Book Birthday Blog with Julie Darling and D. J. Cools

 

Welcome to SCBWI-MI's Book Birthday Blog!

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

 

Congratulations to Julie Darling and

 D. J. Cools on the release of 

Little Computer Scientists and 

Little Hackers

 

 

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

 D. J.: That was all Julie! Her vision for bringing computer science concepts to life for kids in a unique, inclusive way drew me in from the beginning.

Julie: This series was initially inspired by the Chris Ferrie STEM for babies, board books. When those first came on the market, I thought — these are fabulous! It made me curious how this idea of vocabulary and sophisticated concept building, for littles, could be combined with diversity and inclusion.
 
At around the same time I was reading some troubling research indicating that gender stereotypes start at ages 4–6 and can negatively impact girls' interest in computer science and engineering. Most computer science curriculum doesn’t start until age 8, because that’s what’s developmentally appropriate for the content taught. However, if you wait until age 8 to foster an interest in computer science, you’ve already lost a lot of your girls. We know that representation matters across the board, so we purposefully developed the 3-book set with a girl-heavy, diverse cast of characters.
 
The companion guidebook also provides a teaching resources for parents or educators, linked to the complete set of K-2 Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA) standards. As a school librarian, I was also able to seek input about the picture book protagonist, character design, from my students (they universally loved Zuri’s rainbow shirt), and field test the games, activities and songs in the guidebook. 

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

D. J.: I hope readers will come away from reading our books with a strong sense that computer science and the wonder of technology is available to everyone. And that it’s fun, useful, and sometimes, even magical. 

Julie: Same. That computer science is for everyone. It’s creative and  powerful. It’s a tool that can make things more interesting and exciting.

Will you walk us through your creative process working together?

D. J.:   After reading through Julie’s manuscript, I immediately began imagining what it would be like to ‘fly’ through the story, almost as if I could hitch a ride on a drone to zip around the characters as they interacted in their environment. It was an interesting challenge to come up with a concrete way to visualize abstract concepts in story form…
 
I shared first thumbnails, then black and white roughs, then ink, then color with Julie. We discussed (and revised) character design, visual angles, backgrounds, and details every step of the way. It was truly a team effort. 

 

Julie: I started with a rough sketch of an idea for the books, knowing that my picture books would need a thoughtful, talented illustrator. When I saw D. J.’s work, I knew he’d be a good fit for these. D. J. gave me feedback on my writing, throughout the drafting process. In return, I provided feedback for the illustrations, based on my own design thoughts, and input from my students. Although we did have a few compromises I’ve been delighted with the results. I feel like the books capture exactly what I had envisioned.

What inspires you to write/illustrate? 

D. J.:  I am inspired by more things than I can count! Since my earliest memories I have been drawing and creating visual artifacts, and my environment and media exposure at any given time played a huge role at every stage of my artistic development. Early on, I was deeply influenced by 1960s and ‘70s book illustrations, as well as animated Disney movies and vintage cartoons. Later, the drama of comic books and anime colored my work.
 
I draw, write, and create as a way of understanding the world and processing my feelings and new information I encounter. I am moved by so many things in life, and I am wildly curious about everything. I treasure and nurture this sense of wonder about the world, about people, the whole cosmos—and I express that through many artistic outputs.

Julie: I’m inspired by my students and my daughters. I contemplate what I can put out into the world that is fun, inspiring and helpful, for them. 

What's next for you? 

D. J.: I am revising a stand-alone novel and working on a three-part Solarpunk book series. I am also making (slow) progress on a few picture books and forever attempting to get better at making art in general.

Julie: Good question! I have a few tech-infused projects in the works. Lately, I’ve been immersing myself in A.I., teaching educators some effective uses for these tools. At the same time, I've been thinking about the question — what happens if the A.I. gets out of control. It feels like right now we’re barely holding it by the tail. Exploring that would make for an interesting, albeit perhaps terrifying, YA novel. 

