Remembering Katena Lafkas Presutti

How Many Lives are Touched? Remembering Katena Lafkas Presutti

Compiled by Charlie Barshaw

On Dec 31, 2024, at 11:46 AM, Diane Telgen wrote:

Hello, Michkid friends,

I’m very sad to share the news that my dear friend and longtime SCBWI-MI member, Katena Lafkas Presutti, passed away this weekend. I first met her through SCBWI over 20 years ago, when I joined an Ann Arbor critique group she had founded. Katena was a dedicated writer and a wonderful cheerleader, and I’ll miss her very much. I’m attaching a link to her obituary, which contains details for her funeral service.

Katena Lafkas Presutti (photo supplied by Diane Telgren)

Katena attended many Michigan conferences, and hopefully many of you were lucky enough to meet her. https://www.tributearchive.com/obituaries/34252241/katena-lafkas-presutti


Diane Telgen
Chicago (formerly of Canton, MI)


Anita Pazner wrote:

Many SCBWI-MI members remember Katena as a quiet force to be reckoned with. Her kindness, humor and twinkling smile always added so much to any gathering or conference. She had a gift for making everyone feel special and like a member of her family.

Katena and I had an instant connection when I joined her Ann Arbor critique group many, many years ago. We were both only children and whenever I had a chapter I wanted read but not picked apart—Katena was my go-to reader. 

She found the beauty in everyone’s words. She would comment on a particularly well-written phrase or enchanting description. I always enjoyed hearing what she saw in my manuscripts. She was a devoted friend and gracious host, opening her home to her critique group and providing traditional Greek treats, coffee and hot tea to everyone who visited.

One thing I know I gained from Katena is confidence in my work. She was a gifted writer who worked diligently on her manuscripts but always made time to help others. Reading chapters from her historical fiction novel was never a chore. Her characters jumped off the page with heartwarming details and emotional resonance. I’m only sad her work was not published during her lifetime. She was one of the good ones and she’ll be missed.
 

Anita Pazner


also Anita:


There were so many of us who had their lives and their work enriched by knowing Katena. I am one of many. She was kind and helpful with a wicked-quick sense of humor. May we all live up to her expectations and the example she set.


Natalie Aguirre wrote:

Natalie Aguirre

I was very fortunate to have known Katena for over 20 years and to be in her critique group for over 10 years. I so agree with everything that everyone has said about her. She was a wonderful person and a talented writer. She was dedicated to her writing until near the end of her life, even when she was dealing with the challenges of John's declining health, his death, and her move after he died. And she was receiving possible feedback from an agent on her current submission. I know our critique group will feel a terrible hole in our hearts and our group without her there, as will I.


My heart goes out to all of us missing her.


Natalie Aguirre
Literary Rambles

Ruth Barshaw wrote:

Big hugs, Diane. Thank you for letting us know.
Katena was a beautiful lady. I too remember her from events back in the days when we met often.
I didn't know she liked competitive ballroom dancing! That is so intriguing.
And, doesn't 80 seem young these days? It does to me.

May all who miss her feel her inspiration.
May all who love her feel her love.

Let's keep creating. We don't know how far our influence carries.

For those who can't easily follow the link at the moment, here is the text for her obituary.
-----------------------------------------

Katena Lafkas Presutti sadly passed away at the age of 80 on December 29, 2024. She was born on July 25, 1944 to George and Matina Lafkas.

Katena was born and raised in Ann Arbor, Michigan. She graduated with an Associate Degree from Cleary University. Soon after, she explored living in New York and Connecticut, where she met her husband, John. They married on September 27, 1992, and decided to settle in Ann Arbor. Katena started her own headhunting firm and worked hard at recruiting executives from all over the country. She was an active member of St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, where she joined the Philoptochos Society, and participated in various ministries.

Katena’s two passions in life were competitive ballroom dancing and writing. She prided herself on being the founder of a writer’s group in Ann Arbor. Katena was an avid writer who loved writing fictional novels that were loosely based on her family’s real-life experiences. She also enjoyed traveling, cheering on the U of M football team, and watching reality TV, especially Dancing with the Stars.

Katena is survived by her stepchildren, John (Cheryl) and Lorraine (Matthew) Levey; grandchildren, Linus, Naomi, and Shaina Levey; godchildren, Stephanie Janet Hayes-Jackson, Andrea Coffman, Chrisoula Pefkaros, and Sharron Michos; many cousins, nieces, nephews and friends. She is also survived by her dear friend and caregiver, Julie Torres, and longtime best friend, Pauline Skinner.

Katena was preceded in death by her husband, John Presutti; her parents; and her beloved cat, Gracie.

