A Unicorn and Yeti Giveaway!

I'm so excited! I now have an updated, professional-looking website! The one I build for myself was... fine. But my daughter (EllamaeRoseCreative) made one for me that is next level. It looks amazing and really reflects me and my writing so well. She used some Unicorn and Yeti illustrations by Hazel Quintanilla, put links to all my books, convinced me to write a longer bio, added a couple of videos and did a bunch of other cool stuff that I could not have possibly done, and I just LOVE it. If you want to see what I'm so excited about go to www.heatherayrisburnell.com

You may have noticed that I've also updated my blog (finally!) Plus, if you haven't heard, Scholastic Acorn Editor Katie Carella has acquired 3 more books in the Unicorn and Yeti series with the next one to release in 2020. We are working on those books right now. Woohoo! It is so much fun. I adore writing Unicorn and Yeti's stories. 

Then today, Sparkly New Friends was unanimously selected to the Texas Library Association Little Maverick Graphic Novel Reading List! The list is selected by public and school librarians and serves to encourage children to explore the variety of graphic novels and to read for pleasure as well as aid children's librarians, caregivers, and teachers in the purchasing and recommending of graphic novels for children. Pretty special!

With all this happening, and right in the midst of the holiday season, all in all it feels like a celebration is in order! Want to celebrate with me? Enter to win a set of three signed Unicorn and Yeti books! I am giving away a hardcover set of books 1-3: Sparkly New Friends, A Good Team, and Friends Rock. These are graphic novel style early readers illustrated by Hazel Quintanilla and published by Scholastic Acorn. If you want to learn more about the books you can go to the books page on my website.


The giveaway is limited to U.S. addresses only. Winner will be chosen randomly via Rafflecopter. I’ll send the books out to the winner as soon as I receive their mailing address.

*I have randomly chosen a winner via Rafflecopter. Congratulations Heather B! (And no, that is not me. We just happen to have the same first name and last initial. What are the chances!?!) Thank you to everyone who entered and for all of the kind notes and enthusiasm. It really was a lot of fun!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Friends Rock

Unicorn and Yeti book 3 releases today! Friends Rock makes the Unicorn and Yeti series a sparkly trio of books for kids who are learning to read (or just like fun stories!) Like the first two books, there are 3 stories in this third book. In Friends Rock, Unicorn and Yeti are learning to share… a swing, peaches and ice cream, and a sparkly rock, and of course they figure things out in their Unicorn and Yeti way.

My agent, Sean McCarthy, is doing a giveaway of all three books in the series to celebrate. If you’re on Twitter then hop on over to enter. Here’s his tweet:

Sean McCarthy@mccarthylit

Happy #bookbirthday to UNICORN & YETI: FRIENDS ROCK by @heatherayris & @HazelQuintanil9! To celebrate, I’m doing a #giveaway for all THREE Unicorn & Yeti books! To enter, simply: 1) Follow @heatherayris and @HazelQuintanil9 2) Retweet this! A winner will be chosen on 10/4/19

"Friends Rock"

Goodreads Giveaway!

My adorable puppy who I still love even though she eats everything just bit through my charging cord so I'm going to make this quick! There's a giveaway for Kick! Jump! Chop! The Adventures of the Ninjabread Man on Goodreads. Go enter! :)

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Kick! Jump! Chop! The Adventures of the Ninjabread Man

by Heather Ayris Burnell

Giveaway ends December 21, 2017.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter Giveaway

My First Ever Newsletter is Out!

Today I published my very first Writers of Childish Things Newsletter. I was sort of nervous. I see sending something directly to people's inboxes as a big responsibility and I am very humbled by those who have chosen to subscribe.

I'm starting my newsletter in a very busy month! In this first newsletter I share about the opportunities we have coming up this month for Sub It Club's 3 Year Celebrations. There are going to be some great giveaways for picture book writers! There's also a long list of upcoming pitch opportunities that are open to picture books.

