Book Birthday Blog with Angela Verges

 

Welcome to SCBWI-MI's Book Birthday Blog!

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

 

Congratulations to Angela Verges on the release of Abby and Zach Pray Through the Alphabet

  

Congratulations on your debut picture book! How did you come up with the idea for your book?

I have been a Sunday School teacher for 6–8-year-olds for a number of years. In fact, it’s been so long that I should be near retirement. Kids in their innocence give you their true opinion. I remember the comment of one little girl when we were discussing praying. At the end of class I asked her, “what do you like about our church.” She said, “I like the donuts. You have good donuts here.” I worked hard to contain my chuckle and noted her comment for future use somewhere. Months later the idea was birthed to create a story to show youth the simplicity of prayer and learning to pray.  

 

 

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

I hope that a child listening to this story being read to them will know that there’s no “right” way to pray, no fancy words needed. The alphabet shows that prayer isn’t rigid. It can be joyful, curious, thankful, or quiet. God welcomes it all.
 
For adults reading to a child, I’d like them to be reminded that childlike prayer – honest, trusting and simple – is powerful. 

What was the most difficult part of writing this book? 

Hmm…finding the right voice. I wanted to make sure the tone was warm and the language age appropriate. I wanted simple language that would make the reader feel that they could pray with ease like Abby and Zach. 

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

I am working on my marketing plan, learning to become better at using Goodreads as a resource and more comfortable promoting myself. Right now, you can find the book on Amazon and in the trunk of my car. 

What's next for you? 

My plan is to dust off a work-in-progress that I tucked away a couple of years ago; see if it has potential. 

More about the book . . . 

Have you ever wondered about the best way to make learning to pray easy for kids? Join Abby and Zach on a joyful journey from A to Z as they discover simple, heartfelt prayers that turn every letter of the alphabet into a moment to talk with God. Through realistic characters, this book encourages early learning while nurturing a heart for God. 

Published by: BK Royston Publishing 

More about the author . . .  

Angela Verges is the author of the book Menopause Ain’t No Joke – Blending Faith and Humor in Perfectly Imperfect Situations. As a little girl growing up in Michigan, Angela often played dress-up and pretended to be a schoolteacher to her neighborhood friends. Her pretend role became a reality later in life when she became a Sunday School Teacher.
 
Angela still lives in Michigan and is the mother of two adult sons who have taught her a thing or two along the way. She enjoys sitting in a café with a warm cup of coffee and her laptop, creating stories, until the staff wonders when she will leave. 

https://www.facebook.com/angela.verges 

https://www.instagram.com/writermama223/ 

 

 

Book Birthday Blog with Karen Bell-Brege and Darrin Brege

 

Welcome to SCBWI-MI's Book Birthday Blog!

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

 

Congratulations to Karen Bell-Brege and Darrin Brege on the release of Bigfoot Birdie and Bob

 

How did you come up with the idea for your book? Is this part of a series? 

Karen: Yes, this is the third book in our Bigfoot picture book series. We have both always been curious and inspired by myths, and we love Bigfoot. We knew that we had to do a comical version of him. My husband – who is the illustrator reminds me of Bigfoot, so that inspired me LOL! In fact, I caught him in the mirror looking at himself while he was drawing the Bigfoot cover. And, with the huge trend of reading to dogs, we decided to incorporate it into our latest Bigfoot picture book. We feel this helps our young readers because they won’t be intimidated reading to their dogs, and will improve their reading skills with a furry, non-judgmental listener (not Bigfoot, their dog).  

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

Karen: Our two biggest goals are that when they read our books they laugh, and that they take away a love of reading. Even in our chapter books I incorporate lots of humor. I truly feel that if they have fun with our books, then our mission is accomplished. Laughter is definitely needed these days, as is reading.  

Darrin: That the humorous and heartfelt expressions create a connection between our characters and the book’s readers.   

What was the most difficult part of writing/illustrating this book? 

Karen: Everything. It never seems to get easier…not even when I tempt myself with writing treats, you know chocolate, coffee, chocolate…I think every book is difficult. I make a zillion excuses (as I believe many writers do) as to what I need to get done before sitting down and writing the book – nothing book related, of course. Then when I do finally sit down and start – I literally have to force myself to get those fingers moving on the keyboard. I’ll initially rough out the entire book – even if some pages just have one word on them, to spark an idea or as a filler. And then I repeat that process multiple times – adding words, re-writing and going over it again and again. Then, after a gazillion drafts it might get a teeny-teeny-tiny bit easier (and I mean teeny – did I say teeny?).  Also, once I hit on the humor, it makes it so much more enjoyable – then I might only need coffee. 

