Book Birthday Blog with Dana D. Saugstad

 

Welcome to SCBWI-MI's Book Birthday Blog!

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

 

Congratulations to Dana D. Saugstad on the release of The Twelve Days of Yooper Christmas

 

Please share a little about this book's journey. How did you come up with the idea?

I took a class at University of Alaska Southeast called Alaskan Children’s Literature in Summer of 2018. The professor is one of my best friend’s moms too! It is a course for teaching about Alaskan history with children’s books. I moved back to Michigan in the Upper Peninsula (UP) for a little bit in 2021 and was looking for children’s books based in the UP. I wanted to learn more about the UP like I did about Alaska. I couldn’t find any. I looked at the adult section in the library for UP history but it wasn’t what I was looking for. During that summer of 2021 I was also working at Wild River Invasive Species Coalition as a clean boats clean water person at boat launches. There were many days sitting at boat launches with no boaters coming or going in the lake. I started writing ideas for children’s books based in the UP in a journal when sitting at the launches. The majority of this book was written at Six Mile Lake boat launch near Felch, MI.

What was the most difficult part of writing the book?

The most difficult part was just life. In the process of writing this book, I moved back to Alaska, got married, became pregnant with twins, became a new mom, started two different jobs, and moved back to Michigan. Emmalene Oysti, the illustrator for this book, was amazing to work with. She understood I sometimes would need to take a break on the project to wrap my head around what was going on personally.  Once back in Michigan, I worked at the local library branch. It has been a wild ride the last four years with lots of changes. I can’t believe it is actually happening! 

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

I hope readers will be inspired to create their own UP/Yooper tale. This could be a twist on a classic fairy tale or have a UP history fact come to life as a children’s book. I want readers to read this and think I could write a better Yooper twist tale. 

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

The book is being published by Mission Point Press based in Traverse City, MI. They have been a huge help with anything I need. I have used social media (Facebook and Instagram) to let people know. In the last few weeks I have contacted UP based bookstores, general stores and gift shops. I will be contacting the local newspaper and TV station in the next two weeks to let them know of the release date. I plan to have a Christmas in July Book tour this July as well. We will see how it all goes with my family and job as well. 

What's next for you?

I hope to write more children's books and hopefully a novel in the future. Deep down I would love to write contemporary fiction based on some of my life experiences. Some examples would be my summer jobs in college or being an intern in Alaska. I can’t believe some of the things I have done and I lived it! If anyone wants to help me write a novel, let me know. 

 

Looking for puffins.

 

More about the book . . . 

The Twelve Days of Yooper Christmas puts a playful twist on the classic Christmas carol, designed to delight children and families alike. Set in Michigan's unique Upper Peninsula (UP), this charming tale replaces the traditional gifts with fun and quirky Yooper-themed surprises, including one brookie, two ten-pointers, five beef pasties, eleven tip-ups, and more. Each page brings the spirit of the UP to life, offering a glimpse into the traditions and humor of Yooper culture. This book is perfect for kids who love the holiday season and enjoy learning about different places and traditions. Whether you're a Yooper yourself or simply curious about this special region, The Twelve Days of Yooper Christmas is sure to become a holiday favorite for years to come.

Published by: Mission Point Press

More about the author . . . 

Dana D. Saugstad, a librarian and educator, brings Michigan’s Upper Peninsula to life in her debut children’s book, The Twelve Days of Yooper Christmas. Originally from Scottville, Michigan, Dana returned to the UP after living in Alaska, where she fell in love with children’s books. Now based in Quinnesec, Michigan, she enjoys family time, nature walks, and audiobooks.  

Facebook: Dana D. Saugstad

Instagram: danadsaugstad 

 

  

 

Hugs and Hurrahs

Happy Spring, MichKids! Welcome to this quarter's small but mighty edition of Hugs and Hurrahs!

Jacquie Sewell is thrilled to announce that her book Whale Fall Cafe (Tilbury House 2021) has been selected for inclusion in Detroit Public Schools 2025 Local Authors' Panel, a collection of books by Michigan authors recommended by the DPS Curriculum and Instruction Committee. Whale Fall Cafe will be highlighted on their internal hub and website detroitk12.org as well as their social media.

We're so happy for you, Jacquie!

Rhonda Gowler Greene is excited to share she recently signed three new contracts with Little Shepherd Books, an imprint of Scholastic. The first two books will be board books illustrated by Lisa Alderson.