A funeral service will be held on Friday, January 3, 2025 at 11:00 am with visitation beginning at 10:00 am at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, 3109 Scio Church Road, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48103. Burial will follow at Bethlehem Cemetery, Ann Arbor, Michigan.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be sent in Katena’s honor to St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church at 3109 Scio Church Road, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48103 or made online.
------------
Love and peace to you all.

<3 Ruth
Ruth McNally Barshaw
www.ruthexpress.com

Lori Eslick wrote:

Diane, I am very sorry to hear of your loss, all of our loss.
Safe travels home to Katena.
This is a small community. Hold each other close.

All good things,

Lori McElrath Eslick

Kristin Lenz:

I was lucky to know Katena too. She was always interested in our individual projects and so supportive. I think I might have first met her at one of Shutta's summer gatherings 20 years ago when I was new to SCBWI.

She came out to cheer me on at one of my book events in Ann Arbor many years ago. Being a new author, I didn't know that we were expected to sign/write only on the title page. I wanted to write her a longer note, so I used a different page and the bookseller tried to stop me! But of course, Katena told her she didn't mind, and I finished my appreciative note to her.

Thank you for sharing, Diane. Much love and comfort to you and Katena's family and friends.
Kristin
--
Kristin Bartley Lenz
Writer, LMSW Social Worker
Author website


Betsy McKee Williams:

Thank you, Diane, for posting this sad news. I am glad I got to meet you at Katena's funeral service, and so glad to have been in her critique group for years. Katena was a wonderful and supportive friend, a great commenter, and a great writer. I too hope to see her novel on bookshelves someday.


Paula D’Addona

I first met Katena about nine years ago. I was a member of her critique group. We often met at her house. Katena welcomed everyone and made them feel like family. She hosted critique group holiday dinners until Covid hit and we met on Zoom.

Katena sent encouraging emails when anyone in our group was going through a difficult time. I appreciated that and could feel her love and prayers.

Katena gave thoughtful and positive critiques. Her suggestions were given in a way that made you grow in your writing, but never made you feel down about yourself as a writer.

In my time with Katena, much of her writing was kindled by her Greek heritage. Whether it was a New York romance, or a story inspired by her grandfather coming to America, she was proud of her heritage.

The final time I saw Katena was last summer at her husband’s funeral. Though her health had not been great, she greeted everyone in her usual loving way, making each of us feel special.

Paula D'Addona


Kim Bartosch

I met Katena in 2018 or 2019—my memory isn’t as sharp as it used to be, so I’m not entirely sure of the exact year I joined her writer’s group. I was introduced to the group by Betsy Williams after meeting her at an SCBWI Shoptalk in Ann Arbor. My first meeting was at Katena’s house, and I’ll never forget how warm and welcoming she was. She was such a gracious host—so kind and thoughtful—and she made me feel right at home from the very start.

Being part of Katena’s writer’s group gave me the opportunity to read her young adult romance and her middle-grade novel based on her grandfather’s journey from Greece to America. Her writing was always rich with beautiful descriptions—I could vividly picture the settings in Greece and New York City, almost as if I were there myself. And her food descriptions! The way she wrote about Greek dishes made me crave every delicious meal she mentioned. I even teased her once that she should write a cookbook.

Beyond her talent for description, Katena had a gift for giving writing advice in a way that made you want to improve—not just for yourself, but because you wanted to impress her with your next revision. She inspired me, and I know she did the same for so many others.

One of my favorite memories of Katena is our last Christmas celebration at her home with our writer’s group. She made the evening so much fun—her warmth and joy were truly infectious. We spent the night laughing, sharing stories, and simply enjoying each other’s company. It was a wonderful time, and I’ll always cherish that memory.

Meeting Katena and joining her writer’s group was one of the biggest reasons my book got published. Her support, along with the encouragement of the rest of the group, helped me shape my YA paranormal mystery, Ask the Girl, into its best form. With their help, I was able to win the writing competition I entered—an achievement that ultimately led to my book being published with Woodhall Press. 

Katena’s advice and encouragement during the revision process kept me going, pushing me to tackle every edit and rewrite with determination. I’ll always be grateful for her belief in me.

Katena would be overjoyed if Neko were published. This middle-grade novel was so close to her heart—it told the story of her grandfather, who, at just 12 years old, fled an abusive father in Greece, boarded a ship to America, and found a way to survive on the streets of New York City in the late 1800s. She poured so much passion and hard work into this book because she deeply wanted to share his journey. I truly hope her family finds a way to publish it. If they do, I have no doubt she’ll be doing backflips in heaven.

also from Kim Bartosch:


I’m going to miss Katina and her beautiful smile so much. My heart is broken losing such a wonderful friend and critique partner. When I moved to Michigan, she, Todd, and Betsy welcomed me into their critique group with open arms. I’ll always be grateful for her friendship, guidance, and the chance to be part of her writing circle. 