Darrin: Based on our comedy experience doing improv for years, both Karen and I are very animated. We physically make the expressions or poses to find the perfect and hilarious range of emotions between the three characters. Initially with this book, when they distrusted each other, I had to make them evolve all the way to becoming friends – so a big range of expressions. Having to create those is what carries the humor throughout the book. And, with every book we do a storyboard (since both of us used these when creating for our jobs) they help. We pour through the entire flow and arc. Often, we cut certain pages or premises. Therein lies the difficulty. You gotta let go of certain ideas to benefit the story. However, this process also brings to light some wonderful gems and visual gags to match the text.  The bottom line is to have both of us lockstep before inking and painting.  
 
Also, capturing the feeling and colors of Lake Michigan (in Leland) and the beach was really important to us. I wanted it to have a vibrancy about it - especially since it’s one of our favorite beaches. 

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

Karen: Marketing, hmm…yikes…that would be another whole interview. I wish that I had something amazing (and easy to share with everyone) on book marketing. But there is nothing new that anyone hasn’t heard of or tried. My favorite lyrics from Ric Ross (although the song does not go with being a writer) except for, “…Every day I’m hustlin’ hustlin’…” I am happy to say that we were recently featured on the FOX 2 Good Day Detroit show. You can see it here: https://www.fox2detroit.com/video/1754966

That was sheer luck, though. Nothing to do with marketing – but it sure helps.

Although, I do have to say some wonderful marketing that we did…we recently teamed up and worked with Northwoods Soda (a Michigan based company) to come out with a soda (pop – Michigan) to go with our Bigfoot Books, called Biggie’s Butterscotch Cream. It is delicious, especially with vanilla ice cream! The marketing strategy with this was we teamed up and we will both be donating a portion of our picture book proceeds, and then a portion of the pop sales to the Michigan Reading Association to support literacy in Michigan (especially since our 4th graders are 44th in the nation). https://northwoodssoda.com/product-category/soda-bottles/?product-page=2 

What's next for you? 

Karen: I’ll continue running the business side – booking schools, shows, shipping, dealing with printers, distributors, etc. And, then for writing, I’m also working on the next Bigfoot book in our picture book series involving Christmas. And I’m leaning into a non-fiction book. Since that’s what I love to read, I thought – why not give it a try? But of course, humor will be involved.

Darrin: Whatever my wife needs illustrated…but I will continue in my full-time job – VP Group Creative Director Merkle Inc. (A Dentsu company). I manage a team of talented artists and animators, our goal being to create and enhance retail promotions and games, working with such companies as Starbucks, Burger King and Dr. Pepper, to name a few. 
 
And presenting at schools and shows with my wife. Not sure exactly what adventures Biggie and Birdie will be having in the future, but I know they’ll be funny.  

 

More about the book . . .

Birdie is awakened by a barking dog (Bob) and sees that Bob is headed straight for Bigfoot. She instantly knows she has to do something, so she flies into action. Starting with bringing Bigfoot a cherry pie, but that’s not enough…She realizes that she has to teach the two, who are unsure and don’t like each other, how to get along and play. It turns out to be a fantastic time, until Bob’s people call. Bob knows he must go to his people. Although sad, Bigfoot is grateful for the fun day they had.

This is an official ‘Read to Dogs’ book to promote literacy while reading to our furry friends.

Published by: Team B Creative

More about the author and illustrator . . .

Karen Bell-Brege is an author, comic, voice-over artist and public speaker. She is the author of 16 bestselling children’s picture books. She has also written for the MEAPS and ELAP tests and did copywriting and communications for numerous companies.

Bell-Brege visits schools every year inspiring children and staff alike to read, write, and follow their dreams. She also presents at book festivals, conferences, and workshops. She is also the founder and director of the highly acclaimed improvisational comedy troupe, Totally Unrehearsed Theatre, who performed weekly at Mark Ridley’s Comedy Castle for 15 years. She also gives keynote speeches and humor training workshops for businesses, corporations, associations, and health care facilities.

A former on-air radio talent, she did commercials and voice-overs and has several character voices on Hasbro Interactive Games (Tonka Series) and Universal (Fractured Fairy Tales). As a former Communications Specialist she won a Telly Award for writing and co-directing. Bell-Brege toured nationally as a commentator for Working Woman Magazine shows. She is a graduate of Brown Institute and Second City, Chicago. Her husband, Darrin is the illustrator of their books. As a husband/wife team they collaborate on numerous projects, and they love to make people laugh. They have a very creative son they adore, and they happily live, love, and laugh in the mitten.
 
