Welcome to SCBWI-MI's Book Birthday Blog!
Where we celebrate new books by Michigan's children's book authors and illustrators
Congratulations to Deb Pilutti on the release of her new book, Old Rock (is Not Boring)!
Congratulations on the release of Old Rock (is Not Boring)! What inspired this story?
Thank you! I take a lot of walks in the woods, and I often will wonder what a rock or tree might have witnessed over time. I drew a picture of a rock that I thought was funny and wondered if I could write a story about the character. Then I became stuck, because ROCKS DON’T DO ANYTHING, they just sit there. It seemed like a boring premise. Once I thought more about how rocks are formed, and what they might have seen through the millennium, I realized there was an abundance of not-boring experiences Old Rock could have.
You created a charming “Make Your Own Rock Character” activity sheet to go along with your newest book. You’ve also offered activity sheets, teacher’s guides, and even event kits for previous books! Why do you make these extra materials? What value would you say they hold for your readers?
I find it inspiring whenever I see a teacher connect curriculum to a book or theme, sometimes in surprising ways. It creates opportunities for students to delve deeper into a subject, be creative or just have fun. Plus it’s a nice leave-behind for school visits.
Before you wrote and illustrated picture books, you did a variety of graphic design, product design, and illustration. Can you tell us a little bit about why you made the transition to picture books?
When I was a young adult, it was my desire to become a “serious designer,” and create corporate logos and posters and brochures. It seemed like the kind of thing an adult would do. If I had been paying attention to what I was truly passionate about, I might have made the transition sooner. The projects I enjoyed most had a playful or illustrative component and told a story. It never occurred to me that writing and illustrating for children was something I could do. When it did finally dawn on me, I began to study children’s books and joined SCBWI and a critique group. At first it was something I tried on and off, until I realized being published would not become a reality if I did not take the work seriously and treat it like my job.
As both the author and illustrator of your books, you work with the written and visual aspects of your story. When a new story idea first comes to mind, is it usually in images or words? How do you balance text and visuals through the creation and revision process of your books?
Each story is a little different. Many of them have started with a character sketch. Then I try to learn more about the character and develop a premise for the story. I write and revise until the idea feels pretty buttoned down. At that point, I start sketching and put together a dummy to take to my critique groups. They let me know if there are problems with plot or if I need to revise or cut text (always). Then on to more revising.
What’s something you hope your readers will take away from Old Rock’s exciting tales?
This is a difficult question. It isn’t something I think about when I’m writing. I just try to find the story or character’s truth and hopefully entertain in the process. That said, it would be nice if readers thought, “Everyone or (thing) has a story to tell.”
What’s next, any events coming up or new ideas in the works? How can people connect with you and learn more about your work?
I’m having a launch party for Old Rock at Nicola’s in Ann Arbor on February 29 at 11:00 am along with Deborah Marcero, author/illustrator of In a Jar. I’ll also be participating in a panel at KidlitCon in Ann Arbor on March 27-28. You can find out more at www.debpilutti.com or @dpilutti on Instagram and Twitter.
A little bit about the book:
Old Rock has been sitting in the same spot in the pine forest for as long as anyone can remember. Spotted Beetle, Tall Pine, and Hummingbird think just sitting there must be boring, but they are in for a wonderful surprise.
Fabulous tales of adventurous travel, exotic scenery, entertaining neighbors, and more from Old Rock’s life prove it has been anything but boring.
A little bit about the author:
Deb Pilutti writes and illustrates for children. She feels lucky to have a job where reading, playing with toys and watching cartoons is considered “research.” Before becoming an author & illustrator, Deb was a graphic designer and created toys for Oliebollen.com and graphics for SeaWorld and Warner Brothers theme parks.
Thank you! I take a lot of walks in the woods, and I often will wonder what a rock or tree might have witnessed over time. I drew a picture of a rock that I thought was funny and wondered if I could write a story about the character. Then I became stuck, because ROCKS DON’T DO ANYTHING, they just sit there. It seemed like a boring premise. Once I thought more about how rocks are formed, and what they might have seen through the millennium, I realized there was an abundance of not-boring experiences Old Rock could have.
You created a charming “Make Your Own Rock Character” activity sheet to go along with your newest book. You’ve also offered activity sheets, teacher’s guides, and even event kits for previous books! Why do you make these extra materials? What value would you say they hold for your readers?
I find it inspiring whenever I see a teacher connect curriculum to a book or theme, sometimes in surprising ways. It creates opportunities for students to delve deeper into a subject, be creative or just have fun. Plus it’s a nice leave-behind for school visits.
When I was a young adult, it was my desire to become a “serious designer,” and create corporate logos and posters and brochures. It seemed like the kind of thing an adult would do. If I had been paying attention to what I was truly passionate about, I might have made the transition sooner. The projects I enjoyed most had a playful or illustrative component and told a story. It never occurred to me that writing and illustrating for children was something I could do. When it did finally dawn on me, I began to study children’s books and joined SCBWI and a critique group. At first it was something I tried on and off, until I realized being published would not become a reality if I did not take the work seriously and treat it like my job.
As both the author and illustrator of your books, you work with the written and visual aspects of your story. When a new story idea first comes to mind, is it usually in images or words? How do you balance text and visuals through the creation and revision process of your books?
Each story is a little different. Many of them have started with a character sketch. Then I try to learn more about the character and develop a premise for the story. I write and revise until the idea feels pretty buttoned down. At that point, I start sketching and put together a dummy to take to my critique groups. They let me know if there are problems with plot or if I need to revise or cut text (always). Then on to more revising.
What’s something you hope your readers will take away from Old Rock’s exciting tales?
This is a difficult question. It isn’t something I think about when I’m writing. I just try to find the story or character’s truth and hopefully entertain in the process. That said, it would be nice if readers thought, “Everyone or (thing) has a story to tell.”
What’s next, any events coming up or new ideas in the works? How can people connect with you and learn more about your work?
I’m having a launch party for Old Rock at Nicola’s in Ann Arbor on February 29 at 11:00 am along with Deborah Marcero, author/illustrator of In a Jar. I’ll also be participating in a panel at KidlitCon in Ann Arbor on March 27-28. You can find out more at www.debpilutti.com or @dpilutti on Instagram and Twitter.
A little bit about the book:
Old Rock has been sitting in the same spot in the pine forest for as long as anyone can remember. Spotted Beetle, Tall Pine, and Hummingbird think just sitting there must be boring, but they are in for a wonderful surprise.
Fabulous tales of adventurous travel, exotic scenery, entertaining neighbors, and more from Old Rock’s life prove it has been anything but boring.
Deb Pilutti writes and illustrates for children. She feels lucky to have a job where reading, playing with toys and watching cartoons is considered “research.” Before becoming an author & illustrator, Deb was a graphic designer and created toys for Oliebollen.com and graphics for SeaWorld and Warner Brothers theme parks.
Congrats to Deb on her new book. Not being an illustrator, it was so interesting to read about how she writes/illustrates. Hope to see her at the KidLit Conference.
ReplyDeleteThank you Natalie. I'm looking forward to KidLitCon.
DeleteThe book trailer and activity sheet are SO engaging! Kids are going to love this book. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteThanks Cathy!
DeleteCongratulations, Deb--loved learning more about Old Rock and your journey to kids lit!
ReplyDeleteThanks book birthday twin! I enjoyed your article too.
DeleteCongrats, Deb! I appreciated learning more about your process and the ideas behind this story. Have fun at your upcoming events and hope to see you soon!
ReplyDeleteLove rocks! This is one I want. Congrats!
ReplyDeleteLove rocks. This is intriguing -- title, subject, activities. Hooray and congrats!
ReplyDeleteI personally would never call a rock boring, and now there's a book to prove it! Congratulations on your book birthday! I look forward to reading Old Rock's adventures! :-)
ReplyDelete