 Valerie Bolling was thrilled to have the opportunity to interview her agent sister, Pamela Courtney, about her debut picture book, A Season for Fishin’: A Fish Fry Tradition. Let’s learn more about this beautiful book… VB: Pam, I’m so excited for your debut. What’s your one-liner to describe this book? PC: Chér and Papéré reel in a skillet full of Louisiana fun as the start of still water fishin’ and the flavors of the season’s first fish fry get underway... Let the Cane River fish fry begin. Howeeee! Sounds like fish fry Friday. VB: That’s a great description. I’m sure some readers are craving fried fish now. Tell us how this fish fry story came to be. PC: This book began as a poem in Renée LaTulippe’s Lyrical Language Lab class as part of a collection of poems for a novel in verse. However, it was suggested the poem would be a cool children’s book and that I had to add a young protagonist. All of my childhood memories of running from house to house on Friday evenings tasting the neighbors’ fried fare poured. I didn’t, couldn’t, move until my protagonist caught and ate her catch. I wrote the draft in one sitting. This does not happen often. But when it does, y’all . . . it's pure magic. Now, it has to be noted there were revisions after my completed first draft. I don’t like revising. However, my editor challenged me to add heightened depth to my character. So, I dug deeper. I researched for a second element that would add a new perspective to my character’s—well, character. Here's where I began adding layers to my character. My character wanted to be part of this family tradition of still water fishin’. What really is still water fishing? What would it mean to participate in this tradition? My character wanted to bring home a batch of bream for Maméré. What would this mean for the character’s standing in the family if she failed? What exactly are bream? The only thing I knew about bream is that it’s one of my mama’s favorite panfried fish. And the one thing my character needed to go still water fishin’ and catch some bream was a cane fishing pole. But what would that pole look like? AND how can it connect to this tradition? I researched everything. Oddly enough, through my research, I found so many interesting facts. I was having fun! Revision Fun Fact—During revision, I learned that bamboo, what we call river cane, is native to my part of Louisiana. That’s what many use to make the fishing poles. As a child, I thought cane fishing poles were ONLY made from sugar cane stalks. VB: It’s really interesting to hear about your process, Pam. I didn’t realize how much research you did for the book, and you seem to have had a clear vision for it. Did the illustrator’s vision match yours? Were there any sweet surprises? PC: I fell in love the first time I saw my character’s sweet face. So much joy. There are some places where the movement and energy leap off the page. Toni Chambers shares her vision through these rich, saturated colors. Now in my mind, I envisioned this story in pastels (think E. B. Lewis). In hind-sight, no way would that work with the text. Having said that, I’m so glad I was not the illustrator. What Toni brought to this story is so much more than what my writer’s eye could ever see. Now, one of my favorite images in the book is . . . no, wait. I have several favorite moments that Toni gifted. I loveLoveLOVE that she gave our character this layered quirkiness by giving her a pair of yellow galoshes and purple hair. Imagine the personality of this kid in yellow Wellies fishing off the riverbank of Ol’ Cane River. Imagine! The next thing that almost brought me to tears was the matching overalls and striped shirts that the character and her papéré wore. There is no way I would ever have thought of showing their bond, their intimacy, in that sweet, sweet, yet oh-so-familiar way. Everyone knows that families down south love any occasion to dress alike. LOL. I enjoyed the story Toni delivered. VB: It's obvious that you love Toni’s illustrations and the sweet details she added to the story. How do you hope young readers will experience this book? What suggestions do you have for parents and teachers who read this book to children? PC: I wrote this book to share my multicultural experience in my rural Louisiana. I grew up speaking in a way I thought was purely unique to southern, Black American culture. However, the language of my childhood crisscrosses so many groups of people. Page after page shows that Black people are not a monolith. That’s important. Having said that, there are so many fun activities that can accompany this read aloud. Sharing the rich, yet complicated history of my hometown will be a fascinating lesson about powerful women in industry, the impact our waterways had on the nation’s economy, the influences of African, Tribal, and European peoples