Trista Herring Baughman's Blog, page 6

My very first Illustrator Interview!

A friend on Twitter recently did an #illustratorslift and that inspired me to write this post. I’ve heard of #writerslift, but not the illustrator version. What a great idea. I love the Twitter #writingcommunity. There are so many writers to talk to and learn from. And they’re all so supportive and kind.

I have an interview lined up with Eumir Fernandez, illustrator of my book, The Magic Telescope, later down the road when he’s not so busy. So, I needed to think of someone else.

Then I realized I live with two brand new illustrators! My sons, Robby and Johnathan (AKA Tumbug), recently helped illustrate my newest book, Zombiesaurs. Why not ask them?

So, I did.

First a little backstory. I wrote Zombiesaurs years ago and always wanted to see it as a beautifully illustrated picture book. I sat with it for years trying to decide if I wanted to hire an illustrator or go through a traditional publisher and use their team.

Then I read J.K. Rowling’s book The Ickabog and saw the lovely illustrations by children from all over the world. It was a charming idea. My kids love to draw (dinosaurs especially) so I asked them to help me.

It took a bit of trial and error deciding on the paper and mediums to use, trying to get them to scan in properly to make digital files, etc. I’m sure there’s room for improvement, but I love our book.

I’m not trying to brag, but I am proud of the hard work my kids put into this and of their patience. Sometimes I requested them to draw something differently and they did it with minimal complaint. They also helped and gave input on the cover and book layout and design. They’re great helpers!

They’re also dino experts, which came in handy as we added content to the back of the book about the real life counterparts of our Zombiesaurs.

I asked them these questions and typed exactly what they said.

1. You’re a bit young to be illustrators. How old are you? (Of course mama knows, this is for the interview. )

Robby: I just turned 12.

Tumbug: I’m 8.

2. Tell us a little about yourself.

Tumbug: I have blue eyes.

Robby: I also have blue eyes and I like dinosaurs.

Tumbug: Me, too!

3. How does it feel to see your illustrations in a printed book?

Robby: It feels good.

Tumbug: I don’t know…

4. What is your favorite drawing that you drew in Zombiesaurs? Why is it your favorite?

Robby: The one with the Shunosaurus. I don’t know why; it just is.

Tumbug: I guess the Compsognathus. Because it’s tiny and green.

5. What is your favorite illustration overall?

Robby: Um, I don’t really know.

Tumbug: I guess the ankylosaurus.

6.Was it fun working as a team to get the book finished?

Robby: Kind of. Yeah.

Tumbug: I guess it was.

7. What was the hardest part of illustrating Zombiesaurs?

Tumbug: Figuring out what to draw.

Robby: That was it for me, too.

8. Do you want to illustrate more books in the future?

Robby: Why not?

Tumbug: Yeah. Zombie Pigs!

9. What do you want to be when you grow up?

Robby: I don’t know yet.

Tumbug: I don’t know.

10. Is there anything you’d like to say to our readers?

Tumbug: Pterosaurs aren’t dinosaurs.

Robby: I can’t really think of anything.

Thank you both very much for doing this interview, boys! Mama loves you.

I hope you enjoyed our interview, dear readers. If you have any questions, drop them in the comments!

If you’d like to get a copy of Zombiesaurs click here. I hope to also have it available on B&N soon.

Thanks for reading and God bless.

~ T

An Interview with E.B. Tatby

I haven’t done an author interview in a while, so I thought it was time.

One of the first authors that came to mind was E.B. Tatby, author of the I Wish series. I had the honor of participating in Bellevue Public Library’s AuthorFest!, an event that featured twenty local authors doing signings, readings, and hosting panels on the art of writing. It was fantastic; I met a lot of outstanding authors, E.B. being one of them. I love her books.

The lovely E.B. Tatby!

I contacted her and she agreed to do this interview. I hope y’all enjoy.

Thanks so much for agreeing to do this interview! How have you been?

I’m doing really well. It was so great to hear from another local author. For various reasons, I had slowed my focus on writing and have recently refocused on it pretty intensely, so your timing for reaching out made me smile.

I’m so glad to hear it! I’ve been refocusing myself, lately. It’s been exciting. I’m glad you’re getting back into writing as well.

Ok, let’s get started.

