Welcome to SCBWI-MI's Book Birthday Blog!

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

Congratulations to Gail Kuhnlein on the release of Into the Thicket

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

Into the Thicket has had a long journey. I originally wrote it shortly after our son found an injured baby rabbit in our backyard when he was about 8 years old (he turns 30 this year!). He and his older brother were playing catch. A throw went over his head, he ran to the football and noticed a small creature lying in the grass. Thus begins the story. Most of the rest is fiction.

At the time, I was the new communications coordinator at the University of Michigan’s Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. One day, my phone rang and on the line was an editor from New York state who needed to verify some information about an animal. We were affiliated with the Museum of Zoology and their well-known Animal Diversity Web. I was able to connect him to someone for the information he needed, but more noteworthy (for me) was that as we talked, I learned that he was a writer and book editor (including children’s books). This fortuitous connection led to me hiring him (twice) to expertly help me edit the manuscript that became Into the Thicket. The original name was Small Rabbits, Big Hearts. He was an excellent editor/teacher who asked me questions to help me to come up with my own answers.

What was the most difficult part of writing the book?

One of the most difficult parts of writing this book was that it was based on a real-life experience. Originally, I’d included several plot points that mirrored what actually happened. I ended up removing some of these and further fictionalizing the story. It was a classic case of “kill your darlings,” or in other words, you may have to delete parts that you love if they don’t serve the story. My editor was invaluable with his guidance.

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

I hope that readers, especially children, will be inspired by the compassion for wildlife inherent in the story. Further, I hope they learn some strategies for helping to save animals and just as important, to know when it’s best to let them be. I hope my book helps children to overcome some of their own fears. Perhaps they’ll realize that even small acts of kindness really can make a difference in our great big world. I think this can be empowering.

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

I’ll concentrate on marketing Into the Thicket on social media (posts, stories, reels), by attending author events and readings, blogging, printing promotional items including giveaways (I’m thinking stickers). I’ll contact libraries (where I’ll donate my book) and bookstores, especially the local bookstores that carried my first book. I plan to reach out to more Michigan bookstores this time. I’ll enter a few contests and request several literary reviews. I’ll send a press release about the book’s release to local newspapers, something I had a positive response to last time. Given the book’s subject, I’ll include wildlife rehabilitation and conservation organizations on my press release list.

What's next for you?

This year, I’m excited to share Into the Thicket with children and their adults. While I have possible ideas brewing for my next book, including previously written manuscripts that need work, I don’t have definite plans. I was fortunate to bid on and win the production of three videos through an online #KidLit event on Bluesky to provide support after the California wildfires. So, I have a couple of cool videos on the new book to help with promotion.

Who knows what tomorrow will bring? Many of my experiences have taught me just how unpredictable life can be. I’ve developed a deep appreciation for each day’s small joys. I hope to continue to soak in nature’s beauty and life’s adventures.

More about the book . . .

Into the Thicket is based on a real-life adventure when my (then) young son found an injured baby rabbit. The fictionalized story follows the journey of a young boy and the rabbit one springtime in Michigan.

The book beautifully portrays an appreciation for wildlife. The universal emotions of compassion and loving and letting go are central elements of the boy’s experience. In addition, he is challenged with overcoming his fears — not only of entering and walking through the dark thicket to get the rabbit the help it needs quickly, but also his fear of losing the rabbit that he loves. Readers will see how even small acts of kindness make a difference in a great, big world. Illustrations of ink and watercolor are by Ann Arbor artist John Megahan.

Published by: BookBaby

More about the author . . .

Gail Kuhnlein has been writing stories since she was young.

Gail majored in journalism and public relations at Michigan State University. She worked in the communications field for over 30 years, most recently at the University of Michigan’s Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. People met serendipitously at UM were instrumental in publishing her first picture book, How Happy Is a Lark?, a long-awaited dream come true. Her second picture book, Into the Thicket, is available at the BookBaby Bookshop, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org, Powell’s City of Books and Amazon.

She lives with her husband, Tim, just outside Ann Arbor, Michigan. Gail loves walking outdoors, practicing yoga, meditation, reading, writing, watching good television and movies, listening to music, and their darling cats. She’s been volunteering at the UM Neonatal Intensive Care Unit for over a year. She especially loves spending time with and holding the babies who need extra tender loving care. They adore their two adult sons, Davey and Trevor.

Facebook: gail.kuhnlein

Instagram: @gkuhny

Bluesky: @gkuhny

Website and blog: https://authorgailkuhnlein.com/