Darrin Brege is an illustrator, creative director, voice over artist, comic, and public speaker. He is currently employed as a full-time VP and Group Creative Director for Merkle Inc's (a Dentsu Company) promotion and loyalty division, where he creates interactive digital experiences for numerous Fortune 500 companies and manages a team of artists and animators. Brege is the artist for their bestselling children’s picture books, sketchbook, chapter books and gift book. He has also created original characters and animations for Warner Brothers (Space Jam), Hasbro, HBO, Coke, and Disney to name a few. Darrin has designed numerous Lucasfilm LTD approved artwork and jersey designs for multiple sports teams including Team USA Hockey's Star Wars Night, artwork for the 501st, and R2-KT charity venues. Brege had a long career as a comedic voice impressionist for radio with over 30 voice impersonations and could be heard on many interactive storybooks. Darrin attended animation school in Southern California and has a Bachelor of Arts from Albion College.  Happily married to Karen, he is also a member of her improvisational comedy troupe. They love to laugh, and he is proud to be the father of a very talented son named Mick, the namesake of their book series.

https://karenanddarrin.com/

Instagram: @KarenandDarrin

Facebook: Karen & Darrin Author & Illustrator

Writer Spotlight: Kelly J Baptist

Acknowledgements, rehearsing, Mommy Box, YA, BookSmitten, and barbershops: Author Kelly J. Baptist

Charlie Barshaw coordinates our regular Writer Spotlight feature and interviews writers of SCBWI. In this piece, meet author .Kelly J. Baptist.

I first interviewed you in 2020, and I credit that interview for setting me on the enthusiastic path of getting children’s book writers to tell their stories. What has changed for you in the intervening five years? 

Wow, Charlie, has it really been over five years?? Time flies when you’re writing stories! Thank you for finding me worthy of a second interview! I published Isaiah Dunn Is My Hero in 2020, and since then, six more books for young people have followed! I have not been idle!

I work as a Social Emotional Learning Interventionist at the Arts and Communications Academy in Benton Harbor, Michigan. What does your job entail? Have story ideas risen from your intervention with students?  Is there a particular intervention that’s lodged in your heart? 

In 2022, I took a major leap of faith and left my job at the middle school to write full time. What an adventure! While I don’t work in that capacity anymore, my students are forever in my heart, and many experiences/encounters have inspired me as I write, none more than my first novel-in-verse, Eb and Flow. I dedicated that book to three special students. Be sure to read the acknowledgements in that book for the wild story of how life imitated art as I wrote that story!

You’ve lived in Alabama, Florida, and Minnesota. Ultimately, you’ve made Michigan your home. What are some of your favorite memories from the other states where you’ve lived? 

I lived in Alabama while attending Oakwood College (now University), an HBCU. Those were some of the best times of my life and I really loved being steeped in so many types of Black culture. Choir trips rank high on my list of favorites, as well as “broke college student” visits to IHOP! 

For Florida, THE WEATHER! Oh, how I miss the palm trees! I can’t wait to be a snowbird! Minnesota was absolutely gorgeous in the summertime, and my family always enjoyed going to the Mall of America.

School visit

I don’t operate under a set writing procedure because it’s very difficult to do while juggling full-time work and full-time parenting to five kids! Instead, I have (sadly) been conditioned to write in the middle of chaos, with multiple things going on, and with either one or two hands. I steal moments in the morning before the kids are up and take advantage of moments throughout the day to get some sentences in—in the school pickup line, at gymnastics practice, and before I collapse in my bed at night. A peculiar thing is that because I write this way so often, I struggle to be able to write in complete silence! I believe if you are passionate about something, you adjust and make it happen!

Is that still the case as your kids become older and (theoretically) more responsible? Do you still have trouble writing in complete silence? 

I love that you added the “theoretically” here, because that’s so true! There are many benefits to the kids getting older, but it definitely doesn’t get easier; the obstacles are just different. I don’t have trouble writing in complete silence, but I still don’t get too much of it! So for that reason, I continue to maximize my time as much as possible and don’t let the atmosphere around me hinder my writing.

You were a master, between a full-time job and raising five children, of using every spare moment of free time to write. For the writers out there with busy schedules and little free time, what organizational techniques worked for you? Did you have a special affinity for ten-minute writing bursts, or was it something you trained yourself to do? 

Like a lot of writers, my fantasy is to write in the cute coffee shop with no distractions and people bringing me food and drink. Since that scenario is rarely feasible, yes, I trained myself to accomplish a lot in ten minutes. This only works because I allow myself to always be thinking about my manuscript and to think the words out in my head long before I sit at my laptop. 

