Book Birthday Blog with Pria Dee

 

 

Welcome to SCBWI-MI's Book Birthday Blog!

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

 

Congratulations to Pria Dee on the release of Little Moe Can't Fly

 

 

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

Michigan is resplendent with wildlife and natural beauty. I am fascinated by watching the flocks of birds migrate, return home, create families, nurture them, and then migrate again. Last spring, one little gosling particularly fascinated me as he had a limp and struggled to keep up with his family. Watching his determination inspired the story of Little Moe.

What was the most difficult part of writing the book?

Keeping the book short and appropriate for young readers was a challenge. I wanted to describe all the splendors of Michigan’s seasons and natural landscapes. Still, my editors and critiques convinced me that the audience would get all that from the pictures and that finding the right illustrator was key.

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

Moe’s story is a tale of perseverance. Everyone’s life is as unique as they are, the key is never to give up or stop trying. 

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

I am doing a Goodreads giveaway, and I have both BookLife and Kirkus reviews planned. I am going to try using Amazon ads as well.

What's next for you?

Moe’s Story is my 10th book, so having hit that target in my writing journey, I want to focus on another genre and audience: a fantasy middle-grade book.

More about the book . . .

Little Moe is a gosling who cannot master the art of flying. With winter approaching, Little Moe is worried he won’t fly to the warmer southern shores before all the flocks are gone. His mother stays with him, encouraging him to keep trying to fly. With fall and frost on the ground, it seems an impossible task. Moe realizes that it’s up to him and he never stops trying until he finally soars up into the sky in flight.

Publisher: Self-Published

More about the author . . .

Pria Dee is an Indian American author who lives in Michigan. She has published several children’s books based on her own experiences and observations. Her love of animals and children is the focus of many of her books. Learn more about Pria at: https://www.priadee.com/

https://www.tiktok.com/@priadeeauthor 

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18001718.Pria_Dee 

https://www.instagram.com/priadeeauthor/ 

https://www.facebook.com/priadeeauthor

 

 

Our SCBWI-Michigan BIPOC Scholarships Make a Difference by Isabel Estrada O'Hagin

    

      The aim of our SCBWI-Michigan BIPOC Scholarship Awards is to promote inclusivity among our membership and to offer the benefits of membership to selected applicants. For several years now, the SCBWI-Michigan BIPOC Scholarship recipients have enjoyed the perks of membership, including member-based fees for conferences and networking opportunities among our creative kidlit community. If our aim is to be inclusive, we need to authentically engage with our local communities and let them know about the BIPOC scholarships we offer.

 The applications for the 2023 SCBWI-Michigan BIPOC Scholarships can be found on our region’s webpage. Scroll down to the BIPOC Scholarship info.

      As we approach the next round of our region’s 2023 BIPOC Scholarship Applications, let’s hear from this past year’s recipients: Pria Dee (PD), Aubrey Jewel (AJ), Georgia Ann Moss (GAM), and Holly Nicole Semma (HNS). Read how these scholarships made a difference for our 2022 BIPOC Scholarship recipients!

 

1.    In what ways was your SCBWI membership useful to you? (e.g., personal connections, networking, or how it enhanced your creative work in children’s literature)

PD: I enjoy meeting and getting to know all the creative people that are members and learning from their individual experiences. I especially love the author events that allow us to talk to people in person. Many of them have provided me with useful tips, resources, and contacts that as a new writer have been invaluable to me. I met my critique group through SCBWI-Michigan, and they have been very supportive of my writing efforts and have provided so many different perspectives (teacher, librarian, parent, illustrator, etc.) that have helped improve my work. I have also made some great friends who support and encourage me and keep me going even when I get writer's block. 

 

AJ: The scholarship was extremely helpful for me to jump back into the mix of being a creative again and not “just a teacher/instructor.” I love being able to help others, but this gave me the opportunity where I could force myself to be creative again for my own work. It is also a bonus for my daughter to see me making art in this form instead of giving a lesson to her or someone else. It is also helping her to be creative in her own ways. 

