Author/Illustrator Spotlight: Deb Pilutti

Town and country, kind people, cartoons, Giverny, doodles, retreats, and Kirbi: Author/illustrator Deb Pilutti

Charlie Barshaw coordinates our regular Writer Spotlight feature and interviews writers of SCBWI. In this piece, meet author/ illustrator  Deb Pilutti.

The City Kid and the Suburb Kid, published by Sterling in 2008, is written by you and illustrated by someone else. Did you try to illustrate this book, or did you consider yourself primarily a writer back then?

I knew I’d like to do both some day, but at that time was sending out illustrator postcards in the hopes of being published as an illustrator first. This book came from an unusual situation — an editor at Sterling Publishing had received my postcards and asked if I would consider trying to write and illustrate a story they already had an idea for: The City Kid and the Suburb Kid, based on The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse. 

I did not have a contract, but gave it a try. Sterling liked my text, but my sample illustrations weren’t quite there, so they ended up choosing Linda Bleck to illustrate it – which I agree was the right choice for that book. It was a great learning experience for me and I enjoyed working with the team.

 

Then you illustrated but didn’t write The Twelve Days of Christmas in Michigan. Was this your first illustrated book? How did you come to be involved in this project?

The Twelve Days of Christmas in Michigan was part of a book series with the same editorial team at Sterling that produced the City Kid and Suburb Kid. They chose an author and illustrator from whichever state was being featured. Sue Collins Thoms and I were chosen to do the Michigan version.

 

Ten Rules of Being a Superhero was published by Christy Ottaviano’s imprint in 2014. What happened in the four years after Twelve Days and before Ten Rules? 

Life! I was co-parenting two children and working my day job as a graphic designer, so I would often go a long time between working on book projects or sending out postcards or manuscripts. 

At one point, I realized I would never have a book as an author/illustrator published unless I treated writing and illustration like a full-time job. So that’s what I did. I put in the hours.

Just one year later, 2015, Bear and Squirrel are Friends…Yes, Really! was published by Paula Wiseman Books. Now you’re treading with big children’s publishing icons. What’s it like working with the best? Are they regular folks?  

I continue to be amazed at how kind people in children’s publishing are. I came to publishing after working as a graphic designer in an ad agency where bigwigs in suits (clients) would regularly make some of us creatives cry. It could be a cutthroat industry.

I still pinch myself that I get to work with some wonderful editors and art directors, like Paula Wiseman, Christy Ottaviano, Susan Kochan and Cecilia Yung. They are so skilled at bringing out and publishing the best possible story.

While I did read quite a bit as a child, I also watched copious amounts of TV. Especially cartoons. This was once a source of shame, until I realized that I received a master class in humor, pacing and illustration from the artists at Warner Brothers studios and Jay Ward animations. My sensibilities were defined by episodes of Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Road Runner and Wile E. Coyote, Rocky & Bullwinkle, Fractured Fairy Tales and of course that one with the singing frog! The humor in these programs ranged from slapstick to sophisticated—I definitely did not always catch the joke the first time around.

Do you despair then, at the outcry that children are spending too much time on their screens? Or are the games and reels and videos of today masterclasses for the right creative individuals?

I think we are all spending too much time on our screens! But when I’m in a school visit, one thing I tell young creators is that they should take note of what catches their attention, whatever that might be. 

I happened to love watching Warner Brothers and Jay Ward cartoons and reading. I think what I really loved was the storytelling, characterization and design, and those passions filtered into a lot of later choices.

Before becoming an author & illustrator, I was a graphic designer and created toys for Oliebollen.com and graphics for SeaWorld and Warner Brothers theme parks.

Did you get a chance to work in some of your favorite Warner Brothers cartoon characters while you worked for the theme park?

As a matter of fact, the area we (The Ten8 Group) were hired to work on was Cartoon Village, where Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig and the rest of the characters had houses, rides, restaurants and shops. We needed to know everything about these characters in order to design the graphic elements of Cartoon Village, and I felt like I really knew them. Finally! Validation for the hours I spent in front of the television. It was a full circle moment for me.