Because I’ve been rehearsing my next chunk of prose or dialogue while driving/cooking/showering, I have enough stored up and ready to go when it’s time to write. I always have a notebook handy and I jot down notes throughout the day. Those techniques have helped me to maximize my writing time.

 

From there, she released "Isaiah Dunn is My Hero" in 2020, and the sequel, "Isaiah Dunn Saves the Day," released in 2022.  Your writing career began when your short story about Isaiah won the “We Need Diverse Books” award. After a short story and two novels, does Isaiah have more to say? 

Isaiah has just a little bit more to tell us. After Saves The Day, I envisioned one more book to finish his story.

 

Since I live in a small town, I love books set in big cities, and since winter can get annoying, I love books set in tropical climates. You also said you like to write stories with boy characters, because you grew up in a family of girls. Is this a case of “write what you don’t know”? 

I think it’s a case of “write what you wished for!” and that’s been the case in a lot of my work. The concept is not completely foreign to me, though, because growing up, my best friends were boys, and I have two sons.

In terms of people, Kobe Bryant will probably always be my greatest inspiration. My goal is to approach writing with the same intensity, passion, and relentlessness as he did on the court. You’re not shy about your lifelong adulation of Kobe. What first drew you to a smallish (for an NBA player) point guard for a California team? How did his sudden death in a helicopter accident affect you? Are you still a basketball fan? 

Man, Kobe will forever be my GOAT! I was drawn to him after reading a story about him in a sports magazine. He was in high school, thinking of turning pro, and even back then, I was inspired by young people pursuing their dreams. 

As I matured, I began to admire him for more than the wins and championships; I started paying closer attention to the work ethic and consistency. His passing took my breath away then, and it still does now. 

I did not know it was possible to mourn so deeply for someone I had never met. But, as with most tough times, it sparked something in me to approach writing and life the way he would. I still use him as motivation whenever a difficult task is ahead of me. 

I don’t watch too much basketball these days, and if I do, it’s college or Kobe highlights. I’m much more into football now and am gaining a ton of inspiration from Deion Sanders and his family these days.

 

Workspace

I do remember being young and typing out stories on their old-school typewriter (my father still has a lot of these stories and notes in his “Daddy Box”). Are you now in possession of your early stories? Do you have boxes for your five children? 

My parents often pull out my old stories to show me and I cringe! I’m so grateful I’ve come a long, long way! Yes, I have my own “Mommy Box” for my kids now.

Eb and Flow is a novel in verse. How did you come to write the story in that style? Do you have a musical score for it? Do you have one for The Band in Our Basement? 

I really want to say that the story wrote itself in that format. It was written in notebooks and from page one, I noticed that I was stopping in weird places and writing shorter sentences and zig-zagging, and all kinds of things. I just let it flow! 

My youngest daughter, Natalia, composed a musical score for Eb & Flow and I am very proud of her work! You can check it out on YouTube! She also created a score for The Band In Our Basement, and I love having it play in the background while I read the book to students.

An inspirational moment came when I was around 9 or 10 and my mother took us to see a small-town production of the play, “A Raisin in the Sun”. I came home and wrote my first play after that!

You’ve done picture books, rhyming picture books, middle grade novels, and novels in verse. Plays are one of the few genres you’ve yet to crack. Do you have a play in you? How about YA? 

Yes, I actually have EVERYTHING in me! My next novel would probably be considered lower YA because my main character is 14. And I’ve written two film scripts so far, one of which made it past the first round of the Final Draft Big Break Competition. You know how I feel about contests, so it’s only a matter of time for me to break into that genre😉

You’re part of a children’s writer podcast team (BookSmitten), along with Heather Shumaker, Jack Cheng, and Patrick Flores Scott. For your second season, the four of you decided to try and write a picture book. The other three were primarily novel writers. Did you find your previous picture book experience to be helpful in this grand project?  

 

I would say yes, my previous experience helped, but I learned so much more going through this process with writing friends and using Writing Picture Books by Ann Whitford Paul as our textbook. It was like a mini-class immersion.

I think my perspective brings a strong sense of reality to my story. Things like how a Black mom speaks to her kids, the prominence of barbershops to Black culture, and how fictive care and the importance of community has had a huge impact on us as a people are infused in this story. 

What role do barbershops play in Black culture? What roles have barbershops played in your books? 

Black barbershops and beauty shops are like salve for the soul. I believe they are medicinal. Just as you might go to a hospital or doctor’s office with a physical ailment and leave with a solution, the same is true for these shops. Your hairstyle is transformed and you depart with confidence. 

Now, I absolutely hate waiting for my turn in the chair (and that is usually the side effect of beauty and barber shops) but the environment is always ripe with stories, laughter, and ideas. Where else can you get free comedy, advice, and lessons in patience?

What’s next for Kelly Baptist?

I’m currently launching KejebaInk, a publishing company dedicated to publishing the work of serious young authors. Adjacent to that will be a writing league and summer camp, stay tuned! In terms of writing, I have a picture book coming out this year, and a novel in verse coming next year. Kelly J. Baptist is always writing!

Please share any social media:

@kellyiswrite

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXuQB4zWnrU

Book Birthday Blog with Kirsten Leestma

 

Welcome to SCBWI-MI's Book Birthday Blog!

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

 

Congratulations to Kirsten Leestma on the release of Forest Bath

 

 

Congratulations on your debut picture book! How did you come up with the idea for your book?

Thank you! I came up with the idea of Forest Bath after reading an article about the Japanese practice of shinrin-yoku, or Forest Bathing. The article spoke to Forest Bathing becoming more well known in the States and the physical and mental benefits of being in nature, being mindful, and stepping away from technology. I thought the idea of a child thinking it was a literal bath was a bit funny and the topic itself timely for our chronically online world. 

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

I hope my readers will take away a sense of wonder and appreciation for the natural world around us and be ready to try a forest bath for themselves! 

What was the most difficult part of writing this book? 

I intentionally wanted this book to be more of a poem or almost a meditation. The teacher side of me also intentionally created stanzas using a group of verbs and one onomatopoeia. Putting the right words in the right stanzas and piecing it together like a puzzle was fun, but also the most challenging. 

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

The marketing plans for my book include using social media and local in-person events. To kick it off, Forest Bath will be featured as a storywalk at one of our local parks! You can find Forest Bath on any website like Bookshop.org or Barnes and Noble. You can also check your local bookstore or order it through them if it’s not on their shelves! 

What's next for you? 

Right now, I am working on a few new manuscripts and submitting others to agents and publishers. I also have an incomplete idea brewing for a follow-up to Forest Bath, so stay tuned!

More about the book . . .

Take a forest bath with all your senses: breathe in nature, touch its beauty, listen to its sounds. This gentle tale invites readers to slow down and enjoy the natural world by walking, watching, smelling, and feeling. Water is optional!

Published by: Mission Point Press

More about the author . . .

Kirsten Leestma is a teacher and writer living in northern Michigan. She loves to read and to be on, near, or in one of the Great Lakes. She quietly adventures close to home and abroad, visits bookstores wherever she goes and takes a forest bath as often as possible. This is her first picture book.

Instagram & Threads: @kirstenleestma_writes
Facebook: Kirsten Leestma Writes
Website: http://www.kirstenleestma.com/

 

 

Black History Is American History: Preserving Our Stories, Protecting The Future

By The SCBWI Michigan Equity & Inclusion Team

 

Black History Month invites us to pause, honor, and reflect — but it also calls us to remember something essential: Black History is American History. It is not an add‑on, a sidebar, or a yearly footnote. It is woven into the very fabric of this country’s story. And like all history, it is sacred.

 

Each year, we rightly celebrate the Black American heroes who shaped our nation — the trailblazers whose courage and brilliance continue to benefit us all today. This year, we also want to shine a light on creators of our generation, contemporary authors and illustrators whose work models what is possible for us as children’s book creators today. Their voices remind us that history is not only something we look back on; it is something we are actively shaping through the stories we tell.

 

History belongs to the people who lived it, the children who inherit it, and the nation shaped by it. When we preserve history truthfully, we preserve dignity. When we distort or erase it, we lose not only facts but also wisdom, identity, and the opportunity to grow.

 

As writers and illustrators, we understand this intimately. Every book we create becomes a keeper of what we dare not forget. Every story we tell becomes a record of what we value. Literature is, in many ways, a form of historical preservation. We protect the truth by putting it on the page.

 

This month, we honor two contemporary Black creators whose work reminds us why storytelling matters — not just for entertainment, but for cultural memory, empowerment, and the future of young readers.

 

Octavia E. Butler: A Visionary Who Wrote the Future Into Being

Octavia Butler’s work continues to shape the imaginations of young adults and adults alike. Her stories — bold, speculative, and unflinching — explore power, identity, justice, and the consequences of ignoring our past. Butler understood that the future is built on the truths we are willing to face today.

Her novels invite young readers to ask big questions:

• What happens when we forget who we are

• What happens when we silence the voices that warn us

• What kind of world can we build when we honor every part of our history — even the painful parts

Butler’s legacy reminds us that writing is an act of courage. It is also an act of preservation. Through her stories, she safeguarded truths that might otherwise be overlooked, and she empowered generations of young readers to imagine themselves as protagonists in worlds yet to come.

 

Jerry Craft: Centering Joy, Identity, and Everyday Truths

Jerry Craft, award‑winning children’s author and illustrator, offers something equally vital: stories where Black children get to be fully themselves — joyful, creative, complex, and deeply human.

In New Kid and his other graphic novels, Craft preserves a different kind of history: the lived experiences of Black children and children from other marginalized groups as they navigate school, friendship, identity, and belonging. His work pushes back against narratives that limit Black characters to trauma or survival. Instead, he gives young readers stories filled with humor, heart, and hope.

 

Craft’s books remind us that preserving history isn’t only about documenting struggle. It’s also about protecting joy. Protecting representation. Protecting the everyday moments that shape a child’s understanding of who they are and who they can become.

 

On a personal note, here’s why Jerry Craft is a hero of mine: Jerry Craft began his career as a self‑published creator and went on to make literary history! His graphic novel New Kid became the first and only graphic novel to win the Newbery Medal, the Coretta Scott King Author Award, and the Kirkus Prize for Young Readers’ Literature — a groundbreaking achievement that continues to inspire creators across generations. That’s pretty amazing!

 

Why Preservation Matters — In History and in Literature

Today, we are witnessing attempts to revise, sanitize, or erase parts of American history that some find uncomfortable. But discomfort is not a reason to hide the truth — it is a reason to lean in and learn.

 

Writers and illustrators play a crucial role in this moment.

 

We are keepers of memory.

We are protectors of story.

We are builders of legacy.

We are believers in all children’s right to read and be represented in literature.

 

Just as archivists preserve documents and historians preserve facts, creators preserve the emotional and cultural truths that help future generations understand where they come from and celebrate who they are now. When we write honestly, we honor the people who lived the stories before us. When we illustrate boldly, we make space for children to see themselves reflected with dignity.

 

A Call to Our Creative Community

As members of SCBWI, we have the privilege — and the responsibility — to create books that reflect the full breadth of human experience. This Black History Month, let us commit to:

 

• Reading widely from Black authors and illustrators across genres and age categories.
• Uplifting contemporary voices like Octavia Butler and Jerry Craft (and your Black American fellow SCBWI members) whose work expands what is possible in children’s literature.
• Preserving truth in our own creative work, resisting the urge to soften or erase what is real.
• Honoring the sacredness of history by telling stories that are honest, compassionate, and rooted in respect.

Black History is American History. When we protect it — in classrooms, in libraries, in conversations, and in the books we create — we protect the future and the children who will live in it… and read about it.

 

Naomi V. Dunsen‑White is an editorial leader, writing and publishing coach, and founder of Naomi Books, LLC, where she supports diverse authors in creating meaningful, high‑quality children’s literature as well as other genres. She serves as Chair of Equity & Inclusion for the SCBWI Michigan chapter, advocating for diverse voices and inclusive storytelling. If you are interested in joining the Equity and Inclusion Team, write to Naomi at naomibooksinfo@gmail.com.

Being Creative Through Tumultuous Times

I know I'm not the only one feeling distracted and distressed lately. There's a part of me that thinks I should not look away, that a minimum is to witness what's happening in Minnesota. 

At the same time, for most of us, the rest of our lives continue. We have our usual things to balance: work, family, and (what often gets squeezed in last) our creative work. 

Sometimes I try to compartmentalize, and when I write an email letting people know about another interesting interview with a Michigan writer or illustrator, I just write it like I normally would without acknowledging horrific scenes that almost all of us have seen on the news or social media. Sometimes it feels strange to not acknowledge what is going on in the world and the feelings of fear that many are experiencing and to just proceed with business as usual. 

So, while acknowledging that our primary purpose on this blog is to talk about writing and illustrating books for children, I also wanted to have a space available for you to talk about how the state of the world affects you and/or your creative work, as well as to offer advice for your fellow writers and illustrators.

How are you feeling? Are you continuing with your writing/illustrating/submitting like usual? If not, what has changed?

Writer Spotlight: Christina Wyman

Cannolis, trauma, Pleasantville, Byline Bible, obituary and other endings: Author Christina Wyman

Charlie Barshaw coordinates our regular Writer Spotlight feature and interviews writers of SCBWI-MI. In this piece, meet author Christina Wyman.

Christina and Alfred

Rescue cats named Alfred and Greta ​Cannoli. Are Alfred and Greta a couple? Cannoli like the Italian dessert?

I love questions about my cats! Alfred and Greta are quite the pair. She is completely bonded to him – he is less enthusiastic. Actually, he’s a jerk. And yes, Greta’s middle name is indeed in honor of one of my most favorite Italian desserts.


She grew up in a tiny ​apartment with her family in Brooklyn, New York, where she dreamed ​of becoming a writer. Did you also grow up dreaming of having a wildlife sanctuary in your tree in midwest Michigan?

HAHA! If you told me twenty years ago that I’d be married to a Midwesterner and living in the middle of Michigan (and surrounded by wildlife), I definitely would have looked at you sideways.

Jawbreaker, Slouch, and now Breakout. It seems like a new novel a year. What kind of working schedule does a novel a year entail?

It’s a lot of sweat! A lot of tears! Honestly, I generally have about 2k words in me per day – and that’s if I’m having a great day. And I wrote Breakout twice, and am currently rewriting Mean. That’s just the way these things go sometimes! 

When I’m drafting, we’re talking 7-day workweeks. So maybe it entails adding days to the calendar that did not previously exist? I wish I had a good answer. It just entails hard work, the way all hard work entails hard work.

You do have more time, now that M.S.U. has shrunk their budget on you. Before then, how long had you taught teachers? What was the most rewarding part of the job?

I have been teaching teachers since 2008. So, nearly 20 years. Teaching is the second love of my life (writing is the first, and I’ve known that since the 6th grade). 

My absolute favorite part of teaching is the relationship building. I’m still in touch with many students, and I’m also in touch with one family from my days as a middle school teacher. That student is now in his thirties. Which I think means I’m old.

Books that dealt with life-altering bullying didn’t seem to exist when I was growing up—and I’m not sure that they’re plentiful even now. That was your final sentence in relaying your first rejection, a short story for Highlights. It’s funny that you felt you didn’t read the room, that kids’ stories needed optimism. But the reason you were scathingly rejected was because they thought the bullying wasn’t realistic. Was trauma part of your growing up?

Ha! You’re a good sleuth, because I don’t recall naming them in that piece!!!

Yes, trauma was a very real part of my childhood, both at home and at school. I would say it defined my childhood. I don’t think we’re supposed to say that negative things define us sometimes, but to hell with that. Trauma defined my childhood and I have the therapy bills to prove it. 

I cannot think about childhood without also thinking about the bullying and trauma and family dysfunction that narrated it at the time. I’ve seen and heard things no kid should see or hear. That’s just the damned truth. 

Some things just can’t be divorced from each other, and childhood shapes who (and how) we become as adults. I would not be able to write my books divorced from that “shaping.”

And now you’re an author writing about the bullying that happens to young people. Are you giving today’s kids knowledge that you wish you had when growing up and going through it?

What I hope is that children are feeling seen and heard in my stories. I do wish I would have identified with books a bit more when I was growing up (still, I was an avid reader). 

I don’t really try to dictate the knowledge gleaned for kids. That piece is up to them, as individuals, and I’m also delighted to learn what kids take away from my stories.


That’s a rich vein you’re mining, adolescent angst. What’s next?

I mean, are there other topics? I’m not sure! Maybe YA? Maybe adult fiction? I have lots of stories in me. Terrifying, now that I think about it.


Essays are how you got your big break, and you’ve had a lot of yours published. How do you sell essays to Rolling Stone and Writer’s Digest and more obscure publications?

I have one word. Okay, several words. Susan Shapiro’s book, The Byline Bible: Get Published In 5 Weeks, teaches more about this than I ever could, and explains it far more eloquently. I strongly suggest that anyone interested in selling essays should buy that book and/or take her classes!


This kid from Brooklyn wanted to feel like she could be anything and go anywhere. That’s what going to Pace did for me. Tell us about the college life in Pleasantville.

Ha! Bucolic. Fairy tale-esque. I went to college on a Pell Grant up the road from where Washington Irving imagined The Legend of Sleepy Hollow to take place, and also where several Judy Blume novels take place. It was a magical place to be. Still is. Everyone should visit Sleepy Hollow and neighboring Tarrytown. It’s just stunning.

Unboxing with feline approval

My writing teacher and mentor Susan Shapiro, author of The Byline Bible: Get Published In 5 Weeks, often uses a quirky, eye-catching line in her bio: Susan Shapiro is the bestselling author of several books her family hates.

You give Susan full credit for your children’s book career. Tell us about Susan, and as her student, spill the tea.