I really hope her family will consider publishing her stories—she’ll always live on in my heart, but it would be so special to see her legacy continue in her work. My favorite was her MG about her grandfather who came over from Greece.

Jay Whistler:

Jay Whistler

I met Katena at one of my first SCBWI-MI conferences over 20 years ago. From the moment I did, I could tell she was a special person who saw the good in everyone around her and always had a kind word. She was soft-spoken and quiet, but she was anything but meek. 

At that same conference, she and I were in the same peer critique group. She listened to comments people made, observing. At last, she would offer her thoughts, focusing on aspects no one else had addressed. 

It was my first conference, so I didn't have a lot of experience with critique groups. She was quite astute, as I came to learn over the years, and I can still picture her in that first group, her back to a giant picture window, just the barest hint of a smile on her lips, as if everything she was hearing were somehow the most important words she'd heard all day and she was privileged to hear them. 

Katena attended many conferences over the next two decades, and I always made a point to say hello. She was a calming presence during a chaotic weekend.

In 2016, I attended the novel intensive at the Boyne Retreat and was once again in a group with Katena. Everyone at our table was an amazing writer, and we all received wonderful feedback from one another. 

The group got along so well, one of them decided to keep us together as a critique group in 2017, and then we held our own retreat in the spring at the Gilchrist Retreat Center near Three Rivers, Michigan. We wrote during the day and came together in the evenings to critique, share writing prompts, talk about books, and revel in all the creative genius around us. 

I got to know Katena even better through this critique group and the retreat, and I will always be grateful for that because she showed us all what a truly special woman she was, what a huge heart she had, and she made us all feel like our words mattered. Hers certainly did, and I will think of her fondly whenever I hear her name.

Jay Whistler also wrote:

Diane, thank you for such a lovely remembrance of a lovely soul. I was fortunate enough to be in a critique group with Katena for a while, and she was a generous, kind, thoughtful, and encouraging member of our group. 

Her story was filled with a pride for her family roots, and you could tell it was the novel of her heart. I only wish it had wound up on bookshelves for everyone to experience.

Jay Whistler

Diane Telgren:

Diane Telgen

I first met Katena through SCBWI in 2002, when I was seeking a critique group after moving back home to Michigan. SCBWI matched me with Katena's group in Ann Arbor, and I quickly learned to value her feedback. 

Not only was she thoughtful and clearly dedicated to her writing, she was kind and supportive. 

We remained in the same monthly group for ten years, cheering each other on as we built our novels chapter by chapter or got feedback at the several SCBWI-MI conferences we attended together. She remained a valued critique partner even after I left Ann Arbor, and always ended every phone call with, "I know you're going to get published some day. Your work is just too good not to find a home." 

I always believed that Katena would find success, as well, for she was so dedicated to improving her novel based on her grandfather's experience leaving Greece and coming to America. Katena's community meant a great deal to her, whether it was her family, her Greek community, or her writing friends, and I will miss her wise insights and loving generosity.

Diane Telgen


Shutta Crum:

Katena was a student of mine when I was team teaching creative writing with my husband at Washtenaw Community College way back in the early 1980s. She was attentive and very interested in improving her writing.

Katena became a regular member of the Friday Follies, often sharing her writing from the prompt given that day.

I think she would be proud of the fact that she brought so many people together through her generosity and friendliness.

Shutta also wrote:

Ok, no. Katena was an old soul. Always urging others on. She was a student of mine many years ago. Thank you for letting us know Diane.

Shutta Crum

Betsy McKee Williams

Many years ago, Katena co-founded the critique group which I've been part of for the past ten years. We often met at her house. Katena was the most gracious host, always offering us food and drink, coffee or tea or something cold, and Greek treats. We'd sit around her dining room table and help each other improve our writing.

Katena was a wonderful critique partner. Her comments, written in her very distinctive handwriting, were always both helpful and kind. She asked good questions. She was a great cheerleader for us as well, constantly encouraging each of us, supporting and believing in our work.

Katena was a great storyteller and a fine writer. I have read large parts of her two novels in progress, which drew on family stories and her Greek heritage. She worked on those novels in our group and at SCBWI writing retreats. I wish she had been able to finish them. Her loss reminds me to 'write like I'm running out of time.'

I miss Katena.

