Debbie Ridpath Ohi's Blog, page 87

Interview with Patricia Storms: Process, Personal Growth and NEVER LET YOU GO (Scholastic Canada)

I met Patricia Storms through her Booklust blog and then the National Cartoonists Society, and have enjoyed watching her children's book career blossom. She has illustrated 20 books, three of which she is author as well as illustrator. Patricia says she was twelve when her first cartoon was published in a Toronto newspaper. She got paid five whole dollars for that cartoon, and has been inspired to write and draw ever since.

Where you can find Patricia: Website/Blog - Facebook Fan Page - Pinterest

About NEVER LET YOU GO:

"I have described NEVER LET YOU GO as ‘The push and pull of parenthood’. Amazon’s description is quite nice, too: “Tender but never cloying, Never Let You Go gives a great, warm hug, followed by an encouraging pat as it sets up young readers to take their first big steps on the path to growing up. This story is destined to be a favourite read-aloud for parents and children alike, as the simple but powerful message of enduring love and support is one little readers will take to heart.”"

Q. What was your writing/illustration process for NEVER LET YOU GO?

I wish I could say my creative process was smooth and organized. It is not. So often things just kind of ‘happen’ for me. The idea for this book came to me about 3 years ago. I was feeling really down in the dumps at the time, to be honest. And I had a massive migraine. I tried to take a nap to relax, and I was in this odd dream/awake space and that is when this image of a penguin parent and her child popped into my head.

Click for bigger image. ©2013 Patricia Storms.

I had just recently read the novel ‘Never Let Me Go’ by Kazuo Ishiguro, so I guess that title was sifting in my head. I kept seeing this image of the child going back & forth to the parent, with the refrain ‘Never Let You Go’ playing over and over. After that the rest of the words starting flowing in as well. It really was one of those rare times when the book came almost fully formed like a gift from the stars. I was so tired I didn’t even have the strength to write down the story, so I called out to my husband (who was in the computer room across from the bedroom) to write down my idea before I forgot it.

Click for bigger image. ©2013 Patricia Storms.When I felt better, I worked on creating a tight storyboard on large newsprint, and then I scanned the storyboard sketches and using Photoshop, I put the text in where I thought it would flow best. And then I promptly...let it sit on my desktop for a year.

The story was so different from anything I have ever worked on before, that I simply could not believe that anyone would like it. One of the reasons I was so uncertain about the story was because it was so personal and, well – ‘straight from the heart’.

Over the years my cartoon/illustration work has been cynical, angry, snarky, cheeky and silly, but I’ve generally avoided the heartfelt stuff. It’s not that I’m not capable of doing that work, but I was burned big-time when I was a young naïve teenage artist, and I’m still not sure if I’ve ever gotten over those experiences.

Click for bigger image. ©2013 Patricia Storms.Creating this book was a very cathartic experience for me, I must say. Let’s just say the story is a lot about working out childhood issues. I suspect this is the case for many artists and writers in this business.

Q. What was your publication process?

Once again, my process is not, I think the ‘the norm’. But perhaps there is no ‘norm’?

The only reason that any editor ever saw this manuscript is because someone approached me. An editor at Scholastic had been looking at my old blog ‘BookLust’ (which now no longer exists) and was intrigued my some of my artwork.

Since we were getting along in our emails, I figured, what the heck, and asked if I could send her this manuscript I had sitting on my desktop. There aren’t very many words in the story (112), so it didn’t take long for her to read it. Basically, she wrote to me that she was very excited about the story and that’s when the whole process began.

Click for bigger version of colour work. ©2013 Patricia Storms.After that it was a matter of getting the rest of the editorial team excited about the idea, and after that, well...it was a matter of convincing the next various levels to get excited about the idea, too. I had only sent black & white sketches to my editor, so at this stage I did some basic colour work in order to give the folks at Scholastic an idea of how I envisioned the story to be, with both words & colour.

It was almost exactly a year later before Scholastic finally offered me a contract. I don’t have an agent at this time, so I hired a literary consultant to negotiate my contract, and then the real work began. Because I had sent such a tight manuscript, there really wasn’t a lot of editing of words or layout that needed to be done. The major work was really getting the colours just right.

