Debbie Ridpath Ohi's Blog, page 2

Reading During The Pandemic: Poll Results

Thanks to all who responded to my Reading Habits poll! I've posted the results below. Please keep in mind that this survey was informal and in no way meant to be an accurate reflection of the industry as a whole. You can see my other informal surveys and polls here.

And here are the results....

You said you did most of your reading via print books.

The breakdown:

Overall, you tended to read a little bit more than usual over the past year.

The majority of people relied on borrowing print, digital or audio books from libraries during the pandemic. 

 

Not surprisingly, most of you said you read books for grown-ups. Of the respondents who read books for kidlit/YA, most read more fiction than nonfiction. 

Thanks to all who took the time to participate in my Reading Habits poll! As mentioned online, I'm giving away a number of coffee stain doodles as well as some physical books. To pick the winners, I'm using a random number generator and selecting the entry from my exported results in Excel. If the respondent didn't include an email address, I generate another random number. I've been contacting winners throughout the day by email; all winners should be contacted by the end of the day.

You can see results from other Inkygirl Surveys here.

Donalyn Miller's 13th Annual #BookADay Challenge!

Hurray, it's time for Donalyn Miller's #BookADay challenge! The rules are forgiving and flexible.

For more information, see Donalyn's post in the Nerdy Book Club.

I will be keeping track of my #BookADay posts in my BookADay and Book Recommendation page.

Korean Witches, the Power of Revision, and Challenging Your Characters: Graci Kim on Her MG Debut THE LAST FALLEN STAR

By Sara Truuvert

From Graci Kim, you should expect the unexpected. A Korean-Kiwi diplomat turned cooking show host turned author, who ran away with the circus in pursuit of a Colombian tightrope walker, Graci is bringing us a novel about Korean witch clans in LA, who conduct ancient rituals and shop at H-Mart.

The Last Fallen Star, Graci's MG debut, follows Riley Oh, the only "saram" (non-magic person) in her family of healing witches, who are part of the Gom clan. During her sister Hattie's initiation into the clan, Riley and Hattie attempt a spell to split Hattie's magic between them. But the spell turns disastrous, setting off a series of events that threaten the community and Hattie's life. With her sardonic friend Emmett by her side, Riley must find "the last fallen star" to save her sister. The novel is Book One in the Gifted Clans Books series. It launched on May 4th, 2021 with Rick Riordan Presents, Disney-Hyperion and is widely available to order.

Graci grew up not seeing herself in the books she loved and is committed to writing magic-infused books about Korean diaspora kids. She is set to write two more Gifted Clans books. You can find out more about Graci on her website, Twitter, and Instagram.

Q. Congratulations on your MG debut! This book does a remarkable job of blending Korean mythology with a contemporary setting to create this unique, magical world. Was Korean mythology part of your upbringing, or was there a lot of research involved?

A. Thank you so much! Oh yes, Korean mythology was a definite part of my upbringing. My parents and my halmeoni (grandma) used to tell us lots of folktales and myths when we were children, and I remember even liking the scary ones about the dokkaebi and gwisin who would steal naughty children away. Thinking back on some of the scarier ones now, I’m pretty sure they used those as threats for getting us to behave!

Q. Riley, our narrator, has a distinctive voice—feisty and funny but not without moments of vulnerability. Would you speak a bit about developing Riley’s voice? 

A. Interestingly, Riley started out in this world as an almost sixteen-year-old teenager. She was much more angsty in that wonderfully teenage way that we love to read in YA books. Then, through a series of rewrites and revisions, Riley became a twelve-year-old girl. Her voice adapted with the age change, but a lot of her vulnerabilities and internal characteristics stayed the same. I like to think I managed to add a bit more humour to younger Riley, but the readers might have their own thoughts on that ;)

Q. I’m also curious about Emmett. He likes to bake treats for his friends and dress up pets in silly costumes, but he also claims he is “allergic to emotions”! What inspired Emmett’s character? 

A. You know, Emmett’s a bit of a mysterious character to me, in that he came to me fully formed. And I’m not sure where from! My sisters and I love to eat, and we adore animals, so Emmett’s love for baking and dressing pets might have been inspired by that. But his claim that he’s allergic to emotions, and that desperation he has to keep his outer shell intact, just appeared when I wrote him onto the page. It’s almost like he asked to be written that way…

Q. Without asking you to give too much away, was there a part of the story that was particularly difficult to write? And how did you push through?

