Magic, turn-the-book, jars, board books, the other side, THIS, and what's missing: Author/illustrator Deborah Marcero
Charlie Barshaw coordinates our regular Writer Spotlight feature and interviews writers of SCBWI-MI. In this piece, meet author/illustrator Deborah Marcero.
Congratulations on your newest Book Baby, The Great Escape. It’s gotten starred reviews and universal praise. The book is about magic, ostensibly the magic Evie uses to try and escape the relentless presence of her three younger siblings. But, as an insightful reviewer points out, “the best magic isn’t about making problems disappear but rather finding new ways to orient to them.”
You recognize that what you do is magic, conjuring up stories and images from a blank page. Where do you find magic in the world?
I find magic in nature, the creative process and the present moment. I find magic in connection and in writing stories and making art. The act of creating often makes time disappear – and that definitely feels like magic. I find magic in imagination and the wild creativity that happens there.
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| The Great Escape line work |
Evie is a protagonist based on my own childhood. I grew up on a small farm in rural southern Michigan as the oldest girl with four brothers and one younger sister.
In my early childhood we didn’t have a TV. When I was seven or eight, we got one, but only had 2.5 channels transmitted over a very large antenna. So, I read. I played outside. My siblings and I made up games and played sports. We dug for dinosaurs. In the winter, we skated on the pond until our toes were frozen.
In my free time, I wrote poems and illustrated them. It was a simple life with very few extras, but I wanted for nothing. From very early on, my imagination was one of my favorite places to be. Part of my joy in creating The Great Escape was exploring and expressing the powerful magic of imaginative play through art, storytelling and design.
You incorporated images from the James Webb Space Telescope. How did you do it?
I blended the images from the James Webb Space Telescope into my watercolor paintings through layering techniques in Photoshop.
Around the time I was making the art samples for this book, preparing to go on submission, the Webb Telescope was all over the news, publishing some very striking images of our universe. NASA shared that the high-res images would be immediately available in the public domain.
At that same time, I was painting an outer space sky with watercolors for the magic realm of The Great Escape and I wondered: What would happen if I could somehow blend the photographs into the paintings? I had to try.
When I placed the Webb images over the watercolors and gave them some transparency, it was a big YES moment. Integrating the photographs from NASA elevated the visual atmosphere of the magic realm, while still fitting the art style of the book.
When Evie dives into a snowbank to escape her siblings, the picture book becomes a vehicle to be steered as the characters float through a celestial sea. It is a daring re-imagining of the typical book viewing. What magic brought you to manipulating orientation? Did you get any push-back, or did everyone “get it”?
The turn-the-book idea came in early revisions. At first, I had Evie falling through the snow bank. But I struggled with this – because I didn’t want her to appear as if she was falling. I wanted her to appear like she was flying.
This became a design question and led to turning the book. Once I turned the book, being in the magic realm felt even more special and distinct from the real world, because once in the magic realm, the story has to read right to left – backwards! Then re-entering the real world, the book turns right side up again. The experience of turning the book becomes a portal for the reader.
I was prepared for pushback, but my team at Putnam bought into it early on because it made the visual storytelling stronger.
For media requests please reach out to my publicist, Lizzie Goodell . What prompted you to hire a publicist? What do you ask your publicist to do for you?
Since 2020, I’ve published and will have published a total of nine books with Putnam, so they assigned me a publicist. I did not hire her. She directed me to put her contact information on my website so as to direct media inquiries to her.
She often connects me to industry reviews, interviews, events, media PR opportunities and book festivals around the launch of a book. She also coordinates travel for out-of-town appearances.
The first, In A Jar, is about collecting memories (the past). The second, Out Of A Jar, is about emotions (the present), so it only seemed natural for the third, Hope In A Jar, to be about hopes and dreams (the future).
Was the “Jar” series conceived of as a three-book, past, present, and future look at life and the memories we collect? Do you have any jars?
