My first picture book was One Big Pair Of Underwear, and the title just popped into my head in the middle of the night (my oldest son was a baby, so I was up in the middle of the night quite a bit). From the title came the first line, and soon I found myself furiously scribbling verses on scraps of paper in the kitchen, in my lab, and everywhere else I went.
That was 15 years
ago, so I don’t remember how many rewrites I did, but I do remember that the
ending was the hardest part. I wrote a whole bunch of different endings before
settling on the one that appears in the book.
Prior to writing
these children’s books, what was your publishing or writing background?
I did science
writing for both children and adults for a number of years. I wrote magazine
articles, I had a monthly column where I answered kids’ science questions, I
summarized academic scientific articles for scientific journals, I edited an
educational science periodical…all kinds of different things, but all
science-related.
What was your process like in getting your first book published? How did keep going even
after getting rejection letters?
I didn’t keep
track of how many submissions I sent out, or how many rejections I received. I
do remember what kept me going through the rejections, though! I kept a “good
news” file. Every time I received a personalized rejection from an agent or
editor, I would copy and paste only the positive parts and put them in
my file. So, I had a file full of little snippets of praise and encouragement,
and I would read over the file whenever I started to doubt myself.
Do you have an
agent?
I didn’t have an
agent for my first book (or my second), but I do now, and I adore her. Having
an agent, of course, opens many doors in terms of which editors and publishers
you can submit to since the majority of publishers only accept agented
submissions.
But having an
agent also means you have someone who 100% has your interests and your career
at heart, someone who is always on your side, and someone to believe in your
work even when you stop believing in it yourself...although my critique
partners are also great in terms of support and career advice.
Are there any
stories you’ve written that are l packed way that you hope will get published
someday?
I have a few early
reader series that I hope will sell at some point. My own daughter struggled
with learning to read. I started writing in this genre after seeing how much of
a difference it made for my daughter to read books specifically written with
emerging readers in mind.
Are you active
with any writing groups?
Yes, I have an
online critique group and an in-person critique group. Both are invaluable. I
also have a few other writer friends who read stories for me when I need fresh
eyes.
What has
frustrated you the most in publishing your books?
Frustration: I had
one book come out where the biographical information used in the flap copy was
years out of date. Since then, my agent always asks for approval over flap copy
in my contracts.
What has surprised
you, in a good way?
Pleasant surprise:
Seeing the illustrations for a new book is always exciting and
delightful…especially when the artist adds humorous details that I neither
suggested nor expected.
What is your
writing style?
I don’t do a
storyboard, but I do often paginate for picture books. I try to write every
day…not just because it’s my job but because I absolutely love it. Sometimes I
am super excited to work on a new project, and other times it is harder to
motivate myself. But I am never sorry I spent an hour writing.
What is the
best writing advice you’ve been given?
My mom used to say
that if you think a line is particularly great, you should probably cut it.
That isn’t always true, but her advice got me used to the idea of “killing your
darlings” early on. I am very open to revisions that completely change the character/plot/setting/perspective
of a manuscript, and the difference between my first draft and my final draft
tends to be dramatic.
Other writing
advice I believe in: butt in chair (the more you write, the better you get at
it), don’t give up, read as much as you write, leave room for art (specifically
for picture books, make sure the words are only telling half of the story), and
eat chocolate.
Okay, that last
one isn’t exactly writing advice, but I eat chocolate every day to make my
brain happy and ready to be creative.
What message would
you like parents and children to take away from your books?
All of my books
have some sort of underlying message, although I try not to be preachy! For
example, Peep And Egg: I’m Not Hatching is about overcoming fears, Except
When They Don’t is about being yourself regardless of gender norms, Delivery
Bear is about standing out instead of fitting in, and Always Looking Up:
Nancy Grace Roman, Astronomer is about persistence and overcoming
obstacles.
What’s in the
works for future books?
I have a number of
new books coming out next year, and of course, I am excited about all of them!
Baby
Paleontologist (HarperCollins)
will be the fourth book in the Baby Scientist board book series.
The Ninja Club
Sleepover (Page Street Kids)
is about a young werewolf’s first night away from home.
Judge Juliette (Sterling) is about a little girl who
rules over her neighborhood… until a particularly difficult case enters her
courtroom.
Cat Has A Plan (Simon & Schuster) is my very first early
reader—the hilarious (I hope) tale of a conniving pair of friends.
Wow! You do keep
busy. If you’d like to learn more about Laura’s books, here are some ways to find
the info.
@AuthorLauraGehl
(twitter)
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