A. While writing the first draft of the book, the middle was by far the hardest part of the story to write. I knew what events would kick off the adventure, and I knew how I wanted the journey to end. But it was anyone’s guess what would happen between those two bookends! I knew I wanted the conflict to build so that Riley’s beliefs could be tested from all angles, and I also wanted to make sure there were no dull moments for readers to get bored. So I kept asking myself at every plot juncture: “What could I possibly throw Riley’s way that would make her question everything she’s ever known about herself and her life?” That constant question helped me find a way through the murky middle. As did copious amounts of coffee.

Q. Would you tell me a bit about your journey to publication?

A. I wrote my first manuscript in 2017, which was a YA contemporary novel with speculative elements about a girl overcoming the grief of losing her family. I queried a few agents with that unsuccessfully, but it did land me a place in a mentoring program called Author Mentor Match. Through my mentor, I decided to work on a new manuscript, which I ended up pitching in the Twitter pitch contest #DVpit in 2018. I received over 200 likes from agents and editors, so I made a shortlist of agents from that group and sent them my new manuscript. I ended up signing with Carrie Pestritto from Laura Dail Literary Agency after a partial Revise & Resubmit request. With Carrie’s help, I did a series of revisions before we went out on submission to a list of publishing houses in Jan 2019. In June, we received an offer from Rick Riordan Presents, Disney-Hyperion following a Revise & Resubmit request. That book became The Last Fallen Star.

Q. I understand you’re a planner when it comes to novel writing. If I’m not being too nosey, what does that look like in your workspace? Are we talking sticky notes, scribbles in notebooks, colour-coded text documents, etc.?

A. I wish I had a tidy, organised system for my novel planning! Unfortunately, my reality is far from systematised. I have random bits of notes here and there, in notepads, notebooks, on my Notes app on my phone, on my whiteboard, on Trello, in Scrivener, in Scapple, as draft emails unsent, or as actual sent emails with subject headings that often say things like “Please don’t ignore me. No really, read me. Please.” What I DO have, however, is a large A3 sketchpad where I begin every story process. I like to do a brain dump flowchart to get my thoughts out of my head, and I find the best way to do that is going old-school, with a pen and a big piece of paper.  

Q. Do you have any advice for young writers?

A. My biggest piece of advice for young writers is to read lots and write lots. Whenever I feel at a loss for ideas or creativity, I find the best way to refill that well is to read. Read widely across genres, even ones you don’t think you’ll enjoy. Some of my favourite reads in the past have been ones I never thought I’d like, and some of my best ideas have come from being inspired by things other authors have written. Then open your laptop and start writing. Get feedback, learn to apply it, learn when not to apply it, and hone your craft. Read more. Write more. Rinse and repeat.

Q. Finally, Riley’s family is part of the Gom clan, the healing witches. I have to ask, which of the six gifted clans would you want to be in? I read that Rick Riordan wants to be in the Miru clan, the protectors…

A. I’m going to be cheeky and choose two clans! I’d love to be part of the Gom clan and the Tokki clan. The Gom clan because their motto “Service and Sacrifice” really speaks to me, and because I’d love to be able to heal others with magic. The Tokki clan because I love to eat, and I want to be able to make my food magical! Their motto “Kindness and Heart” is hard not to aspire to, as well :)

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Sara Truuvert completed her MLitt in Creative Writing at the University of St Andrews. She also holds a Certificate in Creative Writing from the Humber School for Writers and a BA in English, Drama, and the History and Philosophy of Science from the University of Toronto. Her work has appeared in the Literary Review of Canada among other publications.

For more interviews, see the Inkygirl Interview Archive. Also see Advice For Young Writers and Illustrators, a compilation of tips generously offered by children's book creators Inkygirl.com has interviewed over the years.

Every journey to publication is different. Resist comparing yourself to others. Find your own path & pace.

"I hope it sparks conversations about our shared humanity and the things we have in common.” Debut PB Author M.O. Yuksel and Illustrator Hatem Aly on IN MY MOSQUE

By Sara Truuvert

M.O. Yuksel never imagined she would be an author, but that changed when she was asked to read to her son's preschool class a picture book about a Muslim holiday. Unable to find such a book suited to her son's age group, she decided to write one herself, launching her journey to authorship. After years of writing and rejection, M.O. published In My Mosque, her literary debut. 

