Be Choosy in Finding the Right Illustrations: Author Interview with Kelly Louise Jarris

You’ve now published four picture books, but what made you decide to start writing the first one?
I have always written and had published articles here and there but once I had my children the love for kids books became more important. I decided to do a children’s book writing course in Melbourne that got the ball rolling and the motivation I needed to begin my first book.

You publish as an indie author, but you’re not an illustrator. How did you go about finding an illustrator? What advice can you give in going through that process.
I usually source the illustrators from chatting with other fellow author’s recommendations. I've built up such a wonderful network of publishers, established authors and book shop owners who I can now call friends. Word of mouth is really important.

With the process, I sometimes like to pay for one sample of work first just to see if it’s the style I’m after and to see if we would work well together. I’ve had instances where the folio has been amazing but the illustration sample is not what would work with that particular project. It’s important to get it right from the start to save time, money and stress. I’d also highly recommend getting a clear contract written with timeframes , cost and expectations so that it runs smoothly.

What do you know now about publishing you wished you had known
Find industry professionals who you can learn from, have your best interests at heart and want to see you shine. If you can find the right ones… They are invaluable.

What is the best writing advice you’ve received or could give?
If you are doing this as an indie publisher, and are doing a rhyme book make sure to get an expert editor in rhyme to look at your work.

This may seem obvious to some but If you are submitting to traditional publishers, find out the type of books they publish and the themes they gravitate towards. What might not work for some may work for others.

Are there any other points about writing you would like to add?
Rejections are all part of the job. Never give up, keep submitting to publishers and keep writing.

What is the next book coming out? Can you give me some details? 
The book is called The Postman’s My Mate and is about a little boy called Charlie who lives in the outback on a farm. The postman delivers him a very large parcel that he can’t open until his birthday. Charlie and his animal companions use their imagination to guess what’s in the box.

The book covers themes of friendship, recycling, diversity and imagination. This one is my all time favourite book to work on.

I love to give illustrators creative freedom as well and working with the very talented Natalie Herington has been fantastic. It’s all done In watercolour and her amazing landscapes and Australian animal characters are perfect. 

It should be released soon in 2024. Keep an eye out for it.  

That's all for today's interview. If you'd like to learn more about Kelly's wonderful books, here are some links to get you started.
https://kljbooks.com/

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/Kelly%20Louise%20jarris
https://www.amazon.com.au/s?k=kelly+louise+jarris&crid=1OGIO3JZQG6D9

And here's a bonus for my readers... Leave a short comment on this post saying which of  the covers you like best that are on this post (or what you like best about her books) and you'll be entered to win a free eBook of hers. We'll choose ONE winner next Tuesday!

Here's another opportunity for a free eBook, but the time frame is limited. Just click on this link to get a free picture/comic book: https://www.amazon.com.au/Stick-Stone-Go-Beth-Ferry-ebook/dp/B09ZYGHMFL

Travel with Winston While Staying at Home: Author Interview with Cynthia Anne Finefrock

You’re an avid photographer. What made you decide to write a picture book about a dog’s travels rather than a glossy coffee table book?
Great question! I’ve always wanted to write a children’s book ever since I was little. I didn’t take this goal any further until the pandemic happened and, like so many other individuals, I lost my job. With time on my hands, I decided to make my dream a reality. 

My photography website had just gone live and my friend thought it would be a funny idea to Photoshop my dog, Winston, into my travel photos. I took that idea and ran with it and now here we are, two books later! I do hope to have a coffee table book of my photographs someday but for now my attention is focused on Winston and his books.

Have you actually done the traveling shown in the books with your dog? 
All of the photos I use in Winston’s books are my personal photographs from my travels. Winston doesn’t actually come with me on these trips, though. He poses for the photos at home (with cheese as a treat, afterwards) and then I edit him into my travel photos.

What's one of the most unique events you remember most about your travels?
One special event I remember from my travels is seeing the pyramids in Egypt for the first time. There’s nothing quite like seeing something in person that you’ve only seen in textbooks, photographs, or on TV. It took my breath away and it’s a feeling I’ll never forget.

What was the hardest part of putting together this book?
The hardest part of putting together this book is probably taking the photos of Winston. For the most part, he’s an amazing model. He sees the camera and starts smiling and posing. There are definitely some days, though, when he won’t cooperate. I have to put the progress of the book on hold until he’s ready to take the photos. I usually just try again another day and he’s more than happy to do his job! He loves working.

Did you personally design the full book or hire on others for the work?

I hired a book designer to create the cover, do the formatting, and add the graphics you see in the book. She lives in the UK and is great! I found her on Fiverr.

What’s the best encouragement you’ve had from readers?
The best encouragement I’ve had from readers is hearing that Winston’s books have sparked conversations between caregivers and their children about the places Winston visits. This was my main goal in publishing these books. I wanted to introduce children to other parts of the world and hopefully spark their interest to learn more about these places and, even better, travel there someday themselves when they're older. With traveling comes learning, not only about others but yourself as well!