Mommy Loves Me: And God Does Too!    (coming March 2026)

Daddy Loves Me: And God Does Too!  

 (May 2026)

The Not-So-Silent Night: (subtitle - TBA) illustrated by Ana Nguyen  (Fall 2026)

Congratulations times three, Rhonda!

Joseph Miller was a finalist in the PBParty contest 2025 and snagged an agent: Katie Erickson at The Jennifer De Chiara Literary Agency.

Way to go, Joseph!

Congratulations, everyone! You're an inspiration to us all. Until next time, please send your good news to Alison Hodgson at aewhodgson@gmail.com.

Writer Spotlight: Wendy Booydegraaff

Young copier, SALAD PIE, the Michigan Triangle, Crowtoes Quarterly, and an audio book: author Wendy Booydegraaff

Charlie Barshaw coordinates our regular Writer Spotlight feature and interviews writers of SCBWI-MI. In this piece, meet author, poet, short form and non-fiction writer, and SCBWI Coordinator, Wendy Booydegraaff

MARVIN K. MOONEY, WILL YOU PLEASE GO NOW? A lesser-known Dr. Seuss title, was your first book, in that young author you copied the text in your own hand. Did you do your own illustrations when you made the book with your name on the cover?

I did! And they were beautiful in my memory. They differed from the original, non-plagiarized book. I used a lot of yellow. Ha! Perhaps copying is the first step in learning to write your own creative work?

I’m not an illustrator, though. Bryan Langdo made fabulous watercolor illustrations for Salad Pie, published in 2016. Ripple Grove Press sent me sketches early on and I was thrilled. At first, Maggie was wearing cute boots. In the final version she wore pink sneakers. I loved her when I created her with words, and I loved her more when Bryan brought her to life through illustration.



You call out three children’s book groups: SCBWI, Tara Lazar, and Kidlit 411. What’s your connection to each one?

Anytime someone asks me for advice on writing children’s literature, I point them in these three directions.

· SCBWI is the place where I met nearly all of my writer friends via meet-ups, conferences, or mentorships. These writer friendships have resulted in critique groups, social groups, and friendships. SCBWI is a connector.

· KidLit411 is an online resource and community founded by author Silvia Liu (who I met through an SCBWI mentorship program way back in 2014 when KidLit411 was just beginning) and Elaine Kiely Kearns who I haven’t met. KidLit411 is an entirely free resource with a searchable database of information. The affiliated Facebook group is a place to connect, ask questions, find critiques.

· Tara Lazar is a welcoming picture book writer with a popular blog that also has a wealth of information for free. Her expertise is in picture books. You can find prompts, craft advice, manuscript formatting templates, and also a community.

When my debut picture book Salad Pie came out, Tara Lazar was generous with her time and resources, posted a debut group notice for me on her site which had a huge following, sought me out to talk to me at a conference, and later a book festival, we both attended.

How did SALAD PIE, your picture book, come about?

SALAD PIE was inspired by my oldest daughter, while playing at the park. That’s where she said those words, “salad” and “pie” together, and I thought they sounded so unique and creative that I repeated them over and over on our walk home so I wouldn’t forget. Then she went for a nap and I started scribbling out the story.

I sketched out the action in a rough storyboard format (really rough) and wrote the text under each picture. Every time I went back to it, I still liked it, which was how I knew to keep working on it until it became a book.

You saved my Critique Carousel submissions two years in a row. I apologize for the extra work I caused you. I imagine you had to deal with more than one writer who sent too many pages, or made the synopsis way too long. Thanks for your service.

You’re welcome, Charlie! I love the Critique Carousel. Finding fabulous agents and editors is a highlight. And the people who submit work for critique are on the whole, a generous, kind, and respectful group. I enjoy the people, their questions, the organization of it. To set up an opportunity for professionals to sit with our work, to take time to comment on it is incredibly valuable.

You’ve got the Michigan chapter in the Haunted States anthology. It's your take on “The Michigan Triangle,” which, if it isn’t a thing, should be. Is this a legend you made up, or is there a coincidence of nautical events in the confluence of the Great Lakes? I see, upon further research, that indeed it’s the deepest part of the Great Lakes. And lots of nautical catastrophes. So, are you writing fiction or nonfiction?

The Michigan Triangle is a local legend, and is found in the deepest part of Lake Michigan, the points between Ludington, Benton Harbor, and Manitowoc, Wisconsin. Over 1500 shipwrecks have happened in that area.