In My Mosque celebrates the diversity, traditions, and joy we can find in mosques around the world. It serves as a beautiful introduction to Muslims and Islam and reminds us that mosques are welcoming centres for community and love. The book also features an author's note, a glossary, and additional educational material. It launched on March 23rd, 2021 from HarperCollins and is widely available to order.  

In addition to her passion for diverse voices and books, M.O. loves travel, yoga and meditiation, and cheering on her children at their soccer games. You can find out more about M.O. on her website, Twitter, and Instagram. 

Illustrator Hatem Aly's work has appeared multiple times on the New York Times bestseller list. These books include The Proudest Blue, the Yasmin series, and The Inquisitor’s Tale. He lives in New Brunswick with his wife, son, and many pets. You can find out more about Hatem on his website, Twitter, and Instagram. 

Q for M.O.:  A huge congratulations on your PB debut! You grew up attending mosques around the world. Are there any particular memories from these mosques that found their way into this book?

M.O.: Thank you so much! Yes, the text reflects my personal experiences attending mosques. The first line of the book, “In my mosque, we are a rainbow of colors and speak in different accents.” comes from my experience attending mosques around the world, particularly in New York City, Istanbul, Samarkand, and Mecca. In these cities, I loved seeing the diversity of people streaming in for prayer, especially Friday prayer, which is the holy day of the week for Muslims, people who practice the religion of Islam. I love the serenity and peacefulness of being in a safe space together as a community as we listen to the sermon of the imam, and the melodious sound of the adhan, or call to prayer. 

I have a lot of fond memories, like being with my dad at the Blue Mosque in Istanbul, Turkey and feeding the pigeons outside the mosque. Eating naan, samsa, and sweet melon slices after prayers in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. And visiting the Kaaba in Mecca, Saudi Arabia with my mother and brothers, and being awestruck by the sight of so many ethnicities and cultures from around the globe becoming one as we circumambulated around the Kaaba. All beautiful memories that I get to share in this book and cherish through the remarkable illustrations of Hatem Aly.

Q. Would you tell me a bit about your journey to publication? 

M.O.: To be honest, I never imagined being an author. I’m a first-generation immigrant, with roots in Uzbekistan and Turkey. I came to the U.S. as a child, not knowing any English. Fast forward 40 plus years, I am truly grateful to have the opportunity to write books that serve as mirrors and windows – a mirror for Muslim children of all ethnicities who are underrepresented, and who need to see themselves and their cultures represented in books. And a window for those who are not familiar with these stories.

I became interested in picture books after I had kids of my own. I was invited to read a picture book about our holiday at my son’s preschool, but I was surprised that I couldn’t find any books appropriate for his age group. So, I decided to write one and my journey into authorhood began. I worked on my craft for several years. I joined SCBWI, attended conferences and workshops, took classes at the Highlights Foundation, joined writing communities like the 12x12 picture book group, took online classes like the Children’s Book Academy, and Storyteller Academy. After I had several polished manuscripts, I queried agents, received many rejections, continued querying, and finally, in 2018, I signed with my agent, Jenna Pocius at Red Fox Literary. 

M.O.'s workspace (photo courtesy of M.O.)

We went on submission with a manuscript, received rejections, never heard from some editors; we submitted more manuscripts, received more rejections. Publishing involves lots of rejections! But you only need one 'yes', and with In My Mosque, we received three offers of publication! Which was a dream come true. I eventually signed with my wonderful editor, Megan Ilnitzki at HarperCollins. 

Q.  Is there a moment in this book you are particularly proud of or excited for people to read?

M.O.: There are so many stunning illustrations in this book I’m excited to share. I love seeing the diversity of people and mosque architecture on the pages of In My Mosque. Often, Muslims are presented as a monolith and seen in a limited, negative, and biased lens. I wanted to celebrate the breadth and diversity of the most ethnically diverse religion in the world, practiced by more than 1.8 billion people across the globe in every country, in every skin color, language, and culture. And Hatem Aly’s illustrations showcase this beautifully. I hope this book broadens the scope of understanding and sheds light onto a much misunderstood and misrepresented faith and people.

Q for Hatem: Would you tell me a bit about your illustration process for In My Mosque?

