Farewell, Secrets, Memes, Poems, Art for the Sake of Art, Be Who You Are, and Carry On!

The time has come for me to take my leave of this amazing group of debuts, since my Middle Grade debut Foot Davis Probably Is Crazy has been out in the world for several months now! I hope to someday return for a picture book debut, but that may be an impossible dream … (cue wonky music).

So, as I go, I thought I’d tell some not-so-closely guarded secrets. The big one is, writing wasn’t my first love as an art form. No, seriously. It wasn’t! I wanted to paint. I really, really tried to paint. When I was five, I actually had a canvas, and kid paints, and everything, and sat down to copy a Monet, and … well, this went horribly wrong (I think my mother still has lamps with paint flecks on them). I made lots of color blobs, but never anything with a real shape. This type of art, it wasn’t my talent. So, then I took up ballet dancing, and yeah, never mind that, either.

When I did start to write, it was in third grade, and my first book was of course about horses. The second was about aliens and I still sorta like it, even if it was so totally terrible. In high school, I went through the mandatory poetry and twisty-short-story phase because I absolutely knew everything in the universe and I needed to make ART  (note the big letters, because emo).

I finally came to novel-writing, and young-adult novel writing much later in life, and I have loved it since then. And yet, moments of those earlier artistic dreams sneak in. Lately, I’ve been taking photographs and using quotes from my novels to make memes/posters–not for any reason other than the fact that it makes me happy. Art, for the sake of art. It makes my soul sing. Also–ha–I’m working on a novel that involves horses…funny how that circle comes ’round. Funny, and also wonderful.

So, for all of you coming new to writing, and those of you not new to it, and those of you who are “old heads,” and those of you kind enough to read what we do, I’ll leave you with these oh-so-sage words (excuse the coughing fit as I laugh myself silly):  Come as you are, be who you are–and ART. Just, art.

And, for good measure, here’s a really emo old poem that I used in EXPOSED, in 2007:

AT THE TOP

The rains

Are coming again I can

Feel them

On my shoulders

At my back

Wind

Scrapes my cheek

A cold paintbrush

Stiff

With unknown pictures

Now, carry on with your brilliance, and I’ll see you all soon!

___________________________________________

Susan Vaught

Susan Vaught is the author of many books for young adults, such as TRIGGER, BIG FAT MANIFESTO, and FREAKS LIKE US. Her debut novel for middle-grade readers, FOOTER DAVIS PROBABLY IS CRAZY, published by Simon & Schuster, hit the shelves in March, 2015. Please visit Susan at her website, follow her on Twitter, and like her Facebook page.

Welcome to the World, Penny & Jelly: A Talk with Illustrator Thyra Heder!

Happy Launch Week, Penny & Jelly!!

 

I have always been fascinated by art and artists. People who can draw are, to me, the world’s greatest geniuses! Art (particularly painting) was one of my first loves. Sadly, I have no talent for drawing at all. For example, this was my attempt to draw an alien rock monster:   See what I mean?   At least I have the good fortune of getting to converse with many people who can turn paper and lines and shapes and colors into something amazing. When we started planning the launch party for Maria Gianferrari’s delightful Penny & Jelly, I jumped at the chance to interview illustrator Thyra Heder.

 

Tell us a bit about how you began your career as an artist, and found your way to illustrating picture books. While I was in college, my sister needed storyboards for a short film she was making. I thought I had read enough comics as a kid that I could do it, and I was sort of right. I was not great, but my drawings looked proficient enough to get another job from that production. By word of mouth, I started storyboarding other films, tv shows, and ad campaigns. Storyboarding lead to other design and illustration work, which forced me to scramble and teach myself styles, mediums and explore aesthetics. So I guess that’s how I learned my skill…though I must admit I’m still teaching myself.     I got into picture books because I’ve always loved them and collected them and one day I had an idea for one. After finding an agent who would take me on and revising my book for what felt like eons I got a book deal. That book, Fraidyzoo, gave my drawings exposure that could lead to other book opportunities like Penny and Jelly. I think the reason I finally took the leap into pursuing picture books was that I was aching to make things that people actually saw. Also I’ve always felt there is nothing more special than a moment reading a book to a kid, and I wanted to be a part of that.