More about the books . . . 

Little Computer Scientists 

Beautifully illustrated and engagingly written, Little Computer Scientists is a whimsical exploration of computer science concepts for kids! Join a group of amateur coders as they work in binary, debug code, use HTML to build a website, and even create a LAN to game together. Using a captivating story and a diverse cast of characters, this picture book will introduce children to pertinent vocabulary and essential concepts needed to inspire an interest in computer science. 

Little Hackers

When Grandpa’s computer falls victim to malware, it’s up to Zuri to save the day! Using an engaging story with beautiful illustrations, this picture book makes it easy to introduce your child or student to basic computer science concepts and vocabulary. While being entertained, children will learn the difference between black, white, and gray hat hackers, how to identify malware, how to create secure passwords, and more!

Embark on a delightful exploration of computer science and ethical hacking concepts through the eyes of a precocious young child! 

Companion Guidebook: Supporting the Development of Computer Science Concepts in Early Childhood: A Practical Guide for Parents and Educators provides a solid understanding of computer science that sets your early childhood learner up for success!

The guide provides ways to introduce vocabulary, games to reinforce concepts, and printable activities that help early childhood learners understand computer science in an engaging, age-appropriate way.

This comprehensive guide covers the foundation of computer science (integrating the Computer Science Teachers Association K-2 standards) and includes information about binary, ciphers, using the command line, programming languages, sequencing, the basics of how computer systems and networks work, what hacking is, how to avoid phishing, and how to be a good digital citizen and stay safe online. 

Publisher: Routledge

More about the author and illustrator . . . 

Julie is a teacher/librarian from Michigan. She has a Master of Science in Information from the University of Michigan and is a Raspberry Pi certified educator. Julie’s been a featured speaker at a variety of conferences and events including ISTE, A2 SummerFest, CSTA's National Children’s Book Week and the Make:cast podcast. When she isn’t working in the library or writing, Julie likes to read, hike, explore new technology and spend time with her family, two cats, and one dog, who also thinks he’s a cat. 

Website: https://authorjuliedarling.com/ 

X: https://x.com/julielibrarian

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorjuliedarling/ 

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/authorjuliedarling.bsky.social 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorJulieDarling 

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@authorjuliedarling  

 

D. J. grew up in rural Washington State and used to be a car mechanic. He studied under Victoria Jamieson (Roller Girl, When Stars Are Scattered) and co-founded a picture book summer camp for middle school students. He was a Featured Illustrator on The Mitten blog and occasionally volunteers with 826 Michigan and YpsiWrites. When D. J. isn’t designing at his day job, he likes to mountain bike, read, run, write spooky fiction, and spend lots of time with his beloved, adventurous family.

Website: https://darrencools.com/

X: https://twitter.com/darrencools

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/d.j.cools/

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/darrencools.bsky.social 

 

 

 

SCBWI-MI Illustration Mentorship 2025 FREE Webinar

What: SCBWI-MI Illustration Mentorship 2025: Understanding the Changes, and How to Apply

Date: Wednesday, October 16, 2024

Time: 7:00-8:15 p.m.

Registration fee: FREE! 

We’ve been talking about the upcoming illustration mentorship for months now, but with all the other amazing opportunities our region offers, we thought it might be time for a reminder. 

Join Mentorship Coordinator Jay Whistler for a FREE webinar about the upcoming illustration mentorship. Jay will explain how and why the mentorship has changed, discuss the new features and guidelines, talk about getting ready to apply, and share the mentorship schedule. There will be plenty of time for questions as well. If you can’t join us, the webinar will be available to watch on your schedule until the end of the registration period, currently scheduled for January 2-17, 2025.

This is a great first step if you are considering applying. In November, you can attend a webinar with our mentor, Penelope Dullagan, in which she walks you through creating endpapers for picture books. It will be a good way to see how Penny teaches and decide if she is a good fit for you and your illustration goals. 

