Kirkus and Foreword Reviews! How did you dream up this delightful story about a bear that discovers a fun, springy thing, but needs his friends to help haul it home?
 
KD: Chana, all your hard work paid off!...And thank you for your kind words about my book. As an author I love to play “what if.” So when I saw a discarded couch in my neighborhood, I wondered what if a bear cub found it...and what if he wanted to take it back to the forest and jump on it with his friends. I used intertextuality to combine aspects of the folktale The Little Red Hen and my own ideas to tell a brand new story.

Chana, your book’s illustrations are fabulous. Did you have any input in choosing the illustrator or in the art itself? And what do you like best about the illustrations?
 
CS: Thank you, Kathy! Scholastic chose Chuck Groenink as the illustrator, and I couldn’t be happier. I love the sweet faces of all of the children and the clothing of the time period. He did lots of research to capture Manhattan in the late 1800s, including the buildings, the ships, the printing press, and the red mailbox. He also hid two famous paintings from the late 1800s within the illustrations. (See if you can find them!) And there’s a lovely golden copper hue that shines throughout the book, which emanates from the Statue of Liberty’s original copper color. 

Your book also has a beautiful glow, Kathy! What was your reaction when you first saw Kristyna Litten’s illustrations? Were you able to give feedback during the process? What is your favorite spread and why?
 
KD: It was love at first sight! Kristyna’s illustrations were as whimsical as my text. I only gave a minor suggestion or two along the way. I wanted Kristyna to have free range. The spread I love most is when Bear starts bouncing on the couch for the first time. Bingity! Bing! Boing!

CS: There were so many surprises! First was the realization that although France sent America this glorious gift, America didn’t want her. Some people said they should send her back to France! Can you imagine? I was also surprised to learn about the many fundraisers to build the pedestal. Pulitzer’s campaign was the first crowd-sourcing campaign. He said that if anyone sent a penny for the pedestal, he would print their name in his newspaper. Other fundraisers included an art auction, which included Emma Lazarus’s infamous poem, “The New Colossus.” In addition, people could pay to take a ferry to Bedloe’s Island and see the statue in crates, or they could purchase a small model. In 1876, at the Centennial Exhibition in Philadelphia, Liberty’s arm was on display. People could pay 50 cents to climb up to the torch. Many of these details didn’t make it into the text but can be found in the backmatter. 
​
What were some of the challenges in writing your story? Did you go through many revisions? What’s one takeaway you learned from the writing process?​

Besides learning about history, what do you hope kids will take away from your book?
 
CS: The major theme of the book is that when we work together, we can accomplish great things that have a lasting impact. One little girl sent in 60 cents. She wrote, “I wish I could make it $60,000, but drops make an ocean.” I hope kids (and adults) learn that even though we sometimes feel powerless, every little bit helps. Every contribution and action, no matter how small, can make a big difference.

I love the way Bear sees the world (and the cast-off sofa) differently from others. Beyond the giggles, what are some takeaways from THE THING-ITY JIG?
 
KD: I’d love kids to realize they can do hard things...and that they should never give up. I’d like to encourage them to find a way to make it happen. Good things happen to those who don’t give up.

When did you see the Statue of Liberty for the first time, and what were your thoughts?
 
CS: I have a vague memory of visiting the Statue of Liberty as a child. I grew up in Miami, so we probably visited the statue when we came up to New York to visit cousins. I have a much greater appreciation for it as an adult—from the perspective of understanding how my three immigrant grandparents arrived here, knowing what a colossal project the building was, admiring the engineering feat, and loving the story of children contributing to the pedestal. Now that I’ve written LET LIBERTY RISE, I see the Statue of Liberty everywhere. (Check out the trailer that my daughter made for me! https://youtu.be/ZNlN3eWEUnE) She’s such an icon!
 
Has writing THE THING-ITY JIG changed the way you look at found objects? How so?
 
KD: Yes! I wonder if there’s a story there. I’m always looking for writing ideas.
 
What’s next for you?
 
My editor has challenged me to write a story in which one of Bear’s friends goes into people town and finds something dazzling. I’ve only written a rough draft, so the story hasn’t taken shape yet.
 
CS: Awesome! Good Luck!
 
Thanks, Rosie, for featuring our new books!

