Follow-up Interview with
Lisa Wheeler (2006)
by Debbi Michiko Florence
What have you been working on since the last time we chatted?
A picture book about dinosaurs playing hockey (sold), a book of poems that are sort of a Mother Goose parody (sold), and quite a few ideas that went nowhere. I seem to spend more time working on author talks and workshops these days, leaving less time for my creative works.
I loved BUBBLE GUM BUBBLE GUM. How did this idea spark? Can you "walk us through" the journey of this particular story?
The idea began when my niece spit a piece of gum out of the car window. Her father scolded her and she said, "But it's gum. It's biodegradable." He said, "You have no idea what will happen to that gum in the road." I was in the car with my notebook and I wrote, "Shannon's gum in the road. What happens to it?" Months later, I came upon that entry and saw the gem of an idea. I decided to find out what happened to that gum.
Since we were in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, driving along a wooded stretch of road when the gum incident occurred, I naturally enlisted a few animals to play a part.
The biggest obstacle with BUBBLE GUM, BUBBLE GUM was the rhyme scheme. It was very tricky to maintain. If I moved one thing, everything else fell. It was like building a house of cards. Structurally, it was one of the most difficult books I've written. Yet it looks so simple! When I read it now, it flows naturally, and I forget all the problems it caused me a few years back.
I worked on the book for nearly a year before I felt it was ready. Little, Brown & Co, who published PORCUPINING, seemed right for the manuscript and my agent sent it to my editor there.
I love the art! Laura Huliska Beith did an amazing job.
When I wrote the book, I was picturing cute and fuzzy. I am eternally grateful that my editor knew better.
I was notified in January that BUBBLE GUM, BUBBLE GUM won the 2005 Missouri Building Blocks Award. How cool is that?
(Debbi says: Totally cool! Congratulations!)
So all of you new writers out there, be sure to keep a notebook and never dismiss anything as a dumb idea.
Do you have a critique group/critique partners? If so, how did you find them? What's your process of sharing work and feedback?
I belong to an online group of published picture book authors. We come from four different states. These are all women I have met over the years and I trust their opinions. I need a group that will be hard on me. I need people who will be honest with me. My group is tough.
I also have a few close-by writer friends. We try to get together once-in-a-while to critique our work. As the years go by, we are all busier and busier and get-togethers are few and far between. That is why email is so wonderful.
In my online group, we just submit to the whole group and then wait for the feedback to come in. We don't have any rules about how often and whose turn it is. We're all respectful and critique hogging hasn't been a problem.
You mentioned previously that you love dogs. Did you know that this is The Year of the Dog (Chinese astrology)? What will you do to make this year special for your favorite dog/s?
I didn't know it was The Year of the Dog! Well, now I have a reason to go shopping. Ha-ha. I just found out yesterday that my book SEADOGS won the Texas Bluebonnet Award. I guess all those kids in Texas must've known whose year it is.
(Debbi says: Wow! Congratuations again!)
Perhaps I should write another dog book this year and dedicate it to my two favorite balls of fur.
What advice do you have for beginning/aspiring children's writers?
As always, READ, READ, READ!!
I cannot imagine trying to write a picture book if I hadn't read hundreds first. Same goes for poetry, easy readers, etc. Know what is out there to know your craft. Immerse yourself in this world of children's books. That is not just the first step, it is the journey.
Interview Update © Copyright 2006 by Debbi Michiko Florence.
See also my earlier interviews with Lisa Wheeler,
in 2003 and 2004.
what's new?
You can read about Lisa and her books at her web site.
See also my earlier interviews with Lisa Wheeler, in 2003 and 2004.
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