Hatem: It required more thought process than anticipated. As I read the manuscript, I got a little anxious. I’m familiar with mosques and all the terms mentioned in the book, but how can I make it visually intimate was concerning me. I’m not the most accurate or factual person when it comes to drawing and giving character with an emotional line to locations, especially when they are the hero and not props or backgrounds. I realized despite my direct connection and prior knowledge of mosques that I should start researching some books and go online to get some ideas. You quickly get the validation that just like languages, accents, and cultures, different things can be so diverse even within the same category. It was “kind of” up to me to jump from one mosque to another throughout the book, so I wanted each page to be as distinct as possible.

This introduced some challenges, not just how can I make it intimate in a subtle way while keeping  it authentic, but also how can I incorporate my own experience? That was when I took a deep breath and started to just get a few spreads sketched out and see what came up. I knew I should put mosques from Egypt, Uzbekistan, and Turkey, so here are three countries covered, and as I sketched I found myself adding pigeons to many scenes. I’ve always seen pigeons around many mosques, as well as cats, and it just made sense to have them present all around the book, and things started to shape nicely.

One lovely process story is that while the world was going through a pandemic, my wife was making face masks for family and friends at that time, so she was approached by our public librarian (and friend), Diane, to make a few masks for herself, the library staff, and some of her family members as well. She also gave my wife some fabric she had lying around and told my wife to feel free to use it. So I scanned some of these to use in the book as clothes’ patterns and textures just to capture the moment in an implied way, and it worked out pretty well and was perfectly fitting. The illustrations were rendered digitally with the help of some scanned textures. I am glad that the pigeons and the fabrics kept things cohesive and tied the spreads with an invisible thread.

Q for M.O.: Something that can be a challenge for writers is creating a story that educates as well as entertains. How did you find that balance when writing this story? 

M.O.: One thing we’re always cautioned not to do as writers is to be didactic. So, to educate as well as to entertain is a tricky balance to strike. I think tapping into our childhood self, mining our cultural heritage, our family history and traditions, knowing who we are, and sharing our experiences from a place of authenticity helps in creating a story that educates as well as entertains. 

Q. In that vein, do you have any advice for young writers?

M.O.: Oh, I love giving advice! Ask my younger brother - I give him unsolicited advice all the time. But joking aside, I think advice for any writer – newbies and veterans – is to surround yourself with professionals you admire. Join SCBWI, attend conferences, workshops, work on the craft of writing and illustrating. Even if you’re not an illustrator, I think it’s important to understand illustration because picture books are 50% text and 50% illustration. Picture books are visual storytelling, and it’s helpful to be knowledgeable about illustration even if one doesn’t illustrate. 

One other tip I find especially useful is to reverse engineer books that you love. Type the text of the picture books you admire and study the page turns, the arc of the story, the parts that resonate with you, and notice how the story looks completely different without the illustrations. And to prove I love giving advice, I also have a list of resources on my website.

Q for Hatem: Do you have any advice for young illustrators?

Hatem: Have patience, work hard, show your work, look at art, explore life, challenge yourself, communicate with a group of people you admire – online is fine – and don’t be afraid to make mistakes or do work that you’re not completely satisfied with. Just move on to the next one. It also helps if you figure out what you want and try to get closer to that world you want to enter...it could be frustrating at first but it’s like approaching a planet – you’ll get sucked in by gravity once you reach a certain point. Just keep at it. You could always email me if you have questions at metahatem@gmail.com. 

Q for M.O.: What sorts of conversations do you hope spring from this book?

M.O.: I hope many conversations are sparked by In My Mosque like the diversity of Muslim people, cultures, and mosque architecture; the joy and beauty of community in a place of worship; but most importantly, I hope it sparks conversations about our shared humanity and the things we have in common.

Watch for M.O.'s next book, One Wish: How Fatima al-Fihiri Built the World's Oldest University, from HarperCollins in spring 2022.

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Sara Truuvert completed her MLitt in Creative Writing at the University of St Andrews. She also holds a Certificate in Creative Writing from the Humber School for Writers and a BA in English, Drama, and the History and Philosophy of Science from the University of Toronto. Her work has appeared in the Literary Review of Canada among other publications.

For more interviews, see the Inkygirl Interview Archive. Also see Advice For Young Writers and Illustrators, a compilation of tips generously offered by children's book creators Inkygirl.com has interviewed over the years.

