Writers Wednesday

Young children are noted for their many questions. In Mama, How Does the Wind Start to Blow?, Jeanne Styczinski has framed her answer in the form of a delightful counting book. Beginning with the number one and a rising moon, Mama responds to ten questions that culminate in a surprising and heartfelt answer for her youthful readers.  The colorful illustrations are charming in their simplicity and provide a perfect complement to the text which begs to be read aloud. This one's a keeper! Pair with her follow-up book, Papa, Why Does the Sun Shine?

When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

Looking back I think I have always been a writer. For the past thirty plus years I have kept a folder of stories and story ideas. What I didn’t realize at the time is that someday I would pursue publishing them. In 2011 I started my journey to publish my first book, Mama, How Does The Wind Start To Blow? and in 2013 my book was born. YAY!

How does your writing influence other areas of your life and vice versa?

I don’t think I can separate the two. It’s all mixed up! Thinking about writing and illustrating is just happening all the time. For example, when I’m at the grocery store I might be in the fruit and vegetable aisle and think of a gardening story or when I’m picking blueberries on my farm it might give me an idea for the book about colors I want to create. It sounds a little crazy but it’s who I am.

What do you do when you are not writing?

When I’m not writing and illustrating I love spending time with my husband and four crazy, lovable kids. I love being outdoors and doing such things as kayaking, hiking, and gardening. Another love of mine is searching for treasures at antique flea markets.

Briefly, what's your book about? 

Have you ever wondered how the wind starts to blow? In my whimsical counting story you will smile at the different creative guesses a child comes up with, but in the end
she learns her mother is just as creative.

What led you to write “Mama, How Does The Wind Start To Blow?”

Our youngest had just left for college. To be honest, it marked for me such a passage of time and a longing for my children’s younger days. Writing this story helped me remember all the things that were near and dear to them when they were small. They loved to play outside all summer long. I would be working in my gardens and they would go out and explore our woods. My children loved to chase butterflies and frogs. At night under the stars, they would watch the fireflies dance against the dark sky. Many nights we would hear the call of the great horned owl. So, these were the things I included in my story.

What would you like readers to take from it? 

To love books! I would like young readers to learn and experience the joy of reading and just having fun interacting with books. In my book they can also practice counting and recognizing numerals. As for parents, I want them to know that they can have fun creating their own stories when their little ones come up with worldly questions like my title.

What are your current/future projects?

I’m currently working on marketing my first two books, Mama, How The Wind Start To Blow? and Papa, Why Does The Sun Shine? In the spring of 2016 I retired from teaching and that has freed me up to go to schools and talk with students about writing and illustrating, which I have really enjoyed. I’m also working on my third book about friendship and diversity between and owl and a firefly. Its title, Who Will Be My Friend? To be released in 2017.

What led you to the decision to publish your own books?

Good question! When I was finalizing on my first story, Mama, How Does The Wind Start To Blow? I decided not only to write the story but to illustrate it. I was so excited!  I learned during this process that I love, love, love illustrating! Then later while doing more research I discovered most publishers don’t let you illustrate your own work. That’s when I decided to move forward and create JeanneKay Publishing and publish it myself.

What challenges did you face in getting your first book published? 

Since I’m new to the publishing world I felt like I wanted to learn the most I could about this industry. I spent a year researching publishing companies, authors, illustrators, dummy pages, ISBN #, copyright, etc…  I joined the professional group SCBWI (Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators). Like any new adventure I had a huge learning curve, but I was up to the challenge. In many ways I thought that would be the challenging part of all of this, but it wasn’t. My biggest challenge was to put myself out there and believe in my work. I hesitated because I don’t have an art or journalism background, but in life sometimes you have to take a leap of faith and go for it! I am so happy I did.

Are there certain themes or ideas you prefer?

Life! I like to keep things simple. I really enjoy writing about animals and the outdoors. My books are what I consider a list book. Something happens at the beginning of the story (a problem) and then the character goes through a list of things and then at the end there is a surprise solution.