can be explored through food—so let’s cook up some Louisiana fare. Explore the sounds by sharing the multicultural blends of Zydeco music. Engage in the culture of the Mardi-Gras parade. This book demands you to have fun when creating activities. Laissez le bons temps rouler! VB: Wow, Pam! This book is such a treat! What book(s) can we look forward to next from you? PC: I have a book coming out in Fall 2026 called Freedom’s Eve: A Story of Watch Night. I am working on a piece of little-known American history, a biography, and a rhyming nonfiction story I’m excited for y’all to learn all about. But you’ll have to wait for those. VB: We’ll look forward to Freedom’s Eve next year and your future titles. Thanks so much for chatting with me, Pam, on the KidLit in Color blog. A Season for Fishin’: A Fish Fry Tradition is available wherever books are sold. Pam encourages readers to support their local bookstore.  Pam’s Louisiana upbringing inspired her 2025 spring publication, A Season of Fishin’—A Fish Fry Tradition, Macmillan (FSG) and nurtured her life’s passion of writing, teaching, and enjoying culturally diverse music. Combining these loves Pam created MyLMNOP,
a literacy and music program for early learners. With nearly three decades as an early childhood practitioner and elementary school teacher, Pam brings the eyes of an educator to each narrative she crafts, as she engages children in history, folklore, and the mysticism of her rural Louisiana culture. “My duty is great,” states Pam. “I’m a writer who teaches. I’m a teacher who writes.” Pam is the recipient of WeNeedDiverseBooks Mentorship, Highlights Diversity Fellowship, and the WeNeedDiverseBooks Walter Dean Myers Grant. Pam also serves as faculty for the Highlights Foundation. For more about Pam and her books... Website: https://www.pamelacourtney.com/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/pamismylmnop.bsky.social IG: https://www.instagram.com/pam_is_mylmnop/ Threads: https://www.threads.com/@pam_is_mylmnop TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@pam_is_mylmnop?lang=en
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 KLiC: What sparked your interest in doing Lighthouse Ladies? I appreciated Kris Coronado's approach to non-fiction. I enjoy learning about niche topics, and I love storytelling. Kris’s writing offers the best of both worlds in a captivating and fun way. Lighthouse Ladies shares four incredible lives, but you only get a glimpse before the wind and waves whisk you away to the next. It leaves the reader wanting more, which I think is always a good sign in non-fiction. I wanted to be part of that magic. KLiC: Please tell us about your art process? All of Lighthouse Ladies was illustrated digitally using Procreate. This was my first time lifting scenes directly from the text to inform the artwork. Because I understood what each spread was asking of me, most of my process involved finding fun and adventurous ways to approach each scene. These lighthouse keepers were always on the move, and I wanted readers to feel that energy with every page turn.  KLiC: What kind of research did you do for Lighthouse Ladies? By the time I was invited to join the project, Kris had already done extensive research, including providing reference images. I was set up for success thanks to her and our wonderful art director, Kate O'Sullivan, before I even began. KLiC: What are your favorite illustrations in the book? There are many illustrations I’m proud of throughout the book, but the one I want to highlight is the opening image of Venus Parker. As a Black woman living in the late 1800s, there are no documented images of her. I had plenty of visual references for the other women, but here was the only one of them who was a person of color—and she was faceless. I had to create an image for her based on historical research about how a woman in her time might have looked, and I did so with the greatest care I could offer. At times, this book felt like an act of preservation. In the case of Venus Parker, that feeling hit tenfold. I’m proud of her spread.  KLiC: What's next for you? I have two other picture books coming out this year: Sunshine Baby, Bofrot Cheeks by Bernard Mensah in July, and Come Catch a Dream by Brittany J. Thurman in November. Please look forward to those as well!  Islena Mil is an Afro-Latina Illustrator based in NYC, specializing in conceptual problem-solving and thoughtful storytelling. Her work is easily recognized by her use of engaging composition, detailed line-work, texture, and vibrant color. She aims to transport her readers to another world. isleniamil.com IG: isleniamil Name: Islenia Mil
