May 2023 Double Feature Interview with Children’s Book Author Marzieh Abbas, and Children’s Book Illustrator Anu Chouhan, Conducted by Chelsea DiCicco

Welcome back to THE BLOG! This month I’m pleased to introduce you to not one but two special guests! That’s right… this month is a DOUBLE Feature Interview! Please welcome, Marzieh Abbas!


Marzieh's Bio
Raised between the bustling cities of Dubai, U.A.E, and Karachi, Pakistan, Marzieh loves traveling, reading, and samosas. She is a member of SCBWI, 12x12, and a graduate of the Lyrical Language Lab, Children's Book Academy, and Storyteller Academy. She is active on Twitter, where she continues to form connections with the Writing Community, runs a kidlit review group on Facebook, and blogs about her author journey and life in Pakistan on Instagram. 


Marzieh was thoughtful enough to ask if the illustrator for her new book A DUPATTA IS could join us on the interview today… and of course, I said yes!! It’s not every day I get to interview an author and illustrator -especially ones working on the same project. So, right off the bat, we’re in for a treat.


Let’s start with Marzieh’s portion of the interview questions…


First off, I love asking my guests: what landed you in the crazy and magical world of publishing?

PPD! As crazy as it sounds, I had to shut down my home-run cake business of nine years when my second born was just under a year old. I just couldn’t cope. Later I found out I hadn’t fully recovered from PPD and felt overwhelmed with all the juggling I had been doing. I began writing letters to my children and Quran journaling in an attempt to process my feelings. I had never dreamed of publishing a book, and although I enjoyed jotting down thoughts from time to time, they weren’t very eloquent. I was missing my baking business so much I subconsciously ended up writing a story about a mom with two kids who enjoyed baking. It was also Ramadan at the time, and I incorporated that special time of the year for Muslims into the story too. All this culminated in two books with Islamic publishers. I soon realized I could write for non-Muslim kids too! That’s when I stumbled upon the Children’s Book Academy course, won a partial scholarship, and the world of traditional publishing invited me in.


I know the big question for many writers is: “When is my career going to take off?? How long??” and the answer can vary greatly, depending on many different variables. For instance, which route of publication you decide to take… whether it’s submitting directly to a small house or trying to find an agent, or approaching it from the independent side. Can you give us an idea of the time frame of your publishing journey so far?

Mira’s CBA course ran in the fall of 2019. I began querying in March 2020 with only two completed manuscripts. I signed with my agent, the lovely Lynnette Novak, in August 2020, and my first book, A DUPATTA IS… sold in October 2020 (the contract was signed in January 2021, though.) And it just released on April 11th, 2023!


What avenue of publishing did you decide to go with? And can you elaborate on some of the steps you took to get there? 

My Islamic books sold before I signed with my agent. The Muslim publishers work differently, and the process isn’t nearly as rigorous as the (secular) traditional publishing route. 

After Mira’s course, I was convinced I wanted to go the traditional publishing route and not self-publish. I also saw the benefits of signing with an agent and invested a lot of time scanning MSWL and browsing Query Tracker, so I knew I was querying the agents who were interested in the kind of stories I was writing. 

I joined SCBWI in 2020, and The Book was also a very helpful guide, as were the Blue Boards on the forum. I sent Lynnette my work in March 2020. She liked my manuscript and asked me to send her more work. I did, and she didn’t connect with the other story I queried her with. I then went on to invest in professional query critiques with a couple of authors. I polished my work and sent out another round of queries, this time using another manuscript, around June 2020. I also queried Joyce Sweeny of The Seymour Agency at this time. She wrote back saying her PB client list was full and she’d shared it with her colleagues, and Lynnette loved it and would get in touch. When Lynnette did touch base, I told her I had already sent her my work previously, but it had gone through considerable revisions since. She loved my work and wanted to have ‘The Call.’ 

I alerted the other agents who were considering, and two more agents were interested. I was in the process of sending them more material, and subsequently, we were setting up times for calls when I spoke to Lynnette. I watched all the Bookends Agency videos on which questions to ask during the call. I literally asked her any and everything I had concerns about, even the sticky questions. She was happy to answer all my questions, and we connected so well during the call. I also had a friend check date on Publishers Marketplace for me. Lynnette’s sales were the most impressive, and before I got off the call, my decision was made!

In total, I sent out approximately 30 queries. 

Wow. That is incredible! I love your persistence. And I'm glad you mention the Bookends Channel. Bookends videos are definitely a wonderful resource to use as a helpful guide at pretty much all stages of the publishing process. (For any of our readers who are interested in entering the publishing world and aren't familiar with the Bookends Channel, I greatly encourage you to check it out HERE).