​You're very welcome! These questions were fantastic and I learned so much fun and interesting tidbits-- I know my readers will enjoy this chitchat a lot! What a pleasure to have you both as my guests! I hope you'll be back in the future to share your upcoming projects with us, too. 

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 — comments and shares are appreciated. Thank you!

Chana Stiefel is the author of more than 25 books for kids. She hails from sunny South Florida and now lives in New Jersey, just a ferry ride away from the Statue of Liberty. Chana loves visiting schools and libraries as well as sharing her passion for reading and writing with children. She earned a master's degree in Science, Health, and Environmental Reporting from New York University. To learn more, visit Chana at chanastiefel.com.
Twitter: https://twitter.com/chanastiefel

Hello, wonderful readers!

Welcome back to KidLit Oasis ― 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, because today we have another awesome creative on the Chitchat series... children's author Karla Valenti is here to share some wisdom, insight, and inspiration with us! Plus, she's giving away a copy of her new book,  Alan Turing and the Power of Curiosity to one lucky winner! 

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

KV: Brief does not describe my journey! :) Like many authors, I’ve been writing my whole life, but it wasn’t until 2010 that I was able to take my storytelling seriously. I began by learning everything I could about kidlit publishing and the craft of being a pro storyteller (by the way - two of the most valuable things I did in this regard were joining Julie Hedlund’s 12x12 challenge and becoming an SCBWI member).

Like everyone in this shared journey, I wrote and wrote and wrote. I queried and queried and queried. I was rejected and rejected and rejected (between us, I stopped counting after 500). So naturally, I fretted and despaired and dabbled with the thought of giving up.
And then this little boy showed up in the deepest recesses of my mind to tell me a story of such profound grief that it broke my heart. I had no choice but to sit down and write it. 40,000 words poured out into a MG novel that resulted in three agent offers (elation!). Most importantly though, I was back at my desk writing (which helped when the novel went out on submission and never actually sold).

Eventually (and for unrelated reasons) I parted ways with my agent. Even though I was (sort of) back where I had started, I had a lot more resilience, some important knowledge about the business of being an author, and the courage to put my heart onto a blank piece of paper.

Fast forward many years and I found out about a call for submissions hosted by a global science association looking to partner with an author to write a picture book about Marie Curie. I do not write non-fiction, and there were already many great biographies of Marie Curie.

However, I saw an opportunity to flex my creative muscles and in the process deliver a new perspective of what it means to be a scientist. The premise was simple: the book would not be a biography of Marie Curie, but rather a story about a trait, a skill, a super power she embodied and which played an important role in helping her succeed in life.
Drawing on select moments of Marie’s life, the story would highlight how she used that power (persistence!) in overcoming challenge after challenge—represented by her nemesis, a monster aptly named, Mr. Opposition—to ultimately reach her dreams.

I submitted the story to the science association, and to my great delight, they loved it! I began working with them on an Indiegogo campaign to fund the publication of the book. Before the month was over, we had far exceeded our fundraising goal and Sourcebooks had made us an offer for world rights to the story.

The whirlwind that followed was magical, and “Marie Curie and the Power of Persistence” came out in April 2020. We are now launching book two in the My Super Science Heroes series, this time with a focus on the power of curiosity. The brilliant Alan Turing is our hero, as we focus on select moments in his life that showcase his unfailing curiosity and how it helped him solve some of the most enigmatic challenges of his time (including battling his nemesis, Miss Enigma, who only speaks in code)!

My journey started over ten years ago, and so much of it has been heart-breaking and confidence-shattering. Fortunately, the kidlit community (all the authors and illustrators and storybook makers), is unparalleled in kindness, generosity, and support. Without them, I would never be where I am (I just sold my 7th book!).
 
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: Most challenging - being patient! Ugh, the worst.

Most rewarding -
1. Working with so many creative and inspiring people.
2.Reading all the beautiful stories coming into the world by so many creative and inspiring people.

Most motivating
1. My critique partners who are incredibly smart, supportive, and invaluable in helping me shape my ideas.
2. Illustrators. All of them. I’m especially grateful to Annalisa Beghelli, whose inspiring artwork graces the pages of the My Super Science Heroes series.
3. My amazing agent (shout out to Ammi-Joan Paquette!) who is a real pro and makes me feel like one too.
 
