Friday, March 15, 2024

Writer Spotlight: Jeff Stone

Martial arts, homemade business card, five-house auction, and a black belt test at the Shaolin Temple: novelist Jeff Stone

Charlie Barshaw coordinates our regular Writer Spotlight feature and interviews writers of SCBWI-MI. In this piece, meet  middle grade writer and kung fu black belt Jeff Stone.

Many 70s kids were obsessed with martial arts movies and shows. We all recall David Carradine in Kung Fu. Which series or movies influenced young Jeff enough that he would pursue Kung Fu and Tai Chi throughout his life?

My parents were pretty strict about how much time they’d let me sit parked in front of the tv, so there wasn’t a specific series or movie that captured my imagination. I was just fascinated by any snippet of whatever random kung fu movie or tv show episode I managed to catch. Kung Fu featuringDavid Carradine was definitely one I recognized and was always excited to see, and of course anything featuring Bruce Lee.



 

When did you stop watching and start practicing martial arts? Was there an incident or instructor that changed you from a dabbling hobbyist to a lifelong disciple?

I never got the opportunity to learn martial arts as a kid because the classes cost too much. I’ve been fortunate, though, to have played many other sports throughout my life, some at quite a high level. 

I didn’t take my first martial arts lesson until I was 30 years old. It was kung fu, and I’ve been hooked ever since—nearly 25 years. I no longer practice the kung fu system in which I earned a black belt, but I’m currently studying tai chi with a renowned master from Hong Kong.

Youve got a list of various jobs youve held over the years, including photographer, maintenance guy, ballroom dance instructor and concert promoter. Aside them all being jobs you found yourself doing, was there a common denominator to them?

I get bored easily. That’s why I tell kids that being a writer is a great vocation because you can constantly change the content you focus on while still putting food on the table. 

Once I found writing, or perhaps once writing found me, it became the common thread between jobs. In addition to writing and publishing fiction, I’ve held multiple corporate technical writing leadership roles, primarily in mechatronics

I’m currently leading a global team of nine technical writers in the creation of software documentation for autonomous warehouse robots. You just never know where writing will take you.

 

At one point, married with a child, you were let go from one of these jobs and at a low point. Your four-year-old daughter handed you a scrap of paper, calling it your new business card. On the paper the words, Daddy Write Books.” Was your daughters belief in you what gave you the courage to launch this long-shot career?

My amazing daughter’s belief didn’t give me courage, it gave me a desperately needed boost of life-sustaining energy, like strapping on an oxygen mask at high altitude. With her at my side, I was able to complete the climb. My son is pretty amazing, too.

 

You wrote Tiger, the first of a seven book Five Ancestors series. The manuscript went to auction, with a number of big publishers competing for the rights. Describe for those of us who dream of such an unlikely occurrence, what that experience was like.

It was surreal. There was a five-house auction: Random House, Penguin Putnam, Scholastic, Harper Collins, and Harcourt. I assumed the auction would be one insane day with my agent fielding multiple, simultaneous phone calls while frantically typing emails and calling me with updates. It wasn’t like that at all! 


It was glacially slow, taking nearly three months, like the world’s longest, lamest poker game. Every time one company made an offer, the hand was shown to all the others who then had to decide if they were going to fold, call, or raise. In the end, Random House made the most sense for reasons that went beyond the life-changing advance. 

Chief among them was the fact that they had a gaping hole in their list. Scholastic had Harry Potter, and most of the others already had an established middle-grade franchise. Random House did not. In their offer letter, the Random House team said, “We want Jeff to be our Lemony Snicket.” So, yeah, they won.

 

You were adopted by a loving family, but began a fifteen-year quest to find your birth mother. A week after you completed the manuscript for Tiger, you found her and reunited. Please paint for us how this real-life drama came to pass.

I won the lottery by being adopted by my parents. They’re the absolute best. At the same time, was always extremely curious about my genetic roots and my life before my parents picked me up at the orphanage. 

Long story short, after my 15-year search some laws changed in Michigan that allowed me to hire a court-appointed confidential intermediary, who in my case was a social worker with a private investigator’s license. I knew exactly where the records were housed, but I wasn’t allowed access to them because I was adopted during a time of closed adoption. 

I told the intermediary what I knew, and she found my birthmother in less than an hour. My birthmother enthusiastically agreed to a reunion, and the rest is a wonderful history that is still being written. If my birthmother had wanted anonymity, it would have been granted, and I’d still be searching.

