Endpapers

Our illustration mentor this year is Penelope Dullaghan, and in addition to the mentorship she will be offering a 2-hour webinar on pattern making for book endpapers. From concept to creation, Penny will guide us through what makes an endpaper pattern visually engaging and demonstrate a live session in photoshop — although you can of course use any program or just regular old pencil and paper, the basic concept behind it remains the same. 

There are so many different ways to tackle endpaper design!  Since they are the first and last things a viewer sees when they open and shut the book, it’s a great way to introduce a theme or overall feeling, a silly joke, or just a bold pop of color to really set the story off on the right foot.  They are able to be a little more bold than the cover -- which of course has to go through a massive design process with many people weighing in from marketing, sales, editorial, and the art department. 

Jen and I pooled our picture book collections and found some really neat examples we thought would inspire you. To be honest I often overlook the endpapers, and so was surprised and delighted by the ones that I found. Take a look at your own collection when you have a moment, I think you will feel the same as I did.

—Katie Eberts (SCBWI-MI Co-IC)

The webinar with Penelope Dullaghan, From Concept to Creation: Pattern-Making for Children's Book Endpapers, will be Wednesday, November 6, 2024 from 7:00 - 8:00 pm (ET). Registration will be open October 21-November 5.

Katie Eberts, Michigan Co-Illustrator Coordinator, received her BFA in Art & Design from the University of Michigan with a concentration in watercolor. Her debut picture book, Hush-A-Bye Night written by Thelma Godin, was published by Sleeping Bear Press in March 2023.  She is based in Cedarville, Michigan.

Book Birthday Blog with Tracy Bilen

 

Welcome to SCBWI-MI's Book Birthday Blog!

Where we celebrate new books from Michigan's authors, illustrators and translators.

 

Congratulations to Tracy Bilen on the release of Thirty Seconds at a Time

 

 

How did you come up with the idea for your book?

I remember reading an article about a murder via car explosion in small-town Michigan and how the victim was involved in something no one expected. I no longer have a car explosion in this book, but I kept the idea of a murder victim being caught up in something no one would have imagined. And then I set it both in Michigan and at a boarding school in Vermont. 

What inspires you to write? 

I love books and TV shows with cliff-hangers (like James Paterson books or the TV show Prison Break). So I like to write that sort of breathless what’s-going-to-happen-next type of books. And then once I feel like I know my characters, I love losing myself in their world. 

What is something you hope your readers will take away from your book? 

This early reviewer on Goodreads summed it up perfectly: "The story starts with heartache but slowly, it makes it's way through healing, resilience, friendship, love and most importantly, closure."

What are your marketing plans for the book and where can we find it?

I made a book trailer, used Book Sweeps to build my Amazon followers and e-mail list, and plan to try a Book Bub ad. Thirty Seconds at a Time can be found at most online retailers (Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Bookshop, Books-A-Million) in hardcover, paperback, and ebook.

What's next for you? 

I'm currently working on a romantic thriller for teens set in Paris.

More about the book . . . 

Kate’s dad was a cop. And now he’s dead. Killed in a random shooting in the quiet suburb of Maplewood, where random shootings never happen.
 
Before he died, he gave Kate a piece of paper and left very explicit instructions: Don’t read it. Don’t show anyone. Burn it.
 
But when Kate discovers a quarter of a million dollars her dad hid inside her guitar case, she discovers his secret. Her dad wasn’t just a cop. He was also a thief.
 
The last thing Kate ever promised her dad was that she wouldn’t tell. Not her mom. Not the cops. No one. So when her mom takes a job at a ski academy in Vermont, Kate hides the money and tries to forget.
 
Kate is more than out of her league at this mecca for competitive skiing—she doesn’t even know how to ski. That is until Ryan, the school’s shining star, takes her onto the ski slopes and skis off with her heart.
 