 

What did you love most about Penny and Jelly? I loved that she allowed me to draw action, and I loved the chance to draw a relationship between a girl and her dog. I’ve got my own dog, Toby, in the studio with me everyday, so I was excited to draw Jelly in his many states. My favorite thing about painting her is that I find myself making her expressions.

 

Where can readers see more about you on-line? Are you working on any new projects? Well I just finished Penny and Jelly 2 which was fun to paint (proofs look great!) and I’ve got my 2nd book that I wrote and illustrated coming out in October called The Bear Report. I’m also working on a screenplay with a friend for an animation at the moment so that will be filling my brain for the rest of the summer! I’ve got a non picture book drawing blog: uniqueyounork.tumblr.com and my website: thyraheder.com.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Don’t forget to comment for a chance to win a copy of this heartwarming book. You can purchase it for yourself and everyone you know by going to Penny & Jelly’s website and choosing the buying link that’s best for you!  A second winner will receive some Penny & Jelly swag!    ____________________________________________________

Susan Vaught is the author of many books for young adults, such as TRIGGER, BIG FAT MANIFESTO, and FREAKS LIKE US. Her debut novel for middle-grade readers, FOOTER DAVIS PROBABLY IS CRAZY, published by Simon & Schuster, hit the shelves in March, 2015. Please visit Susan at her website, follow her on Twitter, and like her Facebook page.

WHOSE Dog is the best??

 

In Laurie Ann Thompson’s wonderful new release, My Dog is the Best, illustrated by Paul Schmid, a boy gives his reasons for why his dog is absolutely the best, in his world and in his heart. No doubt, the dog depicted in this delightful picture book is outstanding–and it got us all thinking about the pets who bless our lives, and why they, too, are the best!

 

Janet Fox, author of several titles for young readers, wanted you to know that HER dog is the best–because he loves his toys to pieces.

 

“This is my dog, Sable,” says author Rebecca VanSlyke. “Sable is the best because she is such a smart dog! She can do many tricks, from the regular sit, down, stay tricks to things like ‘High Five,’ ‘Shake,’ ‘Roll over,’ ‘Be cute,’ and ‘Sit up.’ When she needs to go outside, she rings a bell that we keep by the back door.  She also plays the piano (a little Fisher-Price toy piano), says her prayers (putting her nose on her paws and waiting for her treat until I say, ‘Amen!’ and when I point my finger at her and say, ‘BANG!’ she falls over on her side and lies still. Plus she’s just so doggone cute!”

 

Donna Bowman Bratton tells us, “Here’s a picture of Sparky Malarky, our lovable shelter dog with super powers. Besides incessant begging, which is both adorable and annoying, he can pierce the human soul by morphing his eyes from doggy-joy to pathetic tale of woe. He’s a master manipulator. And it works for him every time.”

 

“The cat is Bantam,” Tamara Ellis Smith explains. “The dog is Fundy.  Fundy is our 15 year old chocolate lab.  She is deaf and blind and, as you can see from the picture, her back legs are barely working anymore so we need this harness to help her get up to go outside.  Fundy is also easily agitated these days…she seems to go in and out of senility.  She gets confused and seems to not know where she is at times. Bantam, our six year old cat, is her best friend. Every time he comes in from being outside, he goes straight to Fundy to say hello.  He weaves his body in and around hers, rubs her face with his nose, purrs so that that she can feel the rumble.  He takes care of her, plain and simple.  It truly seems like that.  And he has gotten more vigilant about it, the older she has gotten.”

 

 

Christine Hayes wants you to meet her dog, too. “Here’s our funny Wheaten Terrier, Chewie (short for Chewbacca). We chose him because he doesn’t shed (allergies) and because he’s like a big teddy bear. He also looks a lot like the family dog, Cotton, that I adored growing up. Plus he keeps me company during the day. I may have been known to carry on conversations with him from time to time, and he never argues or talks back!”

 

Megan Morrison offers up this entry into the world’s best dog. “This is Jake, my brother’s dog, and the best loved dog I’ve ever known. My brother took the Jake dog to work every day. They were never apart for long. Jake was a big bullmastiff and the sweetest, gentlest animal. He loved children. He loved everybody – and everybody loved him. He listened to everything my brother said; they were like their own pack of two. Jake passed away last year, and it was rough for the whole family. He really was the best.” How could anyone resist THIS FACE?