 

Your Five Ancestors series features five orphan monks, residing and training at the secret Cangzhen Temple.  The temple is attacked and destroyed, and only the youngsters escape with their lives. They are now on a quest for survival and to uncover the secrets of their past. Was it eerie coincidence how closely your life mirrored those of your protagonists? Or fate?


No coincidence, I put my life into these books. I am the characters, and they are me. 

A prime example of this is the villain’s frustration over his name having been changed. I never realized this, but I had a different birth certificate. Every child born in a hospital in the USA is issued one. If they’re adopted, the name is changed, first name included. That hit me pretty hard. It hits the villain even harder. He’s also an orphan, and his name change is a key element of what drives him to become the antagonist. 

The name given to each temple orphan reflects their true nature—their animal spirit—and by extension, the animal kung fu style they study to mastery. Get a child’s name wrong, or worse intentionally change it, and you change who the child becomes.

 

Tiger (2005), Monkey (2005), Snake (2006), Crane (2007), Eagle (2008), Mouse (Mantis in the U.K. and Australia) (2009), and Dragon (2010) followed. What did it take to produce a middle grade novel a year? What was your writing routine?

It was brutal. My original contract was to deliver two novels per year. TIGER, MONKEY, and SNAKE were all released six months apart, but then I was unable to keep up that pace and thankfully Random House allowed me to shift to one manuscript delivered every 10 months or so. 

The books aren’t overly long as far as page count, but the plot in each is extremely dense, equating to that of books with 2-3 times as many pages. 

Also, I was doing 30-day book tours, dozens upon dozens of school visits,

School visit, Shanghai, China
conferences keynotes, media several times each week, and a million other things—all while being expected to write. Take a look at the Events page on my website and you’ll get partial glimpse of the madness. 

I had no choice but to write on the road in hotel rooms and on airplanes, which I hated. Don’t get me wrong, Random House never forced me to do any of this. I just knew how important these things were to keep the momentum going. It was my efforts OUTSIDE the writing that actually helped Random House decide to relax my deadlines. 

When I wasn’t traveling, I binge wrote at home to catch up. I rented an office a few miles from my house, and I would sometimes write 48 hours straight without sleep. I need absolute focus to do anything, writing included. I have no concept of what multitasking is.

 

Your wife was born in Hong Kong and fluent in several Chinese languages. But what kind of research did it take to accurately portray 1650 China?

My former wife and I had a traditional Chinese wedding ceremony in Hong Kong in the mid-nineties, and I returned to both Hong Kong and mainland China multiple times to scour many different temples and other historic locations that are far, far older than 370 years. 

I did my best to get the locations and day-to-day things as accurate as possible in my books, but the language is neutral and modern, which is why the stories work just as well today as they did nearly 20 years ago. 

The most complicated historic things to convey were time and measurements, neither of which can be translated directly into feet or meters or minutes or hours. Even the calendar was different, as you can see in the opening of each book: 4348—Year of the Tiger (1650 AD).

 

Then you started a new series, Out of the Ashes,” based in present-day America. Did it take some real effort to extricate yourself from Chinese history?

I wrote a present-day trilogy precisely because I wanted to extricate myself from historic China! Ha ha! Seriously. I was so tired of saying things like, The hole was as deep as a man is tall, or He stood an arm’s length away. 


Despite needing a respite, the trilogy wouldn’t be a Five Ancestors spinoff without some serious connections to the past. There’s enough history in the trilogy to meld multiple styles of modern bicycle racing with ancient kung fu. 

It may sound like a huge stretch, but it’s actually not. Kung fu is as timeless as it is all-encompassing. Kung fu literally means, acquired skill or accomplishment through effort.

 

All the while you pursued the rigorous training and discipline of Kung Fu. You tested for your black belt at the Shaolin Temple in China. That must have been exciting and nerve-wracking. What do you remember about this challenge?

I don’t remember anything! Ha ha! No joke. The test took well over an hour, and I honestly don’t remember one single thing. I was so in the zone

Kung fu black belt test, Shaolin Temple
When the test started, there were just the twenty or so black belts that I was traveling with, as well as a young woman from our association who tested along with me. When we finished, I came out of that hyper-focused tranced and saw close to a hundred spectators and five Shaolin monks! 