My story is fictional, with the reality of all those shipwrecks adding to the horror element.

Big Sable Point Lighthouse—Haunted. Tell the story.

Big Sable Lighthouse in Ludington is said to be haunted by one of its keepers. Visitors report cigar smoke despite it being a no-smoking venue, and freshly baked bread despite no kitchen operating on site. Books hover in the air in the giftshop, shadows move.

When I visited, I didn’t experience those supernatural activities, but there was a definite eeriness to the place, especially at the tippy top when the otherworldly wind howled.

Choose Your Own Adventure.

I grew up reading these books. They were written in the second person and had multiple endings to choose from. I wanted to write something similar as an adult. “The Michigan Triangle” story in The Haunted States of America was inspired by the Choose Your Own Adventure series: the tone, the point-of-view, the sense of danger.


You specialize in short pieces, accrued some honors for some of that writing. You write poetry, fiction, non-fiction. You’ve been published in obscure journals and blogs, like Crowtoes Quarterly (a mid-grade publication). How do you find so many opportunities to get published? Are these paying gigs, or free copies?

The short form suits me. The containment of it. The spare nature of it.

I read many literary journals, follow several newsletters, substacks, and authors who mention these literary spaces. Duotrope, CLMP (the Community of Literary Magazines and Presses), the Pushcart Prize anthology are a few more sources. Reading is the best (and most fun) way of figuring out where my work might fit.

Payment varies, depending on the magazine. I’ve been paid nothing but contributor copies and I’ve been paid as much as $600 for a piece.

I write, revise, share with critique partners, and if I still like it, or think it’s ready, I send it out. I have a lot of work that isn’t ready, that might never be sent to an editor for consideration. I do have many pieces published. I also have many, many rejections which are part of this literary life.

You have a lot, and I mean A LOT, of periodicals, quarterlies, and journals, anthologies listed on your website. Like Maudlin House, the Worcester Review, the Dribble Drabble Review, Not Very Quiet. Want to tell us about a few?

In May of 2024, my short fiction was selected for a scholarship to Looking Glass Writers' Conference in North Carolina where I workshopped my work along with 11 other fiction writers in three days of sessions with Jason Mott, National Book Award winner of Hell of a Book. What an event!

Wendy and Shanna Heath
at Schuler's in G.R.

The journals you mention are all literary magazines that have a small but steady circulation. These are the places that nominate pieces for the Pushcart prize and other anthologies. I like reading the work they publish—it’s cutting edge. Many writers have been first published in these small venues. And I’ve been lucky to have work published in these places, too.


Readers interested in my publications can see a comprehensive list here, some of which are available to read for free online.



Teaching? I see you’ve got a Master’s in some sort of education/literary area. What’s your specialty?

I have a Bachelor of Science in Special Education which qualified me to teach special education and first grade for several years. I also have a Master of Education and a graduate certificate in Children’s Literature. I love school.

What’s next for your body of work?
On March 4, 2025, an anthology edited by Randy Brown, Midwest Futures: Poems and MicroStories from Tomorrow’s Heartland will be released, with one of my poems “The Day the Trees Retaliate” included. I also have a few short fiction pieces coming out in literary magazines.

Also, The Haunted States of America came out in audio book. “The Michigan Triangle” is narrated by Jennifer Pickens. My family gathered to listen to her read my story. Wow, it felt surreal, hearing my words, knowing they were my words, but having them performed by a professional who added nuance, humour, and auditory depth.

The audio book

Please list any social media platforms you care to share:

www.wendybooydegraaff.com

@onlybooyskies.bsky.social

SCBWI New York Conference 2025 Notes & Pics by Kara Marsee

Going to the NYC conference was something I had thought about for years, but the timing, the cost, and not feeling my work was “prepared enough” - got in my way. But this time, I had worked hard to prepare for the Midwest Conference in Spring of 2024, and I learned a lot from the portfolio showcase I participated in there. So I entered the drawing for the scholarship that Shutta Crum generously offers to SCBWI-MI members. When I came home from work in October and found out I was the winner, I was so excited! I scrambled to register, and I still felt like I had a lot of preparing to do. 

I was thrilled when one of my critique partners, my friend Anne Awh from Chicago, said she’d go too. We did phone check-ins with each other to keep each other on task. I did 6 new pieces for my portfolio and updated my dummies. I lost track of how many times I rearranged my portfolio. 