I also like having an educational piece to my books (it must be the teacher in me). Both of my number books have a counting chart at the end for children to practice counting 1-10 and in my new book, Who Will Be My Friend? I have two pages set aside at the end of the book so children can learn facts about the different woodland birds they read about in my story.

What book(s)/author(s) have influenced your writing and how?

There are soooo many, but Lois Ehlert is the one who has influenced me the most as an author and illustrator. I meet Lois years ago at a national reading conference. I’ve meet many authors and illustrators in my teaching career but when she spoke about her work, it sang to me. I absolutely love the colors in her books and the way the shapes are put together on a page and so do children. Other authors and illustrators are: Eric Carle, Clive McFarland, Leo Lionni, Holly Berry, Todd Parr, Mo Willems, Jan Brett. The list could go on and on…

What are the most important elements of good writing and/or illustrating?

I have spent many years teaching young children to write. During the writing process I teach them that you can only write about what you know, how you feel and what you have experienced in life. I feel this is so true, even for adults. All of my stories come from my life experiences of things I have done and hold dear in my heart. I think the most important elements in writing is that you are passionate about what you are writing. If you are passionate that will come through in your writing. As for illustrations, I think color, color, color is sooo important. Young children love color. I also feel it is very important that your illustrations should tell the story, especially for young readers that are looking for clues in the illustrations to help them read.

Talk about revising and/or suggestions about revising for upcoming writers.

I love revising! I love looking at a story from different perspectives and from every angle once it is written. I call it “playing with the story”. I’m looking for the best fit for the story and what makes sense. When I think I’m done I let it sit on the shelf for a while (could be a week or two or sometimes more) and then go back to it. I don’t rush a story, I let the story evolve. When my story is resting on the shelf that doesn’t mean I have totally forgotten about it. I’m experiencing life and looking for other connections or details that I missed or could be added. Don’t be afraid to take a break from your writing, sometimes I think clearer about a story when I’m away from it.

What's one additional piece of advice about writing or publishing you'd like to pass on to readers and writers? 

Don’t wait! If you have the passion to write or illustrate just start! If you are enjoying what you do it will show!

Nonfiction Monday

Tadpole to Frog by Camilla de la Bedoyere introduces this subject by answering the question “What Is A Frog?” From there, the text provides an overview of the life cycle and an expanded exploration of Frog development from a basic description of mating to egg, to tadpole and the mature frog. A general look at the life of a frog includes an interesting discussion of hibernation.

True to the series concept, the text is readily accessible for children and accented with illustrations featuring crisp, up-close photographs, and clearly labeled diagrams. Notes for parents and teachers provide related activities for further exploration. A glossary and index complete the 24 page paperback book.

GOODREADS Giveaway

October is National Pit Bull Awareness month.
To celebrate, I'm holding a GOODREADS Giveaway for my book. The giveaway ends October 22, National Pit Bull Awareness Day.

Meet Monty 

A remarkable rescue dog with an international following. From his guardians to his doctors, Monty's loving spirit captures hearts with an I-can-do-it grin and a wagging tail.

See the sidebar to enter now.

GoodReads Giveaway

October is National Pit Bull Awareness month.
To celebrate, I'm holding a GOODREADS Giveaway for my book. The giveaway ends October 22, National Pit Bull Awareness Day.

Meet Monty 

A remarkable rescue dog with an international following. From his guardians to his doctors, Monty's loving spirit captures hearts with an I-can-do-it grin and a wagging tail.

See the sidebar to enter now.

Nonfiction

Explore Light and Optics! by Anita Yasuda is chock full of information for young minds. A timeline tracing the history of optical science from the 130 CE book, Optics, by Claudius Ptolemy to the anticipated 2018 launch of the James Webb Space Telescope opens the book and along with an introductory discussion to answer the question “What are light and optics?”  