Click for bigger version of final art. ©2013 Patricia StormsI had a lot of help from my art director as well as my editor. I was terrified most of the time, but it was a very supportive, nurturing environment. It was particularly scary because I was trying out some new styles. Usually I just hand-draw my art, ink it and then colour it in Photoshop. But this time I wanted to create a more warm and organic look, so I outlined the penguins with charcoal pencil (something I’d NEVER done before!) and I experimented with new brushes in Photoshop, and even added Japanese paper in the background for a wee bit of collage effect.

It was quite a growth experience for me, both artistically and personally.

NEVER LET YOU GO at Bologna

Q. What advice do you have for aspiring children's book writer/illustrators?

Don’t be like me! Ha. What I mean is: be more proactive, get your work out there, don’t wait a YEAR before sending something out. I still struggle with this issue – a great deal of my success is because others have found me, not because of me ‘getting my stuff out there’.

I find it SO easy to just talk myself into the blues and thus not send work out because I figure, who the heck is going to like it? It’s a terrible battle I have in my brain. I would also recommend seeking out people who are also interested in writing and/or illustrating for children, be that writer’s groups in person or online, as well as organizations such as CANSCAIP or SCBWI.

I would also add something that I think is pretty important, and it’s an issue that I still grapple with, too – try not to be too obsessed with what is selling in ‘the market’. There is SO much information out there right now, it’s pretty overwhelming.

Be aware of what appears to be selling, but I think what will serve aspiring writers & illustrators best is the strength & confidence to discover one’s own voice, and to develop one’s own unique path & stories. Ultimately there is no ‘set way’ to be published.

It’s really about discovering who you are, and what stories you want to tell. I’m still working this out for myself.

Cake from Patricia's Toronto book launch. Photo: Dorothy Kew.

Q. What are you working on now? Any other upcoming events or other info you'd like to share?

I’m working on a couple of picture book stories that are very close to my heart – one about a super cute monster and another about a girl & a rhino. I hope they eventually see the light of day. These stories also have a lot of heart and emotion. I think it’s where I’d like to go, if the universe will allow it. Plus I have a lot of picture book ideas which my husband keeps nagging me to develop.

It’s the same old problem for me – I keep thinking they are silly and dumb and no one will like them. I’ve really got to get over it. Regarding upcoming events, well – I’m hosting a launch of my new book, NEVER LET YOU GO at A Different Drummer Bookstore in Burlington on Sunday November 10th at 2:00pm. There will be homemade cupcakes at that event!

Patricia doing a drawing demo at her book launch, ably assisted by her husband. Photo: Dorothy Kew.

Where you can find Patricia: Website/Blog - Facebook Fan Page -Pinterest

Related links:

Quill & Quire's review of NEVER LET YOU GO

49th Shelf review of NEVER LET YOU GO

Scholastic Canada page about NEVER LET YOU GO

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For more interviews, see my Inkygirl Interview Archive.

 

Goodreads Choice Awards voting now open; list of children's/YA categories

Since Amazon announced its acquisition of Goodreads back in April, those of us who have been using Goodreads have been waiting in semi-dread for the inevitable sweeping changes that would end destroying a once-thriving book community. Except they haven't happened. So far, Amazon appears to be wisely playing it cautious when it comes to messing with what is already a Good Thing (knock wood).

Anyway, voting is now open in the 5th annual Goodreads Choice Awards! You have three chances to vote, and the Opening Round lasts until November 9th. Semifinals take place Nov.11-16 and Finals are Nov.18-25.

Here are the nominees in categories for children's and YA:

Picture Books - Middle Grade & Children's - Young Adult Fantasy - Young Adult Fiction

Have to admit I'm baffled by the "& Children's" in the second category. So picture books don't count as children's books? Hm.

Hovering your mouse over any of the covers will pop up the "Want To Read" option, so browsing the nominee lists are a great way to help you decide what to read next.

Comic: Daylight Savings Writer

Comic About Writing Challenges: Remember Why You Do Them

Speaking of more writing challenges, there's also Robert Lee Brewer's November "Poem A Day" Chapbook Challenge, which is lots of fun. Guidelines here.

