Book Birthday Blog with Paulette Sharkey

Welcome to SCBWI-MI's Book Birthday Blog! 

Where we celebrate new books by Michigan's children's book authors and illustrators

Congratulations to Paulette Sharkey on the release of her new book, A Doll For Grandma!

Congratulations on the release of your new book, A Doll for Grandma! What inspired this story?

Thank you! I’m a writer as well as a pianist. About 15 years ago, around the time I retired from my job as a reference librarian, I read that musical memories are held in a part of the brain often left undamaged by Alzheimer’s disease. I decided to see this for myself, and started visiting memory-care homes to play the piano for the residents. 

Their reaction was astounding. Many could no longer recognize family or friends but they could recognize old familiar songs, especially the World War II songs of their younger years. Even those who could no longer speak could often sing along. That’s how I first got interested in Alzheimer’s disease. 

What was the experience of picture book publishing like for you? What was your favorite moment, or your most challenging one?

I had only been working on A Doll for Grandma for about 2 years before I sold it, which is pretty fast! My favorite moment during the process was receiving the email from Naomi Krueger, Acquisitions Editor at Beaming Books, with an offer letter attached. I was in Alaska at the time, awaiting the birth of my first grandchild. Very exciting!

Of course, then came the waiting: about a year and a half from offer letter to publication. And now the challenge of having a book release during the coronavirus pandemic. It’s going to be harder to reach my audience when everyone is distracted by other concerns.

You mention on your website that you have worked as a volunteer pianist with memory-care residents, and cared for family members with dementia. Can you talk a little bit about how those experiences influenced how or why you wrote this story?

My volunteer work with memory-care residents has shown me that even with dementia, people can experience moments of great joy. I wanted to show children that. I also wanted them to see what goes on inside a memory-care home so that they would be less frightened to visit. 

Caring for my uncle and my mother influenced how I wrote the character of Kiera. She models how best to love people with dementia: just as they are, accepting their altered sense of reality without trying to bring them back into our reality. 

You’ve written flash nonfiction, memoirs, and articles for children’s magazines like Highlights and Cricket. How did the writing process for a picture book compare to what you’ve written previously?

I think that writing flash nonfiction—tiny true stories that pack an emotional punch with only a few hundred words—is excellent preparation for writing a picture book. I’ve always loved the minimalism of picture books. Writing flash pieces and picture books both require making every word count. 

When I write an article for a magazine like Cricket, there might be a couple of illustrations, but for the most part, my text has to be complete enough to stand alone. Quite different from writing a picture book, where art and text together tell the story. 

It’s clear to see, both from this picture book and from what you write about on your blog, that you care deeply about supporting those living with Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia. What advice would you give to an author who wants to give back, or support and highlight a specific cause with their books? 

A book that highlights a particular topic, like A Doll for Grandma does, won’t necessarily find its readers in the usual pool of children’s book enthusiasts. 

Look for organizations, magazines, newsletters, websites, blogs, podcasts, social media accounts relevant to your topic and engage with them. I’ve found book promotion opportunities by reaching out to my local Alzheimers Association chapter and to the staff of memory-care facilities. I’m fortunate to be able to donate all my author proceeds to support Alzheimer’s research, giving an additional incentive to book buyers.

What’s something you hope your readers will take away from this story?

Alzheimer’s disease steals memories, but the ability to love remains.

Do you have any new ideas in the works? How can readers find out more about you and your work?

I’m working on a picture book biography of Clara Schumann and a story about a piano recital gone wrong! 

You can find out more about me on my website: paulettesharkey.com

Or connect with me on twitter: @pbsharkey

A Little bit about the book:

Kiera has a special bond with her grandmother. When Grandma develops Alzheimer’s and moves into a memory-care home, Kiera finds that the old ways they played together no longer work. By embracing the changes in Grandma, Kiera figures out a new way to connect and sustain their relationship. She gives Grandma a doll and they enjoy taking care of their “babies” together. 

A Little bit about the author:

Paulette Bochnig Sharkey worked for many years as a librarian, first in her home state of Michigan, and later in Australia, Nevada, and Wisconsin. She has also been an indexer, braille transcriber, developmental editor, proofreader, and ghostwriter. Paulette is the author of two library reference books and dozens of articles for children’s magazines. A Doll for Grandma is her first children’s book.