Our group misses Katena.

Betsy McKee Williams

Writer Spotlight: Darcy Pattison

 

New Mexico, homeschool, revisions, Publish, Mim's House, and quilts: Author, presenter, and publisher Darcy Pattison

Charlie Barshaw coordinates our regular Writer Spotlight feature and interviews writers of SCBWI-MI. In this piece, meet author, writing teacher, and publisher,  Darcy Pattison.

You were born the fifth child of seven on a ranch in the hills of New Mexico. Your upbringing runs like a “thread through much of what I write.” How so?

Coming from a large family means I had independence at an early age. It was impossible for my parents to keep track of everything that every child did every minute of the day. Choosing a career as a writer draws upon that independence as I choose what to write about and how to write about it. I’m also aware of family dynamics in a story, how siblings and parents relate to one another. My daddy was a cowboy—a real cowboy—and my mom tried wild ideas to earn money. I think I still have that attitude of working hard to earn something.

You were always a reader, but it wasn’t until you were homeschooling four children that you began to write. The advice was: if you wanted to teach children how to write, you must write in front of them. What else did homeschooling teach you?

Homeschooling taught me children’s literature, as I sought out the best books for my kids. I loved the teaching of Charlotte Mason who said that literature can teach kids in rich and diverse ways.

It also taught me that there are many ways to live out your life and values. 

I started homeschooling at a time when it was questionably legal. I went to legislative committee meetings to lobby for new legislation to allow us to homeschool. 

Once approved, I still faced years of people asking me why I was homeschooling. It helped clarify my goals for homeschooling, while also helping me see that there are many options. Later when I chose to indie publish, I think the homeschool experience gave me courage to move forward.

In a bio blurb, it’s mentioned that, before you were ten years old, you came within 20 yards from summiting the Continental Divide.  The reason you didn’t: you didn’t have the necessary gear to scale the last vertical yards. Did you climb the mountain just because it was there?

Ha! I climbed because my older brother said we should. The Continental Divide was right in our back yard, less than a mile from our house. I think HE did it simply because it was there! But I did it because I was told to—until the last bit was just too steep, and I turned back. I’m joking about the necessary gear!

In the same paragraph, it’s mentioned that your bucket list included kayaking off the coast of Hawaii, and eating curry in Mumbai. Still on the list? Is there anything more you’ve added?

Yes! I’d still love to kayak the NāPali coast of Hawaii. We were there years ago, but it was the wrong season because the winds and waves were too high. I’d love to go back. And yes! I’d love to eat curry in Mumbai. This year, we traveled a lot, spending a month circumnavigating Colorado (and climbing a 14-er, a mountain over 14,000 feet tall), and then a couple weeks in Czechia and Poland. Traveling, seeing new places and meeting new people, is an important part of my life.

When a student complained they didn’t know what to write, you’d tell them to write that they don’t know what to write, over and over again. Very soon, they’d find something more to write. “Words breed more words,” you said, and you use the same technique on yourself. You’ve got more than 70 books out, so it obviously works. Why is that?

I taught Freshman Composition for about seven years and that strategy—just write something!—worked over and over. These were intelligent young students who had thoughts, just no courage and confidence that they could express themselves well. 

My job was to teach them to write a five-page essay with confidence and competence. When they handed in their first essay, it was common to hear them comment that it was the best thing they’d ever written. Duh! It was the only time they’d ever revised ten times!

We did five in-class hand-written revisions, and then they had to go home and type it up. That essentially was another revision, though they didn’t realize it. So, a total of ten revisions. 

Their daily grades were a check mark: they either did the revision and had a typed version or they didn’t. By doing revision that targeted one, and only one thing at a time—opening, closing, using great verbs, writing complex sentences, or using sensory details—they could focus on strengthening one thing at a time.

I’ve learned to do the same thing: write something, then revise. 

Sometimes, I still do targeted revisions. For example, I might look at the timeline of events and work to get that straight. But my subconscious mind always works on the whole piece. 

I think it’s a good trick: give your “left-brain” something to do to stay busy, while your “right-brain” takes over and does the real job of revision. The left brain is happy: Hurrah! I got the timeline right. And the right brain is happy: Hurrah! I used a great phrase to connect the opening and conclusion, and by the way, did you hear the language I used here?

In 2014, you were at a career crossroads. You’d published eight books with traditional publishers over a decade. What was your Eureka moment when you embraced independent publishing?

September 2025

I turned 59. I realized that I didn’t have an editor waiting with bated breath for my next book—and never would. I attended a master class on self-publishing and realized that I had to decide. Either quit. Or bring books to market myself. I came home and drew a line in the sand and bought 1000 ISBNs. I was committed.