For more information about the webinar, click here. 

To learn more about the mentorship, click here.

Jay Whistler is the current Mentorship Coordinator, and the author of two middle-grade books, an adult short story, and a soon-to-be-published YA short story. In a previous life, she was an acquisitions reader for three literary agencies, a submissions reader for several literary journals, and a college writing instructor for 16 years. Though currently on hiatus, she is also a developmental editor for other authors. 

Learn more about Jay here.

 

 

Book Birthday Blog with Katharine Mitropoulos

 

Welcome to SCBWI-MI's Book Birthday Blog!

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

 

Congratulations to Katharine Mitropoulos on the release of Let's Work Smarter

 

 

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

I came up with the idea for Let’s Work Smarter during a school visit for my first book, Ready… Set… Frog! While working with a student, I asked how we could work smarter, not harder. The student responded, “what does that mean?” In that moment I had an idea for a story about our friends on Harmony Lane working together to complete a task, and discovering what it truly means to work smarter in a clear and relatable way.

What inspires you to write?

My children inspire my writing. When they encounter a topic or life event that needs more explanation or encouragement, I often help them through storytelling—and sometimes, I even write these stories down!

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

I hope readers will gain realistic ideas for how to work smarter, not harder, in their daily lives. As parents, we are all busy with never-ending to-do lists. I aimed to provide simple examples of how to incorporate the book's concepts into everyday life and highlight why they benefit both kids and adults.

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

This book will be available on amazon and our website: https://www.setsailpress.com/

We are also having a big launch party on Saturday, September 21st at 1:35pm at The Detroit Shoppe, Somerset Collection. All are welcome!

What's next for you?

After the release I will be touring Michigan elementary schools and participating in library visits.

More about the book . . .

Frog and his friends from Harmony Lane are back for another adventure! When the town playground needs fixing, the group struggles to complete their tasks. With guidance from their team leader, they reassess their approach and discover the value of time management and creative thinking.

Publisher: Set Sail Press

More about the author . . .

Katharine Mitropoulos dreamed of writing children's books when she was young but never found the courage. Her journey as an author began later in life after degrees in psychology, linguistics, and speech-language pathology. While working as a speech-language pathologist in schools, ideas for stories started flooding in. Once she got married and had two children of her own, she found herself crafting bedtime stories and dream prompts. One day, she wrote down one of those stories, and that's when Harmony Lane Adventures was born. In her spare time, Katharine loves to build furniture in her woodshop, eat ice cream with rainbow sprinkles, and run road races all over the state. 

Instagram: @setsailpress

 

 

Critique Carousel Spotlight: Lynn Baldwin

 

How a Diligent Children's Book Writer Landed an Agent, Editor, and Book Deal: Lynn Baldwin and the Critique Carousel 1, 2, and 3

 

You mentioned a purple office with a “Create with Joy” poster. Still there?

Yes, I love to decorate my office with things that inspire me. A recent addition is a purchase from this year’s Ann Arbor Art Fair. I bought the letters Y-E-S made out of books to remind myself that I will get some YESes in this industry of NOs. I love to travel, so I also display flags of all the countries I’ve visited.

What does it take to build a website like yours? What’s it like maintaining it?

This is a timely question as I just had my website redesigned by a company that a lot of other picture book authors use. Prior to this, I’d built a pretty amateurish site by myself. But, with my debut picture book coming out next year, I thought it was time to take it to the next level. I’m thrilled with the result!

You were a children’s book writer without an agent, and then the Critique Carousel happened. What made you want to pursue an agent when you did?

I’d been trying to find an agent for YEARS! Throughout my journey, several agents expressed interest and requested more work, but this never translated into a “yes.” When I had the offer of publication, I figured this was a great time to try again, and I was thrilled when my strategy was successful!

My story really highlights that it’s such a subjective industry and that it’s always a matter of the “right person at the right time.” Over the years, I’d participated in quite a few conferences, workshops, webinars, contests and pitch parties that came with submission opportunities to agents or editors, as well as submitting to agents when they were open. 