Seeing and reading the opportunities and what other folks are doing and creating is such a wonderful addition that the membership has really brought me. Because of this scholarship, I plan on continuing and am scheduling out conferences and connections.

 

GAM: My SCBWI membership/scholarship has been very rewarding. The website offers web meetings where you can brainstorm creative ideas and to connect with other writers. The website is awesome in assisting with author visits and book fairs. I’m so thankful for the scholarship, and I will be renewing my membership. (Woo-hoo, Georgia!)

 

HNS: SCBWI membership is useful to me in providing networking opportunities and creative inspiration! It has been delightful engaging with my colleagues as well as understanding their passions and pursuits. We are all connected through creativity and I am thankful for SCBWI to be a catalyst in facilitating this close-knit community.

 

 

2.    What’s ahead in your creative work? We’d love to hear about it!

 

PD: I have published a picture book and a chapter book since joining SCBWI, and I have two more picture books in the works. Once those are completed and published, I hope to devote my time and energy to writing a middle grade fantasy novel. I also have started on a young adult novel that is making slow progress--I hope to finish it over the next year. 

 

AJ: I’m now doing a series of illustrative work called Resilience, with the hope of empowering many, with the emphasis on women of color. I will be showcasing it in graphic novel form as well as a series of 7 illustrative portraits in a gallery showcase September of 2024 during the Kalamazoo Art Hop.

 

I also finished my story of Mootilda MooCow and Her Trip to the Moon. I’m working on trying to find the right place to get it published. 

 

GAM: Currently working on a holiday book for emergent readers.

 

HNS: I am currently a Master's Candidate at the University of Michigan School of Public Health - Health Behavior & Health Education. I have just returned from a global internship at the Dubai Autism Center. I am interested in having an Arabic version of my upcoming children's books to best provide autism awareness to multicultural families!

 

 

Thank you, Pria, Aubrey, Georgia Ann, and Holly! Readers: If you’re like me, you found the imagination, dynamic energy, and drive among these four women awe-inspiring! May we welcome many more like-minded kidlit creatives to our regional chapter! Help us spread the word throughout our local communities!

 

BIPOC Scholarship

This scholarship awards a one-year membership to SCBWI for new members who identify as BIPOC kidlit creators.

 

Qualifications: Must be a Michigan resident, at least 18 years of age, who identifies as BIPOC and is a writer and/or illustrator of children’s literature.

 

Award: A one-year membership to SCBWI.

Applications Accepted: September 1st – October 1st (via a link that will be posted here). Awardees will be notified on or before Oct. 15th. Awardees will be notified on or before Oct. 15th. To donate to this scholarship, click or tap HERE.

 

Please note that it’s easy to make a donation by clicking on the HERE button!

Isabel Estrada O'Hagin grew up in the desert borderlands of Arizona, dancing and singing her way through life. Always a dreamer, she blends her life experiences as a performing arts educator with her love of Mexican-American culture & folklore into stories. When she’s not writing, she loves to dance, cook, read, daydream, and play with her two gatitos, Dante and Cosmo. She also loves her volunteer work for SCBWI-Michigan as Outreach Coordinator and K.A.S.T. Co-Coordinator (A shout-out to my KAST friends—Where everyone’s a star!)  LA MARIACHI is her debut storybook!

Book Birthday Blog with Pria Dee

 

 

Welcome to SCBWI-MI's Book Birthday Blog!

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

 

Congratulations to Pria Dee on the release of Sport It! Stay Fit!

 

 

This is your second book to release this year and another one is on the way. How do you stay organized with several books scheduled to launch the same year?

It is complex to coordinate multiple books, especially with my second book Sport It! Stay Fit! is self-published, which means I am responsible for getting the edits, illustrations, cover, and interior design for Epub, Print, ISBN, and set up on Amazon KDP, and Ingram and any marketing done.  I credit my awesome editor Sandy Fuller, creative illustrator David Lock and designer Michael Hercock for keeping me on task and schedule.  Couldn’t do it without them.

 

You seem to generate many story ideas. What method do you use to gather ideas and how do you decide which ones are worth pursuing?