Then, I put my head down and worked for five hard, wonderful years, publishing books that I loved, just because I loved them. When I finally looked around, I had over twenty books published and a thriving career: starred reviews, NSTA Outstanding Science Trade Book awards, and more.

I’m actually a hybrid author and think that every book is a decision point for how to bring the story to the market. My default decision is that Mims House Books will publish my stories. 

But I also have three popup books with a small religious press, Dayspring Books, a division of Hallmark. Because the popup mechanisms are more complicated to produce, I’m glad to leave these to Dayspring’s expertise.

When laying the foundation for the success of a new indie publication, why are the cover and the metadata so important?

Amazon and other book distributors are, at their heart, just big search engines. Everything we do online depends on the search engines to deliver our books in their results. 

That means you MUST have engaging metadata. The cover, title, subtitle, description, # of pages, author bio, illustrator bio, ISBNs, formats, and so on will help the search engines figure out when to highlight your book, and for which readers. Without accurate, intriguing, interesting metadata—you’re sunk.

In an interview you once compared your career to that of Arnold Schwarzenegger. He followed The Terminator with Kindergarten Cop, and you wanted to do the same with your books. What was your Kindergarten Cop?

I loved looking at Schwarzenegger’s work and realizing that he had two tracks for his work: thrillers and comedy. For me, I love writing science fiction or fantasy. I considered that my main work. My Kindergarten Cop was the nonfiction science/STEM books. They have taken over my career and do much better than my novels. But I still write novels because they are my first love.

While doing your Schwarzenegger business model, you’ve managed to publish multiple books in a year. Do you have a routine for a “normal day”?

No! There is no normal.

You counsel writers, “Don’t let anyone steal your dreams.” Your novel THE WAYFINDER was traditionally published, but a follow-up novel was rejected and languished in your drawer for years. How did you finally resuscitate your dream?

THE WAYFINDER was my first legacy published novel (Instead of “traditionally published,” I prefer the term, “legacy published.”) But my editor left. How many times do you hear that? Too many. It’s rare for an editor to stay in one place long enough to build a substantial list of titles. I got caught in that change of personnel, and the replacement personnel wasn’t as interested in my work.

Still, I had the second book well under way. When I decided to indie publish (Instead of “self-publish,” I prefer the term, “indie publish.”), it was one of my first books to publish, THE FALCONER. The two stories were set in the same world, with the protagonist of the second book the granddaughter of the protagonist in the first book. It felt right to bring her story to life, too.

9-book Moments in Science series

When marketing your non-fiction books to schools and libraries, you realized that Amazon, although a giant in the self-publishing industry, was not the way to go. What did you find was the way to go?

Amazon is the elephant in the room and any marketing must account for it. However, there are many ways to reach teachers and librarians: great reviews, conferences, direct email marketing, review copies, speaking at schools, and more. Everyone can reach out to the educator market in many ways!

Tell us about your Shrunken Manuscript Revision strategy.

In the early days of my writing, I was poor. A friend sent her manuscript for review, and I didn’t want to print the whole thing double-spaced and typical font size because it would spend too much money on paper. So, I shrank it. I removed the double spacing, changed the font to about 9-point font, and removed the extra spaces at the beginning and ending of chapters. Suddenly, a chapter could be a single page. I could start to see the shape of the novel. The hardest thing about novels is their length. How do you keep everything in your head and remember how chapter one relates to chapter nineteen? The Darcy Pattison Shrunken Manuscript technique removed that problem. See this video for a full discussion of the technique.

You and author/illustrator Leslie Helakoski are partners in presenting picture book writing techniques. Leslie said that both of you were stuck in an airport after separately presenting at a Highlights workshop. Why are you such an effective teaching team?

I respect Leslie Helakoski’s books, her working style, and her writing style. We don’t agree on everything, but our goals are always to strive for excellence, while respecting an author’s personality, history, writing style and goals. When we teach together, I interrupt her to add a comment, or she interrupts me to add something. Because our goal is to help the students strive for excellence, the meshing of our teaching works. I am a better teacher because she challenges me and makes me think in new ways. I love working with Leslie!

Why “Mim’s House”? Is there a significance to the name?

Yes! My husband and I own a three-story Victorian house in the historic downtown Quapaw Quarter of Little Rock that we use as office space. When we looked at the house, I agreed to buy it if I could use the funny, weird attic space as my office, while my husband would use the rest as the office for his real estate appraisal company. In the Quapaw Quarter, they name the houses after the family who lived there in 1890. So our house is named the Mims House after the Mims family. I work in the Mims House; I am the Mims House publisher; Mims House is who I am.