Written for ages 7-10, the “STEM” friendly text is easy to read, with thoughtfully structured chapters, links to primary sources, and questions to prompt further investigations. Colorful illustrations provide informative visuals. Sidebars highlight “Words to Know” and give thumbnail biographies of scientists such as Kepler, Galileo, Ritter, and Kao. Twenty-five projects engage budding scientists with plenty of hands-on activities. 

Writers Wednesday

Welcome to my interview with Rosalie Laureman.

Lauerman’s passion for discovering little-known stories from history is clearly on display as she relates the extraordinary tale of courage and determination shown by the Continental soldiers through the winter of 1779-1780. Valley Forge is a familiar name, but Jockey Hollow defined an even greater depth of suffering for the men who answered the call to fight for American independence.

Jockey Hollow: Where A Forgotten Army Persevered To Win American Freedom is well illustrated with photographs, drawings and maps. A Gallery of Heroes provides thumbnail biographies of the main characters. There’s a brief discussion of the Morristown National Historical Park followed by a timeline, Places to Explore for additional information, Additional Reading, and Credits and Bibliography.

When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

As a preschooler, I treasured my The Pokey Little Puppy book.  I daydreamed about writing stories of cuddly little puppies—until life got more serious.  After I retired from a career in banking and municipal government, plus successfully raising two boys (whew), I returned to my childhood daydream and wrote articles for Highlights and Cricket magazines.But wanting to choose the subjects I wrote about, I dived into writing my first book, Jockey Hollow. 

What did you learn about yourself in the process of writing?

When I started working on Jockey Hollow, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed researching and learning more about history. As a teenager, I thought that history was just a boatload of names and dates to be memorized. But now I think of history, especially the history of the American Revolution, as a series of amazing events, enormous sacrifices, and heroic acts. Digging deep into resources and finding remarkable, little-known but true stories became my passion.

What do you do when you are not writing?

My husband and I enjoy road trips to museums, galleries, and National Parks. The best trips include visits to our kids and grandkids in Pennsylvania and Texas, where a Yahtzee tournament might erupt. An avid reader, Alexander Hamilton is currently on my bedside table.In addition, I enjoy theater, tennis, and hockey—more watching than doing. And I’m constantly on the lookout for new crafts to introduce to my grandkids.  Fortunately, there seems to be an endless assortment of origami patterns.

Briefly, what's your book about?

Jockey Hollow spotlights how the tenacious Continental soldiers persevered to win America’s freedom during the Revolutionary War despite supply shortages, cruel winters, treason, mutiny, worthless Continental dollars, and more.

What led you to write the book?

When we lived in New Jersey, we were neighbors with Jockey Hollow Park, a unit of Morristown National Historical Park.  During visits to the park, I frequently heard visitors say that they didn’t know anything about this Revolutionary encampment. I wanted to change that so I wrote Jockey Hollow’s story.  I’m passionate about sharing this under-told story with all readers, especially today’s young readers.

What would you like readers to take from it?

Enjoy history! I hope that readers feel renewed pride in America when they read about the heroic Revolutionary Soldiers who fought and sometimes died to win America’s independence. Maybe they’ll empathize with Sergeant Joseph Plumb Martin’s feelings after winning the Battle of Yorktown, “I felt a secret pride swell my heart when I saw the ‘star-spangled banner’ waving majestically in the very faces of our enemies.”

What are your current/future projects?

Right now I’m working on a collection of little-known stories from World War I.  I’m also looking ahead to a biography of a colorful, imperfect, Revolutionary War officer whose courage was legendary.

What is your writing process? Do you follow a regular routine?

I find that maintaining a regular writing routine is impossible if you live outside a monastery.  When I have a block of time I dive in and don’t stop until I’m interrupted. First I write new material—while my mind is clearest—then I revise yesterday’s work, and next I research for tomorrow’s work.  Meanwhile I’m always looking for quotes, images, relevant websites, sidebar material, and other trimmings.