 

Penny Parker Klostermann admits that she defected to cats in her adult years–but she’s no stranger to beloved pups. She sent a picture of a dog she had in childhood that she’s never forgotten. “Tippy had the privilege of being the first puppy to live with the Parker girls and they all agreed that he was the BEST dog ever. He was named for the white tip on his tail. As you can see, there were four girls to love on him, so Tippy never lacked for petting or playmates.”

 

Maria Gianferrari makes no excuses for believing her dog is the most awesome ever. “Becca is the best! She’s a Dixie Chick, a rescue dog from Chattanooga, Tennessee. We’re so lucky and grateful that kind-hearted souls rescued her after she was dumped on the side of a highway! She was meant to be in our family. We had a friend who was about to have a baby girl, and I was discussing some possible names with my daughter who was then four. And the name “Rebecca” popped into my head. The next day, I went on Petfinder and found our Rebecca. I just fell in love with her sweet face in this photo, and knew she’d be the perfect dog for us. She was transported on a rescue truck to NH, where we picked her up. That was in August 2006, and she’s been the best family member, writing companion, and dog sister to Anya, who’s an only child. She’s playful, yet mellow, and so very tolerant. And she’s doesn’t bark often, only when alerting us to someone at the door. She’s definitely the best dog in the universe!!”

 

 As for me, I have THREE dogs, and couldn’t begin to pick which one is the best. Instead, I’ll just volunteer them as adorable, and much-loved. Here are two of them, the tiniest (Frodo) and the hugest (Luke) making the best of a warm spring afternoon on our front porch.

 

Finally, you may be wondering what Laurie’s dog thinks of her mother’s new masterpiece. Laurie says, “My dog, Prim, loves the title, but wonders why the dog in the book looks nothing like her.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So, is your dog actually the best? Tell us all about that special pup in a comment, and get a chance to win a giveaway! To purchase this outstanding book, check out these links:

University Books (for “authographed” copies!)

Indiebound

Macmillan Kids

Amazon.com

Barnes and Noble

 

 

 

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Susan Vaught is the author of many books for young adults, such as TRIGGER, BIG FAT MANIFESTO, and FREAKS LIKE US. Her debut novel for middle-grade readers, FOOTER DAVIS PROBABLY IS CRAZY, published by Simon & Schuster, hit the shelves in March, 2015. Please visit Susan at her website, follow her on Twitter, and like her Facebook page.

 

A Plea for Anger

This is one of those posts where I’ll wear both my professional hats–author, and psychologist. I want to talk about anger as a normal and even positive human emotion that deserves a spot in children’s literature.

Yes, anger. ANGER. The bad feeling! The demonized emotional state! That emotion people are told they shouldn’t feel, or that they should work to eradicate. In today’s world, we have come to a point of teaching people that if they experience anger, there might be something wrong with them (not the thing that made them angry). Worse, I see a not-so-subtle push to hint that everyone, even victims, can choose whether or not to feel anger.

As both a writer and a psychologist, my opinion about that is, UM, NO. <Oops. Did that sound angry?>

Anger, like fear, happiness, and unhappiness, is a regular, healthy human emotion. Like hunger, excitement, and pain, anger is also a physical sensation with a specific purpose. A colleague of mine in the field of psychology has survived three harrowing battles with cancer (two his own, one his beloved wife), and he said once, of pain, “It’s so simple. Pain is the body’s way of saying Look! LOOK RIGHT HERE! Pay attention to this.” Pain is the body’s alert and cry for help and care.

Anger, likewise, is one of the mind’s attention-getters. Consider it your brain’s way of saying, “Hey! Look right here!” Think of anger as a spiritual alert that some essential aspect of you or what you value is being violated. Then find a healthy way to spend the physical energy anger generates, the purpose of which is to allow you to defend yourself or your world when that defense is needed. Yes, anger is very physical, and it needs to be spent, not stored, or it can lead to dis-ease, disease, or even violence.