I was starting to wonder if I’d ever be an agented or published writer! But, with the encouragement of my critique partners and other writing friends, I kept going. I’d encourage anyone who’s in my situation to keep trying – you never know when you might find the right person at the right time for your story.

The first hint of the Critique Carousel appeared in June of 2022. Did you participate in that first-time gamble?

I did, and I had a really helpful critique from an agent. I really like the story I submitted that year but am STILL reworking it!

The next Carousel had a different faculty. Did you hop on the Carousel again?

Last year’s Critique Carousel was pivotal in my quest to become a published picture book author. When I received my feedback from editor Sarah Rockett, I immediately noticed that she had a lot of positive feedback and thought the story was very marketable.

Later that day, I found a third page of the critique on my office floor with a note I’d almost missed: Sarah said she’d love for me to submit the story to her!

That was in October or November of last year and I signed the contract with Tilbury House Publishers in June 2024. I was more familiar with Sleeping Bear than Tilbury House but have since learned that they are sister imprints under the Cherry Lake Publishing umbrella.

How did you choose your agent?

When I had the email with the book offer from Tilbury House, I immediately contacted a number of agents – some who had that story, some who had other stories of mine and some I hadn’t submitted to recently. I received some immediate “thanks but no thanks” and didn’t hear at all from at least a third of the agents. 

A few expressed interest and I decided that Jen Newens of Martin Literary Management was the best fit for me after talking to her and a few of her clients.

Family glacier hike Norway from summer 2024

What’s new from you?

My debut picture book, MY BACKYARD USED TO BE, is scheduled to be published by Tilbury House Publishers in fall 2025. Also, I’ll soon be out on submission with a new story for the first time, so I’m very excited about both!

Are you planning to mount up again for another carousel spin this year?

Definitely!

 

Charlie Barshaw has been with SCBWI-MI since 2009. He's also participated in both previous Carousels and gotten wonderful feedback. He's happy writing about other writer's successes. However, he's just about at the point of jumping into the submission trenches.

Also, in 2014 he co-chaired an SCBWI-MI conference at Mackinac Island, with such luminous faculty as editor Arthur Levine, editor Christy Ottaviano, author Candace Fleming, her husband and illustrator Eric Rohmann, and author/illustrator Laurie Keller.

There's a good possibility that one or more of those superstars will consent to an interview. Candace says, "I remember that conference like it was yesterday.  It was a terrific event."

If you've got some Mackinac memories, email me at cjbarshaw523@aol.com.

Book Birthday Blog with Buffy Silverman

 

Welcome to SCBWI-MI's Book Birthday Blog!

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

 

Congratulations to Buffy Silverman on the release of Starlight Symphony

 

You've written 90+ non-fiction books. Do you have a favorite?

At school visits, students often ask which book is my favorite. My standard answer is that the book that I’m currently writing must become my favorite—if I’m not excited about it, a reader won’t be either! However, my non-standard answer is that STARLIGHT SYMPHONY might be the book I am most proud of—it’s a love song to the swampy little lake that borders my back yard and to the music that surrounds us in early summer. 

I recall we covered this question previously, but we want to ask again. What is your creative process? Is it different for each book?

I’ll answer the question for this book, as I’m not sure I have any repeatable process. STARLIGHT SYMPHONY started life as a perfectly-fine-but-not-particularly-special prose manuscript which I envisioned as a bedtime story. I was lucky to win the SCBWI-MI picture book mentorship with Kelly DiPucchio in 2019, and sent her the prose version of the story. Kelly’s response was:

“Please don't shoot me. LOL!  I love your concept BUT......I feel like this manuscript, in particular, would be stronger in rhyme.” 