Just as things are heating up on the slopes, the past hits Kate like an avalanche. Random accidents are becoming commonplace and the people she cares about are being hurt. When a mysterious package arrives with a reminder to stay quiet, Kate and Ryan are forced to search for answers with the only clue Kate has left: everything she promised her dad she would forget.

Publisher: BHC Press 

More about the author . . . 

Tracy Bilen writes romantic thrillers for young adults. She is the author of What She Left Behind (Simon Pulse/Simon & Schuster) which VOYA called “truly a remarkable story of resilience.” Her second novel, Whisper (Mirette), was named a Notable 100 Book in the 2021 Shelf Unbound Best Indie Book Competition. Tracy’s new release, Thirty Seconds at a Time (BHC Press) hits shelves on October 8.
 
Tracy is a high school French teacher in Michigan where she lives with her husband, children, and mini Bernedoodle. She studied at the Sorbonne in Paris and loves biking, traveling, and red velvet cake.

Website: https://tracybilen.com/

X: https://x.com/i/flow/login?redirect_after_login=%2FTracyBilen

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tracybilen/ 

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ya.author.tracy.b?_t=8pP6NAbaQX9&_r=1

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tracybilenbooks/ 

 

 

The Language of Horror

Interview with David Hoffman, co-publisher of THE QUIET ONES
By Anita Fitch Pazner

As favorite months go, October hovers pretty near the top of my list. The pumpkin spice lattes, the apples, the cider, the cool, breezy evenings filled with bone-chilling horror movies always remind me that I am, indeed, truly alive. To be totally honest, my idea of a horror movie is Hocus Pocus with Bette Midler and Sarah Jessica Parker. I love the humor/horror more than the afraid-to-close-my-eyes and hide-under-the-covers type of horror. Psychological thrillers are another story all together. Especially when they come in the form of a fabulously written book. How do they build all that tension? Make me sit on the edge of my seat? And how can I apply that to my own work in progress?

I don’t have time to tear apart and reconstruct wildly successful horror novels. Lucky for me (and SCBWI-MI) we have the perfect remedy.

David Hoffman, founder and co-executive editor of the online Horror Magazine THE QUIET ONES, has agreed to present a one-hour webinar where he breaks down the bones (crunch, crunch) of writing horror from deliberate word choice to the subtle building of tension and expectations, while tightening scenes and creating complex characters.

David was nice enough to answer a few questions about his e-zine, submission opportunities, and what to expect from his upcoming webinar.

 

Q: Let’s start with the question on everyone’s mind. What takeaways are you hoping attendees will leave your presentation knowing?

A: First and foremost, the language of horror is a set of tools that writers of any genre (and for any age group) can--and should--use to enrich their work. How to use those tools will also be discussed. We're going to be talking about using the tools as much as the tools themselves.

Q: Who can benefit from studying short stories—specifically short horror stories?

A: Everyone, truly. Short fiction - be it short story, flash fiction, or narrative poetry and verse - is all about the economy of language. The more you restrict your word count, the more you are forced to realize how much each word matters. Short horror has the added stakes of having to frighten and unnerve while also telling a complete story. Word choice is of paramount importance as each word must do double duty. This isn't exclusive to horror by any means. Writing longer fiction shouldn't allow an author to get lazy with their word choice. Much like we crawl before we walk, and walk before we run, if we learn to write short before we write long, our storycraft can only benefit.

Q: Tell us about THE QUIET ONES.

A: THE QUIET ONES launched in late 2021. It is a literary e-zine focused on short-form quiet horror and intimate dystopian tales; small-scale, atmospheric fiction and poetry.

Q: Why did you and co-editor Emily Young decide to start the e-zine?

A: I recall three key motivations when we first discussed it back around the holidays of 2020. The pandemic was still fresh. We were both feeling isolated, scared, and looking for escapism. Most of all, we were looking for something to do. Something new. Something we could pour ourselves into to distract from the chaos of COVID lockdowns and social/political chaos.