And there’s the key. While anger often contributes to violence, anger does not equate with violence. Anger isn’t a choice, but usually, violence is. There are many other positive, healthy things to do with anger, like exercise, or write a fiery speech or even an entire book, make a video, paint it out, write a bill to become law, walk away from a toxic person or situation, protest injustice–the list of healthy ways to spend anger is pretty limitless. Put it to work. That’s why you have it, and why you feel it. Identify the violation, and address it productively. Anger doesn’t have to lead to harm to anyone or anything. In fact, anger can herald that historic moment when harm finally meets its match in our will, and ceases.

In the absence of violence, anger itself is not the problem. The violation that sparked it is the problem. Anger is a change agent. Sometimes it’s the situation/violator that needs to change, and sometimes it’s our own perceptions (ooooh, yes, we can ALL get angry over “nothing,” toothpaste in the sink, misperceptions–that list is endless, too).

As writers, especially children’s writers, I think we owe anger some serious attention. I hope we’ll let some of our characters get down-and-dirty, white-hot furious sometimes, and do something productive with that emotion. We all know that children need to see themselves on our pages–and kids get angry. Ticked. Pissed off. Cross-eyed, spitting, shouting MAD. Asking them to put the feeling away, to not express it, to become “long-suffering” in the face of obvious injustice and violations–it may just distance them from what we write. It could rob them of vicarious opportunities to practice healthy spending of that energy, evaluating what caused it, and putting their anger to good use to make needed changes in our world.

So, the short version is this:

Mad ≠ Bad!

Give anger a little respect!

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__________________________________________

Susan Vaught

Susan Vaught is the author of many books for young adults, such as TRIGGER, BIG FAT MANIFESTO, and FREAKS LIKE US. Her debut novel for middle-grade readers, FOOTER DAVIS PROBABLY IS CRAZY, published by Simon & Schuster, hit the shelves in March, 2015. Please visit Susan at her website, follow her on Twitter, and like her Facebook page.

Oh Ye, Oh Ye, Oh Ye, We Have a Winner!

On this 4th day of May, 2015, we welcome with humble duty, the WINNER of Megan Morrison’s awesome Grounded giveaway.

The lucky commenter to receive this most excellent treasure is none other than DARSHANA.

May Darshana be long-lived, happy, and glorious, and one day be able read every book that ever captures her interest!

(It’s been an awesome week for princesses, yes? Congratulations to Britain and the royal couple, too!)

Mom School Must Be AWESOME

Moms are excellent.

Seriously. They’re just amazing. And, according to Rebecca Van Slyke’s excellent debut, Mom School, there may just be a super-secret, super-effective educational system dedicated to teaching the Mom craft to dedicated students.

I’m pretty sure my mom, Sandra McFarland, went to Mom School. She must have taken the Cool Halloween Birthday Cakes class, for sure.

I am 1. The mess I am about to make of this cake is sooooo completely EPIC.

Pretty positive she had a class in Stylish Dress for One-Year-Olds (with extra credit in Teaching Babies to Love Dogs.

OMG! It’s a human snowball!

Last but not least, she definitely took Funky Christmas Bonnets for Ages 3 and Up.

Okay, so, nobody tell my kids about this picture, please.

Penny Parker Klostermann, author of There Was An Old Dragon Who Swallowed A Knight (coming in August, 2015), tells us, “My mom must have learned all about pies at Mom School. Her pies are the absolute best ever! She taught pie making classes. The store where she taught them featured this pie plate with her yummy recipe for chocolate cream pie!”

Jennifer Chambliss Bertman, author of Book Scavenger (coming in June, 2015), thinks her mom probably went to Mom School. “My mom must have learned Compassionate Humor in Mom School, because I can always count on her to bring a smile to my face, even in the most difficult of situations.”

“My mother definitely learned Benevolence at Mom School,” Maria Gianferrari, author of Penny and Jelly: The School Show (coming in July, 2015), says. “She’s kind, thoughtful, compassionate, supportive, giving and forgiving, as well as best baker of crescent cookies—my favorite!”