Soldiers huts and the Wick house in Jockey Hollow National park.

What challenges did you face in researching and writing Jockey Hollow? 

Tracking down accurate details of rare stories and quotes was a major challenge.For example, I came across a brief mention of a 10-year-old Continental soldier while researching.  A 10-year-old soldier, WOW! I wondered if I could include his story in a sidebar. I talked the staff at Morristown National Historical Park about where I might find more information about this child.They referred me to St. Nicholas, an Illustrated Magazine for Young Folks, a monthly newsletter published in 1884. I was able to find a volume of reprinted copies of St. Nicholas in a nearby university library. The four-page article, “The Youngest Soldier of the Revolution,” was a goldmine of material. It gave me all the facts I needed for the sidebar in Chapter 2. It’s hard to top the thrill a nonfiction writer gets from uncovering a great story like this.

What book(s)/author(s) have influenced your writing and how?

Authors and historians, Ron Chernow, David McCullough, John Ferling, and Thomas Fleming inspired me to use primary source quotes to create lively characters.Children’s writers, Russell Freedman, Dennis Brindell Fradin, and Gregg Mierka influenced my word choices, sentence structure, and what to leave out when talking about battles.Their work reminds me, too, that authors shouldn’t skimp on back matter just because they’re writing for children.

What advice would you offer aspiring nonfiction writers who have an interest in historical topics?

Let your heart choose your subject. If you’re passionate about your subject and want to learn more about it, writing will be easy. Let the characters speak for themselves with primary source quotes. Take time to search for the best images to bring the narrative to life. Be prepared to revise;the reward will be a better manuscript. Use heaps of sticky notes when you’re researching.  My research books have sticky notes fluttering all around the outer edges.

Talk about the importance of providing additional material such as the timeline, websites, teacher resources, additional/advanced reading, and bibliography.

The additional material at the end of the book is intended to give readers opportunities to expand on what they read. For instance, the “Timeline” section in Jockey Hollow helps readers understand the order of events during the war. The“Additional Reading” section offers more in-depth information and insights into people and events that are talked about in the book. “Websites to Explore” enhances the book’s content through videos, photos, virtual tours, maps, and interactive games. Some of the websites are also physical museums or parks where readers can walk in the soldiers’ footsteps. Also, I’ve been told that teachers appreciate “Resources for Teachers” because these sources offer unique classroom materials and programs related to the American Revolution. The“Credits and Bibliography” section lists sources that were used while writing Jockey Hollow. This section works as a road map for readers and writers to find additional material related to the Revolution.

What's one additional piece of advice about writing or publishing you'd like to pass on to readers and writers?

I imagine the Jockey Hollow Soldiers would say that if you persevere, you will succeed.  Sounds like good advice to me; I spent years researching and writing Jockey Hollow.

Anything else you'd like readers to know about you and/or your book?

When you have time, I invite you to visit my website at www.rosalielauerman.com. While you’re there, click Books+ and learn how a hilly forest in New Jersey became known as Jockey Hollow.

Jockey Hollow awards:

·         2016 IPPY Bronze Medal for Best Mid-Atlantic Region Nonfiction

·         2016 Pinnacle Book Achievement Award in the category of United States History.

Nonfiction Monday

Acorn to Oak Tree by Camilla de la Bedoyere is a lovely introduction to the basic concepts of botany and terms such as leaves, stem, roots, trunk, branches, and bark. Plant development is explained through a step-by-step look from the autumn germination of an acorn, to seedling, sapling, and ultimately to a mature tree. Discussions include tree rings, growth rates, male and female flower parts, acorns, seasonal changes and ways in which oak trees provide resources for animal life and timber consumers.

True to the series concept, the text is readily accessible for children and accented with illustrations featuring crisp, up-close photographs, and clearly labeled diagrams. Notes for parents and teachers provide related activities for further exploration. A glossary and index complete the 24 page paperback book.