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 tend to overthink all of my stories and also pepper them with darlings (so many darlings!). This makes revisions a nightmare. I have found that the very best thing I can do is fall in love with something new (i.e. write a new story) and put my current WIP away for six months (or more!). I have to put a ton of distance between me and the story in order to be able to see it with fresh eyes and be inspired by it once more.

It also helps that I write both picture books and novels. Jumping between genres is a great way to disconnect from whatever I’m working on and gain a fresh perspective.
 
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 MG novel, LOTERIA (Knopf) comes out September 7, 2021. Set in Oaxaca, Mexico, this magical realist adventure follows a young girl who becomes an unwitting pawn in a high-stakes game of Lotería being played by Life and Death. If your readers are interested, the book is now available for pre-order on my site (and there’s a great interview by Mr. Schu!)

I also recently sold two new pictures books (which I first wrote in 2014). Moral of the story: keep writing, keep revising, stay in the game!  

Thank you, Karla -- it was a pleasure chatting with you and learning more about your amazing journey! Wishing you many more successes and all the best with your books!

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 — comments and shares are appreciated. Thank you!
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Author Karla Arenas Valenti writes stories for and about kids, taking readers on journeys seeped in magical realism and philosophical questions. Her storytelling is heavily influenced by her Mexican heritage and layered with ideas and concepts she’s picked up in her many travels around the world. She currently resides in the Chicagoland area with her husband and three kids, two cats, and hundreds of books. Karla writes picture books (she is the creator of the “My Super Science Heroes” series) and middle grade novels.
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Connect with Karla Valenti
Website: karlavalenti.com
Twitter handle: @KV_Writes

Hello amazing readers! KidLit Oasis is back with a new author interview and a giveaway! I can't wait to dive in and hear my guest's words of wisdom, learn about her publication journey, and get the scoop on her past, present, and future projects. I hope you're curious to learn more, too, and you're cozy, comfy, and ready!

So, without further ado, welcome, Patricia! Thank you for joining us on the blog. Please briefly describe your journey to publication.

A: I met my first agent at a conference sponsored by SCBWI, and she sold my first book. After she retired, I attended another SCBWI conference where I met my second agent Deborah Warren at East West Literary, during a face-to-face critique. She said, “If you are ever looking for an agent, please consider me.” I was and I did, and we’re still together after sixteen years! After our first book sale, we had a looong dry spell. One day I opened my calendar to Dec. 31, 2012 and wrote, “Quit if no sales.” But in August of that year, Carol Hinz at Millbrook Press purchased Plastic, Ahoy!, which went on to win several awards. Carol and I have published six books together, including Sea Otter Heroes, which received a Sibert Honor from ALA, and this month’s Planet Ocean. So, it pays to persevere. You never know what’s around the next corner.

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 waiting and proposal writing. The waiting induces stress and stress induces self-doubt. But the cure for waiting is to immerse myself in a new writing project—and I seem to have a limitless supply of ideas. Remember, your books might not be published in the order you write them.

Because most of my work is middle-grade nonfiction, I create a proposal to sell the idea to an editor—an overview of the idea, a chapter outline, and marketing information. (Writers, see this article I wrote on proposals.) Proposals are difficult because I create them before I’ve completed my research. I do a lot of reading and searching for sources. Then I have a brief conversation with the scientists. I don’t yet have a sale and don’t want to take up a lot of their time. I have to strike a balance between gathering enough research to find the narrative thread and the hook for a young reader and overdoing it before I have a sale. I’ve managed to survive the proposal process several times, so I know I can do it!

I compare proposals to the Fire Swamp in The Princess Bride. Before I enter the metaphorical swamp, I remind myself that I’ve been here before and know the secrets and have emerged relatively unscathed.

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: Mentor texts are wonderful tools. I find a book I admire – maybe for the language, maybe for the format – and study it to see why it works. I usually type in the text – the complete text for picture books and a selection for longer works – without the images to get a feel for how the words were put together.