Starting Big Changes with Small Steps: Charlotte Offsay (Debut PB Author) and Illustrator Katie Rewse on THE BIG BEACH CLEANUP

By Sara Truuvert

One morning, when she was walking her young children to school, Charlotte Offsay picked up a piece of trash and threw it in a nearby garbage can. She had no idea that this simple action would spark a conversation with her children about doing their part to keep the environment clean, which would inspire her literary debut, The Big Beach Cleanup. You can find out more about Charlotte on her website, Twitter, and Instagram. 

Katie Rewse, an illustrator based in Bournemouth, England, was touched by Charlotte's story. Katie holds a BA and MA in Illustration and finds inspiration in her outdoor adventures. She has been shortlisted for a number of awards, including the AOI World Illustration Awards 2020. You can find out more about Katie on her website, Instagram, Twitter, and blog. 

The Big Beach Cleanup follows Cora, a young girl excited to enter a sandcastle competition. When Cora learns that the fun has been cancelled because there is too much trash on the beach, she and her Mama get to work cleaning up. But they soon realize they can't do it alone. The Big Beach Cleanup launched March 1st, 2021 from Albert Whitman and is widely available to order.

Q: The Big Beach Cleanup is your debut picture book – congratulations! Would you speak a little bit about your journey to publication? 

Charlotte: I began writing picture books in early 2017. I was home with my two small children at the time and became inspired after an afternoon of baking with them. The manuscript rhymed (sort-of) and was a how-to baking book illustrated with pictures of my kids. I enjoyed the process so much that I took my first picture book class online that summer through UCLA extension. It was in this class that I really fell in love with writing picture books and began to understand how little I knew about what went into writing and publishing them.

From there I joined numerous groups such as SCBWI, 12x12 and Inked Voices and spent the next couple of years attending conferences, taking webinars, enrolling in online classes (Children’s Book Academy, Lyrical Language Lab etc.), as well as reading every picture book and craft book (Big Magic, Ann Whitford Paul’s Writing Picture Books, etc.) that I could get my hands on. Through these various groups and classes I connected with my invaluable critique partners and wrote countless manuscripts. 

In early 2018, I connected with my first agent via a Twitter pitch party, but ultimately it wasn’t a good fit and we parted ways. At the beginning of 2019, I reentered the query trenches and signed with my current agent, Nicole Geiger with Full Circle Literary. Working with Nicole has been a dream come true and essential to my author journey. Nicole is thoughtful, communicative, and her insight and feedback is invaluable. Together we have sold The Big Beach Cleanup to Albert Whitman (Spring 2021), How to Return a Monster to Beaming Books (Fall 2021) and A Grandma’s Magic to Doubleday/Random House (Spring 2022). I can’t speak highly enough about the value of finding an agent who connects with your work and advocates for your career as a whole!

Q: Something I love about this book is that it shows how people, especially children, have this instinct to help and to make a difference. But it’s easy to feel too small to make a difference! What do you think Cora would say to a child who feels this way?

Charlotte: I couldn’t agree more - children love to help and instinctively want to do the right thing and make a difference. I also agree that the world can seem like a big and scary place and that when faced with some of the aspects that need changing, it can seem quite overwhelming – even to adults! I think Cora would tell everyone, big and small, that big changes start with small steps. She would say that taking the first step will lead to the second, and if you keep putting one foot in front of the other, before you know it, you will have accomplished what at first seemed impossible. It is also important to remember that you don’t have to make a difference alone - joining hands with those around you can help break what at first may seem like an overwhelming goal into smaller more manageable steps. If enough hands join together, we can change the world. 

Q for Katie: Would you please tell me a bit about your illustration process for The Big Beach Cleanup?

Katie: After reading Charlotte's brilliant text for The Big Beach Cleanup, I was so excited to start sketching. Looking after the ocean is important to me - I spend a lot of time at the beach, and I take part in beach cleanups when I can. For this reason I had lots of ideas in my head. I worked closely with the designer at Albert Whitman to develop the sketches, starting with some character development and then moving on to thinking about the setting and then sketching out each page. After the sketches were approved, I coloured the artwork digitally and also used some found and some handmade textures in the illustrations. We all agreed that the images should be bright and bold, so I had fun with the colour palette.

Q for Charlotte: As we see in the book, the changes we’d like to see in the world take the work of many hands. Is there a story from your own life that inspired you to share this message with children?

Charlotte: I began writing The Big Beach Cleanup when my son was three years old. At the time, he was obsessed with everything superhero. The longer I lived in his superhero world, the more important it felt to me that my kids understood that being a real hero and the problems facing our world weren’t going to just be fixed by cape-wearing characters with superhuman abilities appearing at the perfect moment to save the day.