Tell us a little about your books? How many books have you written? Two are published: I Wish and I Could, both part of the same Young Adult Fantasy series. There are more stories–a whole collage of them–either in the works or in my imagination, which is really energizing.Which one is your favorite? With only two published, it’s a fifty/fifty shot. Can I say both? Of course! In your book, I Wish…, your main character, Kenza, is from Omaha (which I love because I’ve spent a lot of time there, especially at the zoo). Omaha is your home as well isn’t it? What do you love best about it? Yes, I live in the outskirts of Omaha. It’s funny… I’ve lived in a town of one hundred people and a city with almost six million. What I love about Omaha is that it’s in between–big enough to get access to lots of different things, but small enough for the people to stay really connected and be genuinely open and friendly.Kenza’s father is from Morocco. Have you ever been there? I have, yes, a few times. My highlight was visiting the Atlas Mountains, which really helped inspire Kenza’s story line and family history in the I Wish series. Morocco, like Omaha, is full of warm, kind people.Where do you get your ideas for your books? For the I Wish series, much of my inspiration sparked from visits to Morocco, but there was also lots of inspiration from Omaha, especially the Omaha Zoo (funny that you mentioned that above). When I write, I definitely reflect on experiences that I’ve had and observations about how society operates. I also rely heavily on opening myself to the creative process with “anything goes” brainstorming. You can always edit out those creative ideas, but they won’t come if you have too tight of a filter on.How long does it take you to write a book? Ha! I am a little embarrassed to admit that I Wish took almost ten years. I had tons of learning to do as an author and, quite frankly, will probably always have a lot of learning to do. Still, I Could was much faster with a two-year process. For me, it depends on what else is happening in life at that time and how fast I want to/need to push myself.What is your work schedule like when you’re writing? I’m probably not the best example. I write when I am inspired, and I don’t when I’m not. I find early mornings or even the middle of the night are great quiet times where lots of ideas tend to flow.What would you say is your most interesting writing quirk? This is very cliche, but I love to write in coffee shops. I also can easily get in the flow on airplanes or as a passenger in a car, train or bus.What do you like to do when you’re not writing? Oh, so many things. I love to walk, spend time with family and friends, consume any form of story (reading, audiobook, Netflix), travel, I could go on. I love to experience a variety of things, which helps stimulate my writing mind.What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your books? Where do I start? I would have to say that I grew with my characters. The biggest thing I’ve noticed is that I have more empathy for others. When you write from multiple characters’ points of view–young, old, male, female, antagonist, protagonist–you start to see they are who they because of their unique, valid perspective.Do you develop your characters as you write, or do you already know them beforehand? Yes. I do both. I really do spend a lot of time thinking of who a character is outside of the writing process, but then as I am writing the characters’ personas tell me what I need to write about throughout the story. I work on character development until those last words: The End.Do you see any of your books being made into movies? Which actors do you think would play your characters? Absolutely. I try to write as if I have a camera over my shoulder recording events. It helps make the story come to life and keep me more focused on showing not telling. Regarding which actors would play the characters, I have not thought that far ahead. Secretly, I would love it if my daughter, who is an actress, got to perform in one.What takes most of your effort when writing? I like to write in layers. I lay down an early draft, then revise, revise, and revise some more. When all that is done, I switch gears to editing. While I love the creativity of laying down that very first draft, it often challenges me. I need to do a lot of positive self-talk during that phase: this will all come together in time, if you want to skip a scene you can come back to it later, you don’t have to get it perfect the first time.What do you think makes a good story? A great story is one that holds up the mirror, with characters and a story that make us grow and see those around us from a new perspective. I am also a very curious person, I think we all are, so I love a story that leaves readers asking, “What’s going to happen next?”What would you consider the best advice you ever received? Have fun with it. Life is meant to be fun and interesting. Writers often write, not because they have to or because it will make them loads of money, but because they are passionate about it and can’t quite explain the magnetism. It just is. So, remembering that it is a passion and not something I have to do helps me savor it more and unleash that much more creativity.How does your family feel about your writing? They have been wonderful supporters, who’ve known I’ve wanted to do this my whole life. They were a little sad when I had to slow down a bit, as was I, but that resting period really did wonders.When did you first decide that you wanted to be a writer? Since I was in third grade, when I made an attempt at writing my first story. While that story never got finished, I am incorporating aspects of it into a new story I am working on now.What are you currently working on? I’m working on two things seriously: the third book in the I Wish series and a new Science Fiction story that I am absolutely falling in love with. Do you have any words of advice for aspiring writers? Writing is a calling. You wouldn’t have that calling if you weren’t meant to use it. Remember to savor the creative process. Ebb and flow with the peaks and valleys. They are there to serve you. And really, quite simply, just start putting words on a page.Is there anything else you’d like to say to our readers? We are cut from the same cloth, you and me. We love to explore, to see things from an infinite number of angles, and to make a mess of a plot and revel when it all comes back together again.

I want to thank you again for your time. It was so great catching up. I wish you the best of luck!