You have a passion for quilting. I was going to call it a hobby, but you’ve won awards and been recognized for pieces you’ve created.  A writer friend also quilts, and I know from her experience that it takes storage and space to work. Unlike knitting, it’s not portable. When did you start? Do you have a dedicated quilting space? What do you do with the quilts you create?

Yes, I’ve had quilts in regional art shows, and one quilt on the cover of a quilting magazine. I have an unpublished manuscript about the history of quilting in the US, illustrated with quilts made by or for kids. Maybe I should publish that soon! I quilted until COVID hit, but somehow since then, I don’t do much anymore. Mostly now, I make books, not quilts.

Demonstrating the eclipse 2024

What’s next for Darcy?

Maybe I’ll revise that quilt history manuscript and publish it. In the meantime, coming in September is PUBLISH: Find Surprising Success Self-Publishing Your Children’s Book. For the last four years, Mims House Books has earned over $100K/year, a rare thing in our field. But I think there are many strategies and ideas that can help authors turn their books into a thriving career. I hope to help people draw their own lines in the sand.

 

 

Please include any social media platforms you’d wish to share:

IndieKidsBooks.com – blog about indie publishing children’s books

DarcyPattison.com – personal site

BlueSky - @darcypattison.bsky.social

Facebook – facebook.com/darcypattisonauthor

 

Book Birthday Blog with Dana D. Saugstad

 

Welcome to SCBWI-MI's Book Birthday Blog!

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

 

Congratulations to Dana D. Saugstad on the release of The Twelve Days of Yooper Christmas

 

Please share a little about this book's journey. How did you come up with the idea?

I took a class at University of Alaska Southeast called Alaskan Children’s Literature in Summer of 2018. The professor is one of my best friend’s moms too! It is a course for teaching about Alaskan history with children’s books. I moved back to Michigan in the Upper Peninsula (UP) for a little bit in 2021 and was looking for children’s books based in the UP. I wanted to learn more about the UP like I did about Alaska. I couldn’t find any. I looked at the adult section in the library for UP history but it wasn’t what I was looking for. During that summer of 2021 I was also working at Wild River Invasive Species Coalition as a clean boats clean water person at boat launches. There were many days sitting at boat launches with no boaters coming or going in the lake. I started writing ideas for children’s books based in the UP in a journal when sitting at the launches. The majority of this book was written at Six Mile Lake boat launch near Felch, MI.

What was the most difficult part of writing the book?

The most difficult part was just life. In the process of writing this book, I moved back to Alaska, got married, became pregnant with twins, became a new mom, started two different jobs, and moved back to Michigan. Emmalene Oysti, the illustrator for this book, was amazing to work with. She understood I sometimes would need to take a break on the project to wrap my head around what was going on personally.  Once back in Michigan, I worked at the local library branch. It has been a wild ride the last four years with lots of changes. I can’t believe it is actually happening! 

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

I hope readers will be inspired to create their own UP/Yooper tale. This could be a twist on a classic fairy tale or have a UP history fact come to life as a children’s book. I want readers to read this and think I could write a better Yooper twist tale. 

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

The book is being published by Mission Point Press based in Traverse City, MI. They have been a huge help with anything I need. I have used social media (Facebook and Instagram) to let people know. In the last few weeks I have contacted UP based bookstores, general stores and gift shops. I will be contacting the local newspaper and TV station in the next two weeks to let them know of the release date. I plan to have a Christmas in July Book tour this July as well. We will see how it all goes with my family and job as well. 

What's next for you?

I hope to write more children's books and hopefully a novel in the future. Deep down I would love to write contemporary fiction based on some of my life experiences. Some examples would be my summer jobs in college or being an intern in Alaska. I can’t believe some of the things I have done and I lived it! If anyone wants to help me write a novel, let me know. 

 

Looking for puffins.

 

More about the book . . . 

The Twelve Days of Yooper Christmas puts a playful twist on the classic Christmas carol, designed to delight children and families alike. Set in Michigan's unique Upper Peninsula (UP), this charming tale replaces the traditional gifts with fun and quirky Yooper-themed surprises, including one brookie, two ten-pointers, five beef pasties, eleven tip-ups, and more. Each page brings the spirit of the UP to life, offering a glimpse into the traditions and humor of Yooper culture. This book is perfect for kids who love the holiday season and enjoy learning about different places and traditions. Whether you're a Yooper yourself or simply curious about this special region, The Twelve Days of Yooper Christmas is sure to become a holiday favorite for years to come.

Published by: Mission Point Press

More about the author . . . 