Author: Kris Coronado Book Title: Lighthouse Ladies: Shining a Spotlight on Hardy Heroines Publisher Name: Harper Collins Date published: May 27th 2025 Illustrator full name: Islenia Milien (but professionally known as Islenia Mil)  KLiC: What was your inspiration for Ripening Time? This story, inspired by my childhood, is about a little girl who is waiting across a week for plantains to ripen. It’s a celebration of food and family and connecting across generations. My parents are Jamaican immigrants, and I grew up in Anchorage, Alaska, a place where—at the time—it wasn’t always easy to find plantains. My mother used to go to the grocery store across town in search of plantains, sometimes finding the food we longed to eat. Their presence in our home was always a special treat. Waiting for those green plantains to ripen was so hard, but that ripening time produced the very taste I wanted to eat! Given that background, Ripening Time was the perfect title! KLiC: Please tell us about your writing process. How long did it take you to write and sell this book? I first drafted this book in the autumn of 2021. I wanted to tell a story connected to a beloved food in my life, and I was also interested in creating a book structured around the days of the week. The ripening of plantains felt like the perfect fit. It took me another six to eight months after that first draft to finish the manuscript because I struggled to bring the story to a satisfactory ending. Sometimes the ideas are there, but the ending isn’t! Working with wonderful picture book writing coach, Rona Shirdan, helped me get that manuscript over the finish line! Sometimes we just need a solid outside voice to speak into our work. The manuscript sold to WorthyKids in the summer of 2022.  KLiC: What are your favorite illustrations in the book? There is an absolutely gorgeous spread that takes place on Friday in the story. The plantains are almost ripe and the family is dancing in celebration. I love all the vibrant colors Carlos Vélez Aguilera brought into this illustration. They bring such happiness. During school visits, I love to talk with the children about how we can feel the excitement and joy because of the colors! And this book is full of such joy. This illustration perfectly captures that emotion present across the entire book! KLiC: Do you have any tips for pre-published authors? The journey to publication can sometimes be such a strange thing, and I think it matters that we: 1) connect with community that understands the work that we do; people who can encourage us and we can encourage as well, 2) keep learning—whether through reading craft books and mentor texts, taking classes, attending webinars, etc. and 3) believe that the work we create matters in the world; that our work adds beauty to the world.  KLiC: What’s next for you? I just wrapped up my second season of my podcast Picture Books Are for Grown-ups, Too! It’s such fun, but it’s also quite a bit of work, so I’m excited to take a little rest from that. In addition, I’m thrilled that my next picture book, Beyond Alaska’s Window, illustrated by Monica Mikai, will release with Viking in 2026. Inspired, once again, by my life, it’s the story of a Jamaican family in Alaska who eats the same Jamaican meal every Sunday across the changing seasons. This story is so close to my heart, and I loved creating a book I wish the child version of me had a chance to read decades ago.  Patrice Gopo is the child of Jamaican immigrants and was born and raised in Anchorage, Alaska. She is an award-winning essayist and the author of multiple picture books, including Ripening Time and All the Places We Call Home. Patrice lives with her family in North Carolina, where one taste of fried plantains immediately takes her back to some of the sweetest moments in her childhood. Please visit patricegopo.com to learn more.
Name: Patrice Gopo Book Title: Ripening Time Publisher Name and Date published: WorthyKids/Hachette; April 22, 2025 Illustrator full name: Carlos Vélez Aguilera   We are thrilled to interview super talented author- illustrator Stacey Byer today! Read the interview with her about her upcoming picture book Will and Krill, releasing June 10, 2025: KLiC: What was your inspiration for Will and Krill? Stacey Byer: Will and Krill is a love letter to my older sibling and our childhood. I wanted to tell a story that celebrated our different personalities, sisterhood and friendship. She was the quiet kid, and I was the loud one, and in spite of our differences, we’re best friends. When we were little, I saw how quiet, introverted kids would sometimes be left out or overlooked. As an adult, I also saw this pattern when I worked at a daycare. It was important for me to write a story that highlighted that everyone has a voice, no matter how quiet. KLiC: What are your favorite illustrations in the book? SB: There are two pivotal scenes of Will going off into the deep blue ocean in search of a friend and another where she gets lost. These moments