So, here's the next question. How many books do you currently have published? 

Traditional PB publishing debut: A DUPATTA IS…
Early Reader Chapter Books: Nadia & Nadir series, ABDO Publishing
I also have several upcoming children’s books, including:

●	AWE-SAMOSAS (Clarion, 2024)
●	HENNA IS...(Feiwel and Friends, 2024) 
●	YASMEEN LARI, GREEN ARCHITECT (Clarion, 2024) 

And some unannounced projects I can’t speak about yet 🙂

I know writing can be solitary. Did you have anyone who supported or inspired you throughout this process? 

I have no friends or family who quite understood what I was doing at the beginning. Being a writer or a freelancer isn’t very common here in Pakistan. 

I found my community online through a critique group I formed through SCBWI, friends I met virtually at classes I took with The Writing Barn, and in 2021 I joined the 12x12PB Challenge and love the sense of community there. 

I’ve made awesome connections through the KIDLIT411, Manuscript Swap group on FB, the #WritingCommunity and the 5 am WritersClub on Twitter, the Desi Kidlit Community, and the Traditionally published and Agented Muslim writer’s group on FB. 

As I geared up for the launch of my debut book, I also joined Street Teams, PBSpree, The Dream Team, and Kidlit Works! They’ve been so supportive, and we even swap manuscripts. 

I also volunteered to be a mentor through the PBRising Stars program last year and made many author friends there. Groups like ‘Agented Authors’ and ‘On Sub’ and a Slack group called The Rockets have made the whole writing and submission process much less lonely. 

Thank you for sharing all of this information with us, Marzieh. These are all fantastic suggestions and places to visit. I was familiar with most all of the ones mentioned but a few stood out as something new. I hadn't heard of 5 AM WritersClub or Desi Kidlit Community, so it was awesome to learn more about them throughout the interview process.


So, what would you say is the biggest challenge you’ve had to face as a writer? And what helped you through it?

I feel like I’m constantly wondering if my next book will sell. The process is different for every book, and the pressure actually keeps mounting, with option clauses and non-compete clauses kicking in as more books come under contract. I am still struggling to keep myself from falling into this trap. The pressure of ‘what’s next?’ can cripple creativity. And sometimes, when you’re active on social media, it becomes even more challenging. My advice would be to focus on what brings you joy, write in several age categories, take frequent SM breaks, share stories of your struggles as much as sharing stories of your failure, and just go with the flow. This is a very unpredictable industry, and there’s no use in trying to crack the code of success!


If you could offer one piece of helpful advice to a new writer… what would it be?

Keep honing your craft through conferences, webinars, and tuning into podcasts. Keep revising your stories, as all the magic happens during revision!


Great advice!

Okay… now for some exciting book talk. I know April 11th was the scheduled release of your debut picture book, A DUPATTA IS. Which, no doubt, you’re THRILLED about. Since we have the special opportunity of having your illustrator here today as well, I wanted to ask you a few questions about this project. 

From what I’ve heard from some other authors and illustrators in the publishing industry, usually, the author and illustrator don’t really have much contact- if any at all- throughout the process of the project. 

Can you tell us about your working experience with your illustrator, Anu?

Anu and I communicated often. My editor, Emily Settle, and Art Director, Mariam Quraishi, asked for my input often during the process. I pitched in at every stage of the process, from character design to final cover choice. Anu wanted to make sure all the depictions of dupattas from different regions of Pakistan were accurate. It was an amazing, collaborative process, and I hope that shines through. I’m also so lucky to be collaborating with the same team on a companion book, HENNA IS…, which releases in July 2024.


Is there anything that surprised you about the illustrations in A DUPATTA IS? 

Since Anu is also South Asian, I knew she would be familiar with the culture of the region. But when I saw her drawings of the girl in her grandma’s room, it brought tears to my eyes. The furniture in the room, right down to the wooden bangle stand, reminded me of my own grandma’s room! Magical!


Do you have a favorite spread of images in the story? 

It’s hard to pick a favorite (they’re all so beautiful, and Anu is so so talented)!, but I love the page with the hijabi bride best. 

Thank you so much for sharing, Marzieh! It's been an absolute treat having you with us. 

And now it's time for this month's...
In order to throw your name into GIVEAWAY ring, all you have to do is:
LEAVE A COMMENT BELOW ON THIS BLOG POST.
And that's it! It's a piece of cake.
Now, I'd like to welcome our next guest today, Anu Chouhan!

