Pecosita's Freckly Freckle Face interview with Aliya King Neil

KLiC: What was your inspiration for PECOSITA? 

AKN: I've had a tough relationship with my freckles my entire life. My editor and publisher, Denene Millner, always admired them and eventually convinced me that there should be a children's book celebrating freckles--and celebrating your differences. I think I *just* fell in love with my freckles while writing the book! 

KLiC: Please tell us about your writing process. How long did it take you to write and sell this book? 

AKN: This one was very different. I usually write books for adults. My first children's book, Keep Your Head Up, was published a few years ago, and it was an amazing process; the words poured out. Pecosita was much harder. It took me a while to get into the mind of a young girl who was gutsy and spunky and loved her freckles. I put it down several times, frustrated. My husband Shane, also a writer, asked if he could take a crack at it, and he just understood Pecosita right away. We then worked on it together, and that was new too. I've never co-written anything before.

KLiC: What kind of research did you do for Pecosita?
 
AKN : I just looked in the mirror! Also, Pecosita's images are based on my daughter, Mazy. And, we live in a world now where freckles are very trendy, so I kept an eye on the beauty world. There are freckle pens out there now!

KLiC: What are your favorite illustrations in the book?

AKN: The cover is my very favorite because it's based on a photo of my daughter. We sent lots of family photos to our illustrator, Eric Velasquez. But when I saw the book, I gasped when I saw myself in there--like a real image of me! SO amazing. 

KLiC: What's the one thing you want children to take away from your book?

AKN: The things that make you different are the very things you can celebrate! It's okay to feel your feelings about anything. But look in that mirror and see YOURself not anyone's perception of you. Keep a journal. At the top, everyday, write: I love myself because __________. And fill it in. And if you have access to music, make a playlist that makes you happy and listen to it! 

KLiC: Do you have any tips for pre-published authors?

AKN: Always be ready to tell an editor or a publisher what your book is about very briefly. For this book, it was simple. Imagine the famous book "Freckle Juice" but for little girls who already have freckles and love them. 

KLiC: What's next for you? 

AKN: My next book for adults: Model Behavior is out next summer from Amistad/HarperCollins. Shane's work can be seen on his YouTube channel (@shanepaulneil), and his next essay will appear in the book Darling Nikki, a collection of tributes to Nikki Giovanni.

Aliya King Neil is an award-winning journalist and the author and coauthor of books for teens and adults. Her work has appeared in Vibe, Giant, Uptown, Essence, King, Ms., Us Weekly, and Teen People, among others. Her picture books include Keep Your Head Up and Pecosita’s Freckly Freckle Face. Visit her at AliyaSKing.com.

​Photo Credit: Shane Paul Neil

Shane Paul Neil is a writer, journalist, and photographer. His words and images have appeared in several publications including Gothamist, NPR, NBC News, and Ebony. Pecosita’s Freckly Freckle Face is his first book. From the Bronx, Shane now resides in New Jersey with his wife, Aliya King Neil. Follow him at @ShanePaulNeil across all social media platforms.

​Photo Credit: Shane Paul Neil