As a NF author, I have to think about the format of my book. Will it have sidebars? If so, how long should they be? What should be included in the back matter? Should the text be accompanied by photos or illustrations? Do I have enough photos for a MG title? How much do the photos cost and will the copyright holders extend permission to use them?
I’m much better at revision than rough drafts. I have a sense of where the book is going when I finally begin to revise. I write tighter and I organize my thoughts on a whole different level. Even though I often work from a proposal, I try not to let that outline tie me down. I want the creative process to take over.

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: Planet Ocean just released on March 2. Annie Crawley and I teamed up for our third book together. We focused on how we have an unbreakable connection with the sea and how to empower readers to become the voice of the ocean through storytelling. Watch this video to find out why your (home, school, classroom) library needs Planet Ocean. 
​

​In fall 2022, I have a new nonfiction title coming out. Instead of photographs, it will be illustrated by the talented Natasha Donovan. I wish I could tell you the title, but we’re still working on that. I can tell you it’s a happy conservation story.

​Thank you, Patricia -- it was great chatting with you! Thanks again for being on KidLit Oasis, and all the best on your journey! I look forward to all of your future books and projects!

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

I hope you enjoyed this post — shares are appreciated. Thank you! Check out the giveaway below!

Connect with Patricia Newman:
Website: https://www.patriciamnewman.com/
Twitter: @PatriciaNewman

       Click on the book cover to order a copy of Planet Ocean

Patricia Newman’s books show young readers how their actions can ripple around the world. Using social and environmental injustice as inspiration, she empowers young readers to seek connections to the real world and to use their imaginations to act on behalf of their communities. A Robert F. Sibert Honor recipient, Patricia’s books have received starred reviews, ALA Notable recognition, Green Earth Book Awards, an Outstanding Science Trade Book Award, a Parents’ Choice Award; been honored as Junior Library Guild selections; and been included on Bank Street College’s Best Books lists.
One Texas librarian recently wrote, “Patricia is one of THE BEST nonfiction authors writing for our students in today's market, and one of our MUST HAVE AUTHORS for every collection.”
Patricia frequently speaks at schools and conferences to share how children of any age can affect change. Her presentations are described as “phenomenal,” “fantastic,” “mesmerizing,” “passionate,” and “inspirational.”

G I V E A W A Y !

Comment on the post for a chance to win either a copy of Planet Ocean or a picture book critique from Patricia
​(please indicate your preference).
*US addresses for the book only, winner will be announced next week. 

And the winner is . . . 
Danielle Hammelef!
Congratulations!!!

Hello, ravishing readers!

Hooray, you found your way to the Oasis ― it's great to have you visit! This is the place to refresh your spirits, recharge your creativity, and get a literary mood boost!

Now, get those smiles ready and get comfy and cozy for a fantastic chitchat because today we have another spectacular creative on the KidLit Oasis series... Children's author Christy Mihaly is here to share some wisdom, insight, and inspiration with us! 

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

A: Thank you for inviting me, Rosie. I love your blog's name—I can just picture all these lovely kidlit people chatting around the watering hole—and I'm happy to share my path to publication. But I have to warn you, there's no blockbuster drama here, just many small steps.
 
Although I always loved to write, when I was in college I didn’t think of writing as a career. I went to law school. Then I got busy being a lawyer for a couple decades. After I had kids, I started dreaming of becoming a children's writer, but I didn't have time.
 
       Getting Started
 
Fast forward to 2011. My husband, 12-year-old daughter, and I moved to Spain for a year (he had a teaching gig there). I decided to use that year to write. I'd taken a course with the Institute for Children's Literature, so I pulled out old stories I'd drafted for the course, revised them, and started sending them out to kids' magazines. Rejections rolled in. I kept subbing, and one day, I sold a story. For $5! I was SO EXCITED.
 
But wait. A month before my story was to be published, the magazine went out of business. I never got paid, and that story remains unpublished. And so it goes…
 
I made more submissions, received more rejections. Needing new material, I found story inspirations all around me—we were living in an unfamiliar country, after all! I wrote a story based on my daughter's experiences at school in Spain. I sent it out, and at last, someone accepted it. My story, "Hola, Amiga,"was published in a kids' online magazine.They didn't pay, but I had a writing credit. Woo!
​
What else could I write? I really like nonfiction, so I investigated the children's nonfiction magazines that announce themes for future issues. I began pitching ideas. Again, many were Spanish-themed. After some rejections, "AppleSeeds" liked one of my pitches and sent me my first assignment. I researched and wrote, and in 2012 the article was published. A few months later, I received an actual check. Yay!