Sue is an unbelievably generous teacher. Generous with her wisdom, her time, her connections, everything. She’s also an unbelievably talented and successful writer, but she is a consummate teacher – she takes tremendous pride in watching her students succeed. That’s the only tea I got. Anyone who wants to write so much as a grocery list should take her writing classes. I will die on that hill.

At a bookstore event  with
Ruth McNally Barshaw and Sondra Soderborg.

I am a big believer in what is perhaps Anne Lamott's most famous (and controversial) commentary about writing. In her book Bird By Bird, which functions as part memoir, part guide for writers, she asserts the following: “You own everything that happened to you. Tell your stories. If people wanted you to write warmly about them, they should have behaved better.”

Have you ever crossed paths with Anne Lamott?

I, sadly, have not. But I’d love to.


This Woman's Controversial Obituary For Her Mom Caused Outrage — But We Need More Like It. This was the essay that made it to WaPo? You had written tons of essays on tons of topics. Did you wish you had gotten famous for one of your other essays?

That essay was first published by HuffPost, and then picked up by Buzzfeed, who I believe is their parent company (I don’t know how these things work). And you are very kind – I wouldn’t say that I’m famous. And I just like seeing what my different essays do out in the world. It’s been a wild ride.

Essay writing is a whole different genre than, say, children’s book writing. If someone wanted to follow your footsteps by writing essays, what would you tell them?

Here again, pickup up Sue’s Byline Bible book and take her classes! Or, they can email me directly, and – because I get asked this question so much – I put together a document of tips that I would happily share with them, most of which center on getting Byline Bible and taking Sue’s classes. But they can certainly start here, with an article I wrote for Writer’s Digest about how my success story began with getting over myself.

As for my family, I guess they hated my essay. Which means I found my voice. But I’ll take it one step further: I not only found my voice, I found my truth. Now that the cat’s out of the bag, is there any reconciliation within your family? Anybody getting any therapy?

The one person in therapy is the person writing to you here. And now that I know what I know about healing from trauma, I would argue that reconciliation isn’t always the desired endgame, nor does it have to be. 

For adult survivors, there’s often too much trauma and too much lack of accountability for reconciliation to even be possible (and this is not by my choice). 

A lot of people believe that estrangement is a tragedy. This is not a mentality to which I subscribe. I don’t believe that healing can take place while connected to that which made the healing necessary to begin with. I will die on all of these hills.

You are a doctor. And you wrote an essay about Dr. Jill Biden that caused some controversy. What did it take for you to earn your doctorate?

Six years of unrelenting study, committed mentors, and a profound interest in understanding teachers and education! You know, all of the things our current administration doesn’t believe in. Oh wait, did I say that out loud?

The Cannoli Cats

It seems at times you are fully immersed in the zeitgeist. Do your essays have to provoke emotion in order to be successful?

Ha! Honestly, I have found that my most successful essays are the ones that piss off the most people. But yes, provoking/evoking strong emotion is a huge part of that formula.


Also, be wildly open to feedback but learn how to filter out the garbage. A few years before I wrote Jawbreaker, someone told me to stop writing for children, essentially because they didn’t think my stories were believable or relatable. (Spoiler: What they’d read at the time was a short story I’d written which was based on an earlier version of Max Plink, Jawbreaker’s main character.) One person’s opinion should not define whether you keep going, and you get to decide which opinions matter and which don’t. I can be really hard-headed, which is why I kept going.

On that note: Keep going. Is this pretty much your advice to writers?

Yes! But I’ll offer one more: Before I was a professional writer, I had gotten my hands on a book by bestselling romance novelist Kristan Higgins. This was strictly by chance. And I loved her book, and from there, sought out everything else she’d written to that point.

I also sent her an email asking, “How on earth do you do this?” I just loved her writing and I wanted that to be my life. She wrote back (first author to ever respond to me!) and said, “Butt in chair, Missy!”

It was the best advice I’d ever received, and it turned out to be true every time. The writing doesn’t happen unless your butt is in that chair and you are writing. I am so grateful to Kristan and her wise words. So much so that she’s in my Jawbreaker dedications page.

You mentioned that a key writing moment came for you in the sixth grade, when your task was to rewrite the ending of a famous children’s book. Gary Schmidt asked the writers he was tutoring in jail to rewrite the ending of Jason Reynold’s Long Way Down.

What is it about endings that inspire writers? Would you want readers to rewrite your endings?

I think endings are the piece that stay with us. It’s the thing we think about most, for better or for worse, after we’re long done with a novel. And as a class assignment, it’s so much fun! I would absolutely love to learn how readers rewrite my endings!

What’s next?

I am currently revising my fourth MG novel, MEAN. And boy, is the MC mean with a cherry on top.



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