NaNoWriMo: Should You Participate? My Answer Plus NaNoWriMo Comics, NaNoMusicals and Songs About NaNoWriMo

 

For those of you who don't know, every year there are thousands of people who participate in National Novel Writing Month, a.k.a. NaNoWriMo. The Goal: to write 50,000 words during the month of November. NaNoWriMo has grown over the years, and now includes a special section just for young writers.

I participated for a number of years and have had a lot of fun with it. Some experienced writers sneered about the event in the beginning, saying that it was only for amateurs, that a book written in 30 days is going to be garbage, etc. Now more professional writers are participating, some to jumpstart current or new projects. I checked the official NaNoWriMo site just now, and over 190,000 people have registered for this year's NaNo-extravaganza so far.

I completed one novel at an early NaNoWriMo which I ended up revising heavily before sending out through my agent. Although I had quite a few editors say they liked my writing, it never found a publisher and I ended up pulling it out of circulation.

This year I'm not participating because timing isn't right. NaNoWriMo's great for hammering out a first draft of a novel, but right now I'm immersed in writing and illustrating picture books. I do plan to participate again someday, though.

If you have problems motivating yourself to write and have no interest in socializing with other writers, then I'd advise against participating in NaNoWriMo. If you expect NaNoWriMo to be some kind of shortcut for you and have misguided plans to send out your novel right after NaNoWriMo without taking the time to revise, DON'T do NaNoWriMo. Let your mss cool off for a while, then do NaNoEdMo (National Novel Editing Month) in March.

If you're the type to get depressed and disillusioned if you don't make the 50,000 wordcount goal by the end of the month, then try my 250, 500 and 1000 words/day challenge instead.

However, if you're looking for a fun motivational writing event and enjoy commiserating with other writer-types online or in person, I heartily encourage you to give NaNoWriMo a try. If you'd like to participate but need to bend the rules (e.g. you've already started your novel, you're writing nonfiction or a bunch of picture book mss instead of one novel, etc.), you can still participate as a NaNoRebel.

If you plan to turn this into something you'd like to submit to agents or editors in the future, I also STRONGLY recommend doing some outlining ahead of time. Even just a one page summary to give yourself a rough idea of the story, especially the ending. This will save you much angst later, trust me.

 

Another piece of advice: Have some fun! On social media like Twitter, you can easily find others talking about NaNoWriMo by searching for the #NaNoWriMo hashtag. Many are blogging about NaNoWrimo. Some, like my MiGWriters critique partner Christy Farley, are vlogging about their NaNoWriMo experience.

My friend Errol Elumir has a been huuuuuuge supporter of NaNoWriMo for many years, so you should definitely follow some of the projects he's involved with, such as:

(1) NANOTOONS - Daily comics about NaNoWriMo!

(2) If you missed NaNoMusical last year, you can watch it now! All six video episodes are on the NaNoMusical website. I was an extra, and you can see me dancing with my iPad in the first episode here:

(3) If you're on Facebook, check out WrimoSongs. You can listen to NaNoWriMo-themed songs throughout the month plus have the option of purchasing some if you like them (proceeds go to NaNoWriMo).

Related links:

Official NaNoWriMo website

NaNoToons

NaNoMusical

WrimoSongs

Debs & Errol - Errol's band website, where he posts daily comics related to whatever is on his mind (nowadays, that's mostly NaNoWriMo). Debs = Deborah Isaac, not me. :-)

NaNoEdMo

250, 500, 1000 Words A Day Challenge

Will Write For Chocolate archives: not the greatest Halloween idea

(click image for bigger version)

November is Picture Book Month and PiBoIdMo! There's still time to register for both.

November may be NaNoWriMo month for some, but it's also Picture Book Month and Picture Book Idea Month (PiBoIdMo).

Picture Book Month is an international literacy initiative that celebrates the print picture book during the month of November. Every day in November, there is a new post from a picture book champion explaining why he/she thinks picture books are important. Founded by Dianne de Las Casas, Katie Davis, Elizabeth O. Dulemba, Tara Lazar and Wendy Martin. Logo by Joyce Wan. You can register here.

 

Picture Book Idea Month (PiBoIdMo) focuses on writing picture books. The challenge: to come up with a picture book idea every day during November. Get daily inspiration through the guest blog posts by authors, illustrators and picture book professionals on Tara Lazar's blog. Founded by Tara Lazar. Logo by Joyce Wan. You can register here.