Initially, there was only In A Jar, about friendship, being in nature and experiencing the seasons, collecting memories and putting those experiences in jars. When I was wrapping up the art for In A Jar, I asked myself, “Are there other intangible things Llewellyn could put in jars?”
Emotions immediately came to mind, which became Out Of A Jar. When a possibility of a third book came on the horizon, I looked at the first two books, and not until then did I realize In A Jar was about the past, Out Of A Jar was about the present moment, which led me to know that the third and final Jar book would hold something about the future.
When considering what unknown things about the future Llewellyn would want to collect, the answer came instantly: hopes and dreams.
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| In A Jar interior spread |
And yes, I do have many jars. I collect shells, fossils, sea glass and stones; I keep my brushes and pencils and many other things in jars. I also have an old letterpress drawer that I’ve hung on the wall of my house. In it, I have placed tiny glass jars with tiny things associated with memories of walks, friends, loved ones and places.
Little Bunny Board Books. Was it your idea to create board books for infants 0-3? What constraints are required for the art when the die-cuts and the thickness of the page are factored in?
Because the Jar books were doing well, my editor approached me about making a spin-off series of seasonal board books. She said it didn’t have to be about collecting. It could be more about sharing and experiencing the magic of the seasons. So, I created a cast of young animal characters and aged Llewellyn down, re-naming him Little Bunny.
This series was so fun and challenging. It was a big learning curve shifting from picture books to board books. Word count is around 100-120 words. There is usually short phrase repetition, and they also wanted each book to have a simple story arc. There are 11 spreads per book and I found it best to have each spread be a single full bleed image – no spots or frames – which was really hard for me.
Little Bunny, Winter is Here! will be out this fall, 2026. I just wrapped up Little Bunny, Summer is Here! and next spring, all four seasons will be out and available everywhere.
This is from your Amazon bio:
Deborah Marcero grew up in Michigan farm country where from a very young age drawing, writing, and reading filled her time. She received a BFA in drawing, printmaking, and photography from the University of Michigan, and an MFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in Writing. After teaching in Chicago Public Schools as a Literacy Specialist, Deborah realized that writing and creating books for kids was how she wanted to spend her life.
What struck me in the bio was the lack of emphasis on your art ability. Sure, you filled your time with drawing when younger, and got a BFA from U of M in “drawing, printmaking, and photography.” But you have scores of illustrations in all styles and mediums. Do you consider yourself a writer or illustrator first?
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| Inside her studio |
I’ve always equally loved making art and creative writing. I consider myself an author-illustrator. My training in studio fine art (drawing, photography and printmaking) at the University ofMichigan (BFA) and my study of Poetry at the SAIC (MFA) gave me strong foundation of both.
From there, I took those skills and read, learned and studied books for young people - especially the picture book form. The picture book is such a unique genre. Storytelling where images and words work together brings together both of my passions, energizing me in a way that neither writing or art making can do on their own.
At the risk of sounding woo-woo, how do you maintain this level of whimsy and wonderment in a world that seems to demand the opposite?
To be honest, I have experienced some difficult chapters in my life. Between loss, trauma, and therapy, I have come to the other side of things with more compassion for others and myself, alongside a greater appreciation for ease and joy.
No matter what life has thrown at me, making art and writing stories were - at times - the only things I had control over. No one could take my imagination away. No one could tell me not to draw. No one could take away the sense of wonder and discovery the creative process gives and has given me.
Deborah has a BFA from the University of Michigan in drawing, photography and printmaking, an MFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in Poetry, and a K-8 teaching certification from Northwestern University.
This bio from your Cynsations interview suggests your MFA was in poetry. What did you study while at Chicago’s School of the Art Institute?
My MFA was in Poetry. There is a small graduate writing program at SAIC and it was a wonderful experience. I chose the School of the Art Institute of Chicago because in addition to poetry, I could continue my study of drawing and photography. My MFA thesis was a mixed media blend of drawings, essays and poems.
