Welcome to SCBWI-MI's Book Birthday Blog!

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

Congratulations to Patti Richards on the release of Mrs. Noah

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

I was packing my family for our very first cruise—a trip to celebrate my parents’ 50th wedding anniversary. I was running around like a crazy woman trying to prep for the two-day drive to Florida as well as the three-day voyage. There were five of us in my family at the time, so making sure everyone had enough clean clothes and toiletries for all the stages of the trip was a big job. Add in buying up enough pet supplies and snacks for our house sitter, stopping the mail, making sure everyone had a swimsuit and shoes that fit, plus paying all the bills and getting the house cleaned before we could leave, and I was a shipwreck waiting to happen!

Somewhere in all of the craziness, I had this thought… “If I’m this stressed trying to get everything done before we leave for our cruise, how in the world did Mrs. Noah get everything ready for an ark full of animals and the rest of her family?” This made me laugh out loud. The idea of Mrs. Noah settled in and stayed (a “God whisper”) and by the time the trip was over, I had the first lines of the story in my head.

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

The themes of MRS. NOAH are love, family and teamwork! I hope young readers and the adults in their lives will see the joy and fun of working together, all wrapped up in the unconditional love it takes to make a house—or Ark in this case—a home!

What inspires you to write?

So many things inspire me, it’s hard to name one. But the reason I write is to bring joy and light to little hearts in a world that can sometimes be difficult to navigate. I want all of my books to sing with love and the magic of childhood.

You have 2 more books scheduled for release next year. Do you have more books in the works and how do you stay organized?

I do, and just reading those words makes my heart so happy! It’s been many years in the making, and I’m so excited to see MRS. NOAH and my other two books out in the world. The thing about writing for children is that you need to have a variety of projects at different stages of completion at all times. So, while I’m marketing for MRS. NOAH, waiting for the finishing touches for O POSSUM’S PREDICAMENT (Blue Whale Press), and finishing revisions for MILLIE’S CHRISTMAS MIRACLE (Little Lamb Books), I’m still writing, revising and submitting new stories regularly as well as submitting to agents. Even as I’m answering these questions, I have several files open that I’ll look at off and on when I need a break from other tasks or have an idea that needs attention right away!

As far as staying organized, I use Excel spreadsheets to keep track of submissions. I have three different ones: Editorial Submissions, Agent Submissions, and one special one for a group I’m part of called, 100 Rejections Are a Good Thing!

What are your marketing plans for the book?

I have to admit that marketing is one of the things that gives me the most anxiety in this process. But I’m diving in and hoping I don’t make too many mistakes along the way. Right now, I’m in the process of visiting wonderful blogs like our Mitten! We’re also getting a press release ready to send out to local newspapers, libraries, schools and bookstores. I’m part of a launch group called “21 for the Books,” where we review others books and share on social media about release events, and I’m planning a Facebook live event the day MRS. NOAH releases. I think part of marketing is just doing what you know to do in the most professional and enthusiastic way you can, and that’s what I’m trying to do.

A little bit about the book . . .

Noah can’t wait to show his bride the enormous ark he’s just completed. As amazing as it is, Mrs. Noah knows it can be more. She sees beyond the wood and fasteners to the home it has the potential to be—and so, she gets to work! With care for each animal and its needs, Mrs. Noah hammers, gathers, knits, and schlepps this floating house into a loving home. And while she starts the project on her own, teamwork will see it through.

A little bit about the author . . .

As a writer, wife, mother, teacher, and storyteller, Patti Richards has spent nearly 30 years spinning yarns and telling tales. From local newspapers and regional and national magazines to published children’s books, Patti’s life revolves around writing words that speak hope, love, light and joy into the lives of her readers. She lives in Farmington Hills, Michigan with her husband Gene. You can visit her on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram as well as on her website at www.pattigail1.com