I’m looking forward to reading your next books!

That’s it for today, dear readers. If you’d like to grab copies of E.B.’s books, check out the links below. I’ll also add her social media links so you can give her a follow!

E.B. Tatby | Fiction Young Adult Book Author (ebtatby.com) – this has links to Twitter, Facebook, and Amazon

Pinterest

E.B. Tatby (Author of I Wish) (goodreads.com)

Thanks for reading and God bless. 

~T

Helping Author Friends — Pikes Peak Writers

By: Trista Herring Baughman Occasionally, I witness a rallying call to support local businesses. It’s a nice gesture, one I’d like to see more often. I prefer to shop local when I can: farmers’ markets, locally-owned specialty stores, mom-and-pop restaurants, etc. 1,010 more words

Helping Author Friends — Pikes Peak Writers

Spice Cake Muffins!

I don’t think I’ve ever posted about cooking before, but I LOVE cooking.

I have the best memories of cooking with my parents, sister, and grandparents when I was little. When I was grown and married I made even more cooking memories with them and also with my husband’s folks, especially his granny.

Luckily, our families were the best at cooking, baking, and canning, and they took care to teach us all they know. My husband and I make a point to do the same for our children.

I recently had surgery—nothing major—but I haven’t been doing much cooking or anything. But today I decided to bake some spice cake muffins like my Mamaw used to. (Although she probably made them all from scratch.)

Spice Cake Muffins with Cream Cheese Recipe

I used Betty Crocker Spice cake mix, prepared it according to the directions on the box and added some chopped walnuts.

While they were baking, I whipped up some icing. I used:

1 8oz block of cream cheese (softened)

1/2 a stick of salted butter (softened)

1 tbs vanilla flavoring

4 cups of confectioners sugar

I mixed the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla flavoring well with my mixer before adding in the sugar, one cup at a time.

After the cupcakes were done and cooled, I covered some of them with icing and sprinkled them with a few more chopped walnuts. So good! I left some without icing because that’s how some of my folks like them.

I’ll add pics if we don’t eat them all first.

We’re also cooking our own variation of Mississippi Pot Roast along with some stewed squash and butter beans.

While I’m just sitting around, recovering, I’ve been writing and researching. Tomorrow I will publish the first Mississippi Folklore blog post!

I’ve also been working on more posts for Writing From the Peak, and reading. I’ve kept pretty busy.

I should really buckle down and finish up the books I’ve started, but I got a copy of Neil Gaiman’s The Graveyard Book, so I had to start it!

My hubby, boys, and mama have been so sweet in helping out around the house. I love ‘em to pieces!

I hope you have a blessed day, dear reader.

~ T

Introducing my new website!

A screenshot of my new website!

I love my WordPress site, but I’ve had the feeling it wasn’t set up quite like I wanted it. I’ll continue to work on that, but I was playing around with Canva and I made a new site. Here’s the link: https://booksbytrista.my.canva.site/

There are links on the About My Books page, as well as on the side menu to direct you to the site as well. My new site makes it easy to click the pictures and links or scan the QR Codes to buy my books, follow me on social media, find this blog, and see upcoming events. (I’m hoping to attend one in October, but have to check my schedule first.)

I will still keep this site active!

I’ve been busy. I’m working on an Amazon ad class and working on an Amazon edition of The Magic Telescope. I’ll keep y’all updated.

I also feel like Mississippi Folklore deserves its own blog. So we’ll see where that leads.

I hope you’re all doing well!

God bless,

T

P.S. Let me know what you think of my new site in the comments, please!

Declutter Update

So, I mentioned a few times that I’ve started decluttering. My house was pretty spotless and clutter-free before kids.

After our first kid, things started to pile in. Toys, clothes, baby gear. And rather than decluttering as he grew, I went into packrat mode. What if we have another kid? I said to myself. I did pass some things along, but I kept A LOT.

Then there were things given to us by loving family members. Birthdays, Christmases, and any other holiday our extended family had a chance to give, they gave. When loved ones passed, we got a lot of their things passed down to us. And of course, we appreciated it then and now. And that’s something that’s contributed to our current state.

In 2016, we moved to a house with more square footage but less room for things. Our previous house had smaller rooms but also had a basement. In all the time we’ve lived here, we’ve gotten rid of a ton, but there was constantly more coming in. Since we moved closer to home, we were going home more, and just about every time someone would send something back with us: gifts, things we owned when we were kids, hand-me-downs, etc. I was beginning to feel like I was on an episode of Hoarders in some areas of our home. We were going back and forth a lot, too, due to some family issues. So even when we were here, we were working so hard to just keep up with the basics (cleaning, cooking, school, dr appointments) that there just wasn’t time to do much else before we were heading back.