Of course, I talk about the new Monster List and my new Picture Book Query Letter Workshop. In my newsletter you'll find a special Workshop discount for subscribers. So, if you've interested I'd love for you to subscribe!

You can read the newsletter here: eepurl.com/bN7XGb. You'll find a subscribe button in the top, left hand corner.

Get the Scoop!

When you're working towards your goal of publication it is good to keep up on the industry. That means news. You don't have to go searching all over for it. Lisha Cauthen puts together a great newsletter called the KidLit Scoop. I read it every week. As soon as I see it in my inbox I stop everything and open it. I'm not kidding.

Here's what Lisha says about the Scoop:

It's free, my darlings. a weekly newsletter about the children's publishing industry: personnel moves, mergers, new imprints, market trends, grants, interviews and such. Whatever is happening in the kidlit community this week is delivered in digested form to your inbox. IT IS FREE. Did I mention that? Be a sport, subscribe below.

What she fails to mention is that she strings a fun story throughout every issue. Nothing long. Just a sentence or two of funny asides at the beginning of each section. Okay I am going to admit it right now. Sometimes I read it just for the asides. They crack me up. Then I come back later for the news. True story.

Lisha has been putting out the Kidlit Scoop for a long time now. She's almost reached 100 issues! And the woman puts this thing together all by herself. She is a wonder. Help her celebrate and get the scoop on the news. Go subscribe! Then enter to win her fun giveaway. There are autographed books for goodness sake!

My First Critique Week Giveaway!

I've been wanting to do this for a while so I'm just going to go for it--Critique Week. I'm going to give away a picture book critique! Come all my fellow picture book writers and enter!

(As a side note, I've been thinking of how I can have a giveaway that includes all of my writer friends and all of the many genres they write in. So, the next giveaway will be for a query critique. When? When I have time, of course! I'll let you know around the net.)

As for this week's contest, here are a few guidelines:

• Up to 1000 words (but 700 or less is preferable, just like for most publishers)
• No rhyming (it's not my cup of tea a.k.a. I'm not good at it)
• Fiction or nonfiction is okay
• The winner should email me the manuscript within 3 days
• I will finish the critique as soon as I possibly can, but I cannot foresee my future from day to day so be a little patient with me

Just put a comment on this post to enter. Entries are open up through May 16th. I'll announce the winner in the comment section of this post on Tuesday, May 17. Extras are fun, so one extra entry for each. (Please let me know in your comment):

• follow my blog
• tweet
• facebook
• blog
• share it some other way--maybe there are social networking sites I don't even know about...maybe. :)

*disclaimer--I am not a picture book editor or agent, but I have done a lot of critiques! I will point out the things in your manuscript I see that can be improved and will give you an honest critique. I can promise nothing more than that.

Listen up ya'll!

My friend and fabulous critique partner Stephanie Theban has finally joined the cyberworld and started a blog! Stephanie is active in her local Kansas City SCBWI chapter and has learned a lot about writing for children from the many different workshops and conferences she's been to. Since she attended Bonnie Bader's Pitch-a-thon she's decided to share her skills and giveaway some crits on pitches at her newly opened Tiki Bar. Go pick your drink and enter up!

Another thing. I just discovered Weronica Janczuk's blog. There's a lot to know about her and I'm, um, supposed to be revising right now so you'll just have to hop over and check her place out. I will tell she's young and brilliant! Weronica posts all sorts of great info, especially for the YA writer, plus she's offering a query + 10 pages critique to everyone that enters. I almost feel guilty for blogging about it, she's going to be so busy.

So that's two more people to add to the list of generous kidlit writers!

Interview with Susan Marlow, author of the Circle C Adventure series

Susan K. Marlow has found a way to combine three things she loves: horses, adventure, and writing. She's the author of the Circle C Adventure series published by Kregel Publications. Susan has frolicked by to talk about writing series, book promotion, and her latest Circle C Adventure, TROUBLE WITH TREASURE. You can learn all about Susan's main character, Andi, at Susan's great Circle C Adventures website. But don't leave here before entering Susan's giveaway! Details are at the end of the interview. There's real gold involved!

