Book Birthday Blog with Karen Finch

 

Welcome to SCBWI-MI's Book Birthday Blog!

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

 

Congratulations to Karen Finch on the release of Spring Scenthound

 

 

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

Literally, right outside my back door to a path that leads straight up into the woods where my dogs and I have spent many seasons together. Shortly after winter, I think we all get “spring fever” from being indoors too long, from shorter daylight hours, and from missing that vital connection to nature we need. In 2022, while taking Renée LaTulippe’s Lyrical Language Lab, I wrote a poem titled Spring’s Release, reflecting on the first signs of spring that my dogs and I have noticed over the years in our woods and along several other nature trails in southwest Michigan. With revisions, that free verse poem turned into a lyrical picture book.

This 2021 photo of my old dog, Star, and pup, Olive, happened to have been taken on March 3rd—SPRING SCENTHOUND'S book birthdate!

 

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

My hope is that readers will be encouraged to use super-sensing eyes, ears, and noses to take note of not only spring, but all of nature’s seasonal changes. 

What was the most difficult part of writing this book? 

My first drafts reflected my own musings about wandering in the woods with a dog. I needed to be more child-focused. And, as a very visual person, I tend to get ahead of myself and forget that readers can’t see what I’m seeing, so sometimes phrases or sequences needed to be clarified or struck altogether.  

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

I’ve been fortunate to be a part of Instagram’s PBMIX26, a 2026 debut and established author marketing group. And I’m excited to be celebrating the book launch at my local dog park’s gathering spot, The Thirsty Hound in Kalamazoo, on March 3rd from 5-7 pm. I’ll also be doing a storytime at Bookbug in Kalamazoo on April 16th from 10:30-11:30 am. And I’m heading to the Michigan Reading Association Conference in Lansing the first weekend of March. The book is available on Bookshop.org, Barnes & Noble, and Amazon. 

What's next for you? 

A combination of revision work (especially one based on a critique I received from our SCBWI MI Critique Carousel last fall) and writing new picture book drafts and poems. Plus, keeping up on craft and industry webinars and querying and submission opportunities.  

More about the book . . . 

SPRING SCENTHOUND is a lyrical picture book that expresses the powerful bond between a nature-loving kid and her scent-centric dog who both know “there’s spring outside…” But their bond is tested when their explorations separate them, and daylight begins to slip away.

Published by: Tilbury House 

More about the author . . . 

Karen Finch is a debut picture book author of SPRING SCENTHOUND (Tilbury House) and a contributing poet in Pomelo Books anthologies, Things We Feel, Things We Wear, and What is a Friend? Karen lives with her husband in Michigan, in a little house with a big, glacial moraine for a backyard. 

Instagram @karenfinchwrites

https://www.karenfinch.com/ 

 

Book Birthday Blog with Rhonda Gowler Greene

 

Welcome to SCBWI-MI's Book Birthday Blog!

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

 

Congratulations to Rhonda Gowler Greene on the release of Mommy Loves Me And God Does Too!

  

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

For this book, it was a very different experience for me. It was a work-for-hire project, which I had never done before. In February 2025, a Scholastic editor approached me (through my agent) asking if I would write a story for their Little Shepherd imprint about a mother’s, and God’s, love for little ones. The editor wanted it in rhyme. She already had the title and a farm theme. She wanted nine spreads (18 pages). We had a call then when she gave me examples of competitive titles by other publishers. I looked them up, bought some, and studied them so I could make my story somewhat different.
 
A few weeks later, I was told who’d be illustrating it— Lisa Alderson (lives in England). Of course, I looked up a lot of her published work then. I really like her sweet and cozy illustrations of animals. There are only animals in my story.
 
I was told they were hoping for this to be a series and that Scholastic/Little Shepherd would see how well this book did before thinking about doing a companion DADDY book. However, once my story and some of the art was shown at a Scholastic sales meeting, everyone loved it and wanted to go ahead with working on the DADDY book (editor chose a pet theme) much sooner than they anticipated. 
 
They wanted that one to come out soon after the MOMMY book. So that is what’s happening. DADDY LOVES ME AND GOD DOES TOO! (also illustrated by Lisa Alderson) will be released in two months, on May 5th.  That book was a bit easier to write because I already had a story pattern established in the MOMMY book. I repeated that pattern for the DADDY book, but wrote new verses. The editor gave me suggestions of what animals/pets to use, but then mostly left it up to me.  

 

 

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

I want a small child to feel a warm, amazing, and unconditional love from their mommy and daddy. Too, I want them to know God loves them so much and they’re precious to Him. 

What was the most difficult part of writing this book? 

The hardest thing about the project was that I was asked to come up with a first draft within two weeks—Huh?! I’d never been asked to write something that quickly. I usually take months to write my stories trying to get every word, rhyme, and comma(!) just right.
 
I panicked a bit about the very short time frame, but I accepted the challenge. Once my first draft was done, there were a few weeks then when my editor and I went over the text and made revisions.  

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

Mostly, I’ll be announcing the release on my social media. I feel lucky that Scholastic is publishing it since they’re great at promoting their books and they also have popular book clubs and fairs. Both the MOMMY and DADDY books can currently be found on major online bookstores. Too, hopefully, lots of independent and Christian bookstores will carry copies. 

What's next for you? 

Last summer, after writing these two books, my Little Shepherd editor surprised me by asking me to write another story—a nativity one. Again, she wanted it written quickly (but thankfully, not within two weeks!). This book is not a work-for-hire, but a standard picture book contract.
 
She and I had a phone call when she gave me some direction— she wanted the story whimsical and with lots of onomatopoeia. She already had the title THE NOT-SO-SILENT NIGHT. The subtitle has been changing, but I think they’re going with THE JOYFUL NOISE OF THE FIRST CHRISTMAS. 
 
That book will be released this October 6th (illustrator-Wazza Pink; the cover is beautiful!). We’re still in the process of revising the text some.
 
A year from now (early 2027), my IF YOU WANT TO SEE A NARWHAL will be released with Little Brown. Within the last few weeks, my editor and I (and the illustrator, Xin Li) have been going over and over everything to make sure all is perfect before it’s printed. 
 
Too, I have several new stories currently out on submission. Fingers crossed! 
 
Thanks so much for the interview! And best of luck to everyone with their writing and illustrating!

More about the book . . .

A cuddly, farm-themed book (padded board book) that celebrates mommies’ love for their little ones and reassures them of God’s abundant love too.  

Published by: Scholastic/Little Shepherd 

More about the author . . . 

Rhonda Gowler Greene is the author of over thirty picture books. She’s been published with several major publishers, beginning with her first sale (from the slush pile) in 1995 to Simon & Schuster. Her books have earned starred reviews and honors such as School Library Journal Best Book and Bank Street College Best Book. Rhonda holds a Master’s in Educational Media and is a former learning disabilities teacher. She lives in Orchard Lake, Michigan, with her husband, Gary, in a house overflowing with books. They have four grown kids and four adorable grandkids. 

Website: https://rhondagowlergreene.com/ 

Instagram:  @rhondagowlergreene
Facebook:  rhondagowlergreene
X (Twitter):  @rgowgreene