My studio is in a small bedroom. I have a long table with a computer and extra monitor set up on it, and I sometimes sketch here as well. A painting easel is in the corner of the room. It’s a very messy place, with papers everywhere and knick-knacks and toys and bits of shiny things on every surface. I like all of my toys, but my favorite one is a realistic toy model of a T-rex with a moveable jaw.

Does that still describe your studio. Ruth also works out of a small, cluttered bedroom. Do you ever pine, like she does, for a spacious workspace?

Absolutely. I would love to have a little more space to draw and paint and spread out pages. I’d also like to work in a communal studio. But honestly, if I had more room, it would probably still be messy.

 

Old Rock (is not boring) won a whole slew of awards, including the 2022 Giverny Award for best science book. After years of writing and illustrating so many titles, were you surprised by the love Old Rock received?

I had so much fun working on Old Rock and loved working with the team at Putnam. I felt really gratified that people connected with it, because you don’t really know how a book will be received. Old Rock came out a couple of months before the pandemic, so I was lucky it was reviewed beforehand, and that it got to be in a physical store for a few weeks before everything shut down for months.

Usually, the story comes first for me, but this time, all I had was the character to start with. Well, really, I had two characters—Henry and the fish costume! The costume became a character who didn’t always react in the same way as Henry. I needed to find a scenario where a boy wearing a fish costume felt natural. I also needed to find the heart of the story.  I wrote a few different versions before I found something that I thought worked.

You loved the doodle of the kid in the fish costume so much you decided to put Henry and his costume into a story. Would you recommend this character-first way of creating a story to other writers?

I would recommend trying it as an exercise, at least. I had three books come from drawing a character first and then finding a story through that character.

 

Bear and Squirrel are Friends…Yes, Really! is a favorite of mine as I love subversive humor. How did these characters and plot begin?

Thanks so much! I was attending a remote retreat in Michigan with a couple of writer friends when the idea for the story was conceived.

That’s the second of your books I’ve seen born out of a writer retreat. (My Best Friend is a Lion is the first.) What head space do you seek while at a retreat?

I prefer to go on a retreat with one or two trusted friends and not have very structured activities. It’s good to take a couple of uninterrupted days to think about book making. It might be a time to work on revisions, talk through problems, or spend time ideating. We usually have suggestions for activities though. 

For instance, at one retreat, we were writing down memories from our own childhood to connect with the age of kids we were writing for. One of my memories was about wishing I had a pet lion, and I ended up writing a loose first draft of My Best Friend is a Lion, which was published last January.

I have a big messy wooden table that I always have to clear off when I want to draw. (Sometimes I do my sketching at the dinner table so that I can spread out more.) My laptop and monitor are also on the table and I will composite work digitally there and prep for printing. My easel is in a nook. I like to paint standing up because I feel like I put more energy into the work.

Do you still enjoy painting at an easel? Or are you satisfied with the digital magic now available to you?

I almost always start an illustration with a painting, though not always at the easel. And I often will try out a different medium or technique, like monoprinting or adding wax pastels.  I’ll use digital tools for compositing elements or drawing details.

What was your favorite story?  

I have two: Where the Wild Things Are, by Maurice Sendak, and Little Blue and Little Yellow, by Leo Lionni. 

Everyone knows Wild Things. But what about Lionni’s book captured your young imagination?

Little Blue and Little Yellow was Leo Lionni’s first book for children. In it, Lionni used torn pieces of colored paper to tell an engaging and emotional story about two little blobs of color. The blobs did not even have faces, yet they were believable as characters. The characters go through many emotions — suspense, fear, tears and elation. 

Little Blue and Little Yellow are best friends and at one point in the story, the characters hug and turn green. When they eventually try to go back to their families, they are not recognized and are turned away. They cry yellow and blue tears and pull themselves back together. 

