 KidLit in Color author, Valerie Bolling, was thrilled to have the opportunity to speak to Tonya Duncan Ellis about her debut picture book, They Built Me for Freedom. Let’s learn more about this special book… Tonya, what inspired you to write They Built Me for Freedom? I started out writing for children with chapter books and self-published the Sophie Washington series, which has sold over 175,000 copies. During the pandemic, I wrote a middle grade novel manuscript that won an SCBWI conference prize. The agent who selected my book asked if I also write picture books, because she said my writing has a lyrical quality. Intrigued, I started learning more about picture books, and I fell in love with the genre. On a visit to Houston’s Emancipation Park, the site of the first Juneteenth celebration, I got chills thinking about my ancestors commemorating their newfound freedom on the very ground I was walking. I felt like this was a story that needed to be told, and I began research that led to the first draft of They Built Me for Freedom.  I love that you started out writing self-published chapter books and then moved on to traditionally published picture books. What inspired you to tell the story of Emancipation Park? How long did it take to write and sell this book? This project moved pretty quickly. I spent around three hours writing the first draft of the manuscript a week after visiting Emancipation Park and doing research. I shared that manuscript at a Highlights Foundation virtual summer camp during the pandemic and made some updates, which took an hour or two. Then I shared that version in a critique group and worked another hour making a few more additions. My agent, Sara Megibow of kt Literary, who had taken me on as a client with my middle grade novel manuscript, rejected my initial version of They Built Me for Freedom, which told the story of a little girl visiting the park. I reworked the story, personifying the park, and she liked that version. All totaled, I probably spent around seven hours writing and revising the They Built Me for Freedom draft that was shopped to editors. Two to three weeks after the manuscript was sent out on submission, it got a purchase offer, which I accepted. It's always interesting to hear a story’s journey and to learn how it changed throughout the process. By the way, personifying the park was a brilliant change. What are your favorite illustrations in the book? Illustrator, Jenin Mohammed, did a phenomenal job on the images. I was blown away when I first saw her colored illustrations and teared up in the grocery store line after I opened my phone there and glimpsed the final cover. I truly love all the illustrations, but my favorites are the spread with the grandmother and child looking at the ancestors in the clouds and the image of the protestors.  I agree that Jenin’s illustrations are magnificent. What do you want kids to take away from your book, Tonya? Besides learning about different aspects of Juneteenth and facts about Houston’s Emancipation Park, I want kids to understand that there is history all around us. My hope is that after reading They Built Me for Freedom, children will become more interested in learning about historical spaces in their communities. I, too, hope children are motivated to learn more about history that isn’t always discussed in their classrooms. Do you have any tips for pre-published authors? Establishing a writing habit and perfecting your craft are important, but make sure to build your writing community as you continue along your publishing journey. Publishing is a roller coaster ride of emotional highs and lows. Getting an agent, landing a book contract, and marketing your book once it’s finished are experiences that elicit anxiety, stress, frustration, depression, envy and many other difficult feelings, along with the celebrations. Support from empathetic creatives who understand what you’re going through gives you the strength to continue when times get tough. Great advice Tonya! What’s up next for you? I’m contracted to write another, not yet announced, historical picture book with HarperCollins, and I’m working on a couple of other picture books. I’ve got some ideas for a new middle grade brewing, which I’m hoping to begin writing this fall. We’ll look forward to seeing these projects published. Thanks so much for stopping by the KidLit in Color blog and chatting with me, Tonya. They Built Me for Freedom is available wherever books are sold. Tonya encourages readers to support their local bookstore.  Tonya Duncan Ellis is author THEY BUILT ME FOR FREEDOM: The Story of Juneteenth and Houston’s Emancipation Park, the bestselling, award-winning, Sophie Washington chapter book series and is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI), the Authors Guild, Black Creators HQ and the Brown Bookshelf’s Highlights Foundation Sponsored Amplify Black Stories storyteller cohort.
