Using your witchy powers for picture book inspiration

Hello, Word Wonder-ers! I am a huge fan of witchy books so for today’s interview on Finding Inspiration, I summoned Gayle C. Krause, author of the newly released picture book, ZADIE AND THE WITCH’S TEA. Welcome, Gayle! How did you find the inspiration for your spooky, kindness-centered Cinderella retelling?

Gayle: My sisters and I tease each other about our “witchy” powers. (When one calls, the other already has the phone in her hand, or when one is thinking about the other one, the phone rings.) To celebrate our sisterhood and our sibling thought-waves, (which we got from our grandmother) we gather every summer for fun, food, wine, and of course, ‘dress-up.’ We call it our Witchy Weekend.

Candice: How fun is that! I love it. What is your favorite part of the creative process?  

Gayle: For rhyming picture books, my favorite part is finding multi-syllabic rhymes that make the poetry interesting and not just end rhymes. Sometimes, I use internal rhyme as well. And I always try to incorporate theme-specific words. Examples in Zadie’s story are: 

fa-boo-lous frocks, bone-tingling beads, cobwebby capes, specdracula tea, zombie meringues

Recognize all this lovely use of color? The illustrator is Kate Talbot who we talked with in a previous interview! Find it here.

Candice: One of my favorites was “glamour-ghoul gowns”!  Do you have other creative outlets or hobbies? How do they cross into your writing?

Gayle: Yes. I’m a quilter and a dollmaker. I make anything that’s fantasy related. It helps me fill the well in between manuscripts. While I waited for responses from editors, I turned my creativity to dollmaking and designed and created Zadie, her sisters, and the Grand Witch. Really, anything that has to do with fantasy. 

Candice: Adorable. Filling the creative well is so important. Do you have any tips you’d like to share about finding creativity? 

Gayle: Keep your eyes and ears open. An idea can spring from a person you see, a place you visit, or a saying that you can turn on its ear to make a punny picture book, i.e. The Sound of Moosic, featuring cows, of course. Sometimes a TV commercial will spark an idea. And dreams are always a source of inspiration for me.

Candice: Your “Hairy Godspider” was my favorite pun from your story! Can you tell us about a future book project you’re working on?

“…you’ll need a gown of bewitched spider lace…”

Gayle: I’m currently putting the finishing touches on my MG Fantasy (also about a witch), which was born from a 200-word excerpt I entered in the 2022 KID’S CHOICE KIDLIT WRITING CONTEST, which won 1^st place nationally. The judges were MG readers, and that’s who I want to please with my MG novel writing.

Congrats, Gayle! I can’t wait to one day see it on a bookshelf.

To see ZADIE AND THE WITCH’S TEA on your bookshelf, request it at your local library, indie bookstore, or online at bookshop.org (helps support indie bookstores), Barnes & Noble, or Books a Million.

Named the 2022 MG first place winner of the Kid’s Choice KIDLIT Writing Contest,
Gayle C. Krause is a PAL SCBWI member and a past member of The Historical Novel
Society, and The Poets’ Garage. She served on the National Rhyme Revolution
Committee, choosing the best rhyming picture book from 2015-2018. She teaches writing seminars to published kidlit creatives and new children’s writers. She’s a former
Education Academy Chair in an upstate NY Career and Technical school, where she
taught prospective Early Childhood educators and directed a Laboratory Pre-K in
conjunction with her program. She writes PB, MG, and YA and has six published books.

Kate Talbot is a Children’s Book Author and Illustrator who has a passion for quirky stories, especially when told in rhyme. She has a degree in filmmaking and spent several years as a Film Producer (the highlight of her career was spilling an entire tray of drinks in Russell Crowe’s lap before falling butt-first into a fountain). In 2011, she made the shift to children’s writing and illustration, when she moved to Germany with her Spanish husband. Until recently she lived there with her family, but has now relocated to New Zealand. https://www.katetalbotbooks.com

Call to Creativity: Do you and your siblings/family members/found family have a special power all your own? How could that uniqueness magically turn into a story?

Finding inspiration by discovering holes in the market

Hi, WONDERers! Have you missed us? We may not be blogging as much lately, but all of us here at Wonder of Words are still reading as many amazing children’s books as we can. For today’s interview on Finding Inspiration, I spoke to Roxanne Troup, author of the newly released picture book, MY GRANDPA, MY TREE, AND ME. Hi, Roxanne. Congrats again on your picture book release! How did you get the inspiration for your story?