To be clear, I tested for my black belt at the temple, but the monks didn’t issue it to me. The style I learned is based in the USA, and the Grandmaster had a strong enough relationship with the Abbot of Shaolin Temple that our group was allowed to visit and I was allowed to take the test there, along with my co-tester. 

I wish I remembered at least a little bit! Thankfully, there are some pics. I do remember touring the temple compound after the test and also climbing the small mountain behind Shaolin Temple to visit Bodhidharma’s cave, which is at least something. I was so tired at the end of that day!

 

Your alma mater is Michigan State University. What major did you pursue? How did young Jeff Stones plans for the future line up with what happened?

I entered MSU as an engineering student and came out 3.5 years later with a bachelor’s degree in English/Creative Writing, and I also fulfilled all the requirements for a second bachelor’s degree in Journalism, plus I have a cognate in dance (long story). 

Additionally, I managed to squeeze in a six- month, full-time technical writing internship at General Motors Advanced Engineering Staff, which paved the way for ALL my writing adventures.

I’ve received accolades from the American Library Association/YALSA, International Literacy Association, Children’s Book Council, and many other organizations for my books’ ability to resonate with reluctant middle-grade readers. The truth is, it’s just clear, concise technical writing.

 

You were a writing coach and a college writing instructor. Is your writing success something you can teach others?

I still am a writing coach, but now it’s mostly mentoring the nine technical writers on my team at the W-2 gig. I also still occasionally do SCBWI critiques, which I’ve been doing for 20+ years. I’d teach or coach fiction more often, if I had time. 

As for teaching others writing success, I’d say, no. It cant be taught. Success is something you earn. You have to put in the work. You, and you alone.

 

Your last book was published in 2014. Finally, almost a decade later, the rights reverted back to you, and you had a plan. What is it? What does it take to become your own publisher?

Yikes! Answering this is a novel unto itself! Owning your own small press takes MUCH more work than I realized, especially since I’m doing everything myself. 

This includes typesetting, cover design, ebook programming, website creation, marketing, PR, sales, accounting, media relations, advertising…the list goes on. I’m fortunate in that I’ve done most of these things at one time or another in the 35 years I’ve spent in and out of corporate America, but lumping them together simultaneously is almost too much to manage. 

cover redesign by author

In my case, every function is 10X because there are 10 novels to re-release. It’s difficult for me to believe I’m saying this, but after spending well over a year slaving away, weeknights and weekends, TIGER was re-released on Amazon in early January 2024! 

The remaining titles are scheduled to release roughly every six weeks for the remainder of the year. The last one comes out on Christmas Eve! So. Much. Work. But absolutely worth it.

 

Please list any social media platforms you wish to share.

I’m currently knocking the rust off my socials, but I’m @jeffstonebooks everywhere. That would be FB, IG, X, and soon TikTok and YT. The place I’d most like to share is my website with its newsletter signup: www.jeffstonebooks.com.

 



Tuesday, March 12, 2024

Book Birthday Blog with Leslie Helakoski

 

 

Welcome to SCBWI-MI's Book Birthday Blog!

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

 

Congratulations to Leslie Helakoski on the release of When the Rain Came Down

 

 

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

I grew up on a bayou in south Louisiana where my family lived through many storms, one of them leaving 5 feet of water in our family home. WHEN THE RAIN CAME DOWN was inspired by those storms and Hurricane Katrina and Rita in particular. In the aftermath, everyone I knew had taken people into their homes. Everyone volunteered in some capacity, everyone spoke of before and after the storms and noted water marks that are still there today. The phrase, ‘When the rain came down and the water rose up,’ came to me when I was trying to write a story about neighbors.



At the same time I was working on RAIN, I had another idea involving hurricanes in a more whimsical way. GATOR’s BIG MOUTH is also about a storm displacing locals –alligators this time. It was inspired by a trip through the marsh after a hurricane. The storm damage made me wonder what happened to the alligators when their homes were destroyed.

What inspires you to write and draw?

The work of other artists and other writers inspires me all the time. Finding work I love and respond to, makes me want to do the same thing.

How do you approach the creative process? Plotter, panster or combination of the two?

I don’t consciously plot out picture books. I get an idea about a character or a problem and start writing about it. Once I have something down, I may do a bit of plotting to see what is missing or not working.