For more about Tonya and her books, please visit: Website: www.tonyaduncanellis.com Facebook: @tonyaellisbooks X: @TonyaDEllis Instagram: @tonyaellisbooks  KidLit in Color author, Valerie Bolling, was thrilled to have the opportunity to interview picture book author, Anita Crawford Clark, about her debut picture book, Old to Joy. Let’s learn more about this special book… Anita, what’s your one-liner to describe your book? In Old to Joy, young Joy learns to appreciate the charm and value of older people and old things through her grandmother's wisdom and the shared experiences of exploring her home, garden, and family traditions, ultimately discovering the joy of living well and seeing the world through one another’s eyes. That’s a great one-liner! You shared a lot of details about your beautiful book in just one sentence. Tell us how this book came to be. The story Old to Joy began in my childhood home on Albion Way in Sacramento, California – only I did not know it. As I often did, I drew all kinds of pictures for my little sister to color. But on one occasion, I kept drawing and added words. When I was finished, I stapled the pages together and created my first book. I was eight years old. I went on to make exact copies of that book by hand. The next morning, I invited the younger neighborhood kids to the makeshift school I had set up in my garage. I handed out the books I had created to my eager, wide-eyed students and taught them. Is it any wonder I grew up to be a teacher and author-illustrator?  Based on your creativity as a child and sharing your handmade books with your neighborhood friends, you’re right that it’s no surprise that you have a career as a teacher and author-illustrator. Can you tell us the story behind Old to Joy? It would not be until 1998 when I first penned the words as they now appear on the opening spread of the book Old to Joy, “Grandmama lived in an old house, on an old street, with old trees, and all kinds of old things.” I still have several rejection letters I received in the mail from potential publishers back then – snail mail, of course. I dibble-dabbled with that story and others over the years, but I did not pick it up again in earnest until the Covid-19 lockdown in March of 2020. I dusted it off and revised it. My fabulous editor, Sandra Sutter, and I began working on my book in 2021. Sandra believed in this story from early on and worked tirelessly to help bring it to life. Other publishers and agents had requested the manuscript through #DVPit during their Twitter pitch event, and there were more rejections in the fall of 2020. Like many others have stated, I only needed one publisher who believed in the potential of the story. I am absolutely thrilled that my debut picture book was acquired and published by Gnome Road Publishing.  It's always exciting and validating when we find a publisher who wants to bring our story to life, and, yes, we only need ONE. I’m so glad this happened for you, Anita. Since you’re an author-illustrator, can you share a bit about your process of creating both beautiful words and art? I did not initially plan to illustrate this book. Even though I am an artist, the idea of having to create sixteen spreads for a 32-page picture book was overwhelming. As fate would have it, I connected with Larissa Brown on Twitter early in 2020 and was awarded a scholarship to one of her drawing classes. Larissa’s skill, love, and passion to see artists reach their potential and realize their dreams is one reason I’m holding this beautiful book in my hands today. My learning curve going from traditional media to digital was steep. Nevertheless, armed with my new iPad and the Procreate software, I commenced learning. Additional classes with Larissa and Children’s Book Academy (CBA) gave me the confidence to create a book dummy and take on illustrating Old to Joy. That’s where my editor and I met. At the intersection of CBA and courage. I decided to emphasize healthy aging perspectives. I also decided to illustrate the book myself and wanted the main character, Joy, to be a beautiful, chubby Black girl with dimples and braids. Additionally, I wanted the grandmother to have a beautiful, chocolate complexion and a joyful heart. Another big change and challenge for me was learning to illustrate digitally. My early illustrations of Joy and her grandmother were created with traditional materials – paper, pastels, and collage. Pastels are a messy medium, and I worked on large sheets of paper around 30x36 inches. I was not sure how this would work for a picture book. Ultimately, I illustrated the majority of Old to Joy digitally. I’m very much a traditional artist, and my illustrations tend to be more realistic. How wonderful that you connected with Larissa and that you met Sandra “at the intersection of CBA and courage.” Since you’ve