Their story was an emotional roller coaster. I was so relieved when Little Blue and Little Yellow’s families recognized them and were happy to be reunited. 

(Side note: I had Leo Lionni as a graphic design teacher for a week workshop in Italy when I was in college. We designed wine labels with him. I recall his sense of play, even in designing a wine label.)

 

When I was young, my family camped. It was an economical way for a family of 7 to travel, but it was also fun and a great way to see the country. I continued camping and hiking with my own children. Michigan is a wonderful place to get out and enjoy nature.

What are some of your favorite camping adventures?

We always had a lot of fun along Lake Michigan. One of our favorite campsites was along the Nordhouse Dunes. Our kids and dogs would spend all day running down the dunes and jumping in the lake. We also have fond and funny memories of backpacking in Colorado.

What’s next for Deb?

Kirbi and Deb

Something I’m really excited about! I’m working on a book with Kirbi Fagan on a book about a child’s curiosity and musings about clouds. It will be coming from Lerner Publishing in late 2027 or early 2028.

 

Please list any social media you care to share:

Instagram and  

Bluesky @dpilutti

Critique Groups

With a statewide virtual critique event happening next Wednesday, June 17, it seems like a good time to talk about critiques (and if you want to join on June 17, make sure you sign up by June 16!).

Why join a critique group?

I'm sure many (most?) of you reading this have critique groups, have been in critique groups in the past, or at least already know the benefits of having one, but just in case, here's a few benefits that I've experienced. 

• Improving your writing: This might be the most obvious one, but hearing what works and doesn't work in my writing (and refining my own writing by commenting on what works and doesn't work in my critique partners' work) has improved my work. There's often a big difference between the first version my critique group sees and the version that I submit to agents/publishers. 
• Supporting each other: Having a group that I can regularly meet with and talk to about the joys and frustrations in my publishing journey helps me to keep going (and of course, I love celebrating with critique group members as they publish their work!).
• Accountability: Knowing that I said Iwould do something (submit to five agents, write a new picture book manuscript, etc.) before my next meeting helps motivate me. When there's no deadline, writing often ends up as the last thing (i.e., the thing that doesn't get done) for me.  

Advice on giving and getting critiques:

There's lots of advice available about giving critiques. SCBWI has some here. I think some of the most useful advice that has worked for me over the years includes:

• Use the sandwich method: Start with something good, say what isn't working, end with something good.
• Take what you need: Sometimes a specific piece of advice feels like it wouldn't work or would change what I was trying to do too much. If a piece of advice doesn't seem like it makes sense, think about what the person giving it may have meant. Even if their "fix" isn't the right one, knowing that something wasn't working in a certain spot may be helpful anyway even if the way you address it is different.
• Sit with advice for some time before revising. Sometimes there's something in me that rebels against some suggestions. I've found if I wait a day (or a few weeks) after getting the advice, the second time I read it, I understand better how I need to revise it (or what I might not need to revise). 

How can you find a critique group? 

Special resources for SCBWI premium members:

• SCBWI has more information on critique groups and a new feature for finding other members for your critique group.
• SCBWI-MI also has a Critique Group Connection. 
• Connecting with people that you meet at a shop talk or an in person or virtual SCBWI-MI critique event who you would like to work with again.

Why should I go to an SCBWI-MI critique group event if I'm already in a critique group?

Great question! Here's some reasons I like to attend these events:

• Fresh set of eyes: After my critique group has commented on the same picture manuscript several times and we think it is ready, I wonder if someone who hasn't seen it before would feel the same. I would like a new perspective.  Critique events are the perfect venue for that.
• Finding new group members: Sometimes group members have to leave a group for various meetings. At a critique event, you may meet SCBWI members who would be a good fit as an additional member for your group.
• Seeing how other people do it: Every critique group is run a little differently. Seeing how other people handle critique discussions may give you ideas for things you want to try in your own group.

Remember to sign up if you want to come next week!