First, I have some questions for Susan along with a big CONGRATULATIONS on the new book release! Hooray! Now, my daughter and I are dying to know, what sort of adventure is Andi going to have in her new book, Trouble With Treasure?

Well, right off the bat, through no fault of her own (for once), Andi ends up in jail! A little horseplay with a leaky water trough in town brings the unfriendly new deputy swooping down on Andi and her friends. She’s hoping a two-week trek into the Sierras to pan for gold will put all her troubles behind her. But Andi and her friends are so wrong. They tangle with a rattlesnake, a couple of “two-legged” snakes, and a seriously injured brother. Toss in a couple of bags of bank gold and being stranded in the wilderness, and that spells “trouble” in a big way.





Where did you get the idea for this story?

I originally wrote the basic story years ago, and it looked much different from what it is today. I wanted a story that highlighted Andi and the youngest of her older brothers, Mitch, who hadn’t been in the other books much. I wanted Andi to be stuck alone in the wilderness and responsible for saving her brother’s life. But it was just Andi and Mitch, and it didn’t work so well, especially when Mitch was unconscious a good deal of the time (it cuts into your dialogue opportunities). So I rewrote it to include Andi’s friend Jenny (from Book 4) and her good pal, Cory, and expanded the story into a couple of different directions.




When you sold your first Circle C Adventure, Andrea Carter and the Long Ride Home, you didn’t know it would become a series. How difficult was it to develop more stories for Andi?



I didn’t know it would become a series, but I was sure hoping it would. I had the first three stories already written (though I’d call them very rough drafts now). It wasn’t difficult to revise and submit those. But book 4 was totally new material, and it was tough filling in the blanks and making the story “work.” I wanted a story set in San Francisco for Book 4, but what in the world was going on in that city in 1881? So it took a lot of time to do the research and weave that research seamlessly into the book.


How did you learn to write series?

By watching TV during the 60s, mostly. Television shows are basically “series,” where your favorite characters have complete, new adventures every week. Without realizing it then, I fashioned my stories after shows like Star Trek. I knew there was a “teaser” opener (to keep people from changing the channel), scenes that always ended on a cliff hanger (to keep people from changing the channel), the “dark moment” or climax, and the satisfying ending. I knew and expected certain things from the characters. They interacted in a fun way. They never acted out of character. They evoked an emotional response in an impressionable young teen, and I made sure my first stories did the same thing. I guess I learned from observing.


Do you have any tips for aspiring series writers?

I believe that the most important element in a series is an engaging, likeable main character with whom young readers can identify. One young fan recently wrote me a letter and said, “Sometimes I pretend I’m Andi, riding and talking to Taffy.” Obviously, this young reader has connected with the main character. For her, it probably doesn’t matter what kind of adventure Andi and her horse have, so long as Andi invites the reader to become part of the story with her. It’s the character whom readers want to follow along on the journey. So make the development of your series’ “star” your most important consideration when thinking about writing a series.


You are an amazing book promoter. What are you doing to promote Trouble with Treasure?

You mean besides chatting with you and your readers? *grin* I have my usual bookmarks, postcard mailings, and Ezine campaigns. I have a growing fan list on the Circle C Adventures fan page on Facebook. I give away a lot of books through contests and sites on the web. I speak at Young Author conferences and do some school visits. And this year I’ve decided to have a booth at various homeschool conventions on the West coast.

I send out books for reviewers to review, and I created a book trailer, which I posted on Facebook. Then I asked a number of FB friends to “share” it on their profiles. This way my books and my name keep popping up, a little at a time. Unfortunately, this takes a lot of time, and it keeps me from writing.


How important do you think it is that authors promote their books?

Very important! On a scale from 1 – 10, the importance of partnering with your publisher to promote your books is probably a 9.5. I honestly believe that the reason I have six books in my serious (as opposed to two or maybe three) is because I have spent a significant amount of time (and money) getting the word out. The good news: it really does help. The bad news: it never ends. You can never stop, because once you stop promoting your book, people forget about it. The nice thing with a series is that a new book automatically promotes the other books in the series. This keeps what would ordinarily be a five-year-old back-listed book fresh for new readers.


