Book Birthday Blog with Kate Rietema

Welcome to SCBWI-MI's Book Birthday Blog!

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

 

Congratulations to Kate Rietema on the release of Cheetahs Return to India: The True Story of Aasha and Pavan

 

What are the unique challenges of writing a non-fiction book? Please describe your research approach. 

This was tricky because my research was happening in real time. In fact, my agent submitted this manuscript to Tilbury House before Aasha had her cubs—so it wasn’t until after the book was acquired that I added the spread about her litter. Then, after final edits were complete, I learned the sad news of Pavan’s death. Although we couldn’t add his death into the story, we did include it in a timeline as part of the backmatter.

 

Interior spread

For my research, I gathered information from news articles, newsletters, videos, visiting the Cheetah Research and Education Centre in Namibia, observing cheetahs in the wild, and speaking with primary sources.

 

Spotting cheetahs in the wild—a rare treat!

Because this story is about a current event, I tried to have as many primary sources as possible. This included personal and email contact with Dr. Laurie Marker, who is considered the world’s leading expert on cheetahs; Lea Petersen, head cheetah keeper at the Cheetah Conservation Fund in Namibia; and Eli Walker, who photographed and monitored the cheetahs upon their release in India. 

Although I had success in contacting several helpful sources, it’s important to note that I hit a few dead-ends, too. In response to an inquiry of India’s forest and wildlife departments, I received a handwritten response in Urdu! (Eventually I was able to translate the letter, but it still didn’t prove helpful.) 

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

My brother lives in Namibia—an African country known as the cheetah capital of the world. A few years ago, he posted a news article on social media about plans to reintroduce cheetahs from Africa back into India. I knew this would be groundbreaking work and I had to know more!

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

Last fall, I had the extreme privilege of visiting the Cheetah Conservation Fund in Namibia, Africa. While there, I had dinner with the head cheetah keeper, Lea Petersen, and I asked her what she wants readers to know. Lea said, “Even if our work is really tough, and even if we don’t get the results we hoped for, we still need to try.” Reintroducing cheetahs into a country where they’ve been regionally extinct for 70 years is an enormously bold move. There is no guarantee this plan will work, but there are conservationists who have dedicated their lives to saving cheetahs—and they’re not afraid try. Like Lea, I hope readers feel inspired to try new things—even if it’s hard, and even if it might not work. 

 

Visiting the Cheetah Conservation Fund in Namibia, Africa

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

I’m looking forward to all the usual visits at bookstores and schools, but because of the subject matter, I’m also reaching out to zoos. I sent mailers to every zoo in the United States and Canada who keep cheetahs, suggesting my book for their gift stores. I’m also working to set up a couple interviews with zoos that host podcasts.
 
You can find my book in all the usual places—Amazon, Bookshop, and hopefully at your local bookstore. If it’s not in stock, please request it! You can also request it at your local library and check it out for free! 

 

Final proofing before it goes to print!

What's next for you?

I’m thrilled to share that I have three more picture books releasing in the next two years! I have two holiday books with Paraclete Press—one for Christmas and one for Easter. I also have a free verse poetry collection about seasons that will be published by B&H Kids. 

More about the book . . .

Long ago, cheetahs roamed India's grasslands and forests. But as farms expanded and cities grew, India's cheetah population dwindled . . . to nothing. Now, seventy years later, cheetahs are back! From a selection of African cheetahs, Aasha and Pavan are chosen as the first cheetahs to be released into the wild. Will they survive in their new home? Will they thrive? Will India finally see a return of their beloved cheetahs?

Published by: Tilbury House

More about the author . . .

Kate Rietema is the author of three children’s books and nearly 100 stories and poems in publications like Highlights, Cricket Media, and The School Magazine. She lives and writes in a red house in Michigan with her husband and five daughters. Kate hopes that cheetahs will always survive, and that this book will inspire readers to learn more about wildlife conservation. You can find more about Kate’s books at https://www.katerietema.com/ 

Instagram & X: @KateRietema

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

Website: https://www.katerietema.com/

 

Kate on safari through Etosha National Park

 

Book Birthday Blog with Kate Rietema

Welcome to SCBWI-MI's Book Birthday Blog!

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

 

Congratulations to Kate Rietema on the release of All the Babies: A First Book About Adoption

 

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

I’m very grateful that both books are with the same publisher, B&H Kids! They created joint marketing materials so I can promote the books together, which is really helpful. Pitching myself as a guest for podcasts and speaking events was also easier as both books are written from my experiences with foster care and adoption. It feels less like multiple releases, and more like one extended release.
 
To stay organized, I keep a running to-do list on my “monthly goals” document.  