Then one morning while walking my kids to school, I casually picked up a piece of trash and tossed it into a nearby garbage can. My kids wanted to know where the trash came from, why it was important to pick it up,  and all about the problems it would cause if we didn’t. My small action opened the door for the big conversation I had been looking to have with them. We spoke about how ordinary people can create big change with simple steps and how we didn’t need to be a superhero, we just needed to do our part and encourage others to do theirs.

I dropped them off that morning and went straight home and wrote the first draft of what would become The Big Beach Cleanup. I sat down to write a story that showed the power of small hands joining together to make big change. I wanted to write a story about an ordinary child taking ordinary steps to begin something that could eventually cause extraordinary change. It is my hope that young readers will hear Cora’s story and know they don’t have to be a superhero to make a difference. I hope that it will inspire someone somewhere to join hands with those around them and start to create the change they want to see in the world. 

Q: Do you have any advice for young writers?

Charlotte: I think the best work comes from the heart and writing about what you care most about in the world. My advice is to write about what you are passionate about - write the books you want to see in the world. I also strongly believe that it is important to find the path between not being too precious with your work and being willing to make changes while staying true to what inspired you to write your story in the first place – not an easy balance!

Q for Katie: Do you have any advice for young illustrators?

Katie: My advice for young illustrators would be to spend as much time drawing and developing your craft as possible, but also to make time for other hobbies and interests as these will inform your work too!

Q for Charlotte: Finally, any tips for building the perfect sandcastle?

Charlotte: What a fun question! I have to admit that I have never built a sandcastle that could rival the amazing ones that illustrator Katie Rewse dreamed up for The Big Beach Cleanup. That said, growing up, my family would often bury one another in the sand and turn legs into mermaid tails, which always seemed pretty perfect to us. For this, all we needed was a bucket filled with water and a shovel. The water was always key for packing the sand tightly enough in order to add the fun details at the end! If anyone has any fun sandcastle pictures to share, please tag me in them on social media (Twitter or Instagram) or contact me via my website – I would love to see them!

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Sara Truuvert completed her MLitt in Creative Writing at the University of St Andrews. She also holds a Certificate in Creative Writing from the Humber School for Writers and a BA in English, Drama, and the History and Philosophy of Science from the University of Toronto. Her work has appeared in the Literary Review of Canada among other publications.

For more interviews, see the Inkygirl Interview Archive. Also see Advice For Young Writers and Illustrators, a compilation of tips generously offered by children's book creators Inkygirl.com has interviewed over the years.

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Happy I Read Canadian Day!

via GIPHY

Happy I Read Canadian Day! You don't have to be Canadian to celebrate. One suggestion: Read a book by a children's book creator for 15 minutes, then share your experience your experience with others. You can see what others are posting by browsing the #IReadCanadianDay hashtag on Twitter and other social media.

Looking for Canadian children's book creators? Some suggestions to start:

Bibliovideo's Youtube channel - includes illustrator demonstrations & activities for young readers

CANSCAIP's member directory - you can search for book creators in your area

Also check out Canadian children's book creator Marty Chan's "I Read Canadian Day" pre-show:

Cover reveal, inspiration & apologies: I'M SORRY by Michael Ian Black and Debbie Ridpath Ohi (launching Aug.31, 2021 from Simon & Schuster)

I am *very* excited to reveal the cover of I'M SORRY, which launches from Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers on August 31, 2021! This is the newest in the I'M.... picture book series written by Michael Ian Black and illustrated by me (Debbie Ridpath Ohi). Don't you love Laurent Linn's brilliant cover design?

Synopsis from our new book, which is now available for pre-order:

Flamingo is upset. Very upset. Potato is sorry. Very sorry. In fact, he is the sorriest. But he doesn’t know how to tell Flamingo. He would rather run away to the South Pole and live with penguins. He’d rather wear a disguise for the rest of time. But will that be enough to fix their friendship? Will they ever go back to being a girl, a potato, and a flamingo again?

Thanks to author Michael Ian Black for answering a couple of questions for me about our new book:

Q. What gave you the inspiration to write I'M SORRY?

Michael: "The inspiration for I’m Sorry comes from my daughter who has always found it so difficult to say those two little words. For some reason, it’s very hard for a lot of people (people like my daughter and ME) to take responsibility for mistakes they’ve made and to ask for forgiveness. I wanted to write a story about the importance of admitting when you’re wrong."