Writer Spotlight: Lisa Rose

Name advice, sequins, crime scene, first graders, Stand Up!, and LiFT U: Author Lisa Rose Chottiner

Charlie Barshaw coordinates our regular Writer Spotlight feature and interviews writers of SCBWI-MI. In this piece, meet author Lisa Chottiner (Lisa Rose).

You are Lisa Chottiner and Lisa Rose. Who is Lisa Rose?

Rose is my middle name. I have two last names—no hyphen:  Lisa Rose Granitz Chottiner.  I used to sign with all four names until my SCBWI-MI critique with Laurie Halse Anderson.  I was sooo nervous to meet her, and even more petrified to have her critique my writing. 

But when it was my turn, my bright, shiny newbie face was eager for her to tell me I was so wonderfully talented.  Instead, she said, “Tell me about your name.”  I was not prepared for that question. I could barely even remember my name. It was at that point; she advised to just keep it “Lisa Rose” these names will always be yours no matter who you marry or don’t marry.  

Laurie explained that she was no longer a Halse of Anderson but she has to keep the name for the brand. Thankfully, I took her advice because I divorced in 2019!

Teachers obviously inspired you to teach, too. Who were some of your most influential teachers?  

Robert Leider was my high school drama teacher and later family by choice.  While sitting in the audience with him watching a disaster of a scene occur on the high school stage, I made the comment to him, “Well, at least the costumes look great!”  Leider said, “No amount of sequins can save a bad script.” 

I didn’t think it was profound at the time, but I come back to it again and again. It is always the heart of the story that makes people fall in love with the play, book, or movie. You will never have enduring success unless the structure and foundation are also solid and strong.

Hugging Shmulik – literally— beaming ear-to-ear and counting the days until her book launch and signing party at Shalom Street children’s museum, Lisa Rose shares the inside story, recounting her journey from a teacher in Highland Park and Pontiac to a struggling young writer and mom, “swimming from Shazizzle to Shalom.”

Highland Park and Pontiac are rough school districts. Do you remember your first day? What were some of your best teaching moments?

My first day of teaching, I had to pass yellow crime tape to get to the school.  Then when I arrived at school, all my desks were missing. The previous teacher finally moved all her stuff to her new room---I had no idea “her stuff” also included the desks. 

Fortunately, I was young and pretty so the janitor was willing to help me get new desks. (I didn’t know until later that he broke into the abandoned middle school next door to retrieve them.) When my kids arrived, I was immediately, confronted with my ignorance.  

Despite all the diverse classes I took and liberal talk at the University of Michigan; I really couldn’t tell my little first grade bald boys apart.  The girls were easier because they had different hairdos but if they changed their hairdo the next day, I would for sure be lost. I think a girl peed on the floor as well—by accident.  It was quite the first day!  

I definitely was in over my head in Highland Park---and a long way from West Bloomfield.  All the teachers knew it too.  They had a bet in the teacher’s lounge that I wouldn’t make it the year.  

But I did!  I wish I could say it got easier, but it never did. I just got better skills at handling it. All teaching is extremely hard—but urban teaching is like teaching in an emergency room.  You never know what is going to walk in the door and it your job to deal with it.

When I write, I always imagine myself reading my words to my first grade class, I have developed a good sense at what will keep the attention and interest of first graders.

I believe every editor should have the experience of reading to kids who live in Detroit.  Also, every editor should see how kids pick out school library books.  “I like mermaids!”  or “Do you have any books with big trucks?” are usually deciding factors. 

Teachers in the trenches, know what kids like.  I believe publishing houses should be more connected to educators. Just like movie studios have test audiences—so should publishing houses. Teachers and kids will let know you exactly what they think.  

Not to mention any names, but I have had several award winning books, flop in my classroom…the awarded book, in my opinion, was created more for the adult, than the kid.

What was your introduction to SCBWI-MI? What did you take away from your experience in the group? 

I remember my first SCBWI event. It was before my daughter was born—and she turns 18½ this year. That means Patti Richards and I have been critiquing for a looong time. 