Marketing is the biggest key to getting sales. What is the best marketing source you've used that has produces more sales rather than just clicks?
Visiting schools as an author has been my best source for marketing in the US. Winston’s Instagram has been great for reaching an audience outside of the US. He’s sold books in Germany, Poland, Amsterdam, Australia, and New Zealand thanks to his amazing Instagram followers! His instagram is @WinstonTravels_

What do you know now about publishing you wished you had known sooner?
There’s a TON of learning involved with self-publishing a book. Something I wish I had known about sooner was Kickstarter Campaigns. Publishing a book is expensive and this would have helped a lot. I plan on running a Kickstarter for Winston’s third book.

What is the best writing advice you’ve received or could give?
The best advice I can give is don't compare yourself to others. We are all on our own journey and sometimes success can take longer than somebody else’s.

What is the next book coming out? Can you give me some details?
Winston’s third book will hopefully be released in the summer of 2023. I won’t say which countries he’s going to so there’s an element of surprise left, but I will say he’s going to South America! We are also working on a Christmas book, as well.

Winston's books are available through Target, Walmart, and Barnes & Noble. You can find them on Amazon at: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Cynthia-Anne-Finefrock/author/B094YV7PV2

You can also purchase them on Cynthia Anne's website.https://cynthiaanne.com/publications Winston signs (pawtographs) those books and 10% of the sales go to various animal rescue efforts.

And here's a bonus for my readers. If you leave a comment on this post before  8:00 p.m. on 2/20/23, you'll be entered to win  your choice of one of Winston's eBooks.  So do that now!

The Work of Writing and Illustrating: Author Interview with Jan Lis

You’ve won awards for your art and your work has been exhibited in many shows. What made you decide to leave that work to write and illustrate a children’s book?
My writing for children started one fall. When the days started getting dark early, the time before dinner was a low spot for me. So, I decided to take that time and turn it into something positive. 

I wrote a children’s Christmas story every year at that time. Before long I realized I was enjoying writing and illustrating my stories more than just painting. And I felt the stories had more to give. That said, I have not given up on my artwork.

Which comes first for you -- the idea for the illustrations or the storyline?
Interestingly, sometimes the idea for the story is first, and sometimes the illustrations are first. In Tyrone The Terrible, I wrote the story and then added the drawings. In Rags Joins the Circus, I wanted to be free to capture any part of the circus I was drawn to, so I painted the illustrations first. I had a storyline in my head, but I wanted the artwork to direct the story.

How many rewrites do you do on the storyline?
I do tons of rewrites, for each story. Even Kid Lit has to have the right feel to it. For Tyrone, I did all my edits and thought I had a pretty tight story. Imagine my surprise when the publisher’s editor got a look at it! 

Do your illustrations get multiple “reworks” as well?
My illustrations are a different matter. They do not get do-overs. I develop each aspect of an illustration separately and then assembly them like a montage.

I was surprised to see that you have blurbs of several of your unpublished kids' stories on your website. Has that helped in getting other books published?
My unpublished stories have helped in the respect that I have gone on to self-publish some of my manuscripts on Amazon through Kindle Direct Publishing. KDP is a great and easy way to get introduced to the world of publishing. I followed this up by learning a few marketing skills.

Prior to writing your picture books, you wrote for newspapers. How did that help or hinder the writing of your picture books?
Writing stories for newspapers has been both a good thing and a not so good thing for me. The plus side is that I am able to condense the story action into a few words. The minus is that my stories tend to be too condensed, and I have to work at extending the storyline.

You are represented by the Hartline Agency. How did that come about?
I am represented by a wonderful agent at Hartline. I went online and read through many agent bios until I found the one who seemed to be a perfect fit for me. You don’t even want to query an agent who doesn’t represent children’s books if that is what you write. Then, and this is the most important thing I have found in promoting yourself, I went to a conference where he was, and set up an interview with him.

How much time daily do you have for writing or for artwork?
I think writers have the easiest part. Illustrators get to do the hardest. That is the way it works out for me anyway. I always have many story ideas, and writing them down is easy. Editing takes a bit more time. But the most complex and time heavy is putting together and painting the illustration. That said, it is the part I most enjoy.

What has surprised or frustrated you the most in publishing books?
What I have found the most surprising in the industry is how helpful everyone is. Tyrone being my first non-self-published book, I am amazed at the willingness of everyone to help me get started. To answer my stupid questions, and have patience with my getting it all wrong.

What is the best advice you’ve been given about writing or that you’ve learned that you would like to pass along?
Looking back on my desire to pursue writing, there is one thing that has made all the difference  -- attending Writer’s Conferences. Conferences are where you meet people and make the contacts that are so necessary in getting your book published. You learn to hone your craft in the workshops and meet exciting people working in your genre.

Any other thoughts you’d like to add about writing and illustrating?
As a final thought, though for me it is a first thought - do what you love. Write what you know. For years, I wrote my stories, and they got put in the drawer. It seemed like my writing was going nowhere. But I kept at it, and it has worked out. You will make it.

Is there a new book coming out you’d like to promote?
As a matter of fact, there is a new book to shout about. It is a Picture Book titled, I Hate Oatmeal. The book will be released in November. It is Mom’s comic answer to a picky eater.

That’s all for today’s interview. If you’d like to see more of Jan’s writing and illustrations, here are some links to get you started.

Website: https://jan-lis.com/

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Jan-Lis/e/B079DGP498/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14131287.Jan_Lis
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/lisscribbles/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jan-lis-9516ba137/