Q. If you could apologize to anyone from your childhood, what would the apology be?

Michael: "I would apologize to my dog, Winston. We had a busy house when I was growing up and poor Winston never got the attention he deserved. He was a sweet brown and white English Springer Spaniel whose walks were never quite long enough and who didn’t get many opportunities to run around without a leash and play with other doggies. Winston, I’m sorry."

My take as an illustrator on I'M SORRY:

Whenever I receive a new manuscript to illustrate, the first thing I do is read it out loud. So when editor Justin Chanda sent me Michael's I'm Sorry manuscript, that's what I did. I loved it SO much that I had to read it out loud again. I ran upstairs to where my husband was working and read it to him. I read it aloud again and again as I was illustrating.

I love all the books in the I'M.... series, but this one might just might be my favourite (maybe because I'm Canadian, heh). Michael's story makes me laugh throughout and yet hits emotional truths. I CAN'T WAIT FOR ALL OF YOU TO READ IT!

"I hope young readers walk away with the knowledge that their voice matters!" Chrystal D. Giles on Her Debut MG Novel TAKE BACK THE BLOCK

By Sara Truuvert

When I reached out to Chrystal D. Giles back in November 2020, the excitement around Take Back the Block was already palpable. A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection and Kids' IndieNext Pick, the novel has garnered praise from numerous authors and a starred review from School Library Journal. 

Take Back the Block follows Wes, a funny, stylish sixth-grader whose main concerns are video games and hanging out with his friends - until a powerful developer wants to buy Kensington Oaks, the neighbourhood where Wes has always lived. With the adults fighting and his friends potentially moving away, Wes has to act quickly if he wants to save his home.

Chrystal D. Giles was a 2018 We Need Diverse Books mentee, and her poem “Dimples” appears in the poetry anthology Thanku: Poems of Gratitude (Millbrook). Chrystal lives in Charlotte, North Carolina, with her husband and son. You can find out more about Chrystal on her website, Twitter, and Instagram.

Take Back the Block launched with Random House Children's Books on January 26th, 2021 and is widely available to order. 

Q. Congratulations on your middle grade debut! I understand you’ve always been a huge lover of books and libraries. What’s a favourite book from your childhood? 

A. Thank you so much! Books were my first friends. My favourite picture books were Corduroy by Don Freeman and Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters by John Steptoe. My favourite novels were The Baby-Sitters Club series and Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor. As a young girl, I'd sit and read for hours - those are some of my happiest memories.

Q. Take Back the Block highlights the importance of community and friendships, especially in a young person’s life. What role did your community play in your life as you were growing up?

A. Community was very important to me growing up. I spent a lot of time between my home and my grandmother's home; I basically had two communities of friends and neighbours. My grandmother was also very open and welcoming to everyone—she was a village. I learned from her firsthand what community is all about. 

Then there was also my church family. We had a huge and very exciting youth program where we participated in and served at events in our surrounding community. It is where I learned service could also be fun!

Q. You have a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and currently work in the accounting field. Would you walk me through your journey to publication?  

A. I started formally writing in 2015 and started querying soon after. Querying so soon turned out to be a mistake! After many rejections, I stepped back from wildly querying and came up with a better approach. I joined SCBWI, found a critique group, worked on craft, and started really thinking about the stories I wanted to tell. When I finished drafting Take Back the Block and felt like it was ready to query, I had a more focused strategy.

This is where the story gets exciting! After some months of querying I applied to and was chosen for PitchWars, a mentorship program. After a few months of fast-paced revision, I entered an agent showcase and got lots of requests. It was a wild ride, and a week later, I had two offers of representation, and I chose Elizabeth Bewley at Sterling Lord Literistic. Elizabeth and I went on submission a few weeks later, and the book was at auction two weeks after that. My novel was acquired by Shana Corey at Random House Children's Books, an editor who had first liked my pitch during DVPit, a Twitter pitch contest.

Q. What was the drafting process like for this novel? Did you plan out the plot and themes before you began writing? 

A. I wrote the original draft of this novel in about six weeks. It was a pitiful skeleton draft for sure, but the plot and characters were there. 