What is one of the most fun things you’ve done to go along with your books?

I like doing contests on line and at conferences. I put a bunch of little plastic horses in a big jar and have a Guess the Number of Horses contest. The winner receives a Beanie Baby horse keychain, some real gold, a Chinese doll, or even a book, depending on which book I’m promoting at the time. The other fun thing is tying up a “set” of books with colored elastic string, along with a plastic horse, and selling them at a discount. They sell like hotcakes and they look so cute!


You say you’re a shy person, yet you do quite a bit of public speaking, from teaching kids to talking at author events to radio interviews. How have you learned to do public speaking?

Being a teacher and loving kids has been a “key” to making it through public-speaking venues. I’m comfortable around kids (my peer group) so of course school visits and writing workshops are my favorite kinds of events. For big groups (like school assemblies) I have found that a well-crafted PowerPoint presentation saves the day every time. It can be shortened or lengthened right at the time, depending on interest level and/or time available. Holding the remote is like clutching a security blanket. But outside the kid audience, I’m afraid I’m hopeless. The way I have learned to “do” public speaking in those cases (speaking to adults and doing radio) is by plunging ahead and saying, “Yes, I’ll do it,” and then taking a step of faith that God will see me through as long as I’m prepared. It’s totally nerve-wracking, and I don’t like it, but so far, God has seen me through.


Will we be seeing any more of Andi after Trouble with Treasure?

Oh, yes! Andi has one more adventure in this series, Andrea Carter and the Price of Truth. A quick blurb: Andi’s eyewitness testimony places a beloved citizen at the scene of a crime. Will the price of telling the truth be too high if it means losing Taffy forever? But Andi and Taffy’s adventures are not over. I’m writing a series of chapter books for young readers (grades 1-3) about Andi and Taffy when they were young. Those books should hit the market a year or so from now.


I’d ask you what book you would live in if you could, but I imagine you’d be right in there with Andi, or cruising outer space with the Star Trek crew. Am I totally wrong?

Heather, you know me too well! To be honest, I can’t decide which world I’d rather live in: the Old West or aboard the starship Enterprise. Either one is a journey of imagination that “. . . boldly goes where no [kid] has gone before.”



Susan is going to giveaway an autographed and personalized copy of Trouble with Treasure to one lucky winner. Plus she's throwing in a vial of real gold! What do you have to do to win? Just leave a comment on this here interview. If you tweet, blog, or facebook the contest and let me know I'll add another entry. U.S. residents only. Contest ends February 16th at midnight. Good luck!

Send a Postcard

It has been so long since I've seen the ocean. Having grown up in Monterey Bay, the ocean was a big part of life. I'd walk to the beach from my grandparents house, we'd go to the beach for celebrations, or just because. We'd go beachcombing, have picnics, and roll down the sand dunes. I love the smell of the salt air and the foggy mornings.

Living here in the high desert, I sometimes think of the things my kids miss not having the beach as a part of their growing up. Mountain life is fun in different ways. Soon though, we will be taking some time to enjoy the beach. And I am so ready!

As I'm thinking of our journey to the sea, I found that Lee Verday is having a super fun contest. He's giving away a signed copy of PROPHECY OF THE SISTERS by Michelle Zink. How do you enter? You just have to send a postcard.

Who doesn't love postcards?! I was just telling the kids that we should send some while we're on our trip. What a great idea for a contest. I already have a copy of PROPHECY OF THE SISTERS, but I might have to send Lee a postcard just for fun.

If you want to enter, and you should because this is one book you will not be able to put down, read the contest rules here. Mail your postcard by August 11th!

Interview with Dawn Jeffers, publisher at Raven Tree Press & author of BEAUTIFUL MOON/BELLA LUNA, plus a contest!

