It’s time for the Writing Process Blog Tour! A children’s book author answers the same 4 questions and then tags the next author. I’ve been tagged by the lovely illustrator/author Hyewon Yum. We were in illustration grad school together at SVA in NYC. Check out her latest book, The Twin’s Little Sister.
What am I working on?
I’m currently working on illustrating a manuscript by Kate McMullan. It’s about four rainforest mama’s trying to put their mischievous babies to bed. This is my first time illustrating a manuscript other than my own. I’m finding it both very freeing and very challenging. It’s freeing because the story and words are all figured out. That is usually the hardest part for me. And it’s challenging because I’m having to inhabit someone else’s world while creating it with my own thumbprint at the same time. It’s interesting trying to find the balance of that mash up.
I am also in the middle of creating my own story, but that is taking a long time to come together.
How does my work differ from others of its genre?
I’m not sure, maybe it’s a little bit more weird. Maybe I have been knocked on the head too many times. I would say, and I’m sure that this applies to everyone, that what I create stems from my experiences growing up, the things I am interested in, and all things I want to learn more about. I like to take all those things, mix them up and then share.
Why do I write what I do?
I just write about things that make me laugh. And hopefully someone out there will laugh along with me.
How does my writing process work?
My story idea usually starts with a visual image and then I start answering questions about that image. For example, my book Bunny Days started with an image of a bunny on a clothesline. I thought it was funny. That led to questions like, why is he there and how did he get there there? It’s a process of filling in the blanks and then continually constructing and deconstructing all that information until I get something that sounds like a story.
Time to tag Shadra Strickland! Shadra is an incredibly talented picture book maker and teacher. See her latest work in Please, Louise and read what she has to say here.
Thanks!