 

I try to work off my observations.  Many times, things I see or that inspire me, register during the day and will develop into an idea at night.  I keep a notepad handy and write them down. I am strongly inspired by nature and very often a rhyme or story develops during my 4-mile walks in the summer.  I come back and write it down.  I don’t develop them into a book right away, however.  I let the ideas germinate for a few weeks and if I still feel strongly about them, I flesh out the story and develop it into a book.

 

Your love of animals and children inspire many of your books. Is there a particular author who has inspired you or influenced your craft?

 

I loved both A.A. Milne and Beatrix Potter growing up and both wrote about nature. I remember reading them to my children and still own copies of their work that I read now and again.

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

I plan to get reviews through Kirkus Reviews and Reedsy Discovery.  I have used Next Step PR once before and may do so if they have availability to do a book launch.  In addition, I plan to do a Goodreads giveaway for Father’s Day to generate reviews.  I may also run Father’s Day ads on Facebook and Amazon as this book is a great one for dads to read to their kids as it’s all about sports. Of course, I will try to spread the word on social media as well.

What's next for you?

I hope to release one more book in the fall about a little gosling who needs to migrate before Winter.  I am working on illustration ideas with a new illustrator for this book and am very excited about it. I am also working on the third book in my Billy and Molly series.
 
I have a Fantasy Young Adult book in the works, which is progressing very slowly. 

A little bit about the book . . .

 

A read-aloud rhyming book on all the sports you can play to stay active and fit features very active dinosaurs in action.

 

Publisher: Boomi LLC

 

A little bit about the author . . .

 
Pria Dee is an Indian American author, who lives in Michigan.  She has published several children’s books based on her own experiences and observations.  Her love of animals and children is the focus of many of her books.  Learn more about Pria at:  https://www.priadee.com/

 

https://www.tiktok.com/@priadeeauthor

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18001718.Pria_Dee 

https://twitter.com/authorpriadee

https://www.instagram.com/priadeeauthor/ 

https://www.facebook.com/priadeeauthor

 

 

Book Birthday Blog with Pria Dee

 

 

Welcome to SCBWI-MI's Book Birthday Blog!

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

 

Congratulations to Pria Dee on the release of Freddy the Frog and the Three Wishes

 

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

I love nature walks and often photograph the creatures I see on the way and one day I observed a little frog in the marshes and decided to write about him. I wanted it to be a relatable book as well as having some magical elements and Freddy’s story developed.

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

A couple of things : Everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses and while Freddy may not be strong or big, he was still able to make the right decisions and save his town.  Secondly, Freddy learns an important lesson about not being self-focused but instead to share his good fortune to help others.

Your love of animals and children inspire many of your books. Are there other inspirations for your stories?

I love living in Michigan and all the beautiful nature around us. So, I write a lot about turtles, frogs, and geese. I also find that our children are growing up in a digital world that creates anxiety.  I hope to help children focus on wholesome activities such as reading, nature, and sports.  My next book is a rhyming book about sports.

What are your marketing plans for the book?

The publisher is working on a social media marketing campaign. I hope to do school visits and attend writers' events as well.

What's next for you?  

I hope to have two additional books published this year. Fingers crossed. My long term dream would be to both illustrate and write so I am trying to learn the art of digital illustration.  It gives me new appreciation to my wonderful illustrators. David Lock illustrated Freddy’s story in water color and his illustrations are fantastic and an inspiration to me. 

A little bit about the book . . .

Freddy is a small not very strong frog, who is often the brunt of jokes from his stronger and more popular siblings. Poor Freddy longs to be a strong swimmer and to be able to jump high, while playing with his friend Nora. One day Freddy finds a rare magical flower that grants him three wishes. Freddy of course wishes for all the things he longed for but discovers that they are not what he wanted after all!

Publisher: Austin Macaulay

A little bit about the author . . .

Pria Dee is an Indian American author, who lives in Michigan.  She has published several children’s books based on her own experiences and observations.  Her love of animals and children is the focus of many of her books.  Learn more about Pria at: https://www.priadee.com/

https://www.tiktok.com/@priadeeauthor 

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18001718.Pria_Dee 

https://mobile.twitter.com/authorpriadee 

https://www.instagram.com/priadeeauthor/ 

https://www.facebook.com/priadeeauthor 

 

 

Book Birthday Blog with Pria Dee

 

 

Welcome to SCBWI-MI's Book Birthday Blog!