Roxanne: A couple years ago, I discovered a new publisher looking for agricultural books, and since I grew up in an agricultural community, I thought it might be a good fit. I set to brainstorming different stories that might work for that publisher and discovered a hole in the market—pecans. I knew a little bit about pecans. They grew wild and in backyards where I grew up, and we harvested them in buckets. But I wondered how the commercial pecan industry worked. Did everyone collect pecans in buckets? So, I started researching. After running across a YouTube video of a farmer harvesting pecans by tractor (from hundreds of trees at a time), I knew I had my topic. I couldn’t get the image of that farmer shaking his trees out of my head—pecans fell like thundering rain!

Raining pecans! The pure joy on the grandpa’s face makes this such an endearing book

Candice: I grew up with pecan trees in the backyard and have vivid memories of picking up pecans–the pies my mom would make were definitely worth the effort! What is your favorite part of the creative process?  Did you learn anything about your own process while you were working on this book?

Roxanne: That first flush of IDEA is heady and addicting, but then I have to figure out how to make that idea work. And that, is WORK! I don’t know that I discovered anything “new” about my process with this story as it’s not my first (even though it is my debut fiction). But every story—and the way it comes to the page—is different. For this particular story, I had quite a few stop-and-start drafts, meaning I started but never finished them. But each time I started a new draft, I added some important storytelling element or figured out what wasn’t working and tried a new way of fixing it. It wasn’t until my fifth draft that I finally completed the story. (Does that make number five my actual “first draft”?)

Candice: Haha, no way! All that hard work still counts and kudos to you on not giving up! Do you have other creative outlets or hobbies? Do they cross into your writing?

Roxanne: Oooo, that’s a good question. I like lots of creative things: crafting, singing, gardening, interior design. I don’t know that any one of those things crosses over into my writing (though gardening might seem like it with this title), but my favorite part about each is the planning/dreaming stage. And that definitely crosses over. I plan out/dream through many aspects of my stories before I ever sit down to draft—which might explain the whole start-and-stop habit. When I realize something isn’t working according to plan, I stop; and often, don’t start up again until I have puzzled my way through that obstacle.

I love how the illustrations go so well to make this such a sweet, serene story–and the ending is absolutely heartwarming!

Candice: Great answer. Do you have any tips you’d like to share about finding creativity?

Roxanne: I think being quiet is a huge creativity booster.

Our brains don’t like being idle, so when we force our bodies to be quiet, our brains fill in that space with all kinds of things—to do lists, conversation replays, dreams for tomorrow, and eventually (if we don’t short-circuit the process by ending our quiet time to do all those things on our list) creative ideas. 

Candice: Can you tell us about a future book project you’re working on?

Roxanne: It hasn’t been announced yet, but I do have another informational fiction picture book in the publishing pipeline—this one, about space.

You almost forget you’re reading an informational fiction picture book as the story and facts go hand in hand so seamlessly.

Ooh, space! So exciting! We wish you the best in your writing and publishing journey. Thank you for sharing your tips on creativity and your inspiration for this book.

MY GRANDPA, MY TREE, AND ME (Yeehoo Press) released April 11th. You can find it online at bookshop.org which helps support independent bookstores, and at https://www.roxannetroup.com/pecan.html to also check out fun book activities for your little readers. Request a copy at your local library or indie bookstore.

Author, ghostwriter, and speaker, Roxanne Troup writes kids’ books that celebrate wonder and family. With a background in education, she also writes engaging nonfiction for all ages. She grew up along the waterways of Missouri, surrounded by farmland and legends. Her childhood home, built in the late 1800s, was often visited by members of Jessie James’ gang and full of stories about hidden passageways, underground tunnels, and false floors. In that house, Roxanne learned to read and create her own imaginative stories. Today, she lives in the mountains of Colorado but still loves old houses and history. She is the author of over a dozen books for kids, including My Grandpa, My Tree, and Me. When not writing, Roxanne enjoys hiking with her family, cheering at her kid’s sporting events, and reading a good book. She loves to visit schools to water seeds of literacy and teach about writing. (And sometimes remembers to water the plants in her own garden.)