not only represent the trepidation that kids (and even adults) can feel but I hope also let readers know that we all have the ability to overcome obstacles. I want kids to feel proud of those moments, when something feels too big but you try anyway. KLiC: What’s the one thing you want children to take away from your book? SB: That it’s completely okay to just be YOU. Who we are, our personalities - they make us special and unique. It’s a beautiful and brave thing to just be yourself, and your voice matters no matter how small. Always remember powerful things can also come in small packages! KLiC: Is there anything you want readers to know about you or your book(s)? SB: Did you know that some whale species like the sperm and humpback are born in the Caribbean? This was also one of the inspirations for my book! There are even whale sanctuaries to protect whales in some of the islands. That’s why I set my whale community in the Caribbean sea because they’re Caribbean citizens like me! Follow Stacey here: https://www.instagram.com/stacebyer/ https://bsky.app/profile/staceybyer.bsky.social https://www.facebook.com/StaceyByerArt About Stacey: Born in the Caribbean, Stacey graduated with a degree in Illustration from Ringling College of Art and Design. She then returned to her island and used her art skills to promote art education in schools, and worked with different organisations such as Room to Read and Harper Collins UK. She has illustrated many educational materials that have become a permanent part of the local schools’ curriculum. Stacey also serves on the Grenada Community Library board where she advocates for the value of literacy and encourages a love for reading. She spends most evenings in her veranda dreaming up new ways to create materials that encourage diversity and inclusion.   KLiC: What was your inspiration for MADE FOR MORE? CIW: I had originally titled the book SKIN LIKE THE MOON but my editor Anne Hoppe wanted something more positive, and I agreed, the title didn’t fit with the message of the story. MADE FOR MORE is from the last line of the book. Anne pointed it out as a possible title and I agreed, it was the perfect fit! KLiC: Please tell us about your writing process. How long did it take you to write and sell this book? CIW: My writing process for MADE FOR MORE was unusual. It usually takes me a few weeks to figure out the first draft of a story, and a few months, maybe even a year or two to edit and revise. I like to work on a story and then set it aside for a bit so that I have fresh eyes when I’m revising. But the first draft of MADE FOR MORE was done in a day. It poured straight out of my soul and onto paper. It was written in July, went out on submission in August, and my agent received the first offer in September. I’ve sold eight picture books but MADE FOR MORE was by far the fastest. KLiC: What kind of research did you do? CIW: I didn’t really do any research for MADE FOR MORE since it’s inspired by my life and experiences. I always joke that my life hack for writing is to write fiction, because nonfiction takes so much additional time/energy for researching, fact checking, reaching out to museums, specialists/experts, professors etc. But in the last few years I’ve become interested in a number of nonfiction topics and while the researching part is fun, organizing information isn’t my strong suit.  KLiC: What are your favorite illustrations by the talented Gael Abary in the book? CIW: My favorite illustration is the spread of the main character surfing. The first time I saw it I teared up, it’s beautiful! KLiC: What’s the one thing you want children to take away from your book? CIW: I want kids to love/embrace their skin, the color, texture, freckles, moles, scars, all of it. It’s a part of what makes you unique and connects you to your history, family, and life story. KLiC: Do you have any tips for pre-published authors? CIW: My tip is to write what you love, what you’re passionate about, what is personal and important to you. That’s where I’ve found success, in being myself and sharing my heart with the world. KLiC: What’s next for you? CIW: I love reading to kids, so lots of school and library visits. I have three books coming out next year. CHOPSTICKS ARE with Chronicle Books, ALL THE WAYS WE LEARN with Rise x Penguin Workshop, and one picture book that is still unannounced. I’m working on a middle grade novel as well, and eagerly waiting to share more good news. Thank you so much for having me!  Chloe Ito Ward is the author of LOVE GROWS HERE, illustrated by Violet Kim, and published by Albert Whitman and MADE FOR MORE, illustrated by Gael Abary, published by Allida/HarperCollins. Her other books include CHOPSTICKS ARE, out SPRING 2026 with Chronicle Books and ALL THE WAYS WE LEARN arriving Summer 2026 with Rise x Penguin Workshop.