 
Of course she was correct—a symphony should have musical language! Changing a PB manuscript from prose to rhyme was a challenge, but I already knew basically where I wanted the story to go. The rhyming version that I sent Kelly was similar to what eventually was published, except for the ending. It took me another couple of years before I got rid of the child and his/her singing parents. I finally understood that the story arc should reflect the timing of the animal musicians, ending with the dawn chorus.

 

 

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

I hope young readers will be inspired to listen to and watch the animals that live around them. It’s my fervent belief that we desperately need a generation of environmentalists—and that a desire to protect our environment often stems from an early fascination with the world around us.

Where can we find your book?

If you’ve read this far, I hope you will request STARLIGHT SYMPHONY from your local library! You can also find it at Amazon or any other online retailer, and at  Lerner Books.

What's next for you?

I have several writing projects that I’m working on—so there’s plenty of revision in my future.

More about the book . . .

As night begins to fall, lakeside animals perform a symphony under the stars. Rhyming verse and vivid photos shine a spotlight on each animal musician. In a starred review, Kirkus Reviews concludes that STARLIGHT SYMPHONY is “perfectly pitched for its audience.”

Publisher: Millbrook Press/Lerner

More about the author . . .

Buffy Silverman is the author of many nonfiction books for children, featuring topics from Angel Sharks to Alligators, and Mars to Monster Trucks. Her books have been recognized on the NCTE Notable Poetry list, the CLA/NCTE Notable Book in the Language Arts, and Bank Street Best Books. She lives near a swampy lake where she enjoys outdoor time with her dog, watching, and photographing nature, and writing poetry.

https://www.facebook.com/buffy.silverman
https://x.com/BuffySilverman

The World's Greatest Critique Group

 

Book Birthday Blog with F.P. LaRue

 

Welcome to SCBWI-MI's Book Birthday Blog!

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

 

Congratulations to F.P. LaRue on the release of The Legend of the Serpent Witch

 

 

This is your second book release this year. What are some unique challenges of multiple releases and how do you stay organized?

One challenge is to space the new releases far enough apart, so there’s no confusion regarding the order of the books. I make it very clear as to which is the second book and which is the third book. This way there’s enough time for readers to see the press kit and to find out what the story is about. I try to make the release process easy so readers can purchase the books for themselves or give them as gifts.
 
I stay organized by focusing on one book at a time. This way, I can do interviews, podcasts, and presentations and provide all the information necessary for readers. As I focus on one book, I do mention when the next one is coming out. 

What was the inspiration for your story? 

One day, while driving down a rural road, I saw a knit cap hanging on a tree limb. The tree was close to the road. I thought a child may have lost their hat, and someone placed it on the tree in case the child returned looking for it. As I continued down the road, I wondered, what if the hat was placed there deliberately by a person who wanted to get a child’s attention? The story that became The Legend of the Serpent Witch came from that idea. In this book, the main character, Ollie, finds items that belong to children. He brings in his friends to find out who these items belonged to. Then, the mystery begins. 

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

I want readers to take away that reading can be fun! I want readers to see that whatever problems come their way, they can successfully find solutions. Also, I want to show that we can strengthen each other through friendship and working together. 

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

 My marketing plan includes doing:

• Promotions on my websites, www.FPLaRue.com and www.ScaryShivers.com

• Promotions on social media, including my Facebook account: FPLaRue

• Interviews

• Podcasts

• Presentations

• Participation in local craft and art shows and book signings

 
The book is available on Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com, and BooksaMillion.com. It is available at select retail bookstores and can be ordered through any bookstore. 

What's next for you? 

The fourth book in the Scary Shivers Mystery series will be coming out next year, 2025. 

More about the book . . . 

When Ollie walks through the woods on his way back from school one day, he notices a scarf and a baseball cap caught on a bush on the side of the path. Ollie thinks nothing of them and walks on. But then he finds a pair of gloves under a rock the next day. This isn’t right, he reasons with himself. Who could have left their belongings in the woods? And why?
 