Haven't we all had a day we wished would never end? Dawn Jeffers did, and she wrote a book about it. BEAUTIFUL MOON/BELLA LUNA is the story of a girl's wish for a never ending day. One problem--a never ending day has consequences!

As you may or may not know, my picture book, BEDTIME MONSTER, is coming out next spring from Raven Tree Press. Besides being an author, Dawn is my wonderful publisher. When I asked if I could interview her she was happy to oblige. Yippee!

Not only has Dawn let me ask her questions about writing and publishing, she's giving away a signed copy of her new book! Stay tuned for details at the end of this interview.

On to the questions:


Dawn, what inspired you to write Beautiful Moon?

I actually was on vacation with my sister and brother-in-law in Italy. At the end of one of our first days we were sitting under the moonlit sky wishing that the day would never end. It was absolutely perfect and we had so much more we wanted to do. That is the basis of the book. Since it was also produced as a bilingual title, Beautiful Moon is translated to Bella Luna in both Spanish and Italian.






Are there any similarities between you and your main character?

The similarity between the main character and me exists because we both run out of time in a day to continue to do everything that appeals to us.


Why do think readers will relate to the story?

Kids are always hoping that their wishes come true. Wishing under the stars on a moonlit night is such common experience for kids of all ages.


How do you find the time to write? Do you write regularly? What do you do with your manuscripts?

Writing finds me. It could be when I am in the doctors office, stuck in traffic or by the pool. I always have a tablet with me and am jotting notes, dialogue or stories. It does come in spurts. I used to save my handwritten scribbles…the ones on napkins, envelopes, and tablets. Now I put everything in a Word document and hit save.


What are you doing to support the publication of your book?

I have developed a private electronic list of book buyers, book reviewers and friends and family. I send press releases and sell sheets to influence purchases. This list will also get updates on any reviews or awards for the book. I am doing signing events and a few school visits next fall.


Do you have any other books in the works? Tell us about your work-in-progress.

I actually just wrote a musical theatre production. All that is left is the musical score so I have been at a small electronic keyboard with my lyrics hoping songs flow out.


How does being a publisher change you as a writer?

I do know how to present material to prospects knowing both sides of the book business. I know that it is important to do your research and only send when they are looking and what they are looking for. If you have built in marketing and sales outlets it makes a stronger case for the book also.


What’s the most essential part of your education that applies to your work as a writer and publisher?

My business degree is a daily help from the Publisher perspective. I think writing all of those term papers helped me practice as a writer.


I love that Raven Tree Press publishes books in both Spanish and English. How did Raven Tree Press come to be?

There is a burgeoning Spanish speaking market in the US and we determined there were not high quality bilingual picture books available. There were bilingual books in the marketplace that were culturally based or with Hispanic theme. We wanted to have universal family oriented storylines in our books, so there would be readers in both English and Spanish regardless of ethnic background. Raven Tree Press was born.


What advice would you give to aspiring writers?

Write to what you know and what you are passionate about. Do your homework before sending to publishers and find a good support system to bounce your writing ideas with. Don’t work in a bubble. Your writing is stronger after you get feedback.


What sorts of books really strike your fancy?

I live everyday in the picture book world. I love the art as much as I love the story. If an illustrator can make a subtext with pictures the book is much more interesting.


As a publisher, what kinds of stories do you look for?

We are very specific because our books are bilingual. They must be low word count, entertain and educate with universal appeal and be illustratable.


How does publishing bilingual books affect your acquisition decisions?

The word count must be low, we do not use rhyme or word play, and word choice is sometimes also changed.


Raven Tree Press was acquired by Delta Systems last year, how has that changed Raven Tree’s publishing program?

All of the operational functions are handled by the home office. That frees me up to concentrate on acquisitions and creative work. We now co-produce English-only, Spanish-only and bilingual books in both paperback and hardcover editions. I am working currently on expanding our line in foreign markets with other languages.


What do you like to see in a submission? Any pet peeves?

We want to see the full text… we are only taking 750 words or less. PLEASE have your name, contact information and any marketing or sales suggestions. It does get attention and makes it easier when I need to contact someone. You cannot believe how many packets of information have no contact details, typos or manuscripts for books we do not produce. Know what the publisher is looking for by doing your homework.