Anu's Bio
Anu Chouhan is a Punjabi-Canadian illustrator and video game artist. A trained animator and character designer with a background in game development, Anu often combines her love of her cultural heritage into her art, as well as always being inspired by anime, nature, and global fashion. Her unique, edgy, and energetic art has been featured by the CBC, the BBC, Harper’s Bazaar Bride India, The Times of India, and The Times of London. 


How did you end up in the publishing world? What led you here? Where did it all begin?

I was very lucky that my amazing agent Thao Le reached out to me on Twitter. At the time, I was actively trying to get more freelance work and was sharing my work through hashtags like #PortfolioDay and #SouthAsianArtists. When we connected, I indicated that I was interested in illustrating books as well as working on my own picture book. Since then, Thao has helped me work on 7 books, including one written and illustrated by me!



How thrilling! It's wonderful to hear that hashtags like this can help people make illustrative connections within the publishing industry.
Has art always played a role in your life in some aspect? If so, how?

I have enjoyed drawing as a hobby ever since I was little. I work full-time in the game industry, and illustration is often a big part of that. But making time for my personal art and freelance projects like books every now and then is also very fulfilling.


I can imagine! I believe finding balance is a key component to a living a happy and fulfilling life. And it sounds like you've managed to successfully do this.
Can you tell us a bit about your journey in children’s illustration?

I have been illustrating picture books and graphic novels since 2020. At that time, working on books was my main focus. Nowadays, I'm back to working at a studio, so it's important for me to find balance. But often, working on picture books is a fun way to shift my creative gears.


I know you’re trained in animation and character design, and you also have a background in mobile game development, which is SO cool. I’m curious… in what ways does your illustrative work differ from these? And what are the similarities, if any?

With studio work, you're often working within a specific style that's already been established based on the property. With my own art, and often with my books, it's a way for me to establish my own style of art. I've been lucky in that a lot of publishers and art directors have granted me creative freedom when it comes to how I visually interpret the stories; this was definitely the case with A DUPATTA IS... But that said, my drawing style from standalone illustrations vs books is also quite different!


When it comes to your illustration, can you share with us what your creative process like?

I track my tasks by writing in my planner (feels better than using a calendar app). I try to give myself ample research and sketching time before I begin working on a book so that I'm not coming up with ideas on the fly later (although sometimes, that has happened with awesome results). 

When it comes to my own drawings, I like to sketch on paper and let inspiration come to me slowly. Forcing an illustration when I'm tired or uninspired has never worked out successfully for me.

I love this so much. And I completely agree! I find personally with my writing, if I try to "force" creativity, vs letting it come naturally, even if I do manage to get words on a page, the quality isn't the same. I say it all the time: creativity is an art form, and as Toy Story 2 taught us, "you can't rush art"!
Are there any challenges that you’ve had to face within the publishing/illustration arena? If so, what were they, and how did you overcome them?

I think that fair wages are a big issue within the arts. There are many gigs out there that don't pay artists what they are worth, and it is important for us to approach projects carefully and understand what is worth our time and what is not. I've been learning a lot about this within the publishing industry, but thankfully my agency is really good at guiding me!


Thank you for sharing this! I'm sure that this will help a lot of illustrators to make sure that they're getting paid properly.

And for our last question today, if you could share one piece of creative wisdom with other illustrators and artists looking to break into the publishing industry, what would it be?

Speaking from experience, it is really important to know when to say "no" to a project. There be times when there are gaps between projects, but there will also be times when a bunch of overlapping gigs will come in at once! It's tempting to say yes to all of them, but it's not worth sacrificing your mental health! 

It's important to take breaks and make time for other aspects of life. Also, remember to stretch your back muscles often lol.

Thank you, Anu. These are fantastic pieces of advice to end our interview on.
It's okay to say "NO," don't forget to STRETCH and give yourself time to relax!
That wraps up our DOUBLE FEATURE INTERVIEW for May. Thanks for visiting the blog! I hope this interview helped answer some of your writing/illustrating questions. If there's ever a question you'd love to have answered, LEAVE IT IN THE COMMENTS below.

Did you enjoy this interview? Thank the author & host by purchasing a copy of one of their books. By using the links listed here, you’ll be supporting the author and this blog!

LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR GUESTS…

Connect with Marzieh:
FB: MarziehAbbas
IG: marziehabbas_author
Twitter: MarziehAbbas
Website: www.marziehabbas.com 

Marzieh's Books:
Hamza's Pyjama Promise. Sun Behind the Cloud Publishing, UK. 2020
Hamza and Aliya share the Ramadan Cheer. Kisa Kids, USA. 2020
ABC's of Pakistan. WHY Books & Children's Literature Festival, Pakistan, 2020
Nadia and Nadir. Chapter book series, ABDO Publishing, 2022
A Dupatta is... Feiwel and Friends, Macmillan, USA, 2023
Anu is represented by Thao Le at the Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency. 
She can be found on Instagram @anumation, as well as on Twitter @anumationart

January 2023 Feature Interview with Local Children’s Book Author Brittany Wuthrich

Hello friends!