I did not formally outline the story before I started drafting. I knew the basics of a beginning, middle, and end and I had developed the characters in my mind. I also hadn't thought much about other themes besides the primary plot of my main character, Wes, and saving his community from a powerful developer. So much of this story came together during many revision rounds.

Q. Wes is such an interesting character – a stylish lover of video games and puzzles who finds himself playing a part in saving his home and community. How did Wes’s character come about?

A. I knew right away I needed a light-hearted character for a story that focused on such a serious topic. Wes’s personality came to me in small bits. I wanted him to be a reluctant activist, a little funny, but mostly just a regular kid with regular kids concerns.

I also wanted Wes to feel like someone everyone knows—like your neighbour, or the kid in your class, or your family member. In order to do that, I needed for him to be fun and approachable.

Q. Something difficult for a young person to come to grips with is that adults don’t always have the answers, and Wes has to face that reality. But he decides to take matters into his own hands. What do you hope a young reader takes away from Wes’s story?

I hope young readers walk away with the knowledge that their voice matters! And not to be afraid to speak up, even when talking to adults, just share what's on your mind. As for social justice or community matters, it doesn’t take a huge, weighty cause or a large group—it takes one person, one voice.

Q. Was it difficult to find a balance between the heavier topics in this book and its elements of humour?

A. At times, yes, but it proved to be an interesting challenge. I tried really hard to balance the tough topics with levity. Wes and crew have moments of just hanging out, playing video games, and super funny banter. I hope those moments will offer a break from some of the more serious scenes. In life, there is always joy and struggle and they are often intertwined—this story mimics that balance.

Q. Finally, do you have any advice for young writers?

A. I would advise young writers to write from the heart. Find the thing you are passionate about and write that story. When you write with passion, people usually get it!

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Sara Truuvert completed her MLitt in Creative Writing at the University of St Andrews. She also holds a Certificate in Creative Writing from the Humber School for Writers and a BA in English, Drama, and the History and Philosophy of Science from the University of Toronto. Her work has appeared in the Literary Review of Canada among other publications.

For more interviews, see the Inkygirl Interview Archive. Also see Advice For Young Writers and Illustrators, a compilation of tips generously offered by children's book creators Inkygirl.com has interviewed over the years.

Video interview with Basil & Kevin Sylvester about THE FABULOUS ZED WATSON!, which launches *TODAY*

 I am thrilled to be interviewing Basil Sylvester and Kevin Sylvester about their new middle grade book, THE FABULOUS ZED WATSON!, which launches *today* from HarperCollins. You can attend the virtual launch party tomorrow (Jan.27) courtesy Glad Day Bookshop and HarperCollinsCanada: see the Facebook Event Page and Glad Day Lit TV page.

Excerpt from the Quill and Quire's *starred* review of the book:

There are few books that offer unadulterated joy from beginning to end. But The Fabulous Zed Watson! is a middle-grade wonder: a literary mystery and Onward-esque road-trip story that celebrates self-described nerds and weirdos, and reinforces the power of friendship.

Excerpt from CM Reviews review:

The Fabulous Zed Watson is a satisfying and entertaining novel about adventure, friendship, respect, and the many and varied ways of existing in the world, especially when people would sometimes rather have us conform. Parents, teachers, and librarians would be remiss not to have this fabulous book available for the young people in their lives.

Thanks to Basil Sylvester and Kevin Sylvester for answering questions about how it got created and published, the collaboration process, upcoming projects, finding community in unexpected places, much more. 

Lots of photos of the process, sneak peeks at notes, interior art, and more!

 

QUESTIONS THEY ANSWERED IN THE VIDEO:

Timestamp 00:51 -

Q. How did you start working together on THE FABULOUS ZED WATSON! What was the collaboration process like? 

Timestamp 06:43 -

Q. Could you tell us about your book?

Timestamp 11:03 -

Q. What are you working on now/next?

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Q. What advice do you have for young writers?

Thanks to Basil and Kevin for their great interview video!

You can find Baz on Instagram at @GhostBasil.

You can find more about Kevin on his website, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube.

And here are some more videos they created about their book, all found on Kevin's YouTube channel:

Q. How did you come up with the title for THE FABULOUS ZED WATSON?

Q. Why does Zed love monsters?

Q. Are Zed's glasses for seeing or for style?

Q. What would the elevator pitch be for this book?

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For more Inkygirl.com interviews, see the Inkygirl Interview archive list and Advice For Young Writers And Illustrators.