In The Legend of the Serpent Witch, Ollie, Mellie, and Scotty stumble upon a new mystery when they learn that the clothes belong to two boys who mysteriously vanished. Nothing is as it seems when the trio confronts an evil witch with snakes as pets who cast scary spells and wicked curses, trying to stop them from finding the missing boys. Delving deeper, they realize the witch may not be acting alone and there could be a larger, more sinister plot at play.
 
Ollie, Mellie, and Scotty know that they must act quickly to save not only themselves but the entire town. Will they survive long enough to solve a mystery centuries in the making? 

Publisher: Mascot Books

More about the author . . .

F.P. LaRue is the award-winning author of the Scary Shivers Mystery series. Her book, The Weeping House, won First Place Awards for Juvenile Mysteries and Juvenile Fantasy & Magic at the Spring 2024 BookFest Awards. The Curse of Shadow Park was released on July 9, 2024, while The Legend of the Serpent Witch will be released September 10, 2024.
 
The Scary Shivers Mystery series are adventure mysteries written for middle-grade children and are designed to show them that reading can be fun! She loves scary stories and particularly sharing her own frightening tales. F.P. is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators.
 
Before writing children’s books, F.P.’s career was in education. She progressed from being a teacher to the dean of academic affairs for a small Michigan college. When not writing, F.P. loves to travel, having visited all fifty states and fifty-four countries worldwide.
 
F.P. hopes her stories inspire children to discover the wondrous adventures reading can bring – no matter their age.

Facebook: FPLaRue

 

 

Featured Illustrator: Rick Lieder

 

Astrophysicist, photojournalist, book covers, macro photos and Marilyn Monroe: Illustrator/artist Rick Lieder

Charlie Barshaw coordinates our regular Writer Spotlight feature and interviews writers of SCBWI-MI. In this piece, meet the guy who photographs little beings big, an artist with pen and camera, Renaissance Man Rick Lieder.

You graduated from the University of Michigan. What was your focus of study? Was photography always in the picture?

I originally wanted to be an astrophysicist; I was an amateur astronomer from an early age, built my own telescope, etc. Many late-night hours searching the sky for nebula and galaxies. Through my time at the University of Michigan I concentrated more on physics, chemistry and microbiology. That interest in science has never gone away. I believe both art and science are methods we use to understand ourselves and the universe.

My last actual job was as a chemist for a circuit board manufacturer.

But the pull of the arts was too strong, my interest in painting and photography had been growing for years. Books and reading have always been important to me, and that led me to the science fiction community.

I became friends with many writers and artists, and decided to quit my old life and began teaching myself photography and the other visual arts. I soon started working as a photojournalist, covering every subject imaginable before going out on my own as a freelancer, doing commercial work and environmental portraiture, for magazines, brochures and annual reports.

The Ann Arbor District Library has a collection of your photos for various newspapers and publications from the early 1980’s. What steps did it take for Rick Lieder, the UM graduate, to become Rick Lieder, the world-renowned macro-photographer?

I’m glad to see there is an archive of some of my newspaper work online. I worked for a smaller newspaper before eventually working for the Ann Arbor News. I made thousands of photographs while I worked there. I learned a lot, and won a few awards.

After leaving daily photojournalism, I specialized in photographing lasers and robots, and more general editorial work. I would often carry several hundred pounds of lighting equipment, setting up multiple flashes in corporate and industrial settings.

I moved from there to illustration and fine art, although I worked as a commercial/editorial photographer along with the illustration in the beginning. I always wanted to make art for books, and many of my artistic influences were book illustrators.

You did your first book cover in 1987, the paperback edition of The Roswell Incident. How did you find yourself as book cover illustrator?

cover art by Rick Lieder

I bought my first computer just to make art, long before Photoshop, when I had maybe sixteen colors to work with. I sold my first book cover a few months later while on a trip to see NY art directors. Much of my work has always been experimental, and my first book covers happened while trying to find publishers who would take a chance with new techniques.