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

I’m lining up school visits and speaking at Michigan Reading Association this spring. There are many festivals and book fairs where I will promote the book. It will be available at most bookstores and online. You can get a signed copy or pre order from Book Bug, a great indie,  here: WHEN THE RAIN CAME DOWN

What's next for you?

I just sold a picture book to Putnam that will be out in fall of 2025.
And GATOR’S BIG MOUTH will release in April–you can pre-order it here:
GATOR'S BIG MOUTH

More about the book . . .

WHEN THE RAIN CAME DOWN is about the strength that arises when a community bands together to overcome immeasurable hardship. It was inspired by Hurricane Katrina and influenced by Leslie's personal experience living through rising waters on a bayou in south Louisiana. WHEN THE RAIN CAME DOWN follows the devastating effects of flooding and the enduring heart of the community.

Publisher: Farrar Straus Giroux (Macmillan)

More about the author . . .

Leslie Helakoski is the author and sometimes illustrator of 18 picture books. Her books like BIG CHICKENS and WOOLBUR are known for their humor and wordplay and have won many state book awards and starred reviews. Her recent title, ARE YOUR STARS LIKE MY STARS? was chosen as a best diverse book in 2021. Leslie served as Regional Advisor for SCBWI Michigan for 11 years and is now RA Emeritus. Each summer Leslie also runs the PB&J picture book workshop at the Highlights Foundation.

Facebook: Leslie Helakoski

Instagram: helakoskibooks 




 

Tuesday, March 5, 2024

Book Birthday Blog with Lisa Wheeler

 

 

Welcome to SCBWI-MI's Book Birthday Blog!

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

 

Congratulations to Lisa Wheeler on the release of Dino-Earth Day

 


The book is part of a series. What are the unique challenges or benefits of writing a series?

From the time I started writing for kids, I heard that you should never count on a series. When I wrote the first book (Dino-Hockey) it was a stand-alone title. But during the revision phase, I was asked to change the ending. I thought it would be fun to end the book with the promise of another season of sports—Dino-Soccer. After the revision was accepted, it occurred to me that it would be wonderful if they made this into a series. But I didn’t count on it.
 
It wasn’t until just before the release of Dino-Hockey that I was asked to consider writing Dino-Soccer.
 
I was thrilled! And then reality struck. I knew nothing about soccer. So, just like Dino-Hockey, I started researching.
 
Every one of the Dino-Sports books have gone the same way: excitement followed by terror, followed by research and the realization that yes, I can do this.
 
The first few books in the Dino-Holiday series were not research-heavy as I had experienced those holidays my whole life. But when asked to write Dino-Hanukkah and then Dino-Earth Day, I had to dig in, just like writing the sports books.
 
For Dino-Earth Day, I wanted to add lots of ways that kids could help clean up the environment. I went online and checked out books. Then, I had to narrow it down! I’m excited to add this book to my school visit programs.

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

Environmental issues are overwhelming. I want kids to know that they don’t have to solve the whole problem. They can help in small ways. Reuse shopping bags and water bottles.  Recycle bottles, can and glass. Plant gardens. Compost. Shop in thrift stores. These are just some of the ways I show the Dinos helping out.

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

Dino-Earth Day will be featured on #Seasonsofkidlit.com. I’m also planning to incorporate this book into my school visits, which always helps with sales. Of course, I’ll promote on my social media.

What's next for you?

This year I have 4 more My First Dino board books coming out. Spring 24 will bring My First Dino-Swimming and My First Dino-Boarding. Fall of 24 is when we’ll see My First Dino-Thanksgiving and My First Dino-Hanukkah. Then, in Fall of 2025, I have a title coming out with HarperCollins tentatively titled, It Takes A Family to Serve.

 


 


More about the book . . .

The world needs help to keep it clean.
It’s Dino-Earth Day. . .
Let’s go green!
These dinos take care of the environment all year long—especially on Earth Day! Today they’re cleaning up a park, planting trees, learning how to recycle and compost, and using their creativity to turn junk into treasure. Go green. . .dino-style!

Publisher: Carolrhoda/Lerner

More about the author . . .