Illustrator Kendra Binney was raised in a small mountain town with no shoe stores. Most of her time was spent barefoot treading through the minuscule world of spiders, snakes and all things hiding in the grass. Though her paintings have been exhibited, sold, and published around the world, Kendra herself spends most days in a small studio in Portland, OR. There she paints, daydreams, and paints some more.

Call to Creativity: Look at the market specifically to see what isn’t there or underutilized. Read widely and wildly!

Finding Inspiration in Childhood Memories

Hello, Word Wonderers! Kidlit writers know that the best way to write for children is to think like a kid and what better way than to explore your own childhood memories? It’s a great way to tell the story that only you can tell and today we have guest author, Candace Spizzirri, on the blog to share the inspiration behind her debut picture book, FISHING WITH GRANDPA AND SKYE. Welcome, Candace!

Candace With An A: Thanks so much for having me on your blog today, Candice! I’m delighted to be here. In 2018 I participated in StoryStorm, a month-long story brainstorming event run every January by author Tara Lazar, where kidlit creatives try to come up with an idea a day.

One idea was “a story about fishing with a parent/daughter or grandparent/granddaughter.” It rumbled around my brain until I wrote a rough draft in June of that year. Turned out it was a story about fishing with my own grandpa!

FISHING WITH GRANDPA AND SKYE, beautifully illustrated by Beverly Love Warren, launched on April 19, 2022, with Clear Fork Publishing. Yay! The inspiration for this story came from many fishing trips to Lake Hopatcong, New Jersey, with my beloved Grandpa Henry. Although it is truly about Grandpa and me, I use my granddaughter Skye’s name as the main character. This story is about one day in particular when Grandpa had a special surprise for me. FISHING celebrates the love between generations and is the story of my heart!

Candice With An I: How funny! That year’s StoryStorm was particularly inspirational–it’s when I brainstormed my picture book, CHOMPSEY, too! I loved reading your Author’s Note in the back of FISHING and seeing your picture from when you were four years old. What is your favorite part of the creative process?

Candace: Sometimes a title will “pop” into my head from out of the blue. If my heart races a bit and it makes me smile, I know I have a viable idea for a new story. This initial creative spark is my favorite part.

But I also enjoy the revision process- working on story structure, character development, beginnings/endings, and especially finding the right words. The melodic sound of the right words in just the right order when read aloud is a delight.

I pay close attention to rhythm, rhyme, wordplay, alliteration, onomatopoeia, repeating refrains/phrases, and the use of literary devices such as metaphor and simile. I love making up songs and playing the “what if” game when writing a story where I let my imagination run free. What fun!

I love how Skye’s imagination is shown in this spread!

Candice: Fun indeed! Do you have other creative outlets or hobbies? How do they cross into your writing?

Candace: I’ve always had a creative side. As a young girl, I adored art classes: painting, sculpting, and projects of all kinds. Other outlets and hobbies include interior design, cooking, gardening, hiking, fishing, traveling, and dancing. My love of fishing and outdoor activities led to FISHING WITH GRANDPA AND SKYE. My enjoyment of travel inspired FINLEY: A MOOSE ON THE CABOOSE.

I have a manuscript about flowers starring a young girl named Lily Rose who, like me, loves collecting stems of all kinds. I also have a work in progress entitled CLUCK-CLUCK DANCE about a dancing chicken. And guess what? That chicken is me. 😉

Candice: I remember CLUCK-CLUCK DANCE from the Writing Magic class we took together! It was so much fun to read aloud. Do you have any tips you’d like to share about creativity?

Candace: Fan the creative flames. Look for inspiration everywhere! I find ideas for stories in everyday moments like walks out in nature, overheard conversations, animal antics, and the funny and often spot-on things my grandkids say.

Creative moments can come at any time, from anywhere, so you have to be ready. A few years ago, I had a story idea while driving home from the grocery store. I pulled to the side of the road (safely) and jotted down plot points and character details on the back of my receipt.

Warren’s watercolors are so calming and perfect for a picture book set on a lake!

Candice: Love that! Grocery shopping drains me too much for any brainstorming, lol. Can you tell us more about your upcoming book?