We had so much stuff, and still do (but I’m working hard to remedy that). I don’t remember when or how, but I came across one of Allie Casazza’s challenges. It was great. It wasn’t that I didn’t know how to do this on my own, but I was just so overwhelmed and discouraged and depressed. I wanted to do things, but I’d end up on the couch feeling like a failure because it seemed like no matter how hard I tried, things just weren’t getting better. But Allie’s challenge gave me a community of people going through the same thing. Some were in the same boat as me, some worse off. Others had done the challenge and her programs and were on the other side of things. It was encouraging. It was the emotional support I needed. And luckily, I found it at a time when things were slowing down and I could implement it.

The hard part for me is knowing the hard work and good intentions that are behind all of our things. Our families weren’t anywhere near rich growing up. My grandparents and parents reused and repurposed things instead of throwing them out. They’d keep things in case they or someone they knew needed them down the line. They worked hard for everything they had and everything they gave us. We have worked hard for all we have. I appreciate the time and effort that’s gone into it, so it’s not surprising the feeling of guilt attached to the thought of rehoming these items we’ve collected over the years. It feels ungrateful; wasteful. A lot of these things are sentimental.

But I was looking at it in the wrong light. We have used these things and taken care of them. When the kids have outgrown them or we just don’t use them anymore, it is wasteful to keep them. Someone else could use it. We could bless someone else with these things or sell them to get money for next year’s homeschool curricula, or whatever. Allie is so right when she said “If everything is special, nothing is special.” I have to keep telling myself this.

If it’s broken, has a hole in it, has been outgrown, or if we don’t use it and love it, it’s out. I know some things can be mended, but will I? Maybe. But my new rule is if I haven’t done it in a week, it has to go. I’m feeling lighter all the time. It’s a process and I’m only just beginning, but working through Allie’s programs, and revisiting the lessons I need the most, are helping a ton. I’ve significantly reduced clutter in some areas and I’m making progress all over my house. It’s baby steps, but it’s the progress I NEED. I can see and feel the difference.

The biggest thing so far has been clothes. There were mountains and oceans of clothing before. Piles and piles to be washed and to be folded. The closets and dresser drawers were such a mess that even if I got it all done, there was nowhere to put it. There were clothes we no longer fit because what if we needed them or oh they were so cute or I wore that on such and such occasion and it has the best memories. Now, I’ve donated and trashed things I was unwilling to let go of before. I took pics of sentimental items and passed them on. I have less to do (in regards to laundry) and somewhere to put everything once it’s washed, dried, and folded. That is HUGE for me.

I really can’t say enough good things about Allie’s programs. So if you’re in the same rut I was in, bogged down with too much stuff and too much to do and not enough time to do it, missing out on your kids’ childhood–go grab Allie’s book, Declutter Like a Mother. You won’t be sorry. I also want to add that this isn’t benefiting me; I have no affiliate links or anything like that. I just love Allie’s programs so much and I want to tell my readers about them. I know they will help you, too. Whether you use Allie’s programs or not, you can get out from under the clutter and stress if you have the right mindset. You can do this. Hang in there!

Homeschool

In the summer of 2015, my husband and I were faced with the decision of where to send our oldest son to Kindergarten. I wasn’t thrilled with the idea of sending him to strangers. We were living away from home and didn’t know any teachers at any of the schools.

Watching the news didn’t help. Stories of child abuse and neglect at daycares and schools, school shootings, bullies, drugs, etc. I know you can’t live in fear of these things. But I also knew I felt much safer and happier when my kids were with me.

I wanted my kids to have the best education. I also wanted to teach them about our faith and values.

I think my desire to homeschool started long before that summer. Seeing my children’s smiles when they learned something new was heart-warming. I had researched what to teach at what time since they were born.

I started a play date group in our area.We went on educational field trips and had park play dates. In so many ways, we were already homeschooling.

There was also the issue of travel. My husband is in the military, so there was the potential for moving quite a bit. And we went home (a 16+ hour drive) as often as we could to see our folks. I didn’t want to give up family time and I didn’t like the idea of constantly changing schools.

I decided to research home school laws in our area. I found out that kids didn’t have to go to school until age 7 in our state. So, that meant I could homeschool for K to see if it was something we could do.

My husband wasn’t on board. We both attended public school and he had the usual concerns that I hear from others about homeschooling.

I had some of those concerns, too. But I felt called to give it a try. After much research into curricula, learning and teaching styles, and early childhood education in general, we jumped in. It took us a while to find our groove.