            Upping My Game

At the end of our year abroad, I was committed to writing. I wanted to be a working writer—making enough money that I could quit my day job. That meant I had to up my game. I signed up for SCBWI and other writing organizations, joined a critique group, attended workshops and conferences and took online courses, made kidlit friends,and read hundreds of kids' books and magazines. I drafted and polished manuscripts: picture books, middle grade, proposals for longer nonfiction. I helped start a group blog (GROG) to blog about kidlit.

            Work for Hire

I also learned about work-for-hire writing. I sent out my resume and writing samples to educational publishers and book packagers, which hire people to write on assignment. That's how I wrote my first published book—under contract with a book packager in 2015. Though that book doesn't have my name on the cover, my name was on the checks!
I kept working to improve my writing, created more stories, and collected rejections—too many to count. I also kept doing work-for-hire. This gave me the opportunity to team up with great editors, learn best practices for research and nonfiction writing, and get books published.
 
             More Books
 
I also continued attending conferences, bringing my manuscripts for editor critiques. I started submitting to agents. I teamed up with a critique partner, Sue Heavenrich, to write a nonfiction book proposal. Eventually, at conferences, I connected with two different editors. The first made me an offer for a picture book manuscript in 2015, which I accepted. In 2016, I signed with my agent, Erzsi Deak, and that same year signed a second book contract. In 2018, my first picture book,Hey, Hey, Hay! (A Tale of Bales and the Machines That Make Them) was published by Holiday House (illustrated by Joe Cepeda). Later that year, Lerner published the nonfiction YA that Sue and I co-wrote, Diet for a Changing Planet: Food for Thought.
 
My second illustrated picture book is coming soon, and I've got some manuscripts in the pipeline. Meanwhile, I still like work for hire. In fact, that's what has allowed me to quit my day job. I've written more than twenty books for the educational market. I'm particularly proud of the recent series "Shaping the Debate," which helps middle- and high-schoolers analyze the complexities of topics such as Human Rights, Climate Change, and Freedom of the Press.
 
So that's where I am on my kidlit journey—so far! I'd be happy to answer questions if you leave them in the comments. I know I wouldn't be here without a lot of support and help from other book creators, editors, and mentors all along the way.
 
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: My big challenge: The Wait.The Wait comes in many versions… When I have submitted a manuscript: The Wait to hear back. If a picture book manuscript sells: The Wait for an illustrator. If good news arrives: The Wait for an announcement. Once a book is completed: The Wait for book reviews, The Wait for publication, The Wait for the sales numbers. Sigh. I am working on patience.

What's most rewarding: School visits. This surprised me, because I used to believe nothing could be better than research and writing. But I've learned that visiting schools and talking to kids about books makes this book creation work we do even more meaningful. And I love seeing kids read (or listen to) my books.

What helps me stay motivated? Deadlines! I may be weird here, but I love due dates. I'm at my most productive when juggling multiple deadlines on different projects: I might be working to complete a magazine assignment, a pitch, a school presentation, revisions requested by an editor, and an outline for a new book. Honestly, without deadlines, I get anxious. In fact, if I am not facing an editorial deadline, I'll set one for myself: Send book proposal to Erzsi by next Friday—or else! There's nothing like a good deadline to produce a surge of writerly adrenaline.

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: You've probably heard that revision is the heart of writing. It's true! Your first draft gets words onto paper, but it will need work, usually a great deal of work. My advice: Have fun with revising. Let your self play. Experiment! (Also—ahem—save all your drafts and revisions. You never know which version you'll want to return to.)
When revising, it's important to re-think big issues, so you're not simply polishing the language. One trick I use to bring a new vision to revision is to rewrite from a new point of view. Perhaps change your POV character, or shift from third person to first person. You may not keep these alterations. But when you rewrite from a different point of view, you'll see new aspects of your piece that may help you improve it.

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: March will be a big month! March 1 is the release date for my picture book, Free for You and Me: What Our First Amendment Means. This book introduces young readers to the five freedoms protected by the First Amendment (freedom of speech, religion, and the press, the right to peaceful assembly and the right to petition the government), using poetry, historical vignettes and a contemporary story. It is illustrated by Manu Montoya and published by Albert Whitman. I'm looking forward to seeing FREE out in the world and sharing it with kids around the country during this election year.