Dana D. Saugstad, a librarian and educator, brings Michigan’s Upper Peninsula to life in her debut children’s book, The Twelve Days of Yooper Christmas. Originally from Scottville, Michigan, Dana returned to the UP after living in Alaska, where she fell in love with children’s books. Now based in Quinnesec, Michigan, she enjoys family time, nature walks, and audiobooks.  

Facebook: Dana D. Saugstad

Instagram: danadsaugstad 

 

  

 

Hugs and Hurrahs

Happy Spring, MichKids! Welcome to this quarter's small but mighty edition of Hugs and Hurrahs!

Jacquie Sewell is thrilled to announce that her book Whale Fall Cafe (Tilbury House 2021) has been selected for inclusion in Detroit Public Schools 2025 Local Authors' Panel, a collection of books by Michigan authors recommended by the DPS Curriculum and Instruction Committee. Whale Fall Cafe will be highlighted on their internal hub and website detroitk12.org as well as their social media.

We're so happy for you, Jacquie!

Rhonda Gowler Greene is excited to share she recently signed three new contracts with Little Shepherd Books, an imprint of Scholastic. The first two books will be board books illustrated by Lisa Alderson.

Mommy Loves Me: And God Does Too!    (coming March 2026)

Daddy Loves Me: And God Does Too!  

 (May 2026)

The Not-So-Silent Night: (subtitle - TBA) illustrated by Ana Nguyen  (Fall 2026)

Congratulations times three, Rhonda!

Joseph Miller was a finalist in the PBParty contest 2025 and snagged an agent: Katie Erickson at The Jennifer De Chiara Literary Agency.

Way to go, Joseph!

Congratulations, everyone! You're an inspiration to us all. Until next time, please send your good news to Alison Hodgson at aewhodgson@gmail.com.

Writer Spotlight: Wendy Booydegraaff

Young copier, SALAD PIE, the Michigan Triangle, Crowtoes Quarterly, and an audio book: author Wendy Booydegraaff

Charlie Barshaw coordinates our regular Writer Spotlight feature and interviews writers of SCBWI-MI. In this piece, meet author, poet, short form and non-fiction writer, and SCBWI Coordinator, Wendy Booydegraaff

MARVIN K. MOONEY, WILL YOU PLEASE GO NOW? A lesser-known Dr. Seuss title, was your first book, in that young author you copied the text in your own hand. Did you do your own illustrations when you made the book with your name on the cover?

I did! And they were beautiful in my memory. They differed from the original, non-plagiarized book. I used a lot of yellow. Ha! Perhaps copying is the first step in learning to write your own creative work?

I’m not an illustrator, though. Bryan Langdo made fabulous watercolor illustrations for Salad Pie, published in 2016. Ripple Grove Press sent me sketches early on and I was thrilled. At first, Maggie was wearing cute boots. In the final version she wore pink sneakers. I loved her when I created her with words, and I loved her more when Bryan brought her to life through illustration.



You call out three children’s book groups: SCBWI, Tara Lazar, and Kidlit 411. What’s your connection to each one?

Anytime someone asks me for advice on writing children’s literature, I point them in these three directions.

· SCBWI is the place where I met nearly all of my writer friends via meet-ups, conferences, or mentorships. These writer friendships have resulted in critique groups, social groups, and friendships. SCBWI is a connector.

· KidLit411 is an online resource and community founded by author Silvia Liu (who I met through an SCBWI mentorship program way back in 2014 when KidLit411 was just beginning) and Elaine Kiely Kearns who I haven’t met. KidLit411 is an entirely free resource with a searchable database of information. The affiliated Facebook group is a place to connect, ask questions, find critiques.

· Tara Lazar is a welcoming picture book writer with a popular blog that also has a wealth of information for free. Her expertise is in picture books. You can find prompts, craft advice, manuscript formatting templates, and also a community.

When my debut picture book Salad Pie came out, Tara Lazar was generous with her time and resources, posted a debut group notice for me on her site which had a huge following, sought me out to talk to me at a conference, and later a book festival, we both attended.

How did SALAD PIE, your picture book, come about?

SALAD PIE was inspired by my oldest daughter, while playing at the park. That’s where she said those words, “salad” and “pie” together, and I thought they sounded so unique and creative that I repeated them over and over on our walk home so I wouldn’t forget. Then she went for a nap and I started scribbling out the story.

I sketched out the action in a rough storyboard format (really rough) and wrote the text under each picture. Every time I went back to it, I still liked it, which was how I knew to keep working on it until it became a book.