The Portfolio showcase was enormous and was over before I could even see half of the portfolios. I came home with a beautiful array of postcards from fellow artists. I happened to see someone carrying my postcard, who asked if I was published. I said “not yet.” Her response was, “You will be.” I treasure that comment.

Some of my favorite quotes, and notes from the weekend:

“Gathering here together during these uncertain times feels like a creative act of rebellion. One thing is certain, the people who create children’s books are the friendliest, most encouraging people” - Sarah Baker, Executive Director of SCBWI

Erin Estrada Kelly spoke a lot about bravery. 

One form of bravery is “Writing and letting other people see it.” 

“Do something even when drowning in self-doubt.” 

“We’re here because we have a dream, a hope to tell stories.”  

“Biggest regret at the end of life is not trying at all.” 

“Being here is betting on yourself and that is deeply meaningful.”

Peter Brown enjoys the process of getting into the heads of his readers. He is struck by the idea that we are animals, but we feel removed…whereas children don’t feel as removed.

I found it fascinating that Peter thought of each chapter of WILD ROBOT as a Picture Book, because that’s what he knew how to write. Writing a novel was new for him, and it was a big challenge. 80 chapters = 80 key plot points.

If you have stories that you really love, you will work through the times when you’re “lost in the woods” like Roz. “Pick projects that you genuinely love.”

Sophie Blackall’s speech was so endearing, just like herself, and her stories.

She offered tips like, “Remember People’s Names” “Give Voice to your own Astonishment” and “Dig Deep.” She also reminded us to stand tall, collaborate, and build community, as she built the amazing Milkwood Farm.

 

In Suzanne Kaufmann’s Creative Lab, she
encouraged us to “embrace the MESS.” (I love this!)

“Just write down what happens - even if it’s insane. Turn off the internal #$@! editor”

“Keep pushing, keep thinking of the feeling”

She played a Mr. Rogers clip, the “You’ve got to DO it” song (12 minutes in, from this episode)

Suzanne showed us her process, and how she worked through challenges during the development of her new book BLUE, which is coming out this spring. 

“If you get stuck on something, ask for help from a friend, take a break, or go to bed thinking about your question, your answer may come in a dream.” 

In Catia Chien’s Creative Lab, Catia guided us through examples and pushed us to examine lighting and value work in illustration.

“What can the value do for the story - what can it show, and what can it hide?”
“Protect that place in you that loves the work. We all make mistakes, but there is learning.”

Catia also gave us time to work on our pieces, which was so valuable while her information was fresh. I sat near Heidi Woodward Sheffield and we talked together about our works in progress. This lab really made me reconsider a scene in one of my dummies and walk away with a stronger composition.
 

The biggest highlight of the conference for me was attending the Society of Illustrators gallery, to see “The Original Art” show, an annual celebration of the fine art of children’s book illustration. It was thrilling to see so many beautiful pieces of art in person. I got to “party” in Lian Cho’s PIG TOWN PARTY, with one of Michigan’s ICs Jen Boehler, and see the originals for some of my recent picture book loves, like “WHAT’S NEW DANIEL?” by Micha Archer and “WORM’S LOST & FOUND” by Julie Wellerdiek. There was art by Rahele Jomepour Bell, Matthew Cordell, Ye Guo, and so many others I felt like a kid in a candy shop.  

Laurent Linn, the AD at Simon & Schuster Books, as well as the President of the SCBWI Board of Directors, introduced the members of the SCBWI Advisory Council who were present, as well as the Illustrator Coordinators.

It was so nice to have these introductions and to meet just some of the many hands who contribute to making SCBWI such a vibrant community. Inside the red bags everyone received was the greatest souvenir - a printed catalog of the exhibit.
 

As a “thank you” to Shutta, I bought an autographed GRANDMA HEAVEN written by Shutta Crum, illustrated by Ruth McNally Barshaw, and brought it with me to NYC. My intention was to find a little free library I could put it in. I imagined finding one in Central Park, but that wasn’t the case. Luckily, I was able to meet up with another critique partner, Hannah Krueger from Brooklyn, and she was able to deliver the book to a little free library in Brooklyn.  

Yes, NYC is large and intimidating. But there are things that can only be done in NYC - like eating at Ellen’s Stardust Cafe (where the waitstaff belt out Broadway tunes), with Amelia Bothe, who I just met while dropping off portfolios. Or taking in the amazing art at the SOI gallery. And no matter where I go, I feel like SCBWI is a family- a family of dedicated, talented, generous people, like Shutta Crum, the SCBWI volunteers, my critique partners, and the new people I met, one who helped guide me through subway shutdowns- but that’s another story! 