This is the heart of SCBWI: the people. You meet others at every career stage, cheering each other on through the long haul. There’s nothing like watching a friend’s rough draft evolve into a published book—that shared journey is pure magic.

I’ve had 18 books traditionally published or work-for-hire with traditional educational publishers. None of this would have happened without the support of so many of you—thank you, truly. THANK YOU!!!!  

People often picture writers locked away crafting bestsellers alone, but we know better. Yes, it’s butt-in-chair time, but it’s also the time out of the chair—connecting with fellow writers who help turn that solitary effort into something meaningful. 

I’ll deeply miss these in-person SCBWI-MI moments. Email and Zoom help, but they can’t replace getting lost en route to a conference or bonding over a shared dash for the dessert table instead of the drink line. Let’s bring back in-person conferences!

What challenges have you faced recently?

Recently, I stepped back from events. Partly because I wasn’t actively writing, but honestly, I couldn’t quite explain why. Never did I imagine my life would unravel over a school attendance sheet. But it did.

I was a "shared time" teacher at a Jewish Day School. I later learned this role involves teaching non-core subjects (art, gym, music, library, kindergarten) at private schools, with the public school directing the curriculum and funding a portion of the salary.  In exchange, the private school student is part of the district “Count Day”. It’s a legal way for public schools to boost enrollment and school funding—if executed correctly. In my case, I believe it wasn’t. 

The private school fully directed and supervised my classroom, even preventing an author visit for religious reasons. When asked to validate attendance? I lacked the software to take it, and didn’t work Fridays—how could I legally verify days I didn’t teach or even record? Nothing made sense.

Using the Freedom of Information Act, I uncovered the agreement between the schools. According to my experience, the schools were not following the agreement, and thus public money may have been improperly obtained.

As a Jewish author whose books have been PJ Library selections and a National Jewish Book Honor recipient, I support Jewish education fiercely. But I also believe public funds should never flow to private schools—any private schools.

I wish I could say speaking up led to change. It didn’t. I was fired. When I defended myself in arbitration and lawsuit—fighting for church-state separation—the private school fought back with unprecedented force. Untruths were spread about me and my family. 

As a writer, I’m used to rejection, but this was different. It was an assault on my character and my life’s work: children and books.

The word "shatter" always resonated with me. I thought I understood its meaning. But I learned shattering can be slow, silent. You barely hear the pieces drop until one day, you look in the mirror and the person you knew is gone. 

You realize you haven’t written in months, that ideas vanish, your brain stops thinking in color. That quiet creative superpower evaporates. Worse? You barely miss it. You almost accept the gray. That was my reality. My apologies if I seemed distant—slow to reply, less involved with SCBWI. I was navigating this grayness.

One light emerged: a new book. Early in my legal battle, I was inspired to write Stand Up!—a nonfiction exploration of nonviolent resistance. The book helped me find a new agent and a publisher! 

Then came October 7 and all the politics associated with it. I discovered my illustrator created artwork featuring the phrase "From River to Sea"—historically linked to the violent eradication of Jewish people. 

(A hot-button topic, but please remember: I have zero control over Israeli government actions. I don’t even have a vote. Just like I don’t like people to assume that simply because I’m American, I agree with all the choices of the Trump administration) 

So even though a Jewish Institution was battling me in the worst of ways, I refused association with hate. This book championed peaceful change. I demanded the illustrator be replaced; the publisher refused. I returned my advance and rights. Stand Up! still seeks a home.

Hollywood endings are elusive. Unfortunately, I can’t write mine…YET!

You wrote to me:

Thanks so much!  This is great timing because I will soon be leaving my SCBWI-MI family.  My daughter has an opportunity to attend LiFT University in Clearwater, FL.  This program will give an opportunity to be independent. We are moving in July. I hoped for a way to say thank you to all the people who have supported me during this writing journey. Thank you for allowing me the space to do so.  

Tell us about your daughter.