given us insight into how you created your beautiful art for the book, let us know more about how you work as a writer. Do you have any writing routines or anything you must have when you write? I am mostly a pantser. I am also someone who likes to write early in the morning when the house is quiet with a hot cup of tea cooling on my desk. When I sit down to write, I can write for what seems like forever. Often, during the school year, I would be inspired early in the morning. I would get up to write, only to be interrupted with having to get ready for work. After teaching all day and arriving home, that spark was sometimes gone. The moment and the creativity had waned. I did not try to force it. Most times, I could capture it again in later evening hours.  What’s your involvement in the writing community, Anita? The children’s book writing community is absolutely fabulous. I began to engage with this amazing community in early 2020. Soon, I joined SCBWI and Authors Guild. I was honored to be selected as one of eight inaugural winners of the SCBWI 2022 OMA (Out from the Margins) Award. The financial support and training we all received was immensely beneficial in planning a successful book launch. However, I might not have received my first publishing contract without the insight from my wonderful critique partners. Valerie, I thank you for inviting me to join your critique group, even though you are all back east, and I’m in California. Since the group was meeting online, I was able to join them virtually. They were instrumental in helping me make Old to Joy shine. I remember originally connecting with you, Valerie, through our involvement with Black Creators in KidLit (now Black Creators HQ). I responded to a tweet by Antwan Eady and was connected with this group, which he helped launch. Over the years, I connected with many other groups and soon joined Picture Book Gold, a children’s book promotion group. I continue to engage with the writing community primarily on X, Instagram, and Facebook. You are definitely involved in the writing community, Anita, and I appreciate you giving me a shout-out. I’m forever grateful that you and I connected in BCHQ and was happy to have you join my critique group. Connections are so important. Speaking of connections, how do you hope young readers will connect with your book? Old to Joy is a journey through time and memories, capturing the essence of cherishing old things and family traditions. For young readers, I hope they will experience a sense of wonder and appreciation for the past, understanding the value in older people who have stories to tell. I also hope they come away with a healthy perspective on aging and appreciation for the wisdom and joy in relation with the older people in their lives. There is so much to offer one another. I agree that we all have much to offer each other, regardless of age. What suggestions do you have for adults who share this book with children? Suggestions for Parents and Teachers:
By making the reading experience interactive and personal, parents and teachers can help children connect deeply with the book's messages and carry those lessons with them. Wow! You’ve certainly given fabulous ideas and options for engaging with your gorgeous book, Anita. What book(s) can we look forward to next from you? I have another picture book with Gnome Road Publishing, titled Plucking Through History, that is set to release in the fall of 2026. I also have several works in progress, including a middle grade novel. Congratulations on having another picture book that will be released soon, Anita, and I look forward to hearing more about your WIPs, especially that middle grade novel. Thanks so much for stopping by the KidLit in Color blog and chatting with me. Old to Joy is available wherever books are sold. Anita encourages readers to support their local bookstore.  Anita Crawford Clark is a writer and illustrator of fiction and nonfiction books for children. Anita grew up chasing butterflies and fishing crawdads from a nearby creek during scorching Sacramento summers. Her stories and illustrations often reflect those memorable childhood years. Anita is an inaugural recipient of the SCBWI OMA (Out from the Margins) Award for her manuscript of her debut picture book, OLD TO JOY , which was released on September 5, 2023. A veteran K-12 teacher, Anita especially enjoys directing musical theatre productions. The athlete in Anita enjoys shooting hoops. The musician in her enjoys playing the drums, piano, and banjo. Anita draws inspiration from her faith, nature, music, history, and everyday life.
You can connect with Anita on: Website: acrawfordclark.com Twitter: twitter.com/AnitaLClark Instagram: instagram.com/anitasfavpics Facebook: www.facebook.com/AnitaCrawfordClark |
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