Award -winning author, Lisa Wheeler is passionate about children’s books. “I love everything about them, including the smell!” She’s written over 55 picture books in prose and rhyme, an easy reader series, four books of poems, and creative nonfiction for the very young. “As far back as I can remember, I’ve been a rhymer. Wordplay excites me!” Lisa's newest books are Baby Shower, My First Dino-Swimming, Dino-Earth Day, and Someone Builds the Dream. Lisa is a local author from, Addison, Michigan. Check out her website at https://www.lisawheelerbooks.com/

Instagram: @littlelisais6

Facebook: Lisa Wheeler Children's Books 

 


 

Friday, March 1, 2024

New Series Idea: What I Wish I'd Kown

As members of SCBWI-MI, we are at different stages of our writing and/our illustrating careers. Some are you are well-known published authors and illustrators. Some of you may have just started out on your kidlit journey and joined SCBWI to find out more. And many are somewhere in between. But everyone was new to writing/illustrating at some point. And most of us have made mistakes or felt surprised along the way.

So, in the spirit of being able to look back at our past with humor and wisdom and sharing that hard-won wisdom with others, I'd like to propose a new series to be published here on The Mitten:

What I Wish I'd Known...

My hope is that you will look back at one of your firsts like your:
First submission
First shoptalk
First critique 
First conference
First portfolio review
First contest
First published article
First published book
First school visit
First fair or book-selling event

And share went right, what went wrong, and what you'd have done differently, or what you wish you'd known. These memories can be funny (I hope some will be!), sad, or optimistic (maybe you wish you'd known that something was easier or more fun than you expected!). 

Like usual, aim for around 400-600 words (but as anyone has read this blog recently, I'm not too strict in either direction if it takes more or fewer words to say what you want), include an image or two if you have them, and send your posts to me at: sarah.prusoff.locascio@gmail.com.

I hope to hear from you soon!

Friday, February 23, 2024

Attending a Multi-State Conference by Dave Stricklen

Hi, Dave Stricklen here, former SCBWI-MI Indie Coordinator, Grand Rapids Shop Talk Coordinator, and overall Michigan Shop Talk Coordinator. I’m here to talk about the upcoming multi-state Marvelous Midwest conference in Davenport, Iowa on April 12 through April 14. Many of you have already registered, have your hotel and are looking forward to it. I suspect there is also a large number who are on the fence as to whether the time and expense justify what you will get out of it.

 

I have attended several of these conferences and the popular saying is that this is a way for us to enjoy a large conference similar to the national conferences in New York and LA, without the long travel distance. Allow me to share my own experience and perhaps you can fall on one side of the fence or the other. My first multi-state conference was in Ft .Wayne. I was honestly overwhelmed by the number of attendees and the maze of classes on topics that I knew nothing about. So much to learn… 

 


Dave at the "carnival" at the multi-state
conference in Naperville, Illinois
Above and beyond the learning experience was interacting with fellow creative people. I came from a law enforcement management background. I was the lone outside the box creative thinker. Suddenly with this group, I was thrown in with people with like minds. Coming from a sports background, I am also very competitive. However, in this instance, I learned very quickly that we are all on the same team. Each of us make the other better…. we are truly much stronger together.  

 


I found the entire experience to be empowering. You cannot underestimate the power of like minds coming together. The conference is a gold mine of inspiration, thoughts and ideas. When we are inspired, we can run with our passion for new concepts or ideas and build on them.

 

In our new world of zoom, a face-to-face meeting has greatly increased in value. Yes, there are advantages to zoom in connecting people from vast distances. However, nothing can take the place of sitting down and having a conversation with other writers. 

 

Friendships are built from face-to-face interaction. I am the same guy who walked into my first conference somewhat overwhelmed. Conferences have made me part of the SCBWI writer community. I have made many lifelong friends, all of whom I met face to face sharing a cup of coffee and a funny story (writers are the best storytellers). Zoom may have kept us together, but it’s time to see each other person to person and shore up our creative relationships. The value of getting writers together in the same room cannot be understated. I always leave with my creative batteries fully recharged.

 

For more about the Marvelous Midwest Conference April 12-14, click here: https://www.scbwi.org/events/marvelous-midwest

 




Friday, February 16, 2024

Writer Spotlight: Lisa Wheeler

 

Rejections, Dino-Sport research, the worst one, and puppet arm: prolific picture book writer Lisa Wheeler

Charlie Barshaw coordinates our regular Writer Spotlight feature and interviews writers of SCBWI-MI. In this piece, meet  writer, presenter, puppeteer Lisa Wheeler.