The first question I think we asked while looking for this magical something to do was: what can we do? Around that same time, there was some heated discourse in the writing community - especially around speculative fiction - regarding gatekeeping. Rightfully so, more and more voices were rising up to challenge the stranglehold that straight, white, cis-gendered male authors held on genre fiction, awards and, most of all, ability to publish. We've come far these last few years in breaking down those gates. More and more, we're seeing people from underrepresented communities find traditional and self-published success and recognition. Just a few years ago, those numbers were much lower, and Emily and I hoped to contribute, in a way that we were able, to boosting writers who didn't have a platform. So, we created a platform. It was all born from our individual love of particular genre fiction, COVID isolation/social unrest, and a desire to be part of the solution when it comes to breaking down walls that prevent all voices from being heard.

The third motivator was our friendship. Emily and I have known each other for ten years. We went to grad school together. We've slugged it out together through the query trenches trying to find our own way into that big publishing world. When we finally started talking about carving our own way in, we immediately knew that we weren't going to keep that way in to ourselves. And we trusted each other to hold up the end that we each knew we couldn't carry alone.

THE QUIET ONES has led us to some great things these last three years. We've seen authors who published for the first time with us later publish traditionally with major book houses. We've seen others win notable awards like the Horror Writer's Association Bram Stoker Award. And while the zine itself hasn't earned any formal accolades, we have seen our submission pool and our readership grow from hundreds to thousands, and we know from our web statistics that we are reaching writers and readers all over the world. That's a great feeling.

The process also helped us reach major writing goals of our own. I've begun shopping around my (non-horror) picture books and have one on sub right now. Emily recently sold her debut YA novel, A (Dead) Thing Like Me, and is set to launch with Holiday House in the summer of 2026!

Q: Can anyone submit to THE QUIET ONES? If so, how do we submit?

A: Yes, anyone can, and we encourage everyone to do so! Our submission guidelines, as of 2024, are outlined in detail on our website: wearethequietones.com. We open in the summer every year for our annual October issue. Writers are encouraged to send us their work in the form of a Word Document to our submission box. Decisions are made within a month or two. Our most recent issue received over 400 submissions from writers in countries all over the world; The US, Canada, UK, India, China, Japan, and Zimbabwe just to name a few. We rely on a talented group of submission readers to help us narrow down the field as we look for the pieces that best suit the issue we're aiming to produce. I'd like to take a moment here to acknowledge those readers by name. They are: Neidy McHugh, Kyle McHugh, Alexis Powell, Harper Stuart Villani, Jay Whistler, Thomas Shimmield, Marianne Murphy, and Aileen Johnson.

And yes, we take submissions from anyone with a passion for writing. We do have guidelines regarding word count and content. For example, we prefer work that minimizes gore. We don't consider works that feature animal abuse, harmful representation, or hate speech. We also do not accept works in translation.

Q: Are you currently accepting submissions?

A: We are presently closed for submissions as we prepare our 2024 release for this October. We open again in the summer of 2025. Please check our website at wearethequietones.com for exact dates and mark your calendars! We look forward to having the opportunity to read your stories.

Q: Do you accept different types of horror stories? If so, what type of stories? (YA, Middle-grade, humor/horror)

A: We consider all age ranges and sub/fusion genres. Romance, science fiction, comedy - as long as it's also primarily either horror or dystopian.

Q: When will the next issue release?

A: Our annual issues come out on the last Thursday of October. So, as fate would have it, our upcoming issue launches Thursday, October 31st, 2024. Halloween Night!

Q: Do you have a favorite issue of THE QUIET ONES or a favorite author or story you would like people to read?