Adam Shaugnessy, author of The Entirely True Story of the Unbelievable Fib (coming September, 2015), thinks his Mom might have attended this wonderful educational institution. He says, “My mom must have learned Patience at Mom School, because when I convinced all my childhood friends that we would pretty much BECOME SUPERHEROES if we patrolled the neighborhood in our Underoos, she very patiently explained that it wasn’t appropriate to run around outside in just your underwear.”

 

Christine Hayes, author of Mothman’s Curse (coming June, 2015), says, “My mom must have learned Christmas Spirit at Mom School. She LOVED Christmas. She baked a ton of goodies for the neighbors, with plenty left over for us. She wrote out dozens of cards every year, by hand no less! Decorating the tree was always a cherished ritual. We had a musical program on Christmas Eve and watched every Christmas special that aired in the month of December, especially the Nutcracker (but only the one with Mikhail Baryshnikov). And there was always a Nat King Cole or Ray Conniff holiday album on the stereo. It’s no wonder that Christmas is now my favorite holiday!”

“My mom must have learned Animal-Whispering from Mom School,” Donna Bowman Bratton, author of Step Right Up: The Story of Beautiful Jim Key (Coming Spring, 2016) tells us. “Because, seriously, most big-city-turned-rural moms don’t know to put heat lamps on abandoned ducklings and chicks; how to bottle feed a calf; how to medicate a grouchy horse; how to remove cockleburs from a collie’s hair; and how to survive teenage me”.

Tamara Ellis Smith, author of Another Kind of Hurricane (Coming August, 2015), says, “My mom must have learned Stand-Up Comedy at Mom School. She always knows how to make us laugh, even when she doesn’t mean to!  Ever seen my mom dance to Dire Straits in the kitchen while making breakfast?  Ever seen her put underwear on the dog as she folds the laundry?  Laughing (with? at?) my mom kept our very full house happy when I was a kid…and it makes her house a favorite destination, now, for my kids.”

These are some very, very learned Moms, indeed.

Obviously, Mom School is absolutely awesome. Read about it as soon as you can!

Don’t forget, to enter the drawing for a free copy of Mom School, comment on any post this week! 

Here are some great places to buy Mom School:

 Village Books

Barnes & Noble

Liberty Bay Books

Auntie’s Bookstore

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Susan Vaught is the author of many books for young adults, such as TRIGGER, BIG FAT MANIFESTO, and FREAKS LIKE US. Her debut novel for middle-grade readers, FOOTER DAVIS PROBABLY IS CRAZY, published by Simon & Schuster, hit the shelves in March, 2015. Please visit Susan at her website, follow her on Twitter, and like her Facebook page.

From the Journal of Susan Vaught (Who is Not Afraid of Walruses), Plus a GIVEAWAY!!!!

I asked my friend Gisele to interview me for this article, so I could be like my main character, Footer Davis. Gisele rolled her eyes a lot, but in the end, she surrendered. I knew she would.

Why am I interviewing you?
Because interviews are fun. And because my latest book has a lot of interviews in it.

I’m only doing this for brownies. You know that, right?
Yes, I know.

Brownies and cake.
Got it.

What do you do for a living?
By day, I’m a neuropsychologist who works in a haunted monolith I call the Old Asylum. By evening and night and wee hours of the morning, I make up worlds and people and all manner of chaos. I try to paint with words. I live and write in that strange hinterland between psychology and creativity, between seeing patterns and laboring to describe them.

Did being a psychologist help you write your latest book?
Sometimes my two lives intersect, and my stories include characters who have mental health issues. That’s definitely the case in Footer Davis Probably Is Crazy, coming in March, 2015 from Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books. Footer’s mom struggles with Bipolar Disorder, and Footer lives with the fear that she’ll wind up battling the same illness. That doesn’t stop her from exploring a big mystery, trying to save some missing kids, and working on her upcoming career as a journalist. She’s decided she can’t be an artist since she can’t draw–not that lack of talent stops her from illustrating her own story, especially when she wants to annoy a stodgy teacher, show somebody what snake guts look like, or explain her walrus phobia. Some things, like mutant alien rock monsters and mysterious sneakers, just work better in pictures.

Alien mutant rock monster, drawn by Jennifer Black Reinhardt, not me, because I can’t even draw stick figures.