-Kara Marsee is trying to embrace her messy desk in Ann Arbor Michigan, where she works on picture book writing and illustrating. By day she works in the office of an elementary school, where she works with magicians (teachers) and cares for wild things. She shares her home with a hungry house rabbit, 2 growing boys, and her husband, who is also an artist. You can follow her on Instagram, Facebook or BlueSky. 

Book Birthday Blog with Mary Morgan

 

Welcome to SCBWI-MI's Book Birthday Blog!

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

 

Congratulations to Mary Morgan on the release of Tugboat to the Rescue

 

What was the inspiration for your story? 

I used to live near Port Huron and took our children to watch freighters navigate the waters where Lake Huron fed into the St. Clair River under the Blue Water Bridge. We were fascinated watching tugboats guide the freighters and barges through the turbulent waters. Often, they had to go out into Lake Huron to rescue a boat in distress. They were smaller than many of the ships but could tackle a huge job with success. 

What was the most difficult part of writing the book?

Being a picture book, I had to decide what illustrator to use and then develop pictures to suit the text. This is James Long’s first time illustrating a book, and he did an outstanding job with the colorful artwork, creating expressions on many characters, showing the action for little ones who can’t read, and hiding a crab on each page.

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

At the end of the story, I have three questions, asking children about doing big jobs even if they are little. My hope is that little ones will see themselves being capable of helping others in many ways. 

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

The best place to find it is on the website: www.nationalparkmysteries.com. I sell at numerous craft shows around Michigan, including participating in events sponsored by SCBWI. I speak in schools and Kinder-Care day locations. My books are sold in the Shiawassee Art Center and Fable Land Bookstore in Owosso. Some are on Amazon, so I want to get the newest titles included too.

What's next for you?

It has been exactly a year since my tenth National Park Mystery Book launched, and my reading fans are begging for more. Because I include an extensive amount of history, science, and geography, it requires a trip to the national park and then weeks of research before I begin writing. My husband and I travel extensively to sell at educational conventions, in addition to the book shows we do each year. I need to clone myself to find time to write – but when I do, the plot might be a fishing competition of boys against the girls at Crater Lake National Park in Oregon, titled Hook, Line, and Sink Her. Or it might introduce Cherokee Indian culture with bears running through a campground at Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Or possibly a re-enactment gone wrong at the Golden Spike Railroad National Historical Park in Promontory, Utah. I’ve been to sixty-three national parks, so I have many options running through my imagination. I just enjoy doing what I do. To sum it up briefly, my writing journey has been a trip of a lifetime.

More about the book . . .

Tugboat to the Rescue is a picture book for pre-school children and early readers, starring Toby the Tugboat. Toby is busy most days pulling big boats under the bridge and pushing barges out into the big lake. One day he hears a distress cry from a sailboat that is about to tip over. He braves tall waves and becomes a hero, saving the sailboat just in time. After much praise, he replies, “I might be little, but I can do big things to help.” There is a hidden crab on each page and downloadable coloring pages available from my website.

Published by: Buttonwood Books

Richard Baldwin, a local publisher of Buttonwood Press in Haslett, was looking for a children’s author who wrote mysteries and took me under his wing in 2011.  While he was still living, I wrote eight of the ten titles in my National Park Mystery Book series and The Runaway Lawnmower. Following his death, the company shut down during the pandemic. Not ready to quit writing and selling, my husband and I tweaked the company’s name to Buttonwood Books and opened a new one in 2022. Being self-published works well for our selling model and being able to make decisions for upgrades and changes has been satisfying.  

More about the author . . .

I grew up in Upstate New York and moved to Michigan with my husband in 1971. We have two children and two grandchildren and currently live in Lansing. I have always had a passion to write and after my children were out on their own, I attended a writers conference to get book-writing pointers and then put what I learned into practice. A key point was to find a genre that appeals to you and write for it. I like to travel and love a good mystery, so I put them together and started my National Park Mystery Book series for pre-teens. While selling at events, younger brothers and sisters wanted a book too, so I wrote The Runaway Lawnmower. It has been wildly popular, so in response to requests for yet another book, Tugboat to the Rescue was born. 

Email: nationalparkmysteries@gmail.com

Instagram: Mary_Morgan_50

Twitter: MaryMor00841393

Facebook: Mary Morgan National Park Mysteries