Welcome to my third FEATURE INTERVIEW segment. And to start off the new year of 2023, I have a special guest joining today. Let’s give a warm welcome to Brittany Wuthrich!

About Brittany: 

Brittany is a local Children’s Author living outside of Nashville, Tennessee. She released a picture book entitled BIRD AND THE TREE for ages 4-8.

A little background on my relationship with Brittany Wuthrich:

I was perusing a local bookstore in my area (Curious Capybara) and stumbled upon an adorable book! I picked it up, and lo and behold; it was a local author. So, when I set up a short story contest in the library over the summer of 2022, I knew I wanted to get ahold of Brittany and see if she’d like to co-judge to find our finalists. Fortunately for me and the children’s library, she did! Having her as one of our panelists and judges over the summer was an absolute treat.

Today, we’re going to be discussing some shop talk on the behind-the-scenes of independent publishing.  We’ll be answering questions about where to find an illustrator, how to pay an illustrator, how to format, how to edit, how to market, and so on. So, if you’re looking into self-publishing your picture book… keep reading to find out how it’s done! 

We’re also going to be delving into some serious topics on mental health and recovery. 

DISCLAIMER: IF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW ARE SUFFERING FROM SEVERE MENTAL HEALTH ILLNESS (suicidal/depression) AND ARE NOT COMFORTABLE DISCUSSING, PLEASE STOP READING NOW. 

So, let’s jump right in!

I always like to start with the heart of it all: inspiration. 
Let’s talk inspiration and first steps:
Brittany, what inspired you to write THE BIRD AND THE TREE?
(SEE IMAGE BELOW…)
I wrote a poem about this quote and what it meant to me.  The real and raw place I was in when I wrote this is not easy to talk about.  It isn’t easy to access because of how far I’ve come from where I was, either.  It isn’t uncommon, though.  It seems like a lot of people deal with anxiety and trauma.  That doesn’t minimize it, of course.  So the poem I wrote deals with a little of mine.  

I ended up going to what is essentially group therapy sessions to deal with it.  Ok, so I don’t know how comfortable I am with sharing this.  It seems appropriate though, because of what happened recently with the guy from the Ellen show.  Tragically, he passed away from suicide.  People were so surprised because of his happy persona and how young he was.  

I think for the same reasons, people would be surprised to know that I was at a point in which I had gotten close to making a similar decision with my life (despite how I appeared outwardly).
It is hard to admit that I let myself get so far in despair.  But it happens to people from all types of walks of life.  People deal with depression.  It is just a fact.  It is real.  That is why I would like to advocate for mental health awareness.  So… back to how this became a children’s book.

In those group sessions, it was normal to discuss a quote or a topic at the top of the hour.  On this particular day, we got a black-and-white quote printed out on a piece of paper (with this exact graphic above).  I think it spoke to me because it was a reminder that I had strength in ways I didn’t always acknowledge.  

That same day, a poetry organization in Nashville came to the group to lead an exercise in poetic expression.  I can’t remember the name of the group.  The exercise was to write a poem in five minutes.  There wasn’t enough time for me to get distracted by self-doubt or email.  When the timer stopped, so did I.

I already had a respect and love for poetry.  I was all about it.  I loved approaching it in this different way, though.  Oftentimes, I feel blocked from writing as freely as I did when I was younger.  This exercise unlocked a new way to approach writing that I still use to this day.  

In the five minutes, I imagined being a bird.  I thought about what it was like being stuck or why it would be hard to move on in a situation.  Really, I didn’t do a lot of thinking… I just wrote.  When I heard the beeping of the phone timer go off, I put my pen down.  I had written BIRD AND THE TREE.  

When the exercise was over, we were asked if we would like to share what we wrote.  I remember that there was a meaningful silence in the room after I read.  I remember that what I read seemed to resonate with my cohorts.  It felt good to know that some could relate to the Bird as I did.   It felt liberating to share.

I had no idea that just a few short years later, I would be living in some of the happiest years of my life, that I would be a mother to a little girl and later a little boy.  I would be more authentically in touch with my faith in God and my family.  It took a lot of work, and I feel very removed from the place I had found myself in then.  But all I can say is that it happens.  All I can say is I forgive myself.  