The “About” section of your website is what turns out to be a harrowing story of No Thank Yous. 225, at least. Surely, or don’t call you Shirley, you’ve turned some of those oft-rejected stories into real published books?

The Young Lisa in the "About" story was nothing if not tenacious. Did Young Lisa have 225 book ideas? Or did she send her one idea to 225 people?

I’ll answer both questions here, Charlie.

The 225 rejections were for many stories going out to many publishers. Back then, my ideas came hard and heavy. I followed all of them! I didn’t know what I was doing. I threw things at the wall to see what would stick. In other words, I did everything wrong.



For instance, desperate to be published, I read an interview where an editor was looking for foreign adoption stories. I decided to write one, even though I knew nothing about adoption, let alone foreign adoption. (Easy to see why my rejections piled up!)

I kept writing what I thought publishers wanted instead of listening to the voices in my head.

One morning, as I got myself and the kids ready to go out the door, I heard/saw this pirate sitting on my shoulder, whispering in my ear. He told me his tale.

I had fifteen minutes before I had to leave for work. I jotted down as much as I could. I thought about it all day and took notes. Returning home, I went right back to it. I wrote a 350 word story about a pirate who got lost. I submitted it to Jack and Jill Magazine and it was my first sale!

What did I learn? Stop listening to what you think editors want and start listening to yourself.

Unfortunately, I had a hard time taking my own advice and it was another 3 1/2 years before I sold my first picture book.

BTW, I still get more rejections than acceptances. I don’t keep count anymore.

 

How much do you have to get into the wrestling weeds when wrestling (boarding, basketball, football) is the topic of your next sport-in-series volume?

Good question! Each of the Dino-Sport books took research. I am not the most athletic person. I know! Shocking isn’t it?

I spend about six month researching these books.

I start by reading. I buy or check out NF  kids’ books on the sport or holiday. (We’ve been doing Dino-Holidays for a few years now.) Non-fiction books are helpful in choosing words that are commonly used in the sport. They also point out rules and all the pertinent information I need to write a play-by-play.

I watch lots of YouTube videos of games. When I can, I attend actual sporting events. (I prefer watching kids play, of course.)

I speak to experts on the topic. For instance, when researching Dino-Hockey, my cousin’s hubby read through the manuscript to make sure I got the hockey terms and play-by-play right. He’s played hockey for well over 20 years and loves the book.  For Dino-Dancing, I sat in at a dance studio for three practices. I asked the kids and instructors questions about different steps and styles of dance.

I also research the sports online. My kids were swimmers, but I couldn’t recall the exact order of events. When I researched it, I found they were pretty similar across the board, but could change depending on the school, ages of swimmers, and other factors.

Most recently, I got help from two SCBWI-MI members. Lerner was adamant that I write Dino-Hanukkah as the sixth book in the Dino-Holiday series.  Buffy Silverman and Lisa Rose were kind enough to answer a questionnaire about their own personal traditions. I also sent one to my niece’s family, who are Jewish. Then, the Lerner crew looked over my first draft, asked for revisions, and we all worked together to make sure the book was sensitive and that I didn’t mess anything up. It was totally a team effort!

Are all your book titles traditionally published?

Yes. When I started out, self-publishing was expensive.  (I knew a gentleman who paid $40,000 to have his book published!) We didn’t have that kind of money and I also knew that I really wanted to get that YES from a publisher. So I persisted and guess what happened? As I continued writing and wracking up rejections, my writing improved.

I’ve thought of trying out independent publishing for some of the unsold titles sitting in my computer. But I am not a marketing person and I get tired just thinking of all the work it would take to make the book successful.

You've had lots of experience with school visits. Decades? Ruth and I have shaved off some of the rough corners lately, but our Reading Month is still grueling. Do you still travel nationwide?

I love the kids, and the performance aspect of school visits, It’s also a great way to keep books in print.

But, I’ve cut back quite a bit. Due to health issues that came on in the last two years, I don’t feel confident that I could handle more than three days in a row. So I decided to limit how many schools I’ll do in a month. That said, I have my first 3-days-in-a-row visit schedule for late Feb. in Virginia.  If I don’t feel that I can give the same energy on day three as I do on day one, I may cut back again.

 

I imagine you have too many stories about travel and weather and vehicle mishaps, but mostly getting there on time, and not leaving the place worse than you found it? Care to share any?