Candace: My next picture book, FINLEY: A MOOSE ON THE CABOOSE will release on April 18, 2023. The idea for this story came to me two years ago on a trip to Alaska. I fell in love with the gorgeous scenery which looked like a postcard in every direction. While visiting the town of Talkeetna, a moose wandered about to the enjoyment of tourists, then disappeared into the woods. In this quaint town, I happened upon a little shop called Once in a Blue Moose and the spark for Finley, a moose who longs to ride the rails, was born.

Sandra Sutter, the owner of Gnome Road Publishing, [and Wonder of Words co-host!] liked a pitch for Finley on a Twitter pitch party. After a revise and resubmit, she contacted me saying the acquisitions team fell in love with Finley Moose. The amazing award-winning team of Chantelle and Burgen Thorne are illustrating. I can’t wait to share FINLEY Moose with the world!

Such a talented team! Congrats! Thank you for sharing your tips on creativity and finding inspiration, and best of luck with both FISHING and next year, FINLEY!

You can find FISHING WITH GRANDPA AND SKYE online at bookshop.org which helps support independent bookstores, and on the publisher’s website. Request a copy at your local library or indie bookstore.

Candace Spizzirri grew up in a small town in New Jersey with tree-lined streets and old Victorian houses. As a child, she spent hours playing at the park, catching minnows in a nearby stream, and exploring the woods at the end of her street. Passionate about education, Candace is a co-founder of an elementary school and high school in Southern California where she now makes her home. She loves spending time with her husband, grown children, daughter-in-law, and four grandkids. Candace’s debut picture book, FISHING WITH GRANDPA AND SKYE, illustrated by Beverly Love Warren was published by Clear Fork Publishing/Spork on April 19, 2022, and will be followed by FINLEY: A MOOSE ON THE CABOOSE, illustrated by Chantelle & Burgen Thorne in Spring 2023 with Gnome Road Publishing. Learn more about Candace at candacespizzirri.com and follow her on Twitter at @CCSpizzirri1 and on Instagram at @CCSpizzirri.

 Beverly Love Warren grew up on Long Island, New York. She is a graduate of the Fashion Institute of Technology where she studied illustration. After graduating, she worked as a paste-up artist and taught art for grades K-8. Later, she became a member of SCBWI and illustrated children’s literature. 

Currently, she lives in Washington state with her husband. When she is not illustrating, you can find her writing stories, hiking, sewing, or enjoying time spent with her three children and six grandchildren.

Call to Creativity: What are your favorite memories from your childhood? Especially ones where you received a special gift from a family member?

Finding Inspiration in Mind Traps

Welcome, Word Wonderers!

So much of creativity is the ability to make space for yourself. It’s too easy to talk yourself out of an exciting project before you even begin because someone else has already accomplished it. The ability to push that mind trap aside and allow space for your creativity to bloom is why I was immediately interested in this picture book debut by another Alabama author, Shae Owens Holley. Welcome to the Wonder of Words, Shae! What inspired you to write Rue the sparrow’s story, IT’S ALREADY BEEN DONE BEFORE?

Shae: I wrote “It’s Already Been Done Before” around 9 years ago as an unfinished rhyming story with no defined main character at the time. I was inspired by my own personal struggle with self-comparison as a creative entrepreneur, a photographer in the middle of juggling a business and a toddler. The world of social media was taking a toll on my time and mental health. I quickly realized I was literally talking myself out of doing projects I wanted to do because I was watching others do it better – so I told myself, why bother? It’s already been done before! As we allow doubt and feelings of overwhelm change and rule our mind, creativity, effort and work suffer and cease. In most industries, especially those of a creative essence, whether it’s photography or writing or artwork, we are constantly bombarded with self-inflicted comparison. It shuts down our creative license because we already have allowed it. Those thoughts became the inspiration for this story, which was really just a framework at the time. It was only in recent years when I made the characters animals instead of humans and the setting in a forest. I wanted the characters to be relatable to all people and ages so I opted out of the human element.

Candice: The quote you included at the beginning of your book is perfect: “Comparison is the thief of joy”–Theodore Roosevelt. It’s so true. What is your favorite part of the creative process?

Shae: Actually putting the book together and seeing the layout with both text and illustrations was my favorite part! I love design, so being able to contribute and tweak things along the way was really exciting to me. My book (and maybe most children’s books) would not be what it is without the artwork bringing life to the words and giving them a relatable face. I definitely learned the importance of editing – even with a one-page poem – and realized why this process takes time. This can obviously take years. A book isn’t a blog and cannot be changed or corrected in real time.