I'm also helping organize amid-March bookstore event, Celebrating New Nonfiction Kids' Books, with my local indie bookseller Bear Pond Books. We'll share some exciting new and forthcoming NF books. At the end of the month, I'll be heading to KidLitCon 2020 in Michigan. I'm on a panel with author Keila Dawson and poet Shawntai Brown of the Detroit organization Inside Out Literary Arts. We plan to share techniques for bringing poetry and picture books into classrooms.

What else? I'm open to ideas, inspirations, and assignments. And if you're still reading this, thank you—may you find success on your own journey.

Thank you, Christy, it was great chatting with you!

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 — comments and shares are appreciated. Thank you!
 
Connect with Christy Mihaly

Website: www.christymihaly.com
Twitter: @CMwriter4kids
Instagram: @christymihaly

Thank you for joining us, dear friend. Please briefly describe your journey to publication.

A: Thank you so much for having me on your blog, Rosie. I love to share my defining moment – the event that plunged me into the kidlit world – because it definitely caused me to turn the page to a new chapter in my life and I always hope it will inspire others to follow their dream.

On my 64th birthday, my son took me skydiving and my view of the world changed. 😉 When my feet touched the ground, I knew that if I could jump out of a perfectly good airplane, I could do anything. And what I wanted to do at that point in my life was to be a writer for children. So, I jumped into the kidlit world the same way I had jumped out of the airplane…with my whole heart.

That was 2012…I joined 12x12, did Storystorm, participated in every writing challenge and contest I could find. I wrote, revised, joined critique groups…but the feedback from agents told me I was missing something. One agent said my OTTERS story (it had a different title at that time) was pure poetry…but not for him. Another agent liked the idea of my DYLAN MCGEE story, but he wondered if maybe I should write it in prose, not in rhyme. And still others didn’t like my voice. VOICE? What was that?

And that was when I decided it was time to take some picture book writing classes. I signed up for Susanna Hill’s Making Picture Book Magic, Renee LaTulippe’s Lyrical Language Lab, Mira Reisberg’s Illustrating Children’s Picture Books (no, I didn’t want to become an illustrator, but I thought it might help me with pacing and page turns and with understanding the role of the author and the illustrator 😊) as well as two other classes. Yup, five writing classes in one year…I was definitely a student in 2014…and you know what they say…when the student is ready, the teacher appears.

But honestly, that paid off because my writing improved. My voice became stronger. And I developed more confidence and submitted more. Submitting more was a key ingredient in my search for agent. But there is also an element of luck on this path to publication…Essie White created a submission list for Sweet Dreams, Sarah and within two months, by December 2015, we had a signed book deal. However, even though she continued to submit more of my manuscripts, we didn’t get another book deal until the end of 2017…and then we got three. That’s how this business is…you need patience and perseverance. Perseverance because you just have to keep trying. And patience because sometimes the path to publication takes a very long time…that first book didn’t launch until April 2019. Happily, it recently received a Eureka Honor Award and also has been selected for the 2020 Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People. Plus, it was made into an animated DVD and is being translated into French.
 
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: Because I write a lot of nonfiction, I love YouTube for interviews, especially if the person I am researching had some celebrity status. Watching an actual interview of your subject can give you such a great picture of their personality. For my rhyming stories, I love Rhymzone.com. And of course, Thesaurus.com is a constant companion. My favorite technique is to write my pitch and/or one sentence AFTER I research my topic, but BEFORE I do much writing of the manuscript – it’s important for me to know what focus/direction my story will take. And I spend a lot of time crafting the opening lines – they are the doorway into the story – often providing a peek at the flavor/voice of the rest of the story. And my closing lines often circle back around and echo the beginning.