I've registered for both. Although I already have picture book projects lined up, I'm always thinking about new book ideas and PiBoIdMo is a good way to get extra-inspired. For Picture Book Month, I'm going to be reading a new or older picture book every day and will also post about why I believe picture books are important.

YAY FOR PICTURE BOOKS!

I won't be participating in NaNoWriMo this year, though I'll be cheering on everyone who is. For those of you doing NaNo, do check out my friend Errol Elumir's NaNoToons, being posted daily. I had to opt out of co-authoring NaNoToons this year because of scheduling, but I'm looking forward to seeing what Errol posts. :-)

Will Write For Chocolate: Technology and Rejections

For more, see Will Write For Chocolate.

All Hallow's Read: Give A Scary Book This Halloween! #AllHallowsRead

 

I'll bet some of you hadn't heard about the time-honored tradition of All Hallow's Read, whose origins some scholars have traced back as far as this Neil Gaiman post. Basic idea: In the week of Halloween, give someone a scary book.

Here are just a few deliciously scary books for young people that I've mentioned in my blog in the past year:

DOLL BONES, a middle grade novel written by Holly Black and illustrated by my friend Eliza Wheeler, published by Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers. Read my interview with Eliza here.

 

THE MONSTORE, a picture book written by Tara Lazar and illustrated by James Burks, published by Aladdin. Read my interview with Tara and James here. (Pssst: Don't worry -- this picture book isn't REALLY scary, so it's safe for even the most timid young readers. :-))

 

GOBLIN SECRETS and GHOULISH SONG are middle grade books written by William Alexander, published by Margaret K. McElderry Books. Goblin Secrets won the National Book Award For Young People's Literature and its companion novel, GHOULISH SONG, came out earlier this year. Read my interview with William Alexander here.

Speaking of Halloween, feel free to download/print some new Halloween-themed activity sheets I recently uploaded to the I'M BORED Bonus Page.

Learning new digital techniques from observing non-digital process, Richard Jesse Watson inspiration and some Tiffanny Varga watercolor tutorials

Although I primarily illustrate using digital methods (Photoshop CS6 with a 7.5" x 11" Intuos Wacom tablet), I'm starting to experiment more with non-digital media on the side. Partly because I like to always be learning something new, to try different techniques, but also because I'm often inspired to try new digital techniques after observing non-digital process.

To illustrators: whether you use digital or non-digital techniques, don't turn your nose up at The Other Side. In my experience, you can always learn something from how other creative types work.

Richard Jesse Watson at the 2011 SCBWI-LA Conference

In 2011, for example, I was super-inspired by the Illustrator Intensives at the SCBWI Summer Conference in Los Angeles. That year, a bunch of experienced children's book illustrators demonstrated their techniques in a hands-on demonstration; you can see my reports about the sessions on KidLitArtists.com.

Richard Jesse Watson gives a demo

Kudos to the SCBWI Illustration Board and artists involved for providing this amazing opportunity for illustrators to observe. There were two rooms set up so that while the attendees were in one room, the next artist could be setting up, PLUS cameras set up so we could see a close-up overhead view on a screen as each artist worked. There were a wide variety of techniques and styles from renowned children's book illustrators like Paul O. Zelinsky, Marla Frazee, Richard Jesse Watson, Kadir Nelson, Denise Fleming, David Small and Jerry Pinkney.

I learned from everyone, though I was especially inspired by Richard Jesse Watson's demo because his approach felt closest to mine. I loooved how he used different techniques to add texture to his color, his frenzied creative energy. After seeing his workshop, I started experimenting with how to add more texture to my digital illustrations, including learning how to create my own custom-made digital brushes in Photoshop. I ended up using a lot more interesting textures in illustrations for NAKED!, a new picture book written by Michael Ian Black that comes out from Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers next year:

Anyway, I recently came across some fascinating watercolor tutorials by Tiffanny Varga. I love the way she how lets different hues of the colors mingle instead of mixing them completely. I'm so going to try this with my real-life watercolor experiments as well as figuring out how to do this effectively with digital watercolor.

Thanks to Children's Illustrators On Fire for the video links!

You can find Tiffanny Varga on YouTube and Twitter, plus her sketchbook blog and portfolio.

© Tiffany Varga.