Your wife, Kathe Koja, is a prolific author and producer. You are a photographer and artist and collaborator. Have you and Kathe worked together on projects?

I’ve illustrated many stories and books of Kathe’s, including most of her young adult novels from Frances Foster at Farrar, Straus and Giroux. I had worked with FSG on book covers before they asked if I would like to work on Kathe’s covers. They are some of my favorites, and I was given a lot of freedom in creating them, sometimes including the type design.

more cover art

I share my work with Kathe and she does the same with me. We’ve worked together on some yet unseen projects and have more planned.

Kathe, it seems, was instrumental in bringing you together with your ultimate collaborator, Helen Frost. The year was 2007, your wife was signing books at Book Beat with fellow authors Sarah Miller and Frost.

Helen was intrigued by your backyard “macro-photos,” and the two of you decided to pair your close-up photos of insects with her nature poetry. It took years to find an interested editor and publishing house. Can you describe those early days, working together with scant hope for publication?

Helen and I met at that book signing. In addition to book covers and illustrations, I’d been focusing on wildlife photography, mostly in my backyard, and I ended up sending her dozens of images, and she wrote a poem to fit a few of them. I then made a physical book dummy to send to publishers.

One of the stunning photos Rick provided

It was a true collaboration, and we spent quite a bit of time deciding which images worked best with Helen’s text.

Selling a book like ours was difficult, publishers usually separate the illustrator from the author and the rejections are never easy. It took three years and we submitted to all the major publishers.

After several years with no results, we struggled to keep up the enthusiasm. But we were convinced we had something great, and when we finally found Candlewick, our editor Sarah Ketchersid understood our vision and helped turn that initial idea into a beautiful picture book. STEP GENTLY OUT was a  much better book after all that time and effort.

In 2016, the PBS Nova program featured your photography in “Creatures of Night.” How much involvement did you have with the finished piece?

I had been photographing fireflies in my backyard, one of the most difficult subjects I’ve tried. I experimented constantly with different techniques and equipment. I have only a few minutes after the sun sets with enough light to make an image, but after years of going out every night during firefly season, my images had the quality I needed, and it resulted in our book AMONG A THOUSAND FIREFLIES.

Be prepared: these are astounding

I have also been working with video for many years, and adding time helps to capture the magic of a lightning bug’s courtship and mating. National Geographic Television contacted me since I was one of the only photographers working extensively with fireflies. I make most of the equipment I use, and I’ve even made several robot fireflies.

The 2016 PBS NOVA program “CREATURES OF LIGHT” primarily featured bioluminescent creatures of the deep ocean; bioluminescence on land is relatively rare. Here in Michigan we are fortunate to have so many firefly species.

Other than working closely with National Geographic on selecting my footage, I was not involved in the finished documentary, which was wonderful. Bioluminescence in all its forms is beautiful.

You live in Berkley, deeply nestled in the bosom of Metro Detroit. Yet many of your macro-photos are from your own suburban backyard. Do you let nature flourish by not cutting the grass? Is your backyard particularly wild?

The sentiment is clear in the titles: WAKE UP, STEP GENTLY OUT, WAIT—AND SEE, HELLO, I’M HERE, AMONG A THOUSAND FIREFLIES. The message is patience and mindfulness. Was there a proverbial apple-on-the-head moment that brought you to the realization there were tiny worlds of wonder at your feet?

For most of our books, the images were made in my small, undistinguished backyard, complete with many power lines. Part of my philosophy is to show how beautiful the world can be, no matter where you are, near a city or in rural area. You might think there's not much to see and perhaps none of us are as close to unspoiled nature as we’d like to be, but the closer you look, the more you'll find. Unfortunately, our old neighborhood is losing many trees, and rapid development is prioritized over any green spaces, so new houses have almost no yard at all.

I’m not sure our books would be possible if I had to work in our old yard today, I see fewer birds and insects.