Revision? I embrace it…although sometimes it is painful. It’s difficult to make major changes once you get comfortable with your text…so I rely on critique buddies to point out places where change might make the story stronger. I revise LOTS of times…with the Ella Fitzgerald/Marilyn Monroe story, I did three major revisions, each for a different editor who had fallen in love with the manuscript, but wanted changes before they acquired it. And because of how this business works, even though you may revise successfully, the editor still might not be able to acquire the story. This happened to that story twice. Just the other day, one of my long-time critique buddies emailed me a copy of my first iteration of that story. Some things remained the same, but many were different.
​
Here's the first page of the original manuscript written in late 2014/early 2015 (Title: Standing Up for Friendship) and the first page of the revised one that became the book (Title: Making Their Voices Heard: The Inspiring Friendship of Ella Fitzgerald and Marilyn Monroe).
​

​And here’s another tip – something I do without fail – read the manuscript aloud…and record myself. Then I listen back and can hear where I trip up or become disengaged from the story. If I lose attention, so will my young readers…and I can make revisions to ramp up the drama and improve the page turns.
 
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: When I returned from last year’s round-the-world trip, I thought for sure that this year would be quieter. After all, last year I had three picture books debut almost at the same time…and this year I only had Making Their Voices Heard: The Inspiring Friendship of Ella Fitzgerald and Marilyn Monroe (Little Bee Books, illustrated by Alleanna Harris) that launched on January 28. But things are still crazy busy…in all the best of ways. VOICES launched at a local Barnes and Noble in Nashua, NH and then the next day, I flew out to Chicago for an Author Night at the Lycee Francais Chicago where my granddaughter goes to school. Then I had an author chat and Q&A event at Andersons Bookstore in Naperville, IL and several school visits. Later this week, I leave with my son and his family for ten days in Barcelona and Madrid – and what luck…I have a manuscript about a Spanish sculptor who sold his clay figures on the steps of the Cathedral of Barcelona when he was eleven. It will be so much fun to do research in the field…I don’t often get to do that! There are also several other book events coming up…March 21 at the Silver Unicorn in Acton, MA and April 4 at Toadstool Bookshop in Nashua, NH…plus one coming up sometime in March at the Books of Wonder in NYC. Oh, and the Children’s Festival of Stories in Denver, CO on April 25.

An event I would LOVE to share with your readers, Rosie, is my #50PreciousWords Contest which I will hosting on my blog February 29-March 5…the prize list is PHENOMENAL…three editor critique opportunities, seats in writing classes, and lots of author critiques and picture books…there are over 20 prizes already! Last year we had 300 amazing entries…and I’m looking forward to reading everyone’s precious words. You never know what doors this contest will open…several entries from previous years are already on bookshelves all over the world. So please, everyone, follow your dream…because nothing is impossible if you can imagine it!

Encouraging as always, thank you so much, dear Vivian! What a great way to inspire  everyone as we end our chat on a high note!
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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.
 
Comment on this post and share it on social media for a chance to win one PB critique ans one copy of our guest's book. Two lucky winners will be announced next week!

And the winner of our previous giveaway is... Shauntrell Leaks!
Shauntrell gets a copy of Nancy Churnin's Beautiful Shades of Brown, illustrated by Felicia Marshall. Congratulations!
 
Connect with Vivian:

Website: www.viviankirkfield.com
Twitter: @viviankirkfield

Writer for children—reader forever…that’s Vivian Kirkfield in five words. Her bucket list contains many more than five words – but she’s already checked off skydiving, parasailing, banana-boat riding, and visiting kidlit friend around the world. When she isn’t looking for ways to fall from the sky or sink under the water, she can be found writing picture books in the quaint village of Amherst, NH where the old stone library is her favorite hangout and her young grandson is her favorite board game partner. A retired kindergarten teacher with a masters in Early Childhood Education, Vivian inspires budding writers during classroom visits and shares insights with aspiring authors at conferences and on her blog, where she hosts the #50PreciousWords and #50PreciousWordsforKids Writing Challenges. She is the author of Pippa’s Passover Plate (Holiday House); Four Otters Toboggan: An Animal Counting Book (Pomegranate); Sweet Dreams, Sarah (Creston Books); Making Their Voices Heard: The Inspiring Friendship of Ella Fitzgerald and Marilyn Monroe (Little Bee Books); and From Here to There: Inventions That Changed the Way the World Moves (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt). You can connect with her on her website, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, Linkedin, or just about any place people with picture books are found
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If you'd like to support my work, please order one of my books and/or invite me to your elementary school for an author visit.