(You can see Raven Tree Press submission guidelines here.)


Finally, if you could live in any book, which one would it be and why?

I would love to live in Under the Tuscan Sun. There is something about an Italian villa in the vineyards that has great appeal.





BEAUTIFUL MOON/BELLA LUNA by Dawn Jeffers and illustrated by Bonnie Leick is available from Raven Tree Press in both bilingual and English-only editions.

Like I said, Dawn is giving a signed copy of BEAUTIFUL MOON to one lucky winner. Just leave a comment on this post. If you want you can tell us what you'd do if you had a day that never ended. I, of course, would write!

Contest is open to U.S. addresses and closes Sunday, June 14th. I'll post the winner the next day.Good luck!

Interview with Amanda Noll, author of I NEED MY MONSTER, and a contest!

Did you know that some kids need a monster to get to sleep? Well, Amanda Noll does. Her debut book, I Need My Monster, is about a boy who cannot get to sleep until he gets the right monster--his monster--back under the bed.

"First, and foremost," says Amanda, "it’s a book about monsters under the bed." But there's a twist. This boy wants his monster. Gabe, the boy's regular monster had the nerve to take off and go fishing. How's a boy to get to sleep? Howard McWilliam illustrates an array of cutely-cranky monsters who try to appease the boy and are not happy that they won't do whether it's because of polished nails or a long tongue.

What? You don't think a long tongue is scary either? My kids have found this book to be hilarious and have been having fun quoting it and changing things around. They've been threatening each other with a long lip--the book has definitely kindled their imagination.

Amanda has stopped by to answer a few questions about her book and her writing. Plus, she's going to give away a signed copy of I Need My Monster! Just leave a comment on this post (more details at the end of the interview.)





Amanda, I Need My Monster has been getting some great reviews, what inspired you to write the story?

Wishing my 3 year old would have a monster under her bed so she would stay in bed. Then wondering why the monster was doing such a lousy job (because she was out of bed again!). Then I imagined even monsters needed a break.


(Amanda! You are funny!)


I Need My Monster is your first published book. What was your road to publication like?

The road was long and rocky, like most people's.

(Ahem. Yup.)


How many manuscripts did you write before I Need My Monster? What have you done with them?

I have written many picture books and several novels. Most of them will stay in my drawer forever. I hope one or two of my novels see the light of day.


How does it feel to be able to call yourself an author now?

Surreal.


Are there any similarities between you and your main character?

No, but after the process I looked back and recognized several family members personified as monsters!?!

(Ha! But did they recognize themselves?)


What is the most fun thing you’ve done to support the publication of your book?


I created a “toe cake” to accompany my launch party.








(Who doesn't like to eat toes?!)


Do you have any other books in the works? Tell us about your work-in-progress.

I’m a little suspicious about talking about works in progress, but I will say I have a middle grade ghost story up my sleeve.


(Oh, sorry, don't wanna jinx ya.)


If you could live in any book, which one would it be and why?

I think that I would love to be in Anne McCaffrey’s Dragon Singer, because I love dragons and have always wanted a fire lizard.



I Need My Monster is published by Flashlight Press. You can read more about Amanda at her website, amandanoll.com.

Like I said, Amanda is giving away a signed copy of I Need My Monster right here! Just leave a comment on this post. If you want, you can tell us what your monster needs to keep you in bed. Mine has lots of rejection letters--they keep me in bed and writing! His name is Querrel.
The contest is open to U.S. and Canadian residents. I'll do the draw on Friday, May 29th at 8:00p.m. and will post then, as long as my kid's monsters keep them in bed.

And the Winner is ...

I put all the names in a hat, stirred them up, and my little guy pulled out... Stephanie! *the crowd cheers--they actually did, the kids ran around and went wild, throwing confetti, dancing, and clapping. Okay, they were shrieking too. It was joyful chaos!