A former curriculum director, Chloe has a Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction. She spent the last decade teaching kindergarten, where she discovered her passion for picture books. When Chloe isn’t perfecting her ramen recipe, you can find her rock climbing or chasing her husband, son, and their imaginary dog Miso across Kalapaki beach.  We are so excited to host Nada Shawish Dutka on our blog today. We asked her about her debut picture book, Cookies and Crescent, which just released! It is illustrated by Zelma Firdauzia and published by Abrams Kids KLiC: What are your favorite illustrations in Cookies and Crescents? NSD: This is my favorite spread in Cookies and Crescents: Reem and Sara are sitting on the lawn of Reem’s new home. The reader is behind them, and the two characters and the reader pause to look up and see the bright new moon for the first time together. For me, the illustration captures seeing something as new again, as though seeing it for the first time. I love the idea that after the hustle-and-bustle of a city, a big move, and big emotions about big changes, a new perspective can culminate in a quiet moment like this one. Zelma Firdauzia illustrated this scene so, so beautifully. KLiC: Do you have any tips for pre-published authors? NSD: Authorship is scary! Book-making is a long process, you have to put yourself out there after a lot of laboring and iterating over your writing, and people will judge you and your book. Three best tips I got when I started: 1. Work on your craft; 2. Do your research (and read a lot); 3. Don’t be afraid. Give yourself the knowledge, safe space, and permission to write because no one else is going to give that to you. That’s the first hardest part. KLiC: Is there anything you want readers to know about you or about Cookies and Crescents? NSD: It’s amazing we’re seeing so many books on Muslim holidays and with Arab representation among other community representations, and many great books are doing the important job of educating curious readers about marginalized communities or are focused on being collective identity-proud. As many of my peers have said, there were virtually no books like them in English when I was a kid. They are absolutely needed and beloved. Now, I also want more books to try to push or widen the box that marginalized authors are sometimes put in, and I’m trying to challenge myself to write those kinds of books, or take on projects that can open more doors for other authors.  A daughter of immigrants to the United States, Nada now leads digital marketing for brands. Previously, Nada worked in nonprofit advertising and traveled to report on internal development and humanitarian conditions of refugees and underserved communities. Nada is writing about growing up, influenced by her Palestinian heritage. She has a Master’s Degree in English Language and Literature from Michigan State University and lives in Northern Virginia with her family where she loves to cook, travel, and do anything outdoors. Find her on social media: Instagram: @nadawritesbooks Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/nadawrites.bsky.social For more information or to order Cookies and Crescents, click here: https://store.abramsbooks.com/products/cookies-and-crescents  We are thrilled to have Emma Otheguy on our blog today! Read more about her newest middle grade, Cousins in Time of Magic. KLiC: Please tell us about your writing process. How long did it take you to write and sell this book? EO: Cousins in the Time of Magic took a very long time to write, mainly because the process of historical research was so intensive. The book starts in current-day Miami, then the protagonists travel back in time to Virginia at the time of the Civil War, then they fly to Mexico in a hydrogen balloon and arrive in time for the Battle of Puebla (i.e. Cinco de Mayo). I read extensively about the 1860s and visited the important sites in the United States and Mexico while I was writing this book–and that was just the historical research process, not the actual writing! Figuring out the time travel and the magical element of this book took many, many, revisions. I have thirty-eight drafts saved on my computer, meaning that’s the number of times the changes I was making to the manuscript were substantial enough to merit hitting “Save As.” My editor was extraordinarily patient and I received a lot of guidance from her in the form of phone calls and editorial letters. The book was a big effort, but in the end I think we–and it really is a we because so many talented people worked on the book, including the editor and illustrator–came up with something pretty special: an accessible, action-packed adventure that tells the story of one of the most critical moments in America’s history from a too-often ignored perspective. I would do it again in a heartbeat. KLiC: What are your favorite illustrations in the book? EO: Poly Bernatene outdid himself! His illustrations certainly helped with the historical elements (for example, it is much easier to imagine an ironclad from an illustration than from a writer’s description). But more than that, the illustrations convey the characters’ emotions and add a feel of wonder to the whole book. It would be impossible to choose just one illustration, but I do particularly love the one of the children examining the sword by the light of an oil lamp. There’s something magical and a tiny bit spooky about the way he illustrated that scene. But I love the cover most of all–it’s fresh and inviting and makes me want to jump in the boat with those kids. KLiC: What’s the one thing you want children to take away from your book? EO: When I visit schools to talk to kids about this book, I tell them that history teaches us that we solve our problems when we work with, not against, our neighbors. It’s critical that kids learn that the United States does not exist in a vacuum, but rather, that our freedoms are intertwined with people throughout the Americas. I hope every single kid who reads Cousins in the Time of Magic gets swept up in an exciting adventure. If some of those kids learn the incredible role of Latinos in the history of the United States–and if that understanding becomes a part of them and stays with them–I will be thrilled.  Click here to purchase a copy of Cousins in the Time of Magic:
https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Cousins-in-the-Time-of-Magic/Emma-Otheguy/9781665915182 Emma Otheguy is the author of several books for young readers, including the picture books A Sled for Gabo and Martina Has Too Many Tías, the bilingual picture book Martí’s Song for Freedom, and the middle grade novels Sofía Acosta Makes a Scene, Cousins in the Time of Magic, Silver Meadows Summer, and, with Adam Gidwitz, The Madre de Aguas of Cuba, part of the Unicorn Rescue Society series. Visit her at EmmaOtheguy.com.  We are thrilled to interview New York Times bestselling author Neal Shusterman here at Kidlit in Color. Read more about his inspiration for his latest book, All Better Now and some great tips for writers. KLiC: What was your inspiration for All Better Now? NS: At a speaking event, someone commented that my darker books are often prophetic – and then they said, “Can’t you predict something happy?” Everyone laughed, but I took the challenge to heart. But, of course, not even an exploration of happiness can be all peaches-and-cream. Our society isn’t designed to function if everyone is happy. So, what are the consequences of a virus that threatens to bring about universal happiness? Developing this idea involved exploring how absolute contentment could disrupt power dynamics and challenge fundamental human desires and motivations. KLiC: Please tell us about your writing process. How long did it take you to write and sell this book? NS: The book took over a year to write, working on and off. As with all my books, there was a lot of soul searching, questioning the world around me, and examining human nature (both the positive and negative sides). And, of course, world-building. Because, while the story begins in our world, it rapidly veers off into uncharted territory as we face the prospect of unbounded joy and contentment—which can be terrifying … KLiC: What’s the one thing you want teens to take away from All Better Now? NS: That there are consequences to every decision we make, good and bad. That even happiness comes with a cost, and it’s up to us to determine if the cost is worth it. (I think it is.) And that there is always more to think about because the important questions are bottomless.  KLiC: Do you have any tips for pre-published authors?