Although I have more equipment these days, I began the wildlife work I’m now known for with a small point-and-shoot camera at the beginning of digital photography (the resolution of which was much less than that of any current smart phone.) Using only the sun and whatever light is reflected throughout my small yard presents its own set of challenges, and the limited depth of focus helps me create a less clinical, more emotional and painterly view. 

Other than cameras and lenses, I build my own equipment much of the time, primarily because my needs are so specific, and no manufacturer makes what I need. It also took years for me to work out my technique and equipment for in-flight bird photography in our backyard with so many cables in the way.

I’m trying to create a sense of emotional portraiture, the experience of seeing an individual creature rather than just the general anonymous representation of a species. By visually offering the beauty and struggle of these small lives, I want the viewers to feel pleasure and appreciation, and an awareness that we share the sprawling yet intimate space of the world with millions of other lives whose welfare depends on our behavior toward them.

We recently moved, and I have more space. We mow the lawn much less and are working to encourage native bees, butterflies and other wildlife. We have many large trees and left most of the leaves on the ground over our first winter, which has helped immensely; I’ve seen so many fireflies, birds and pollinators this spring, as well as a herd of deer and a flock of wild turkeys. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service will be investing in our yard and help us remove some invasive species and encourage pollinators.

The hazards of insect photography are some “pretty spectacular bites and stings in some uncomfortable places.” Care to elaborate?

I’ve often gotten poison ivy or poison oak and many types of insect bites. One of my favorite places for fireflies was on the Huron River, but it unfortunately was also a field of poison ivy. Nevertheless, I made several of my favorite images in our books there.

And of course I get dirty depending where I have to chase my subject. It’s fine as long as I’m dressed to withstand the elements. I need to be close to the ground and very still, and once in a Rhode Island park, someone asked me if I was dead.

In an interview you included a full-color illustration you created for Wait—and See. Your illustration rivals your photographic work. Any chance you might illustrate one of your books?

Much of my time is spent drawing and painting. So many of my influences are painters. My favorite mediums are watercolor, oil and pen & ink. I plan to spend much more time on projects involving drawing, and have several book ideas in the works. Since I’ve been concentrating on our picture books for the last decade, I’ve shown my fine art less, but I’ll exhibit more of my work in the future.

You’ve posted a series of portraits of celebrities, entertainers and artists from past and present. Many are in a minimalist format of flowing lines, curves and gray tones. Incredible how you capture the essence of a young David Bowie, or Alfred Hitchcock in his prime. Where did this inspiration come from?

I do many commissioned portraits. I love the challenge of capturing a likeness, and I often combine media.

I love pen & ink, although a few are made with graphite. And I’m combining these with watercolor and gouache.

Drawing for me is the foundation of so much art, and I’m learning constantly from the great draughtsmen (and women) of the past.

Most of these portraits are of creative people, mostly writers, artists and musicians I admire. I’ve been doing this so long I can’t remember how I started. The difficulty of making a good portrait keeps me learning and improving. And I’m always experimenting.

You’ve even played with video, putting together a book trailer. Your creativity knows no bounds. Do you plan to dabble more in film?

I’ve been working with video for almost twenty years, it’s a great tool for telling stories I can’t make with still media. Most of my work with fireflies is video, and the technical difficulties took me years to solve. And learning all the editing software and post-production techniques is time-consuming.

Even as I’m writing this, I made one of my favorite videos of a white-tail fawn with fireflies in our backyard.

What’s next for you?

More art and more books for sure. I try to make something new every day, even if it’s a quick sketch.

Please share any social media platforms:

 

BugDreams.com    •   Wildlife - Picture books

SilentBurn.com    •   Portraits - Paintings

 

I’m easy to find on Facebook and Helen and I have a page for our books: “Beautiful Picture Books • Rick Lieder & Helen Frost”

 

I’m less active on other social media, but often post work on Instagram at @lostmirror.

More photos and images: