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FAQs from Kids:
What is your favorite book?
My favorite book is always the one I'm working on. So these days, JITTERBUG (a middle grade novel) and HOT DIGGITY, the sequel to SMACK DAB IN THE MIDDLE hold a special
place in my heart.
What is your favorite color?
I love all colors, but I'm partial to yellows, reds, violets and blue-greens.
How many books have you made?
I'm working on my twenty-third book now. I've illustrated them all, but have written and
illustrated only seven. I have several projects waiting in the wings.
When did you publish your first book?
My first book, WAKE UP, WILLIAM! was published by Atheneum in Fall, 1987. I still love it,
though it's been long out of print. You can find POSTCARDS and a BOOKMARK from
WAKE UP, WILLIAM! on my web site.
Are you rich?
I am wealthy beyond measure--but mostly in ways that don't have to do with gobs of money.
Do you have children?
Yes, my husband, Roland Axelson, and I have two wonderful kids, Cloe (b. 1978) and
Luke (b. 1981), and will soon have a son-in-law, Sam Hanson. You can meet my family in my SCRAPBOOK.
Do you have pets?
Yes, we have a sweet but wacky Springer Spaniel, Bailey, who was named after George
Bailey in the Frank Capra classic, "It's A Wonderful Life." We also have a beta fish called
Dusty Baker who is a serene counterpart to Bailey.
What do you like to do in your spare time?
I like to spend time with family and friends, read, cook and share meals and conversation,
garden, take long walks, discover new places...and lately, my husband and I have taken up ballroom dancing!
Do you have other jobs?
I do lots of work with kids in schools, and with emerging writers and illustrators at
conferences and in my Coveside Writers Workshops. I also teach at the low-residency
MFA in the Creative Writing program at Lesley University.
Are you the only writer or artist in your family?
No, I'm not the only artist, but I am the only writer, at least for now. My maternal grandfather was a women's fashion designer. His youngest daughter, my aunt, Edith Antonelli, was a painter. Her house always smelled like turpentine and tomato sauce. I loved it. My cousin, Narcissus (Robert) Quagliata is a well-known stained glass artist. Another cousin, Madeline Taranto is a landscape painter. Aunt Rose Veronelli painted miniatures and porcelain.
My youngest niece, Liza Rose Tosi, (b. 1995), is an artist, too. And everybody--TALKS!
Where do you get your ideas?
Ideas come from everywhere, but the ideas that stick are the ones that come from my own
experience, from memory or from observation.
FAQs from Adults:
Did you study illustration and writing?
I had a rather unillustrious college career. I began as an art major, but graduated with a
degree in theater. Later, much later, after I taught myself to illustrate and published 20 books,
I attended the wonderful MFA Program at Vermont College in Writing for Children and Young
Adults .That rigorous program and wonderful mentors changed not only the way I approach writing,but changed the way I approach illustrating, too.
I now teach in the MFA in Creative Writing Program at Lesley University, which is an equally rewarding experience. http://www.lesley.edu/gsass/creative_writing
How did you get your first book published?
Winston Churchill could tell you how I did it. I "never, never, never quit!"
Did publishing get easier after your first book was published?
Publishing became easier and more difficult at the same time. On one hand, I was
developing relationships with editors, which helped. On the other hand, I pushed myself
harder to make each book better than the last.
How does a writer or illustrator find a publisher?
You have to do your homework. The best place to start is at your local library and independent
bookstore. What books attract you? By whom are they being currently published?
Two other terrific resources are the Society of Children's Book Writers & Illustrators
http://www.scbwi.org/
and the Children's Book Council
http://www.cbcbooks.org/
Tons of information. Lots of support.
Can I make a living as a writer or illustrator?
Maybe, if you' get really, really lucky! But you'll likely have to support your writing and illustrating habit with another source of income, at least at first.
I’ve written a story that I think children will love. Could you illustrate it for me?
Thanks for asking, but a manuscript comes to me from an editor who is already committed to
working with the writer. It's the editor's job to select the illustrator.
What’s your advice for getting started in children’s books?
To get you started and keep you going, consider reading THE COURAGE TO WRITE
by Ralph Keyes.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0805031898/ref=pd_bxgy_text_1/103-7310965-9306230?v=glance&s=books
Focus on doing your work, not on marketing it. Read as much as you can.
Commit to writing daily. Be brave. Unearth your own story. The excavation will lead to work
that resonates. Don't give up.
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