 

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

After we adopted our daughter, I became mildly obsessed searching for the “just right” book about adoption. I found several ok options, but I couldn’t find the gentle introduction to adoption I was looking for—so one day, I wrote it. But this book isn’t just for adopted children! It’s an important book for any child that may have a friend, classmate, or relative who is adopted. One day, my daughter came home from kindergarten in a stormy huff because a classmate wouldn’t believe she was adopted. The classmate reasoned that she didn’t “look” adopted. And I don’t fault this classmate; my daughter’s skin tone matches mine, and this was probably in contrast to his previous experiences with adoptees. So, I’m excited to have a book that celebrates the unique realities of adoption: children can be adopted as babies or big kids, they can be adopted from close by or far away, they can be part of big families or small families; and the illustrations show that children might look similar to their parents, or they might look different.  

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

My daughter lights up whenever she reads a story about a child who was adopted. “Hey, that’s just like me!” she’ll say. For my daughter, seeing her own experience represented in stories boosts her sense of belonging. That’s what I hope this book does for kids. I hope it lets them see a reflection of their own story. I hope it makes them feel understood, celebrated, and loved.  

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

My book is available online at Amazon, Target, Barnes & Noble, Christianbook.com, Walmart, and in many local Christian book stores.

Some things I’ve done to get ready for my release:

• Updated my website
• Created a book trailer with my youngest daughter, see it  here
• Joined a picture book launch group, #PBbuds24
• Set up some book signings and story times
•  Reserved a table at the Michigan Association of Christian Schools Conference to promote school visits 
• Worked with my publisher to create printable bonus material, secure endorsements, send out advanced copies for review, and promote on social media

What's next for you? 

I’m thrilled to share about my non-fiction picture book coming next summer with Tilbury House, illustrated by Ash Roy! Cheetahs Return to India: The True Story of Aasha and Pavan tells the groundbreaking story of how cheetahs were recently reintroduced to India after becoming regionally extinct in 1952. It’s a beautiful story of a bold step in cheetah conservation. 

More about the book . . . 

All the Babies: A First Book About Adoption is a celebration of uniqueness, highlighting eleven babies who represent aspects of being adopted that might make a child feel different from their siblings or peers. Using fun language and simple sentences, this board book lays an important foundation for future conversations about adoption, diversity, and belonging. No matter how kids enter their families, they are made and loved by God—forever and always. 

Publisher: B&H Kids

More about the author . . . 

Kate Rietema and her husband live in West Michigan where they operate a beautiful family campground. They have five forever-children through birth and adoption and have cared for many more in their eleven years as licensed foster parents. Kate is the author of When God Makes Scribbles Beautiful, a picture book about finding hope when hard things happen. In her free time, she works as a nurse, volunteers at her county jail, and hobbies as an amateur potter.

You can find more about my books at https://www.katerietema.com/ and follow me on socials:

Twitter/X: @katerietema

Facebook:  Kate Rietema - Children's Author

Instagram: katerietema

 

Book Birthday Blog with Kate Rietema

 

 

Welcome to SCBWI-MI's Book Birthday Blog!

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

 

Congratulations to Kate Rietema on the release of When God Makes Scribbles Beautiful

 

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

One day, I was feeling particularly overwhelmed by one of our foster children’s difficult situations. Feeling helpless and a bit hopeless, I sat down and typed out all the things I needed to be reminded of, and all the things I wanted him to know.

What inspires you to write?

Emotions, my kids, reading, nature, and setting goals!
 
I feel most inspired when I experience strong emotions, like wonder, delight, fear, or hope. Often, these are moments I want to savor, remember, overcome, or share—and picture books feel like the perfect medium to express big feelings.
 
Having a house full of kids and being intentional with their tiny hearts helps me see life through their eyes and with their language. Having young kids also gives me lots of excuses to read picture books (which are so inspiring)! My library account tells me we check out about a thousand books a year.
 
Our family also loves to be outside, hiking and exploring. Even if I’m not working on a nature themed project, beauty and fresh air always spark creativity!

Goals are also necessary to keep me focused when inspiration feels lacking. I maintain a running monthly ‘goals and to-do’ document on my computer. Items include learning activities, writing tasks, research needs, submission deadlines, and whatever else requires my attention. A few years ago, I purchased a book display stand as a tangible reminder of my goal to be a published picture book author. For a long time it sat empty, but now it holds this!

How do you approach the creative process? Plotter, pantser or combination of the two?

Hmm, for me, this varies project to project. Story ideas come to me in various ways: a new bit of information, an emotion, or a title idea. For me, emotion based projects tend to come out quickly (pantsing). If I start with a title, I find myself thinking next about a structure—so this leans more towards plotting. No matter what I’m writing, my first drafts are always pretty sparse and the text needs to be bulked up during the revision process.