Rue the Sparrow and her dad. Isn’t the color palette perfect? So many soothing greens, but then that moody sky. And Rue is definitely in a mood any creative can relate to!

I would also add that the beginning is also my favorite part of any creative process – that moment when you actually start and form the idea. I think getting to that point is one of the hardest, but once you begin, the world is your oyster.

Candice: I agree on the importance of artwork in picture books! Do you have other creative outlets or hobbies? Do they cross into your writing?

 Shae: I was a professional photographer for twelve years which influenced WHY I wrote this story – but photography definitely inspired the illustrations and to whom I choose to outsource the artwork. I also love to be outdoors and hike so I’m sure the fact that my characters are woodland creatures was influenced by my love for being amongst trees.

Candice: I loved the artwork! (Probably because I too love to be outdoors amongst the trees.) So vibrant and fun. Do you have any tips you’d like to share about finding creativity?

 Shae: I think not boxing yourself into one avenue is key to unlocking creativity. We can become so consumed with defining ourselves by what we do, that we become ‘that one thing’, but we are so much more complex. Sometimes constraints and limitations make you more creative because you have to utilize what is available. Also, realizing creativity can be found in all things, from cooking, parenting, to even rearranging a junk drawer. We just have to embrace life experiences and even times of quiet or waiting for the next thing, and see the routine from another angle. I’m not sure if any of that is an actual tip, but my advice is to look for the beauty in routine and make something from it. Pay attention to the details of your life, your house, expressions, the way light changes the same object throughout the day, the little things. I also get inspired by music – listening to songs that speak to me actually helps me write or paint at times and can help spark creativity.

I love how supportive all Rue’s forest friends are–even when one of them gently calls her out!

Candice: I’m still searching for my creativity in rearranging junk drawers, lol–and I love that you included mundane tasks in creative ventures. Do you have another book project you’re working on that you could give us a hint about?

 Shae: Sure! “It’s Already Been Done Before” is my first published children’s book. I’ve written parts of two or three other books but this has been my only children’s book and was the most complete which is why my publisher pushed this one first, besides its message. My next project is a bit ongoing as it’s inspired by my daughter who is eleven. It will be a compilation of memories and poems but written for a larger audience. One of those coffee table books that’s already been done before, you know? 😉 But that is what makes it unique – that it is personal, it is written from my experience and thoughts, and despite being a theme that has truly been done, this version has not.

Candice: That’s absolutely right! It’s the parts of ourselves that we pour into books that makes them stand out–even if they’ve been done before. Thank you for being here, Shae. Congrats on your debut children’s book and finding creativity even in mind traps!

IT’S ALREADY BEEN DONE BEFORE may be purchased on Shae’s website  https://shaeholley.com/my-book/ols/products and at Barnes & Noble. Request her book at your local library and/or indie bookstore.

Shae’s adorable pup has her own hashtag #pumpkinholleythecorgi
Photo credit:  Chelsea Patricia Photography

Shae Holley is an entrepreneur, environmental engineer, blogger, photographer, recipe-destroyer, and tea addict. She loves sharing the message that we have all been given unique gifts and God-given talents. Although they may be similar to others, we cannot compare ourselves or cease effort simply because it’s already been done before. You may find her at shaeholley.com.

Illustrated by Maryam Fiaz.

Call to creativity: is there a mind trap you find yourself stuck in? How could you use it to inspire creativity?

Spying on Inspiration with Kira Bigwood

Summary: Send little spies to sleep with this hilarious, tongue-in-cheek lullaby set to the tune of Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.

Dear Fellow Agents:

Your mission—should you choose to accept it—is to join Secret, Secret Agent Guy on his bedtime assignment, code name: Operation Lollipop. Equipped with night-vision goggles, a jetpack, and grappling hook, he is prepared for every eventuality…or is he?

Will this 007-year-old complete his covert quest, or will he be outsmarted by an adversary he never saw coming?

Welcome, Word Wonderers! We hope everyone had an enjoyable, safe summer as we prepare for Back-To-School! Today’s guest is Kira Bigwood, with her debut picture book, SECRET, SECRET AGENT GUY, out now. And let me tell you, my youngest has been in spy-mode ever since we read her story together!

Candice: Hi, Kira! Thanks for being here today to talk about your creative process. When and where did you get the inspiration for your story?