If you’re considering homeschooling, it’s important to know that sometimes you have to tweak a curriculum or your schedule. Sometimes you change them completely. But eventually, we found what worked for us. And you will, too. That hasn’t changed from year to year, not entirely. We have a nice flow now, but from time to time we swap things up according to the kids’ needs.

When I first started, I had serious FOMO. I planned way too much. We had our curricula, extra study units I’d planned or found online, crafts, co-op, field trips, play dates, extracurricular activities. We were spread way too thin. I was overwhelmed and needed to slow down. I read a book called Teaching from Rest by Sarah MacKenzie. I started to relax a little. We dropped a few things. And found our groove again.

Later, I found Allie Casazza’s declutter programs and that helped me on so many levels. You’d be surprised how decluttering can affect so many areas of your life. It’s a process that I’m still working on.

We don’t do every single worksheet or even always finish every subject. But my kids are learning and loving it (most days ).

Now our kids are about to be in 7th and 3rd grades. This past school year, I had them take the CAT for the next grade. They did an amazing job and it reassured me that we’re on the right track.

I’ll talk more later about how we homeschool and about our curricula choices over the years. But for now I just want to say if you’re considering homeschooling, give it a shot. It’s been such a blessing to us and we get better at it every year.

God bless,

T

P.S. Happy 4th of July!!!

It’s alive!!! Muahahaha!

Zombiesaurs is live on Amazon! This is the first book that my boys and I have illustrated. Couldn’t have done it without my husband’s tech help. Our folks and friends (aka our beta readers) are all very much appreciated for putting up with us.

We made some changes to the cover and we added a section in the back about the different types of Zombiesaurs in the book. Luckily, my kids are really into dinosaurs, so we know stuff.

If you’re new to the blog, Zombiesaurs is a rhyming Children’s book that my sons and I have been working on for months in between homeschooling, extracurriculars, decluttering, etc. I guess it would be classified as Children’s Horror. But I don’t think it’s too scary. And my boys’ illustrations are fun and sometimes humorous, so that helps lighten things up.

Zombiesaurs can also be found in my book of children’s poems, Halloween Night and Other Poems, which was released on Amazon last month.

My kids worked hard on this and were great when things came up, like changes needing to be made and illustrations redid.

I think I mentioned before that I got the idea from J.K. Rowling’s The Ickabog. Kid-illustrated books are great. And (I don’t want to brag, but) I especially love the illustrations my kids have done.

Please help us spread the word. We hope you will enjoy our book! And if you do, please consider reviewing it on Amazon and GoodReads. Thanks, dear reader!

I have lots to do today, so til next time. Keep looking up.

God bless,

T

Rabbit, Rabbit

Have you rabbited today? Many people say some variation of “rabbit, rabbit” upon waking on the first day of the month to ensure good luck for the rest of the month. For instance, some people say “rabbits”, “white rabbits,” or “rabbit, rabbit, rabbit.” It should be the very first thing you say when you wake up.

My kids and I say “rabbit, rabbit” on the last night of the month before bed, then “hare, hare” immediately after waking on the first. I stumbled upon this tradition when I was a child; being a lover of superstition as I was, it stuck.

It isn’t precisely clear when this tradition originated. I’ve read it could be as far back as the 13th century. I don’t know when it began exactly, but it seems to have stuck around. In the 1900s in England, a periodical was written about it. It’s mentioned in a Trixie Beldon book. I also read about it in a Southern Superstitions book. Nickelodeon promoted the holiday in the ‘90s.

Sarah Jessica Parker and President Roosevelt are fellow rabbiters. (I cannot say for certain that President Roosevelt was, as I didn’t know him. But I read it in an article once.)

My kids love it. I couldn’t tell you if it has indeed been any luckier than the months when we forget, but it is a fun tradition. And we seldom forget it.

Do you rabbit, rabbit?

I did it!

After several attempts (and thanks to KDP customer service), I finally got the formatting right! Halloween Night and Other Poems is now available!!!

From the back cover:
“Beware the Oogly Evil Eye,
the Rougarou,
the Swamp Booger and
other creepy critters in the pages of this book!
You might glimpse
an ice cream-eating goat
or even a unicorn
in this collection of fifteen wondrously spooky,
whimsical and silly poems
perfect for any night of the year.”

I’m really excited to have my book out in the world. Couldn’t have done it without my family and friends. I can’t tell you how many times we all read this to search for typos, etc. If you’re self-publishing for the first time (I count this as my first since The Magic Telescope was already formatted), I’m proof it can be done. Hopefully, I did it well. Hang in there, you can do it!

God bless,

T

P.S. I’m now on Instagram!