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

My book is available online at Amazon, Target, Barnes & Noble, Walmart, Christianbook.com, and in many local Christian book stores.
 
Some things I’ve done to get ready for my release:

• Updated my website
• Created a book trailer with my first grader, see it here
• Joined a picture book launch group called #PBbuds24 (find us on X and IG)
• Set up some book signings and story times (both in Michigan and in Florida while there for spring break)
• Organized a fundraiser event to donate books to an organization that distributes first night bags for children entering foster care
• Worked with my publisher to create printable bonus material, secure endorsements, send out advanced copies for review, and promote on social media

Phew! It feels like a lot, but most of it has been fun.

 What's next for you?

I’m thrilled to have a board book releasing in October titled, All the Babies: A First Book About Adoption. This book, illustrated by Judi Abbot and published by B&H Kids, is a sweet celebration of how God makes every baby and family special. 

 
I’m also on pins and needles about a couple other projects that are currently on submission—fingers crossed! In the meantime, I’m always subbing to magazines and working on new picture book ideas!

More about the book . . .

A child’s struggle—portrayed as a dark scribble—follows him everywhere. But when he asks God for help, he discovers new hope as his scribble turns into something beautiful. When God Makes Scribbles Beautiful presents layers of Biblical truth that take the reader on a gentle journey of God’s promises—inspiring hope and faith in His good and redemptive plan.

Publisher: B&H Kids

More about the author . . .

Kate Rietema is the author of When God Makes Scribbles Beautiful and a forthcoming board book, All the Babies: A First Book About Adoption. She has also authored over 50 stories, poems, and articles for magazines like Highlights, Cricket Media, and The School Magazine. Kate is the mother of five girls, works as a nurse, volunteers in her county jail, and lives at the campground she and her husband operate in West Michigan.

Website: katerietema.com

Twitter: @katerietema (I'm most active here!)

Instagram: @katerietema

Facebook: Kate Rietema - Children's Author 

 

 

Using a Business Development Grant

 In 2021, two SCWMI-MI members, Kate Rietema and Kinyel Friday, were awarded a Business Development Grant. Today, they would like to share how they used this grant and how it helped them.

Kate Rietema

What a wonderful surprise to be awarded a 2021 Business Development Grant! I knew I should have a website, and this grant was just the encouragement I needed to get it going. Now, as my manuscripts are being sent off to publishing houses, I feel extra pleased knowing my agent is able to include a link to my new website. 

 After receiving a recommendation for a web designer, I previewed sites she had created for others to make sure we would be a good fit for each other. Then I browsed lots of author sites, made a list of elements I liked, and began working on my own content. I emailed the web designer a document with everything I hoped to include on my site along with a couple color palettes I liked. The web designer got to work, sending me samples along the way for my approval. Once she finished, she sent me an awesome personalized video tutorial of how to manage and update the website myself. Overall, the process was really smooth, and I feel like she came up with a flow that I wouldn’t have been able to achieve on my own. You are welcome to check it out at www.katerietema.com!

 Each time we take a new step in our writing journey, it requires a bit of courage. There is an element of risk each time we exchange a critique, submit a manuscript, or apply for a grant. But sometimes, things work out even better than we expect.  Be encouraged today to take a new step, risk and all! Here’s to hoping for more good things ahead! 

Thanks, SCBWI-MI!

Kinyel Friday

The SCBWI Business Grant afforded many opportunities for my business. Overall, the grant helped me in three major ways:

a.       It made me take a more calculated approach to what I put money into,

b.       It was helpful at book fairs, and

c.       It helped me plan how to sell and who to sell to.

I spent the grant money on promotional items (business cards, QR code cards and sign, and retractable banner), marketing books, and a course on selling. Through these purchases, I learned a few valuable things.

a.       People still like paper (ex. I ran out of business cards at an event). Tangible objects are well received.

b.       My marketing products enticed fellow authors to get promotional materials. At each event I attended, all authors were learning from each other, from table displays, to banners, to cards, to giveaways.

c.       “You are never promoting yourself, only your author self. Your author self is a marketing construct, a brand.” (Stop Worrying; Start Selling by Sarah R. Painter; page 32). For an introvert like me, this puts a unique spin on selling books. It’s almost like you must have an alter ego to sell more products.

d.       The course I’m currently taking is having me take a closer look at my products, pricing, how to sell wholesale, and more.

Thank you, SCWBI, for providing me the opportunity to positively impact my business and to advance my business knowledge.

Thank you, Kate and Kinyel, for sharing your experiences!

For more information about other upcoming grant and scholarship opportunities from SCBWI-MI or to donate to make any of our existing grants possible in the future, see the SCBWI-MI website.