On my last group day, I got a parting gift.  All participants get a painted rock with a descriptor or an affirmation of some kind on their final day.  In my case, and it’s a little serendipitous, mine was a painting of a bird on a branch.  The group leader reflected back to me that I reminded her of the bird on the branch from the quote.  It meant a lot to me, and I still have the rock to this day. My husband encouraged me to turn the poem into a children’s book.  Eventually, I did.  
Wow, Brittany. Thank you for sharing these intimate details behind your inspiration for BIRD AND THE TREE. I know it isn’t an easy thing to talk about, and I’m sure that many who are or who have struggled against the battle of mental health appreciate your story. 

Having many family members myself who suffer from various mental health illnesses, ranging from chronic and suicidal depression as well as seasonal depression and bipolar, (myself included)… and personally experiencing the death of my own husband years ago due to depression, I understand that this can be a very sensitive thing to share. But in sharing, there is healing. And it’s truly wonderful to see how you have been able to heal and grow and find happiness with your ever-blossoming family!

So, now that we’ve discussed the inspiration… what was the message you hoped to share with this book? 

Initially, when I decided to make this a children’s book, I thought that it could be a message of hope.  I could see through the story how what Bird was experiencing was grief.  

Years before, I had learned about the five stages of grief through a Stephen’s Ministry class at my church.  The class focused on serving others who were dealing with loss and hardship.  I think I was only fifteen or sixteen at the time, but one thing that has stayed with me to this day is that there are things not to say to someone who is hurting.  The other thing was that grief has layers. Specifically, there are five stages of grief:  denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. *source here*   

Through that lens, it is easy to see that the character of Bird is going through the grieving process.  He didn’t want to believe that everything would change, even when it was clear that it would. That’s denial.  There are other examples throughout the book that all lead to his ultimate acceptance:  when he uses his wings to move on.  We all experience grief at all ages.  

Excellent!  And were you happy with your finished product?

Yes. Given the chance to go back, though, I would change the title. It seems there is already a book called The Bird and the Tree.  Not a huge difference, but my book doesn’t have a ‘The’ in the title.  BIRD AND THE TREE is not on Amazon at the moment, so this other book usually comes up if someone searches for it, which can cause confusion of course. I like to think I did my research, but I had no idea this book existed until it was pretty much too late into the process.  I could probably look into changing the title with any reprints I do, we’ll see.  

Can you walk us through the beginning steps of the publishing process?

Lots of typing things into a search bar.  Nowadays, there is so much information out there, the game is also to know the right stuff to search for.  In my case, I was searching for self-publishing, how to launch a Kickstarter. 

You mentioned that you used a Kickstarter to help with the publishing process. Can you explain that in further detail? 

Kickstarter was the catalyst for this project to be possible.  It gave Becca and I not only the funds but the confidence to keep going.  I would recommend Kickstarter to anyone trying to self-publish.  It is a resource, leveraging social media as well to keep followers in the loop through every step of the way.  For our Kickstarter campaign, Becca and I set a goal:  $2,800.  People that donate to a project on the site are called backers. Once the campaign started, we had thirty days to meet that goal.  If we did not hit $2800 within that time, all the money would be refunded to the backers.  It kicked us into gear to be active about sharing our intention of creating a children’s book.  We laid out what the book was about, gave examples of illustrations, and set rewards for different tiers of backers.

Enough buzz was created as a result of the campaign that 54 backers funded the project to help us exceed our goal within that time.  We were pumped to see that support!  

Did you ever consider going the traditional route with your book, or did you know from the beginning that you wanted to publish independently?


I was so energized at that point and time to make the book happen that I didn’t want to risk being told no.  I wanted control of the project and trusted myself enough to do it.  I still made mistakes along the way, but I am glad that I had this experience.


I can relate to that! I’m working on patience… but when you’re excited about something, it’s hard to wait! You just want to shout it out from the rooftops. So, how long did it take you to write and revise your story before publication?

Did you hire a professional editor?

Yes, using a service called Reedsy, I hired a professional editor named Jennifer Rees.  She has a background as a Senior Editor at Scholastic Press, where she edited picture books and novels.  I was excited to read from her bio that she was an editor for The Hunger Games.
  
The way Reedsy works is that you find the service you’re needing:  editing, design, publicity, and marketing (to name a few), then search through the service providers to narrow down a shortlist.  I looked for editors who specialized in children’s picture books.
  
Once I had my shortlist, I sent requests out with a brief seeking developmental editing, copy editing, editorial assessment, and proofreading as the service needed for BIRD AND THE TREE.
 
From the five I sent out, two made offers, two declined, and one did not respond.  So I had two quotes to select from.  After I selected Jennifer’s quote, she sent a rundown of how our collaboration would work.

I appreciated working with an editor that had a seasoned background. She offered advice to help my manuscript (the poem I wrote in 2019) translate well for children’s literature.
  
Working with Jennifer’s feedback helped me unlock a new side to Bird’s story.  It was darker in tone to start with and there was not as much closure for the character.  I added the element of the acorn that we see grow into a new tree at the end of the story. Her feedback was detailed and very helpful.  That process lasted over the span of about three months.

Did you test your book on beta readers on any sites before publication? If so, can you list where you were able to find them?

Only a handful of friends and family. 

Let’s talk illustrations & cost:
Where did you find your illustrator?

Our husbands work together.

Terrific luck! And how did you handle payment with your illustrator? Was it a royalty share, or did you pay a flat one-time commission rate and purchase ownership of the illustrations?
 
It was a 50/50 split to a certain point.  Becca had lots of other projects to focus on while I was still focused on promoting the book.  Basically, there was a payout at that point.  Going forward, I have ownership of what I sell. 

Did you have a clear idea of what you wanted your images to look like, or did your illustrator have total creative control of the artwork?

I worked closely with my illustrator to find the world that Bird lived in.  I took a role as art director with collaborative control.  We had weekly meetings whenever possible to discuss the direction of the book.   

Was it easy to communicate with your illustrator?

Yes. It isn’t too challenging, but we live in different states.  We were working together over video calls during the thick of COVID lockdowns.

I think during Covid, many were doing similar styles of work and communication. What a crazy time! And what recommendation would you give to someone who is looking to hire an illustrator?

I don’t feel like an expert in this area because I was lucky to find Becca.  I’ve heard people find them on Fiverr.  I know sometimes reviews are not reliable, but I definitely look at reviews.  I research what I’m looking for.  If you know the art style, you’re going for in your book (watercolor, digital, etc.), look for someone who specializes in that area.  Have lots of references to share with your illustrator to help them get a visual of what types of illustrations you are looking for.  Becca and I had fun rereading some of our favorite children’s books.

How long did the illustration process take?

Since the illustrations are a big part of telling the story, in this case, it took about as long as the book took to make.  I had already had the poem completed in 2019.  The book took about a year and a half to make.

Were you able to see the images during the process, or was the entire book illustrated, and then they came to you with the final product?

I got to see different evolutions of both the Bird and the Tree. Here are a few different drawings of Bird that Becca pitched early in the process.
How cool! I love these little birds. What kind of illustrations did you end up using? Were they all digital or hand-drawn, or a combination?

Becca used an app on her iPad called Procreate to digitally draw the illustrations.

Your book cover is just fantastic—how did you land on that illustration for the front cover? 

Simply to introduce Bird hanging out at his favorite spot.  To compel the reader to want to know Bird’s story.

Let’s talk marketing and cost:
As far as the publishing cost and marketing, what was the ballpark pricing for getting your business up and running? 

Ballparking around $3,500 for every aspect of the project.  The publishing arm was around $2,000 of that.

That’s good information to know. Thank you! 
What kind of marketing did you do for your book?

Grassroots. Mostly Instagram. My illustrator and I collaborated on Instagram lives and stories. In the early days of the Kickstarter campaign and publication, I hosted open mic nights at Kave House of Haggai for poets and musicians. The events served to share about the book and give a platform to other local creatives.  

I know you have some coloring pages that you brought in (that coincide with the story BIRD AND THE TREE) and shared when you came to the library over the summer. They were just adorable! Are those available for purchase somewhere? If so, where can we find them?

Thank you!  They are not available for purchase right now.  I just have them for special events.  However, I would eventually like to get a few merch items on my website.  

Can you tell us what other (if you have them) promotional things you have to go along with your book?

In our Kickstarter campaign, we offered some fun promotional items for backers!  Becca made mugs, tote bags, and tees.  Elena drinks her “coffee” (chocolate milk) out of her Bird mug. 
Do you have an author website, and if so, what platform did you go with—and do you recommend it? If not, what other preferred social media or online presence do you use to connect with readers?

I have a website:  brittwut.com. It’s a central location for a lot of different things I’m working on at the moment.  It is also where the book can be purchased. 

I use Wix. It is just really easy to use. The interface is clean, and I like the storefront features. I prefer to use Instagram at the moment to send out information to my readers.  I’m just comfortable with Instagram. I’m aiming to use other social platforms this year.
  
Let’s talk reviews and getting your book into bookstores:
As every writer knows, finding readers is half the battle- especially when self-publishing. As far as commercial marketing goes, what avenues did you find most successful for finding readers to review your work? Can you name a few places or give a few suggestions in this area?

I probably have not done nearly enough in this area.  I was pleasantly surprised, though, at the reception of the book when I went to local markets. It was a lot of fun to set up with the books and meet people in the community. 
Other than Curious Capybara, do you have your book available in any other bookstores? If so, where? Are they all local?

They are all local. Currently, the book is available at Kave House of Haggai in Gallatin and on my website, brittwut.com. Southwater Manor carried them for a while. I had them at Mango + Rose before it closed. I gave two copies to The Getalong in Nashville. Curious Capybara carried a few copies as well (and I’m so glad that you found the book there).  

Because you are self-published, did you have to do a consignment set-up with local bookstores? If not, what was the process like? Was it easy or difficult? Explain.

Yes. It was mostly on consignment. The process was easy! Payouts vary from place to place. Some would send a check, and others would Venmo. This usually happens on a monthly basis. Because this was local, it was not too hard to get started. Usually, shop owners were receptive to carrying a book from a local author. I love working with and supporting these local businesses as well! After a few conversations and agreements over terms, I would replenish the books as they sold. When I got pregnant with my second child, I stopped cycling my books out at most places because I needed to be at home more at the time.  

When I did markets, it was also fairly easy. There was a flat rate for a space, and the events usually lasted 1-2 days. I accept Square and Venmo for transactions. They are also not very complicated to use.

If someone didn’t live locally but wanted to purchase your book online, where could they find it?

www.brittwut.com

Let’s talk formatting and publishing platforms:
How did you format your story for printing? Text & illustrations?

Becca made her own font using quirky handwritten letters. How cool is that?!
  
VERY COOL! Was formatting a nightmare, or did you enjoy it? 

Getting the color profile correct for printing was tricky.  
I did not enjoy this part. I also experienced some decision fatigue when it came to the size of the book, the paper coating, and binding. It was nice that PrintNinja sent a packet with physical examples to look at. That helped a lot. Still, it was a little daunting for me to lock in on something.

About how long did it take?

I believe it was close to a year and a half.  

Did you have to hire someone or enlist help from someone you knew, or did you do all the formatting on your own?

I used Adobe InDesign. Becca sent me the art files, and I formatted the document into a .pdf.
  
Did the publishing platform you used offer any formatting aid? If so, what was the pricing like on that, or was it offered as a complimentary service?

PrintNinja has a lot of resources and guides for formatting on their website. It was no extra cost to access these, and they’re readily available to anyone regardless if they’re using the service or not. Check out their Printing Academy.

What type of binding did you use on your book spine? And what material was your book cover?

Binding - Saddle Stitching
Size - 11x8.5
Page Count - 32
Cover Paper - 14pt Cover, Gloss
Cover Finish - Gloss Lamination
Inside Paper - 85 lb Text, Matte
Color Options - Full Color  

I know you have your book in paperback form— do you have a hardcover available as well? If not, is that something you may do in the future?

I would absolutely love to see BIRD AND THE TREE in board book form. I think the illustrations would really lend to it. Currently, it is only in paperback.  

Do you have any other digital or audio options available to download THE BIRD AND THE TREE? 

Not yet, but I want to. I would love to create an animated version as well. 

Did you run into any snags along the road of publication? If so, how did you overcome them?

We had some problems getting the correct color profile out of Procreate. Even though the document was set to CMYK, when it was exported, it was converted to RGB. How and why that happened are still over my head. We ended up converting the Procreate file to a .psd (Photoshop) file and exporting it from there as a CMYK file.  

Basically, the CMYK color profile is best for print, and the RGB color profile is best for viewing on screens. So because our initial submission was in RGB, the colors Becca used would have looked muddy or slightly different in print.  
There was also an issue with the bleed (the area of the page that would be trimmed):  just that extra needed to be added. 

That was a learning process for me.
 I wanted to make sure the books arrived before Christmas. There was a long process from print to ship, and we were approaching the fall season. PrintNinja is located in China. There was a Chinese National Holiday from Oct 1st - 8th in which production would be shut down. We were already delayed because we had to reject the first proof due to color profile issues. Shipping would typically take 6 weeks from overseas. We ended up paying to expedite some of the copies.

We were able to reject the proof in time and make the changes needed with the bleed and the color profile. Thankfully, the books arrived just in time for the Christmas season. Many of our friends purchased them as gifts for their family members.

Unfortunately, a number of books got damaged in transit, but PrintNinja issued a small refund to rectify the problem.  