During her tenure as a Literacy Specialist in Chicago Public Schools, Deborah was teaching a Young Authors unit to her fifth graders and realized that making books for children was what she wanted to do with her life.
Was there an “Ah-ha” moment with the fifth-grade students when your life’s purpose became evident?
Definitely. As a 4-8th grade Literacy Specialist, I lead a YOUNG AUTHORS after school enrichment program for mostly fifth graders. The goal of the program was to have each student write, illustrate and “publish” a picture book story.
One afternoon, about ten students were quietly working in my classroom. One student came up to me with her book and while talking to her about her story and ideas, I heard a clear voice in my head say, “THIS. This is what I should be doing.” Teaching was very fulfilling, but my time off was mostly spent recovering, and I had very little energy left to be creative.
In 2010, my teaching position was cut and I took a leap. I decided to become a wedding photographer short term - to pay the bills - while using the off season to build my career as a writer and illustrator.
Four years later, I secured my first agent and paid book illustration contract. Today, summer of 2026, I am working full-time as an author-illustrator and wrapping up my twenty-first trade published book.
Strong female characters
Subversive fairy tales
Animals & magic
The universe & big questions
Check, check, check, and check. Do you have additions to your list?
I also have intentionally created male characters with both tough and tender qualities. I think society is eager to foster toughness in boys, while tenderness is often portrayed as a weakness.
In both Llewellyn (rabbit from the Jar books), and Viggo (protagonist of my upcoming picture book, The Lone Wolf) I wanted their journeys to show strength in being both fierce and vulnerable.
You are represented by Laura Rennert of the Andrea Brown Literary Agency. A big-name agent with a big-name agency. How did you land Laura as your rep? In the realm of children’s book publishing, has working with a superstar agent from a superstar agency added stress, or security, to your career as a creator?
I could not love working with Laura more. She is transparent, supportive, editorially hands on, and available for any questions I might have. In 2018, I fired my then agent (who is no longer an agent) because she wasn’t doing her job. I took a six-month break to regroup, then geared up for querying a new agent. At that point I had a handful of books out and in contract, with a new project to pitch.
Doing thorough research using the Children's Writer's & Illustrator's Market book, SCBWI resources, Publisher’s Marketplace and the internet, I honed my list down to eight agents I would love to work with. I followed each agent’s guidelines per their websites and queried them all in the same day.
By 4pm that first day, Laura replied with a request for a phone call. I was shocked and thrilled. We spoke the next day and she offered me representation. She was my number one choice, so while I let everyone else know and spoke to a few more agents on the list who followed up, I knew almost immediately she would be my next agent.
Working with Laura has definitely
helped me feel secure and supported. While nothing is guaranteed, her editorial
feedback and guidance have without a doubt helped the last few projects we’ve
pitched get offers.
The space between the words and images. That seems to be the destination of most creative types. How do you get there?
It’s a fun and playful process that’s not exactly the same each time. More recently, I’ve been starting with a character that I love and want to spend a lot of time with. I draw them a lot.
I become familiar with their background and where the moment their story begins. I start mapping out story beats for their journey. I make sure the story has a viable beginning middle and end, with tension, suspense, conflict and an unexpected surprise (or two!).
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| Northern Lights outside the studio |
From there I start sketching the dummy, spread to spread. Since by this point in the process, I’ve worked out a storyboard of sorts - a map of “what happens” on each spread - I then draw each spread in pencil, thinking about the gutter, page turns, composition and emotion.
Once I have a rough sketch, the actual words click into place so quickly. Doing it this way, I can see what’s missing from the illustrations. And it helps prevent over-writing when I can see what is already shown in the illustrations.
What’s next for Deborah Marcero?
The Lone Wolf, A Fairy Tale a new picture book, will publish in February of 2027. Board books Little Bunny, Winter Is Here! will be out this fall, and Little Bunny, Summer Is Here! will launch in spring of 2027. I have more projects in the works that I can’t quite talk about yet, so stay tuned!
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You can also find out more about Deborah and her books at deborahmarcero.com