A: Every issue is packed with incredible fiction, poetry, and nonfiction features like Elizabeth Zarb's incredible essay on queer representation in Frankenstein (from our October 2021 debut issue), and interviews with trail-blazing authors like A.S. King and Nova Ren Suma. It's hard to pick a favorite issue, and just as difficult to pick pieces to highlight. Marianne Murphy's Puppet and Frederick (Oct '21), Taylor Jordan Pitts' Skin Grafts (Jun '22), and April Yates' Connection Lost (Oct '23) have each garnered notable praise from our online following at the times of their release. But I encourage you to download every back issue of THE QUIET ONES and find the pieces that speak to you. Our catalog is FREE to download in PDF format for easy reading on most devices.

 

Registration for the Language of Short Story Horror webinar opens October 7. 

Anita Pazner, Co-RA has been an active member of SCBWI for over two decades. She earned an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from the Vermont College of Fine Arts and a Master Gardening degree from Michigan State University. Her debut picture book, The Topsy-Turvy Bus, released in March of 2023 and introduces kids to alternative energy sources like used veggie oil. Her second book tackles the topic of non-violent protests for an older audience as a novel in verse. It releases in 2025. Anita has presented at The Michigan Reading Association, The Association of Writers & Writing Programs, the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, and local SCBWI-MI Area Shop Talks. In a publishing world full of constant rejections, Anita is a testament to never giving up. 

Book Birthday Blog with Michele Beresford

 

Welcome to SCBWI-MI's Book Birthday Blog!

Where we celebrate new books from Michigan's authors, illustrators and translators.

 

Congratulations to Michele Beresford on the release of Leviathan Jones and the Sea Witch: Part 1

 

 

 

How did you come up with the idea for your book? 

When I was about eleven, I started dreaming of characters who would come and tell me their stories. A favorite English teacher recommended that all of our class that year keep a journal by our bed so we could write down anything we felt was important before bed. I started writing down the stories that characters came to tell me. I’ve continued to do this throughout my life. For Leviathan Jones and the Sea Witch, it was Brody who first came into my dreams and told me of a boy who needed his story to be told.

 

 

What is something you hope your readers will take away from your book? 

As I wrote and then later illustrated this book, I came to see that this wasn’t just a book about good hearted robots and a boy. This story is about what a real family looks like. That’s what I want my readers to understand. This graphic novel is the first of 3 books that, on the surface tells a story of an epic sea adventure. As readers follow along, Leviathan is chasing this idea about what family is ‘supposed’ to be. He comes to realize that Brody, Grogan and the robots have shown him the meaning of friendship, loyalty and love. He sees that Brody may be made of metal but he would do anything for Leviathan. Families come in all shapes and sizes and colors and circumstances. It’s the love that counts. That’s what I hope readers will understand at the end of the series. 

What inspires you to write and illustrate? 

Since 2009, I have written other genres of books under a pen name. When Covid sent everyone into lockdown, my grandson, Finn inspired me to invent a rhyming game. We played it so much that it eventually became the book, Huggy, Muggy Do. Finn and I are listed as co-authors on that book. Since that book, I’ve found that I like telling stories for children of all ages. To get back to the question, what inspires me? I guess you could say this new generation in my family does. I also have a love of painting and drawing. Writing children’s and tween books lets me enjoy that part of me as well as an illustrator.

What are your marketing plans for the book and where can we find it? 

Leviathan Jones and the Sea Witch: A Graphic Novel Part 1 will be exclusively available as a printed novel through my website www.micheleberesford.com. The ebook will be available for Kindle. I usually publish all of my books with a very wide reach. This is my first graphic novel and I am hoping to do some book signings and meet my readers. Since I’m also the illustrator, I’m offering to do a drawing workshop featuring the characters from the book with every book signing. 

What's next for you? 

I am already working on drawing book 2 in this series. I hope to release book 2 for the summer of 2025 and then the final, third book will be available for Christmas/Yule of 2025. Since Leviathan Jones and the Sea Witch is also a novel, I am writing the sequel to that book which I hope to release in early 2026. Then, more graphic novels will follow. 

More about the book . . . 