Thanks to everyone who entered. You were all so kind to share the ways you tortured or were tortured by your siblings which I must admit was a lot of fun to read.

If you didn't win, hop on over to Brimful Curiosities where she's giving away a copy of Otto Grows Down on April 13th.

Many thanks to Michael Sussman for a great interview and for the contest!

Interview with Michael Sussman, author of Otto Grows Down and a contest!

On Tuesday I posted a review of Otto Grows Down written by Michael Sussman and illustrated Scott Magoon. Go here to read the review. *Hint, hint, it's a great book!

As promised, Michael has stopped by to answer some questions about his writing and his book. Plus, he's giving away a signed copy of Otto Grows Down!(details below) First, the interview:

Michael, how did you come to write OTTO GROWS DOWN?

About five years ago, I was experiencing a bad case of writer’s block as I struggled to start a second novel. My son, Ollie, inspired me to start writing for children. As soon as I switched my intended audience from adults to children, my writer’s block disappeared!

As a child, I would sometimes fantasize about what life would be like in backwards time. This fantasy became the basis for OTTO. In early drafts, time turned around because of a book called “Backwards and Forwards” which Otto received as a present. I wasn’t wild about this aspect of the plot, but struggled to come up with an alternative. Finally, while taking a bath, I had my “Eureka!” moment: Time reverses when Otto makes a birthday wish that his baby sister was never born!

By the way, I chose Otto’s name because it’s a palindrome. All the names in the story—Otto, Anna, Bob, Mom, and Dad—read the same backwards and forwards.



Are there any similarities between you and your main character, Otto?

Having an older and a younger brother, I used to fight for my parents’ attention. Like Otto, I also experienced remorse when I overshadowed my siblings.


What was your road to publication for OTTO GROWS DOWN like?

I received dozens of rejections from editors on an early draft of the story. I revised the manuscript and sent it out again. Once more I received dozens of rejections, but two editors were interested. One editor backed out when her colleagues decided the story was too edgy for a picture book. The other—Frances Gilbert at Sterling Publishing—loved the story and has been a delight to work with.


How many other children’s manuscripts had you written before OTTO GROWS DOWN? What have you done with them?

OTTO was my second attempt at a picture book. The first one never got published, and I haven’t gotten around to revising it.


You’ve published books in the adult world. How does it feel to be able to call yourself a children’s author now?

It’s wonderful. I love reading the story to audiences, and the responses I’ve received from children and parents have been truly heartwarming. There’s no sweeter sound in this world than a child’s laughter.


Do you have any other books in the works? Tell us about your work-in-progress.

I’m currently polishing two picture book manuscripts. One is whimsical adventure story, written in verse. The other is about a girl who develops a superpower that spins out of control.


What are you doing to support the publication of your book?

I’m doing bookstore events with Scott Magoon, the illustrator. I’m also giving readings in schools and libraries. With any luck, the “Otto industry” will thrive without any government bailouts!


Finally, if you could live in any book, which one would it be and why?

I’d say either Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, because I’d never be bored, or Tom Sawyer, because I long for a simpler way of life.





Thanks Michael, for the great interview! It's interesting to know that palindromes, childhood fascination, and writer's block are all a part of Otto Grows Down. Now I have even more stuff to talk with my kids about when we read your book(for the hundredth time!)

Otto Grows Down is published by Sterling Publishing. You can read more about Michael at his website OttoGrowsDown.com

Ready to win a signed copy of OTTO GROWS DOWN? All you have to do is leave a comment on this post. You can just say enter me, but if you want to get it off your chest, you can share what your siblings did to pester you(or what you did to pester them!) I'm told that I used to make my poor little sister sit in the corner all the time. I don't remember doing any such thing. Unfortunately there are photos.

I'll take entries until Tuesday, April 7th at 6 p.m.(PST) when I'll put all of the names in a hat and have my littlest guy, who can't even read yet, pull out a winner. I'll contact you if you leave a link or if I recognize you, otherwise, check back in on Tuesday to see if you've won. U.S. mailing addresses only. Good luck!