I can share this: I adopted my daughter, Victoria, as a newborn. By four months, we knew she was blind; more disabilities emerged over time. My driving goal has always been to help her live an independent, meaningful life. LiFT University in Clearwater, Florida, offers the best path forward. So, we’re moving: Victoria, my partner Alex, our two cats (my literary assistants), one dog, and several hermit crabs.

Alex and I met pre-pandemic—my dating profile proudly declared "children’s author." His family shares this passion.  Fun Fact: Alex’s mom worked for NYC’s Channel 13.  It was there Alex’s mom met became friends with Robert “Bobby” Munsch. One night, long before email, Bobby read her a draft of Love You Forever over the phone and she encouraged him to make it a children’s book!

What's next for Lisa?

I’m scared to leave Michigan---I’ve spent my whole life here.  Also, I really have no idea, what the next chapter will be—I only know it will be warmer!  But I’m looking forward to filling the pages with happy adventures.

 Please share any social media:

My Website: www.LisaRoseWrites.net

@LisaRoseWrites on Instagram

Lisa Rose on Facebook 

 

Book Birthday Blog with Amy Dua

 

Welcome to SCBWI-MI's Book Birthday Blog!

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

 

Congratulations to Amy Dua on the release of Woe is Me...It's Summer!

 

  

What was the inspiration for your book? 

Woe is Me…It’s Summer! is the fourth book (season) in the Woe is Me: The Seasons series, so it has been such a fun book to write and illustrate. Each of the books follow different animal and insect characters that teach the reader about their life cycle. There are always fun facts that I didn’t know before I started researching them so I try to include those facts to make it entertaining for the adults as well as the kids. I love writing these books because I learn so much myself and it is fun to share new information about the things we see around us that we never knew in this fun and creative way. 

You wrote and illustrated the book. What was the most difficult part? 

Honestly, trimming down the manuscript. I noticed that with each book I found myself wanting to include more and more information about each of the characters because it is all so interesting. It was difficult choosing what lines to eliminate, so I think I may have to release a collector’s edition with extra fun facts that I didn’t have room for in the original versions. 

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

I hope that children enjoy time reading with loved ones and friends and learning these fun facts that they can share with others. It is important to understand the world around us and I think that these books really accomplish that in a fun and entertaining way. 

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

It is available for pre-order and as of June 2nd, 2026, it is available everywhere books are sold! Amazon, https://www.barnesandnoble.com/, local bookstores can order if not on the shelf, or you can order direct from my website (which also sells the matching plushie of the cover insect) at www.aftermanyyearsllc.com . My website also offers fun free downloadable coloring sheets, crafts and activities for kids.

What's next for you? 

At least one more children’s book is in the works about a boy (my son) who goes to the zoo. So of course you can expect to learn a lot of fun facts about the animals we see at the zoo. 

More about the book . . .

Have you wondered how the woodland animals and insects that we see every day prepare for the summer to arrive? We see these animals all of the time, but what do we really know about them? When the temperatures heat up and the summer arrives, do they run for the shade or bask in the sun? Find out in this fun and informative book that teaches children about the seasons, as well as, the work that each of the animal and insect characters have to  do during that season to carry on the cycle of life. With colorful illustrations and clever educational rhymes, children and even adults will learn some interesting facts about the creatures around us and what they do when the seasons change. 

Published by: After Many Years Publishing (self-published) 

More about the author/illustrator . . . 

Amy Dua is an attorney and children’s book author and illustrator. Originally from Buffalo, New York, Amy moved to Michigan for law school at Michigan State University, and remained there after graduation. Amy has always had a love for children, whether caring for her own four children, or representing children as their legal advocate, children have always played a huge role in her life. Writing and illustrating the Woe is Me: The Seasons series has been a beautiful culmination of all of the loves of her life…children, writing, nature, education and creativity. Through these books Amy has been able to share her gift of writing in rhyme and drawing, to make learning fun for children everywhere.  

Instagram: @aftermanyyearspublishing

Facebook: After Many Years Publishing