The only thing that Leviathan Jones has known is a lonely life within Nautilus Castle. He’s been given the highest room in the tower away from the royal family. The townspeople whisper of secrets and the mysterious boy. Some say Leviathan is royalty. After all, he has a faithful robot, (Brody) just like the rest of the royal family. Some say the boy is dangerous; maybe even a sea monster.
 
Leviathan’s life changes overnight when a mystical package arrives addressed to him, followed by the song of mermaids. It will take an army of insect robots to help Leviathan escape the castle, retrieve the strange package and take the first step to knowing who he truly is. 

Publisher: Beresford Media and Barefooted Friar Publishing

More about the author . . . 

Michele Beresford is the author of several children’s books including, Huggy, Muggy Do, Mr. Kiwi: Trouble With Mr. Mow-It-All and Leviathan Jones and the Sea Witch (novel). When she isn’t writing and illustrating, she is a harpist and music teacher. Michele lives in Michigan with her family and her mysterious, black cat Gigi. She often leaves cake and tea out in her garden for the fairies (just in case) and loves to collect moonbeams in a jar during her evening kayaks.
 
https://micheleberesford.com/

Instagram: WriterHarpist

 

 

 

Book Birthday Blog with Julie Darling and D. J. Cools

 

Welcome to SCBWI-MI's Book Birthday Blog!

Where we celebrate new books from Michigan's authors, illustrators and translators.

 

Congratulations to Julie Darling and

 D. J. Cools on the release of 

Little Computer Scientists and 

Little Hackers

 

 

How did you come up with the idea for your books?

 D. J.: That was all Julie! Her vision for bringing computer science concepts to life for kids in a unique, inclusive way drew me in from the beginning.

Julie: This series was initially inspired by the Chris Ferrie STEM for babies, board books. When those first came on the market, I thought — these are fabulous! It made me curious how this idea of vocabulary and sophisticated concept building, for littles, could be combined with diversity and inclusion.
 
At around the same time I was reading some troubling research indicating that gender stereotypes start at ages 4–6 and can negatively impact girls' interest in computer science and engineering. Most computer science curriculum doesn’t start until age 8, because that’s what’s developmentally appropriate for the content taught. However, if you wait until age 8 to foster an interest in computer science, you’ve already lost a lot of your girls. We know that representation matters across the board, so we purposefully developed the 3-book set with a girl-heavy, diverse cast of characters.
 
The companion guidebook also provides a teaching resources for parents or educators, linked to the complete set of K-2 Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA) standards. As a school librarian, I was also able to seek input about the picture book protagonist, character design, from my students (they universally loved Zuri’s rainbow shirt), and field test the games, activities and songs in the guidebook. 

What is something you hope your readers will take away from your books?

D. J.: I hope readers will come away from reading our books with a strong sense that computer science and the wonder of technology is available to everyone. And that it’s fun, useful, and sometimes, even magical. 

Julie: Same. That computer science is for everyone. It’s creative and  powerful. It’s a tool that can make things more interesting and exciting.

Will you walk us through your creative process working together?

D. J.:   After reading through Julie’s manuscript, I immediately began imagining what it would be like to ‘fly’ through the story, almost as if I could hitch a ride on a drone to zip around the characters as they interacted in their environment. It was an interesting challenge to come up with a concrete way to visualize abstract concepts in story form…
 
I shared first thumbnails, then black and white roughs, then ink, then color with Julie. We discussed (and revised) character design, visual angles, backgrounds, and details every step of the way. It was truly a team effort. 

 

Julie: I started with a rough sketch of an idea for the books, knowing that my picture books would need a thoughtful, talented illustrator. When I saw D. J.’s work, I knew he’d be a good fit for these. D. J. gave me feedback on my writing, throughout the drafting process. In return, I provided feedback for the illustrations, based on my own design thoughts, and input from my students. Although we did have a few compromises I’ve been delighted with the results. I feel like the books capture exactly what I had envisioned.

What inspires you to write/illustrate? 