Kira: Thanks again for having me! I was inspired to write SECRET, SECRET AGENT GUY in 2018 by my own sleuthing children. They got a spy kit for Christmas, complete with night-vision goggles and motion-detecting alarms. After being booby-trapped for like the zillionth time, I knew there was a story in this. Kids love spies! Heck, grown-ups love spies! I wanted to come up with a “sticky” concept that I hadn’t seen before, so I channeled my day job (advertising copywriter) and landed on this lullabies-for-spies idea. Once I had my concept, the story sort of wrote itself (which does not usually happen for me!).

• 

• 

Kira’s inspiration: her adorable super secret spies!

Candice: Oh gosh, yes. I have been snuck up on so many times since my son and I read this book together. Everyone loves spies! And I like that phrase, “lullabies-for-spies.” Clever. What is your favorite part of the creative process?

Kira: My favorite part is what I call the “concepting” phase. Coming up with big ideas…good or bad. It honestly doesn’t matter, because ideas breed ideas breed ideas, and eventually, you’re bound to come up with something cool (a statistical fact!). I’m not an illustrator, but I do enjoy drawing (thanks to my artist mom and architect dad for that gene). So a lot of my initial concepting involves jotting down ideas for titles or themes, and then doodling those out a little. I don’t share my drawings with anyone (and they don’t inform any illustration notes I may include), but they do help me start to visualize the story and figure out where it should go.

I loved the readability the “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” lullaby led to this story! Such a good bedtime–and anytime–book. And the color palette Celia chose is perfect.

Candice: You’re absolutely right. Bad ideas can be just as helpful as good ones to get creativity flowing. Do you have other creative outlets or hobbies? Do they cross into your writing?

Kira: I like to make stuff…cute invites and decorations for parties, clues for scavenger hunts, elaborate Halloween costumes (that was my 2-year-old dressed as Richard Simmons), homemade cards and poems…I’m kinda addicted to making people laugh, or feel loved or just acknowledged, through the written word. I suppose that would be the crossover…making stuff that makes people feel something.

Candice: I can imagine the book-themed parties! And making people feel something is such a great life goal. Do you have any tips you’d like to share about finding creativity?

Kira: Fill the well! The more you experience in life, the more you have to draw from when it comes time to create. This can be going to the movies, walking in nature, people-watching, dog-watching, going to a museum, playing with your kids, taking a much-needed break from your kids…the key is to try to be as present as possible (ditch the phone!), absorb your surroundings, and dump it all in the well.

This is my son’s favorite spread–so much tumbling, sneaking, and lurking has ensued!

Candice: Creativity usually seems to inspire more creativity. Do you have another book project you’re working on that you could give us a hint about?

Kira: Right now I’m putting the finishing touches on a narrative non-fiction science manuscript—fingers crossed it will be my next book! I will say, this past pandemic year really cramped my creativity, and I’m sure I’m not alone in that. So, while I wasn’t nearly as productive as I’d hoped to be (remote schooling, anyone?!), I’ve given myself permission to let it go and not focus on what I didn’t accomplish last year. Here’s to 2021, amirite?!

Candice: For sure! We appreciate you being here, Kira, and best of luck with your non-fiction science manuscript project!

Kira: Thanks so much for having me, Candice, and congratulations on your creative successes!

Be sure to request SECRET, SECRET AGENT GUY at your library or local indie bookstore. You can also find it online at bookshop.org (book-specific link) which also helps support local indies.

Kira Bigwood writes children’s books, TV commercials, and much to her 11-year-old’s dismay, notes for her kids’ lunchboxes. She was once edited out of a My Little Pony ad because she was missing her two front teeth (not that she’s still hanging on to that or anything). Luckily, she has all her teeth now, and a much more positive attitude toward the editing process. Kira is a graduate of the University of North Carolina (go Heels!), and lives in Chicago with her husband and three children. Her debut picture book, Secret, Secret Agent Guy, illustrated by Celia Krampien, has received starred reviews from Kirkus and School Library Journal. Find Kira online at kirabigwood.com, on Twitter and Instagram.

Celia Krampien grew up in a house in the woods in a small town near Owen Sound, Ontario, Canada. She studied illustration at Sheridan College and currently lives in St. Catharines, Ontario, with her partner, a mischievous cat, and a nosy beagle.