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

 

Congratulations to Pria Dee on the release of Diya Dances the Dandiya

 

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

Indian dance has been incorporated into Television programming, movies and even aerobics and Zumba classes. I wanted to showcase the intricacies of the costume, the music, and the culture for young children so that when they see Indian music and dance in movies etc., they can understand it. 

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

The story itself is based on the timeless topic of keeping young children organized. Most parents have run into the situation where their young one has misplaced an important item just before an important event and can relate to it.

What inspires you to write?

My inspiration comes from dreaming of a simple and innocent fantasy world where I let my imagination rule.  I try to imbue my stories with real-time experiences and humor so that a child and parent can enjoy and relate to it.

What was the most difficult part of writing this book?

Reviewing and editing my draft in such a way that the original story is not changed, when trying to trim word count and addressing the feedback from my editors.

What are your marketing plans for the book?

I am looking for reader reviews from bloggers as well as reviews from Kirkus reviews and Reedsy.  I would like to find cultural outlets that can teach children about Indian dance as well.

A little bit about the book . . .

Little Diya misplaced her anklets just before her dance performance. She could not possibly dance without them tinkling with her steps. Read Diya’s story as she goes on a hasty treasure hunt with her little brother Ramu. Will they find the anklets on time? 

The book includes an illustrated glossary to learn popular words from Indian Culture.

A little bit about the author . . .

Pria Dee is an Indian American author, who lives in Michigan.  She has published several children’s books based on her own experiences and observations.  Her love of animals and children is the focus of many of her books.  Learn more about Pria at: https://www.priadee.com/  

 https://www.facebook.com/priadeeauthor/

 

 

 
   

Book Birthday Blog with Pria Dee

 

Welcome to SCBWI-MI's Book Birthday Blog!

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

 

Congratulations to Pria Dee on the release

 of Molly and the Lost Dance Shoes

 

 

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

My children were always misplacing their things just before an important event, leading to many stressful and amusing moments.  I wrote this story to capture one such moment.

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

Parents I am sure can relate to this story, where all their pleas of putting things where they belong are often ignored. Children however will relish the fact that Molly realizes her mistake and tries to rectify it on her own and learns an important lesson in the process. 

What inspires you to write?

I have always loved telling stories to children and seeing their faces glow with delight.  There is nothing more wonderful than igniting a child’s imagination and to hear them laugh as they listen to a story.  I hope that other parents can enjoy these moments with their children when they read my books to their little ones.      

What was the most difficult part of writing your book?

Writing is a joy and working with an illustrator to bring a story to life is a wonderful experience.  However, publishing the book, marketing it, and getting it into the hands of your targeted readers are the hardest parts.  A book only has value when others read it. 

What are your marketing plans for the book?

I am part of several author groups on Facebook and recently have become a part of the TikTok and Instagram author communities. In addition, I am using KDP advertising.

A little bit about the book . . .

Little Molly Butter has practiced over and over for her recital. Sometimes with her dance shoes on. Sometimes with them off. She needs them for her show. Where could they be hiding? This book is the second in the Billy and Molly Series.

A little bit about the author . . .

Pria Dee is an Indian American author, who lives in Michigan.  She has written several children’s books based on her experiences and observations.  Pria loves animals and children and writes to combine both her passions.

Pria’s book Molly and the Lost Dance Shoes is about a little girl who loses her shoes just before a recital and tries to find them on her own.  It is the second book in the Billy and Molly Series.  This book speaks to the heart of what Pria loves most about childhood experiences; it is spirited, fun, and about a family. Doing things without adult supervision is something that all children want to do while growing up, and this story brings the humor of that everyday situation home to young readers.

Pria has written for years and has many works in progress but did not have the time and resources to see the projects through to publication until recently.  

Website 

https://www.facebook.com/priadeeauthor/