D. J.:  I am inspired by more things than I can count! Since my earliest memories I have been drawing and creating visual artifacts, and my environment and media exposure at any given time played a huge role at every stage of my artistic development. Early on, I was deeply influenced by 1960s and ‘70s book illustrations, as well as animated Disney movies and vintage cartoons. Later, the drama of comic books and anime colored my work.
 
I draw, write, and create as a way of understanding the world and processing my feelings and new information I encounter. I am moved by so many things in life, and I am wildly curious about everything. I treasure and nurture this sense of wonder about the world, about people, the whole cosmos—and I express that through many artistic outputs.

Julie: I’m inspired by my students and my daughters. I contemplate what I can put out into the world that is fun, inspiring and helpful, for them. 

What's next for you? 

D. J.: I am revising a stand-alone novel and working on a three-part Solarpunk book series. I am also making (slow) progress on a few picture books and forever attempting to get better at making art in general.

Julie: Good question! I have a few tech-infused projects in the works. Lately, I’ve been immersing myself in A.I., teaching educators some effective uses for these tools. At the same time, I've been thinking about the question — what happens if the A.I. gets out of control. It feels like right now we’re barely holding it by the tail. Exploring that would make for an interesting, albeit perhaps terrifying, YA novel. 

More about the books . . . 

Little Computer Scientists 

Beautifully illustrated and engagingly written, Little Computer Scientists is a whimsical exploration of computer science concepts for kids! Join a group of amateur coders as they work in binary, debug code, use HTML to build a website, and even create a LAN to game together. Using a captivating story and a diverse cast of characters, this picture book will introduce children to pertinent vocabulary and essential concepts needed to inspire an interest in computer science. 

Little Hackers

When Grandpa’s computer falls victim to malware, it’s up to Zuri to save the day! Using an engaging story with beautiful illustrations, this picture book makes it easy to introduce your child or student to basic computer science concepts and vocabulary. While being entertained, children will learn the difference between black, white, and gray hat hackers, how to identify malware, how to create secure passwords, and more!

Embark on a delightful exploration of computer science and ethical hacking concepts through the eyes of a precocious young child! 

Companion Guidebook: Supporting the Development of Computer Science Concepts in Early Childhood: A Practical Guide for Parents and Educators provides a solid understanding of computer science that sets your early childhood learner up for success!

The guide provides ways to introduce vocabulary, games to reinforce concepts, and printable activities that help early childhood learners understand computer science in an engaging, age-appropriate way.

This comprehensive guide covers the foundation of computer science (integrating the Computer Science Teachers Association K-2 standards) and includes information about binary, ciphers, using the command line, programming languages, sequencing, the basics of how computer systems and networks work, what hacking is, how to avoid phishing, and how to be a good digital citizen and stay safe online. 

Publisher: Routledge

More about the author and illustrator . . . 

Julie is a teacher/librarian from Michigan. She has a Master of Science in Information from the University of Michigan and is a Raspberry Pi certified educator. Julie’s been a featured speaker at a variety of conferences and events including ISTE, A2 SummerFest, CSTA's National Children’s Book Week and the Make:cast podcast. When she isn’t working in the library or writing, Julie likes to read, hike, explore new technology and spend time with her family, two cats, and one dog, who also thinks he’s a cat. 

Website: https://authorjuliedarling.com/ 

X: https://x.com/julielibrarian

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorjuliedarling/ 

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/authorjuliedarling.bsky.social 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorJulieDarling 

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@authorjuliedarling  

 

D. J. grew up in rural Washington State and used to be a car mechanic. He studied under Victoria Jamieson (Roller Girl, When Stars Are Scattered) and co-founded a picture book summer camp for middle school students. He was a Featured Illustrator on The Mitten blog and occasionally volunteers with 826 Michigan and YpsiWrites. When D. J. isn’t designing at his day job, he likes to mountain bike, read, run, write spooky fiction, and spend lots of time with his beloved, adventurous family.