NS: Yes.
KLiC: What’s next for you? NS: I’m very excited to say that I'm working on a prequel for SCYTHE which takes place in the year humans become immortal. This also happens to be the year that the Thunderhead gains consciousness and changes life on Earth forever. The novel focuses on the original 12 Scythes (or 13 if you believe certain sources), how they met, and how they came up with the idea for the Scythedom. The book doesn't have a title yet, but I'm very excited to be working on it. I’m also working on ALL OVER NOW, the second book in the Crown Royale Duology. KLiC: Is there anything you want readers to know about you or your book(s)? NS: Just that the one thing you can expect is to not get what you were expecting! Learn more about All Better Now and purchase copy here. Neal Shusterman is the New York Times bestselling author of more than thirty award-winning books for children, teens, and adults, including the Unwind dystology, the Skinjacker trilogy, Downsiders, and Challenger Deep, which won the National Book Award. Scythe, the first book in his series Arc of a Scythe is a Michael L. Printz Honor Book. He also writes screenplays for motion pictures and television shows. Neal is the father of four, all of whom are talented writers and artists themselves. Visit Neal at StoryMan.com and Facebook.com/NealShusterman.  We are thrilled to interview author Gabriella Aldeman on our blog today! Read below about her latest book, Squawk of Spanish: KLiC: What was your inspiration for Squawk of Spanish? GA: Squawk of Spanish is inspired by my own family. I’m Panamanian American and fully bilingual. But for my son, Spanish doesn’t come easy. Sometimes his words knot in his throat and refuse to come out. When his grandmother visits from Panama, they speak in board games, video games, hugs, and food. Then after a while, my son’s Spanish words start tumbling out dry and rusty. He is like Max, the main character of the story. And, like Max, he began to learn that trying is what counts and that there’s nothing wrong with having an accent. In this book, I explore the issue some children face when they don’t feel comfortable speaking their heritage language. This is a book that celebrates effort over outcome, with a bit of squawk-out-loud humor. KLiC: Please tell us about your writing process. How long did it take you to write and sell this book? GA: The first (few) drafts of this story were titled The Parrot Who Refused to Speak Spanish. The storyline was similar, but Lorito (the parrot) was the one to refuse to speak Spanish and Max (the boy) was the one who cheered him on. I queried agents with this story and got rejected quite a lot. Finally, an author friend who read my manuscript said three magic words: “No one cares.” But of course! Who cares if a parrot speaks Spanish or not? The manuscript was lacking “heart” because Max needed to be the one who refused to speak his grandmother’s language. With this, I revised madly and changed the title. This was the biggest change as I had to rewrite the whole story. Once the book was sold, there were a few more changes during the editing process. We added cousins and Abuela got her own dialogue lines, which added even more depth and heart to the story. From start to finish it took a bit over three years.  KLiC: What’s the one thing you want children to take away from your book? GA: Learning a second language is hard. It can be harder when that language is our heritage language and it’s so tied to our own identity. As a matter of fact, learning anything is hard. It puts us in a very vulnerable space where we have to be courageous because we don’t know how well we’re going to do. Are we going to learn fast or slow? Will we like it? How will we perform in comparison with our peers? As a bilingual and bicultural mom, what I want from my kids, what I want from Max, and from young readers is to realize that perfection is never the goal; perfection doesn’t even exist. What matters is to have the courage to embark on the learning journey. At the end of the book, we see that Max still can’t roll his Rs, his words still get stuck in his throat. But he tells us he is practicing every weekend with Abuela and Lorito to untangle those long words in Spanish. That, to me, is what counts. Trying our best is what counts. And it’s what we can control. KLiC: Do you have any tips for pre-published authors? GA: Find community. We pour a lot of ourselves into our books. And it can feel very vulnerable, especially because there’s a lot of rejection involved in the publishing journey. It really makes a difference