What are some advantages and disadvantages that you’ve personally experienced along your independent publishing journey? 

I think the good has outweighed the bad. I can’t say enough how supported I felt to have funded this on Kickstarter. Becca helped a lot with that too. Having creative control was a huge advantage. It also helped that I have a background through both education and work that helped me understand a lot of the technical aspects of self-publishing. I already had the Adobe Creative Suite to use InDesign for assembling the pages. If I didn’t understand a part of the process, I knew how to find those resources.
I wouldn’t call it a disadvantage, but on the flip side, because creating this book has been a one-stop shop if I slow down (which I have with the birth of my son), the book, in a way, slows down.

I would like to have more of a web presence for the book using SEO and other social media campaigns, but it has been gradual. To solve this, I could probably focus on a little more delegation in 2023… and time management. This amuses me to imagine, but maybe writing a blog post or creating a reel while my toddler has a snack and my three-month-old naps.  

If you had it to do all over again, would you still go the self-publishing route? Why or why not?

I would… but I would also like to see what it would be like to submit to a publisher to have that experience.
Any final words of advice to share with our readers?
I realized after the fact that the spine of the book matters. It is very important to have a spine so that you can see the title of the book from the side. Some local Nashville sellers have turned down the book (even when they liked the story) to carry in their shops as a result of the saddle stitched spine.  

Whew! We made it through all the shop talk. Now, time for some fun questions…

Tell us a little about yourself. Do you have any hobbies outside of writing?

I do! I have a few hobbies:  papercraft (cardmaking, stickers, and, more recently, bookbinding), photography, and digital design. These are things I get into while being a stay-at-home mom. Also, last fall, I started a folk trio called Smoke and Ember.  

Do you have any siblings? Are you a middle, oldest, or youngest?

I am the oldest. I have a younger brother, by five years.    
What about your family? I know you have two little ones now! Do you and your hubby plan for more children down the road?
Up until baby number two, I think we were certain that two would be it. That’s probably right. However, if another baby would ever happen to happen, I think I’d be okay with it.  

Are your family all readers?
 
My husband reads occasionally. He reads autobiographies and instruction manuals. My daughter Elena still rips a lot of her paper books, but her favorites right now are Finding Nemo and a Disney Princess Little Golden book about The Little Mermaid. 

Do you have any pets? 

I have two pets! A dog and a cat. The cat was first. His name is Nash. I got him from a friend when I moved back to Georgia for a year in 2015. So in a way, he was my first child, haha. He likes drinking water from the faucet and birdwatching from our bedroom window.
The dog is Graham. He is an F1 Golden Doodle. He has a lot more Golden Retriever in him than Poodle. His hair is straight, sometimes, it waves when it is wet. He loves sticks and playing keep away. He is very gentle around my toddler. I got him a few months before I found out I was pregnant. He has been a very good sport about sharing the attention.

How cute are they! And thank you for sharing pictures. We LOVE pictures!

If you could travel anywhere in the world, and stay as long as you wanted, without the restriction of work responsibilities or financial restrictions, where would you go, and how long would you stay?

I’ve never been, but the pictures convince me that this place is amazing. I’d want to go to Lake Como in Italy. I would find a coffee shop with a waterfront view, set up my portable watercolor kit, and just study the views:  the colors of the houses, the boats, and the shiny blue water. Oh, that would be so fun.

If you could describe your perfect day, what would it look like?

Hmm, maybe the day I just described at Lake Como. Well, in reality, I think the perfect day is when I get everything on my to-do list done while also being the mom my kids need me to be. It’s a day where everything is balanced perfectly. There is work and play, rhythm and calm. The rhythm of the day is like a song. At the end of the day after the main swell of the music, I can sit and look at the stars from my back deck and be thankful. I guess it’s a day where I can successfully be everything to everybody and everything to myself all at the same time. Ha ha. Seems like a far reach.

If you could meet any fictional book character(s) who would it/they be?

The Count of Monte Cristo.
Miss Clavel from the Madeline books.  

Oh my goodness. Amazing choices!

If you were an animal, what animal would you be?

Lynx. I like cats. Lynx strikes me as both beautiful and fierce.  

If you could have one superpower, what would it be?

Super speed.

What’s your favorite color?

Mauve, in various shades

Thank you, Brittany, for your time in answering all these questions.
 
To find Brittany’s book, THE BIRD AND THE TREE visit: 

Her website www.brittwut.com 
Or Instagram @britwut

Did you enjoy this interview? Support this author by purchasing their book HERE! Using this direct purchase links also supports this blog.