 

I was able to ask Jennifer Black Reinhardt, the book’s illustrator, a few questions, so, bonus!

Me:     What does it feel like to be able to draw something other than a stick figure? Because I’m way envious. Even my stick figures stink.
Jennifer:     I’m not sure if I’ve always loved to draw because I was good at it? Or, if I got good at it because I loved to draw? I think it might be the latter. I can remember being very little and having an idea and being absolutely consumed with hurrying to finish my bath so I could go draw. I would spend hours drawing different noses on a person in profile and was mesmerized by how just that one line could transform a darling little girl into an evil witch. But I did have that love and passion for it at a very early age.
Me:               

Me:           I panicked when I heard they were getting a real artist to draw Footer’s sketches, because like me, Footer can’t really draw! You did such an awesome job of making wonderful pictures that weren’t perfect–and yet were, in every way. How hard was it to draw like Footer?
Jennifer:     I did have to think about how to do them, but it was really fun! Are you sure Footer can’t draw? Because the fact that she liked to document some rather odd/difficult things with her drawings seemed to indicate to me that she thought she could succeed? I looked through some of my daughter’s old sketchbooks from about that time to get a feel for what Footer might do. I thought Footer would spend some time on them. So, I didn’t want to make them as quick as single line. I kind of wanted Footer to think she did a good job.
Me:           

Me:     What are you working on now? Where else will readers be able to see your masterpieces?

Jennifer:     This very moment I’m doing sketches for “Yaks Yak” a word play picture book by Linda Sue Park published by Clarion. And right before that I finished final art for a book by Suzanne Slade, published by Charlesbridge  about Thomas Edison and Henry Ford. So I’ve gone from non-fiction inventors, to a possibly crazy Footer Davis, to definitely wacky animals! I love being an illustrator!

Me:     You are awesome. Thank you for bringing Footer’s pictures to life. (And, get this, Gisele, she didn’t even charge me brownies for the interview…)

 

Now back to our regularly scheduled questions.

Are you afraid of walruses?
No. That’s Footer.

Suuuuure it is.
Really. I’m not afraid of walruses.

I want oatmeal raisin cookies, too.
FINE.

Have you ever written a middle grade book before?
Footer’s tale is my first published middle grade story, after years of writing for adults and young adults. Writing middle grade fiction is something I’ve always wanted to do . . . well, that and picture books, but the whole picture book thing—yeah. Still working on that (see above re: stick figures). Despite my issues with drawing anything other than ugly blobs, I started this story by sketching a really awful doodlebug, and labeling its parts and looking up its scientific classification. Footer researches doodlebugs as part of a paper where she’s supposed to explore the origins of her town, Bugtussle. Bugtussle got its name from its surplus of doodlebugs, and Footer thinks that’s pretty freaky, but not as freaky as her mom shooting a snake off the pond in their backyard with her dad’s elephant gun. That’s how Footer Davis Probably Is Crazy begins, and it’s how my third grade summer began, too. My mom really did that. I don’t think the elephant gun left any permanent scars on Mom’s shoulder, but it definitely left its mark on the snake. The snake Mom shot was a copperhead, just like the one Footer’s mom removes from the land of the living. The snake ended up on the book’s wonderful cover. I really love the cover, and all the  little bits of Footer’s story tucked into it.

So, how did you get “the call” about this book?
This book sold at auction, so I got several calls from Erin Murphy across the day. When she told me Footer had a home with Sylvie Frank at Simon and Schuster, I was thrilled.

Does your new editor know you’re scared of walruses?
I AM NOT SCARED OF WALRUSES! Besides, Sylvie is completely wonderful and she wouldn’t care.

When you’re not writing or working at the Old Asylum, what do you do with your time?
I spend time with my family, including my adorable new grandson Anthony. I also spend time with my pets–too many dogs, a few cats, some chickens, a peacock, and a parrot.

No walruses, eh? I rest my case. Are the brownies ready yet?
Time to end the interview…

 

Thanks so much, Susan!! Susan is giving away THREE copies of Footer Davis Probably Is Crazy, leave a comment and be entered to win!

You can also purchase Susan’s book here:

The Flying Pig Bookstore

Indie Bound

Barnes & Noble

Amazon