to have a community of writers who are going through a similar process. KLiC: What’s next for you? GA: My next picture book doesn’t come out until 2027. It’s titled Sometimes A Dream and it’s coming out with Versify, an imprint of HarperCollins. It’s about a girl named Alma who has many dreams, and they change with the changing of the seasons. The central question she asks is: How does a dream come true? With the help of her grandfather and armed with pencils, papers, and a cozy hammock she learns just how to work hard for each one of those dreams. -- Gabriella Aldeman is a Panamanian American author. She writes picture books in hopes that more children become readers and that all readers feel seen. She is also a professional translator of academic resources and children’s books. Gabriella holds degrees from Georgetown University and the College of William and Mary. Her books include Paula’s Patches (Free Spirit, 2023) and Squawk of Spanish (Charlesbridge, 2024). She lives in Fairfax, Virginia with her husband and two children. Please visit her at www.writebetween.com or @write_between on Twitter or Instagram. Order a copy of Squawk of Spanish here: https://bookshop.org/p/books/squawk-of-spanish-gabriella-aldeman/21303064?ean=9781623543921 Illustrator full name: Romina Galotta  We are excited to have author Elba Luz on our blog today with a personal essay for us. Read about her path to publication, persistence and how it relates to her new YA, Build a Girlfriend. Rejection By Elba Luz Rejection is inevitable in any career or stage of life, and it comes in various forms that tangle themselves in our paths. For me, the most gut-wrenching way it manifested in my life was in the literal form of rejections from agents. I started writing when I was a teenager, and only after graduating college did I snag an agent to try and sell my books. Foolishly, I thought it was the last time I’d have to deal with it, but when I failed to sell my first project, I learned I could never be rid of it—so I had to learn how to work through it. Amelia, the main character in Build a Girlfriend, has been rejected by every partner she’s had—along with her family of women, cursed with the same bad luck. Unlike me, who often opts to eat a pile of French fries and cry while playing video games until my best friend does a life check on me, Amelia decides early on to push through her rejections. She does so by facing them head-on. With the help of her family, she decides to do an “ex-retrospective,” re-dating her exes to try to figure out what went wrong in order to become the perfect girlfriend. You’d think that it would be too humiliating a task, going back to past relationships to dive deep into yourself and pick out flaws, but Amelia pushes through despite it all. It’s not that Amelia is without embarrassment—she feels it quite often. She’s just brave enough to continue moving forward. For me, it was much harder. With each rejection, I grew more humiliated by my growing failures, causing me to doubt whether I should be a writer. I thought something was flawed within me. I didn’t have the skills to be on this path; therefore, I didn’t even have the right to try. Instead of realizing that even the greatest of artists did not succeed immediately, I only let myself wallow in my failures. With the help of her family and ex, Amelia can build herself up, focus on the things she is good at, and magnify her great qualities. It’s not a shield against her rejections; nothing can block them from piercing us fully. But it’s a weapon against them—something to combat the misery rejection often brings. Eventually, I realized that my writing and my words mattered. Even if I kept getting rejections, even if there were thousands of better artists than me, I mattered too. Just by living, you hold value. My stories had value, and so did I. So even when the hurt followed after rejection, I didn’t let it stop me from doing something I genuinely loved. Maybe I needed to take a break, eat some ice cream, and touch some grass. But as long as I came back to my writing, I became stronger than I was before. Rejection is natural, but pushing through it makes us resilient. Elba Luz is a Puerto Rican author and a lover of stories, whether in the form of anime, manga, video games, or, of course, books. Speaking of books, she should be writing her own. Instead, you’ll probably find her replaying Final Fantasy, listening to classical music, or cuddling up with her adorable pit bull, Stormy. Learn more about Build a Girlfriend here.  |
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