Oh, the stories! Any author or illustrator who visits schools or does conferences has stories. I’ve had too many wonderful experiences to narrow it down to just one. Can I tell you about the worst one? The school visit where I left crying?

Over fifteen years ago, I was hired by a principal to do a half-day visit after lunch. When I booked it, I didn’t realize this was right before Easter break.  At arrival, I was informed the principal had already left for vacation. No one seemed to know why I was there. (The secretary was filling in for the school secretary who already left for vacation, as well.) The vice-principal was called in. She ordered me to go to the cafeteria. Yes, ordered! She must’ve been a drill sergeant in her previous life. (More on this later in story.)

Infant Lisa and Mom

In the very tiny cafeteria, the custodian mopped the floor. She kindly asked me where I would like to set up so she could clean that spot first. I thanked her and she replied, “The last author gave me a free book for helping.” I had no books with me! I mumbled, “That was very kind of them.” Awkward!

The first group went okay. It was lower el and although they were a bit wiggly, nothing memorable happened. Then came upper el. I knew something was off right away because no one was telling the kids where to sit. 

A group of rowdy 3rd grade boys were all together in the front row, pushing and shoving each other. I asked them who their teacher was. They said, “We have a sub.” I asked sub to split up the group. She only knew a few words in English. Sooooo, I went to the drill sergeant.

“Can we split up the group of boys in front row? They have a sub and. . .” Before I could finish, she screamed at the boys, “This lady says you’ve been acting up!”

She’s pointing at me! “If I hear one sound coming from this group, you’ll all get detention!”

Those kids hated me. I pushed through the program on automatic pilot. I’m used to kids enjoying my schtick and giving out hugs, not glaring at me from the front row. Plus, I felt bad for the students whose  vice-principal was in the wrong profession.

Afterward, I stopped by the office and asked for my check. You guessed it. No one could find it. It was six weeks and three reminders before I got paid.

I called my husband from the car in tears. “You’re taking me out to dinner!”

Years ago we met in person, maybe an MRA thing? You had a white plastic getup like a karaoke belt and mic. Have you changed sound equipment? Just curious about the tools you use for school visits.

It’s a black belt, Charlie. (I don’t mess around!) I’ve been using this sound system since 2014 and have only had to replace it once. It’s a Pyle-Pro 50 watt portable sound system with waist band and headset. It’s a game changer! If you need to keep your hands free, the headset is terrific and you won’t need to clip on the ineffective collar mics. I also purchased my own clicker, to advance the Power Point.

Tell us about some of your puppet’s stories, where they came from, their personalities and voices.

In the Bubblegum photo I am holding Little Lisa.
She is me at the age of 6.
I’ve always given ‘voices’ to babies and pets. When my kids were small, they’d have full conversations and even arguments with our beagle. I noticed that my youngest would forget that the dog wasn’t actually speaking and her mom was.

When I decided that I would do school visits, I needed to find my comfort zone. Puppets didn’t come to me immediately. But when Porcupining came out, I knew I wanted to build a program around the book. I found an adorable porcupine puppet and my husband made a small banjo for him. Cushion the porcupine was my first attempt at using puppets. 

I worried because I am not a ventriloquist. But I realized that once the puppets start speaking, kids go along with it. I’ve only had a few students yell out, “That’s you talking!” I also realized I needed larger puppets because Cushion was small and hard to see unless you were in the first few rows.

The bear is Ol' Bear, star of Ugly Pie. 

He is Huge and yes, part of 

the puppet arm problem. 

Little Lisa is also heavy.

 

An unfortunate side-effect of doing this for over twenty years is that I have developed what I call “puppet arm’. I still use puppets, but have to set them down more frequently, as my arm and shoulder start to throb. It sucks getting older!

Ever considered writing a memoire:  Why I Like to Write Books So Much?

Not really. I’m kind of private and don’t let many people in. My daughter said I’m an extroverted- introvert because I can be social when I have to be. But the real me likes being at home with the people I love and trust most—including my dog!

 

When do you get to rest on your book legacy? Just say, that’s enough writing, I’m going to retire? But does one retire from children’s book writing?

Never and nope. I look to friends who have passed like Ann Tompert, Shirley Neitzel and Barbara Brooks Wallace. All were still writing in their 80s and 90s. As long as I can write, I will.