Website: https://darrencools.com/

X: https://twitter.com/darrencools

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/d.j.cools/

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/darrencools.bsky.social 

 

 

 

SCBWI-MI Illustration Mentorship 2025 FREE Webinar

What: SCBWI-MI Illustration Mentorship 2025: Understanding the Changes, and How to Apply

Date: Wednesday, October 16, 2024

Time: 7:00-8:15 p.m.

Registration fee: FREE! 

We’ve been talking about the upcoming illustration mentorship for months now, but with all the other amazing opportunities our region offers, we thought it might be time for a reminder. 

Join Mentorship Coordinator Jay Whistler for a FREE webinar about the upcoming illustration mentorship. Jay will explain how and why the mentorship has changed, discuss the new features and guidelines, talk about getting ready to apply, and share the mentorship schedule. There will be plenty of time for questions as well. If you can’t join us, the webinar will be available to watch on your schedule until the end of the registration period, currently scheduled for January 2-17, 2025.

This is a great first step if you are considering applying. In November, you can attend a webinar with our mentor, Penelope Dullagan, in which she walks you through creating endpapers for picture books. It will be a good way to see how Penny teaches and decide if she is a good fit for you and your illustration goals. 

For more information about the webinar, click here. 

To learn more about the mentorship, click here.

Jay Whistler is the current Mentorship Coordinator, and the author of two middle-grade books, an adult short story, and a soon-to-be-published YA short story. In a previous life, she was an acquisitions reader for three literary agencies, a submissions reader for several literary journals, and a college writing instructor for 16 years. Though currently on hiatus, she is also a developmental editor for other authors. 

Learn more about Jay here.

 

 

Book Birthday Blog with Katharine Mitropoulos

 

Welcome to SCBWI-MI's Book Birthday Blog!

Where we celebrate new books from Michigan's authors, illustrators and translators.

 

Congratulations to Katharine Mitropoulos on the release of Let's Work Smarter

 

 

How did you come up with the idea for your book?

I came up with the idea for Let’s Work Smarter during a school visit for my first book, Ready… Set… Frog! While working with a student, I asked how we could work smarter, not harder. The student responded, “what does that mean?” In that moment I had an idea for a story about our friends on Harmony Lane working together to complete a task, and discovering what it truly means to work smarter in a clear and relatable way.

What inspires you to write?

My children inspire my writing. When they encounter a topic or life event that needs more explanation or encouragement, I often help them through storytelling—and sometimes, I even write these stories down!

What is something you hope your readers will take away from your book?

I hope readers will gain realistic ideas for how to work smarter, not harder, in their daily lives. As parents, we are all busy with never-ending to-do lists. I aimed to provide simple examples of how to incorporate the book's concepts into everyday life and highlight why they benefit both kids and adults.

What are your marketing plans for the book and where can we find it?

This book will be available on amazon and our website: https://www.setsailpress.com/

We are also having a big launch party on Saturday, September 21st at 1:35pm at The Detroit Shoppe, Somerset Collection. All are welcome!

What's next for you?

After the release I will be touring Michigan elementary schools and participating in library visits.

More about the book . . .

Frog and his friends from Harmony Lane are back for another adventure! When the town playground needs fixing, the group struggles to complete their tasks. With guidance from their team leader, they reassess their approach and discover the value of time management and creative thinking.

Publisher: Set Sail Press

More about the author . . .

Katharine Mitropoulos dreamed of writing children's books when she was young but never found the courage. Her journey as an author began later in life after degrees in psychology, linguistics, and speech-language pathology. While working as a speech-language pathologist in schools, ideas for stories started flooding in. Once she got married and had two children of her own, she found herself crafting bedtime stories and dream prompts. One day, she wrote down one of those stories, and that's when Harmony Lane Adventures was born. In her spare time, Katharine loves to build furniture in her woodshop, eat ice cream with rainbow sprinkles, and run road races all over the state. 

Instagram: @setsailpress