Welcome to Monica Wellington's blog
My newest book:
Author Interview with Susanna Pitzer
posted Thursday, 26 April 2007
Some years back she was in my class at SVA and it has been wonderful to follow the progress of her work, so full of her enthusiasm, energy and generosity. Enjoy this behind-the-scenes look at the making of Susanna's book. Her pictures of her dogs are adorable!
Can you tell us about the process of creating your book, from first idea to publication? First, how did this book get started?
The original idea came from having had so many children-friends who
were terrified of dogs. Many of them visited my house in the country
where I lived with my own pack of rather large collies...the sweetest dogs
in the world...only kids who are afraid of dogs don't know that.
Then my father gave me a sweet and very stable little Sheltie, Zzazu.
When Zzazu came to live with me she was about the size of a large softball. She was so brave! Nothing bothered her, except for thunderstorms.
When the kids came over, I would carry them through the yard of collies, over their heads, and into my house, where we would do art projects and bake cookies. With Zzazu on the floor, they would stand on chairs while she walked calmly around the room. She was small and sooo cute that within a relatively short amount of time, each kid realized that she didn't want to hurt them. Then they started carrying her, dressing her up, and flying her around the house. She was game for everything. An amazing dog!
The happy ending is that each kid went on to love dogs and adopted the
wildest big dogs you could ever love.
This is Zzazu when she was about 3 months old with my nephews, Jimmy and Kevin...who also inspire many stories.
How long did you work on this manuscript, and what was
your process with revisions?
The complete process from first draft to the story in its accepted form was about 6 months.
I wrote a first draft, then completely rewrote it several times, before presenting it to the weekly writer's group I was in at the time. I don't remember the critique from that session. What I do remember is that one of the women shared her experience of being afraid of dogs as a child. Her experience triggered in me a clarity and solution for my story. So within the month, I completely rewrote my story and spent a three day weekend polishing it... making sure I had the flow just right and had cut out any unnecessary words.
Then I held it for a month...and in that time I met Corey Rosen who was having her first book published by Walker. She gave me Beth Marhoffer's name and told Beth that I would be sending a story, which I did.
How did the submission process go?
Beth responded to me within a month that they were interested, but then I had to wait for the final okay from marketing and management...within another month she emailed that it was accepted. This book project went very smoothly. Beth loved it and treated it very well.
We only had to change one thing in the text...the dog's name. : )
Also, the title did change from "Bravest Boy" to "Not Afraid of Dogs."
Which worked out to be a great change.
Beth was a terrific editor. She is no longer with Walker. She is now studying to be a pediatrician. She'll be great at that too.
You have many talents - you are a writer, artist and illustrator, actor, playwright - For this book you are the writer. How did the illustrator Larry Day become involved with this project, and can you describe that collaboration?
I never thought about illustrating "Not Afraid of Dogs," because I knew the story was written in a style that didn't match the way I illustrate.
I've never talked with Larry Day, however, I was lucky to have a hand in selecting him. Beth allowed me to be part of the illustrator selection process. She and I, independently, looked through many, many illustrators...in bookstores, on the web, in catalogues...luckily she and I had the exact same taste. The illustrators one of us liked, the other one liked; and the illustrators one of us didn't like, the other didn't either...and I think this was soooo lucky. The process was a great experience for me, I had no idea how hard it was to find the right illustrator.
Beth discovered Mr. Day through his agent. He hadn't done a book like this one before, but he'd been wanting the chance. His published work was realistic. His agent showed Beth sketchbooks of his free and fun work...and Beth emailed samples to me...we agreed...he was right for the book.
The interesting thing to me about the fact that Larry and I never spoke is
that the cover illustration is something that happened to me when I was walking my dogs down the street. A little girl ran back and forth in front of us trying to get away from the dogs...who were paying absolutely NO attention to her...and then the little girl climbed the lightpost. I felt so bad for her, I took the dogs and crossed the street. Fears are so powerful.
What are you working on now? What projects are ahead?
I'm always working on multiple picture book projects...that I write and illustrate, and circulating them to the publishing powers that be. I just completed and sent out a revision of one of my plays to several theaters. I'm finishing up a rewrite of a chapter book based on my childhood...and am planning to mail that to the publisher within the week. Plus, I'm working on several new plays that will be done in 2008. Oh yes...and I'm preparing to create a new series of illustrations for my portfolio.
I'm really in a groove right now of getting work done and out. It's amazing
how good that makes me feel...physically and mentally. Sometimes we think we're too tired to work...but if we can just get to the page, it's like a
vitamin boost.
My three Sheltie roommates -- sisters: Sofie, Zzazu, and Daisy.
I've never talked with Larry Day, however, I was lucky to have a hand in selecting him. Beth allowed me to be part of the illustrator selection process. She and I, independently, looked through many, many illustrators...in bookstores, on the web, in catalogues...luckily she and I had the exact same taste. The illustrators one of us liked, the other one liked; and the illustrators one of us didn't like, the other didn't either...and I think this was soooo lucky. The process was a great experience for me, I had no idea how hard it was to find the right illustrator.
Beth discovered Mr. Day through his agent. He hadn't done a book like this one before, but he'd been wanting the chance. His published work was realistic. His agent showed Beth sketchbooks of his free and fun work...and Beth emailed samples to me...we agreed...he was right for the book.
The interesting thing to me about the fact that Larry and I never spoke is
that the cover illustration is something that happened to me when I was walking my dogs down the street. A little girl ran back and forth in front of us trying to get away from the dogs...who were paying absolutely NO attention to her...and then the little girl climbed the lightpost. I felt so bad for her, I took the dogs and crossed the street. Fears are so powerful.
What are you working on now? What projects are ahead?
I'm always working on multiple picture book projects...that I write and illustrate, and circulating them to the publishing powers that be. I just completed and sent out a revision of one of my plays to several theaters. I'm finishing up a rewrite of a chapter book based on my childhood...and am planning to mail that to the publisher within the week. Plus, I'm working on several new plays that will be done in 2008. Oh yes...and I'm preparing to create a new series of illustrations for my portfolio.
I'm really in a groove right now of getting work done and out. It's amazing
how good that makes me feel...physically and mentally. Sometimes we think we're too tired to work...but if we can just get to the page, it's like a
vitamin boost.
My three Sheltie roommates -- sisters: Sofie, Zzazu, and Daisy.
Click here for more: Susanna's website
It is exciting and inspiring to hear from new authors and illustrators and so my plan is for this to grow gradually into a series of interviews with former SVA students who are now creating children's books. Check back for more!
Update 10/07 with great news: "Not Afraid of Dogs" was featured on the the PBS show Between the Lions !!
comments