You’ve got Dino Books, a series about sports and another about holidays. And your Ready to Read series for beginning readers. But then there’s your picture book collection. Nine standalone titles, including Seadogsa kind of musical theater opera sea shanty in a book. What inspired you break the mold of picture books?

I actually have at least twenty-five standalone titles, Charlie. Before the Dino books, most of my books were one offs. 

Seadogs is near and dear to my heart. I’ve always loved musicals. My mom had the record albums of a few of them and I grew up listening and dancing around the living room. 

When I began writing Seadogs, I didn’t know that it was a musical. I was halfway through when I realized I wasn’t writing poems, I was writing songs. 

When Mark Seigel added his amazing artwork, I swooned. It’s still one of my favorites and I dream of seeing it performed onstage one day. Since I don’t have a musical background, I don’t know how to make this happen.

Boogie Knights is another favorite. A rollicking tale full of puns and wordplay, it's a fun and funny picture book. But what's with People Share with People and People Don't Bite People? These seem to be message books. Your idea, or someone else's?

Boogie Knights came to me around Halloween when I’d been reading Poe’s The Raven. That meter was a catalyst for the book’s tempo. I also love puns and cracked myself up coming up with the knight’s names.

I got the idea for People Don’t Bite People after binge-watching season one of The Walking Dead, followed by a trip to the dentist. 

As I sat in the chair staring at a poster of a wide open mouth, the first lines came into my brain. “It’s good to bite a carrot. /It’s good to bite a steak.? It’s bad to bite your sister.? She’s not a piece of cake.” I wanted it to be a fun book for parents to enjoy as much as the kids. I cracked myself up writing some of the mildly subversive lines.

When my agent sent it out, we had lots of interest and an auction ensued. Simon & Schuster gave me a two-book deal and I wrote People Share With People. But, my wonderful editor left S&S just as the books came out. So sadly, no more in the series. But I still chuckle when I read them aloud. (Also, in the last ten years, I’ve had more luck selling concept books than stories. So there’s that.)

 

How many of your books are out-of-print? How do you handle rights reverting back to you? Do you ever buy any titles when remaindered?

You’re testing my braincells, Charlie. I think I had about 9 or 10 books go OP. (Most recently the first manuscript I ever sold—One Dark Night—along with Ugly Pie.) In two cases I was able to get my rights back—Bubble Gum, Bubble Gum and The Christmas Boot. My agent handled BGBG, and then the illustrator and I sold it to Purple House Press. They’re a small press who re-print classics and books that have had a strong run. The book has always been a favorite at school visits and does well with the Preschool/Kdg kids.

The Christmas Boot was originally published by Mitten Press, who were out of Ann Arbor, and illustrated by Michael Glenn Monroe. They went out-of-business a few years after the book released. I asked for my rights to the text back and they were very good about it. My agent re-sold the text to Dial and it was re-illustrated by Jerry Pinkney.


I’d love to get
Porcupining back, but it is still in print with Tumblebooks (digital) and as long as they keep renewing their contract, that can’t happen.

I have bought remaindered titles when I could. Lately, publishers print less and by the time they decide to tell me the book is OP, there are no books to buy.

I hate when my books go out-of-print. It’s the exact opposite feeling of release day.

 

What’s next for Lisa Wheeler? Events? Different income streams? Is it possible, more books?

Thanks for asking, Charlie. Other than schools, I have no events coming up. As for different streams of income, I see nothing happening in that department either. I, of course, have more Dino books coming out over the next few years. I’m in talks with Carolrhoda/Lerner now about extending the Dino-Sport and Holiday to a third Dino series. Keep an eye out for those.

But I also have a stand-alone title coming out Fall 2025 with HarperCollins. David Soman will illustrate it. It is tentatively titled, It Takes A Family To Serve. That’s quite a lot of title, so my publisher may change it. I’m very excited to share it with the world. I got the idea on Veteran’s Day 2020. I worked on the book and sent it to my agent in 2021. So between the sell and the release, you’ll notice lots of time. That is because there are lots of steps, including finding the right illustrator. Of course, the wonderful David Soman has a schedule to keep. Thus, the 2025 release.

I’m always working on something. Whether that something sells or not is out of my hands. I had to learn this lesson a long time ago and it is still true today. As creators, we have to follow our stories, follow the art. That is what we can control. Once we send that baby out the door, we have to let it go.