Call-To-Creativity: Observe the children in your life to see what they gravitate to. Could that inspire something new? Could you incorporate a favorite lullaby from your childhood? Let the good (and bad!) ideas flow!

Stalking Inspiration with Michelle Vattula

Welcome, Wonderers! Today’s guest on finding inspiration is picture book author, Michelle Vattula. Michelle and I met in the New in ’19 debut group, though both of our books were pushed back to 2021. Happily, her book, THE STALKING SEAGULLS, released April 20th. I thoroughly enjoyed how her main character, Alec, uses his creativity and wits, along with sandcastles and beach ball blockades, to eat his sandwich at the beach in peace, though I had a good laugh at how the story ended.

Candice: Thanks for being here, Michelle! Where did you get the inspiration for THE STALKING SEAGULLS?

Michelle: I was on vacation in Florida visiting my parents. We took our boys to the beach. When the snacks came out, so did the seagulls.

Candice: Oh my goodness, yes. I totally felt Alec’s frustration. I had a Dorito snatched from my hand one time at the beach. It was almost IN. MY. MOUTH. Add injury to insult, the seagull’s wing even cuffed me on the back of the head when it stole my snack! They can be very determined. What is your favorite part of the creative process?

Michelle: When I initially get the spark for an idea and run with it. Once the idea pops in my head, I just sit down and write wherever I am. I have more notes on random pieces of paper, lol. The words flow out so much easier when the idea is spontaneous. The feeling of completing the story after dozens of revisions is wonderful too. I adore coming up with book titles. Sometimes I have the name of the book before I have the story. 

Candice: Titles are tough for many of us so that’s great you have that super power! Do you have other creative outlets? Do they cross into your writing?

Michelle: I love to anything with music. I have been playing the piano since I was 5. Playing is extremely cathartic (when I have time to do it). I also love to dance. I do Zumba throughout the week. I have written a few manuscripts that have dancing in them. One funny, lyrical and has dancing cows. The other more serious about a mother/son relationship. 

Candice: Zumba is so much fun though it’s been years (pre-kids!) since I’ve joined a class. Do you have any tips you’d like to share about finding creativity?

Michelle: My creativity usually comes when I’m doing something mindless like walking, cleaning or taking a shower.

I always tell writers to take time away from the craziness of life because it allows your mind to focus on simple concepts without being overwhelmed. I also find that writing using emotion tends to work for me. I like to tap into deep feelings that people are feeling but don’t like to talk about. 

Candice: Creativity usually seems to inspire more creativity. Do you have another book project you’re working on that you could give us a hint about?

Michelle: I have at least 5 more completed manuscripts and many more that are in their revision stage. I love to write about cows, but I have numerous ones that touch upon subjects such as mother/son relationships, aging family members, and participating in different cultural experiences. 

All great and important subjects! Thanks again for being here, Michelle!

Y’all be sure to request THE STALKING SEAGULLS at your library or local independent bookstore. It’s available online at MacLaren-Cochrane Publishing, and bookshop.org to support indie bookstores.

Michelle was born in Boston but grew up most of her life in Erie, PA. After She received her Bachelor degree from Miami University of Ohio, she ventured back to Boston for her Master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology from Northeastern University. Michelle currently lives in the beautiful rolling hills of North Pittsburgh with her Finnish husband, her two Golden Retrievers (one who is a therapy dog) and her two beautiful boys who are her true inspiration for writing.

Michelle’s debut picture book, THE STALKING SEAGULLS, was released by MacLaren-Cochrane Publishing on April 20, 2021. Michelle is part of the Western Pennsylvania SCBWI leadership team as their New Member and Critique Group Coordinator. She is also a proud member of the twitter group #Newin19. Michelle is represented by T.J Kirsch from JCH Literary. She is open for interviews and virtual visits.

T.L. Derby is a children’s book author and Illustrator. She has turned her love for writing and art into her career. Now she helps others to make their dreams come true as a publisher. She is educated with a BFA in Creative Writing for Entertainment and an MFA in Creative Writing. She is also an autodidact in illustrating, screenwriting, and painting for over 20 years. Her love for children makes what she does a gift from her to the world

Call to Creativity: What frustrates YOU? Use your emotions, like Michelle suggested, and brainstorm a story of your own!