You saved my Critique Carousel submissions two years in a row. I apologize for the extra work I caused you. I imagine you had to deal with more than one writer who sent too many pages, or made the synopsis way too long. Thanks for your service.

You’re welcome, Charlie! I love the Critique Carousel. Finding fabulous agents and editors is a highlight. And the people who submit work for critique are on the whole, a generous, kind, and respectful group. I enjoy the people, their questions, the organization of it. To set up an opportunity for professionals to sit with our work, to take time to comment on it is incredibly valuable.

You’ve got the Michigan chapter in the Haunted States anthology. It's your take on “The Michigan Triangle,” which, if it isn’t a thing, should be. Is this a legend you made up, or is there a coincidence of nautical events in the confluence of the Great Lakes? I see, upon further research, that indeed it’s the deepest part of the Great Lakes. And lots of nautical catastrophes. So, are you writing fiction or nonfiction?

The Michigan Triangle is a local legend, and is found in the deepest part of Lake Michigan, the points between Ludington, Benton Harbor, and Manitowoc, Wisconsin. Over 1500 shipwrecks have happened in that area.

My story is fictional, with the reality of all those shipwrecks adding to the horror element.

Big Sable Point Lighthouse—Haunted. Tell the story.

Big Sable Lighthouse in Ludington is said to be haunted by one of its keepers. Visitors report cigar smoke despite it being a no-smoking venue, and freshly baked bread despite no kitchen operating on site. Books hover in the air in the giftshop, shadows move.

When I visited, I didn’t experience those supernatural activities, but there was a definite eeriness to the place, especially at the tippy top when the otherworldly wind howled.

Choose Your Own Adventure.

I grew up reading these books. They were written in the second person and had multiple endings to choose from. I wanted to write something similar as an adult. “The Michigan Triangle” story in The Haunted States of America was inspired by the Choose Your Own Adventure series: the tone, the point-of-view, the sense of danger.


You specialize in short pieces, accrued some honors for some of that writing. You write poetry, fiction, non-fiction. You’ve been published in obscure journals and blogs, like Crowtoes Quarterly (a mid-grade publication). How do you find so many opportunities to get published? Are these paying gigs, or free copies?

The short form suits me. The containment of it. The spare nature of it.

I read many literary journals, follow several newsletters, substacks, and authors who mention these literary spaces. Duotrope, CLMP (the Community of Literary Magazines and Presses), the Pushcart Prize anthology are a few more sources. Reading is the best (and most fun) way of figuring out where my work might fit.

Payment varies, depending on the magazine. I’ve been paid nothing but contributor copies and I’ve been paid as much as $600 for a piece.

I write, revise, share with critique partners, and if I still like it, or think it’s ready, I send it out. I have a lot of work that isn’t ready, that might never be sent to an editor for consideration. I do have many pieces published. I also have many, many rejections which are part of this literary life.

You have a lot, and I mean A LOT, of periodicals, quarterlies, and journals, anthologies listed on your website. Like Maudlin House, the Worcester Review, the Dribble Drabble Review, Not Very Quiet. Want to tell us about a few?

In May of 2024, my short fiction was selected for a scholarship to Looking Glass Writers' Conference in North Carolina where I workshopped my work along with 11 other fiction writers in three days of sessions with Jason Mott, National Book Award winner of Hell of a Book. What an event!

Wendy and Shanna Heath
at Schuler's in G.R.

The journals you mention are all literary magazines that have a small but steady circulation. These are the places that nominate pieces for the Pushcart prize and other anthologies. I like reading the work they publish—it’s cutting edge. Many writers have been first published in these small venues. And I’ve been lucky to have work published in these places, too.


Readers interested in my publications can see a comprehensive list here, some of which are available to read for free online.



Teaching? I see you’ve got a Master’s in some sort of education/literary area. What’s your specialty?

I have a Bachelor of Science in Special Education which qualified me to teach special education and first grade for several years. I also have a Master of Education and a graduate certificate in Children’s Literature. I love school.

What’s next for your body of work?
On March 4, 2025, an anthology edited by Randy Brown, Midwest Futures: Poems and MicroStories from Tomorrow’s Heartland will be released, with one of my poems “The Day the Trees Retaliate” included. I also have a few short fiction pieces coming out in literary magazines.

Also, The Haunted States of America came out in audio book. “The Michigan Triangle” is narrated by Jennifer Pickens. My family gathered to listen to her read my story. Wow, it felt surreal, hearing my words, knowing they were my words, but having them performed by a professional who added nuance, humour, and auditory depth.

The audio book

Please list any social media platforms you care to share:

www.wendybooydegraaff.com

@onlybooyskies.bsky.social