Chitchat with Author Marcie Wessels

Hello, lovely readers!

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

Now, stretch your smiles even wider and get comfy and cozy for a delightful chitchat because today we have another awesome creative on the KidLit Oasis series... Children's author Marcie Wessels is here to share some wisdom, insight, and inspiration with us!

(Plus, check out my promo gift offer at the end of this interview.)

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

A: Thank you for inviting me, Rosie! I used to teach Spanish language and literature at the college level. In 2006, I left academia for motherhood.

In 2011, I decided I needed a new challenge. I’ve always loved books. But could I write one? I set out to find out.

My first stroke of luck was discovering the Writing for Children’s Program at UCSD Extension. I enrolled in the first of three classes, formed a critique group, and joined SCBWI. After attending SoCal SCBWI’s Editor’s Day in 2012, I landed an offer for my first picture book! Pirate’s Lullaby: Mutiny at Bedtime, illustrated by Tim Bowers, was published by Doubleday Books for Young Readers in 2015.

My second book is my first work of nonfiction. The Boy Who Thought Outside the Box: The Story of Video Game Inventor Ralph Baer, illustrated by Beatriz Castro, will be published by Sterling Publishing on April 14, 2020. Like my first book, Boy was inspired by my son. A bit of a reluctant reader, he fell in love with Whoosh: Lonnie Johnson’s Super Soaking Stream of Inventions (Charlesbridge, 2016), written by Chris Baron and illustrated by Don Tate. The book was so kid-friendly, it inspired me to look into the history of other toys and games. Like most boys, my son loves video games. “Who invented the video game?” I wondered.

As I conducted research, I discovered the unpublished memoir of Ralph Baer, the inventor widely regarded as The Father of Video Games. It was a crucial discovery that helped me connect with the project in a completely different way. I wrote many drafts and then my agent sent it out on submission.

While we were waiting to hear back from editors, I happened to read Laurie Wallmark’s Grace Hopper: Queen of Computer (2017), illustrated by Katy Wu.  I noticed it that it was a part of Sterling’s People Who Shaped Our World Series. I thought my manuscript would be a great fit for Sterling’s list so with my agent’s blessing, I submitted my story. A few months later, it was picked out of the slush pile and I had an offer.

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’ve written about my fear of the blank page on a different occasion (read here) so I’ll just say it’s all challenging! Coming up with an original idea, figuring out how to tell the story, then finding someone who believes in your story as much as you do, such as an agent or an editor.

Luckily, the kidlit community is one of the kindest and most supportive. I feel blessed to have so many creative and inspiring friends. 

As far as motivation, you definitely need to be persistent and patient. Hearing how much someone loves your book (especially a kid) is one of the things that keeps me going.
 
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 is messy but one of the best tools I have in my writer’s toolbox is the story board, a technique I was introduced to in Illustrating Children’s Books at UCSD Extension. Visually laying out a story often reveals problems with the narrative and helps you correct pacing. All picture book writers should storyboard - even if you can only draw stick figures like me! For more revision tips, please check out this post. 

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: The launch party for The Boy Who Thought Outside the Box: The Story of Video Game Inventor Ralph Baer will be on Sunday, May 3, 2020 at 1 PM at the Barnes and Noble (Mira Mesa) in San Diego, CA. 

Thank you, Marcie. Wishing you all the best on your journey!

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.

I hope you enjoyed this post — comments and shares are appreciated. Thank you!
 
Connect with Marcie:
Website: www.marciewessels.com
Twitter: @MarcieDWessels

Marcie Wessels loves to play games – especially board games like Scrabble. She tinkers with words and invents stories including PIRATE’S LULLABY: MUTINY AT BEDTIME and THE BOY WHO THOUGHT OUTSIDE THE BOX: THE STORY OF VIDEO GAME INVENTOR RALPH BAER. She lives in San Diego, California. You can find her online at www.marciewessels.com.
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Promo offer: swag gift* with pre-order of Sunday Rain!
*Charm bracelet -- each charm is different and something that can be found in the book, bookmark, postcard and button. 

(US only, while supplies last. Use my Contact form on the menu bar to let me know you pre-ordered and send me your mailing address.)