Please describe the book.
In
This Old Band, a ragtag band of cowboys
and a cowgirl dance, play their instruments, and make noise out on the open
range while they count down from ten to one all day and night to the tune of a
familiar folk song.
As the story progressed
from inception to copy-edited version, what were the major changes?
This
was always a counting concept book that featured rugged westerners, but
initially I envisioned a story that included a duel. After many attempts and
rewrites over a number of years, it became clear to me that these characters
did not want to fight; they wanted to play!
How did those changes
come about?
I
started to think harder about concept books, what made them work, and what I
had loved to sing or chant when I was young. Once I settled on the rhythm of
"This Old Man," I shelved my original drafts and focus on ways for
this band to perform. When did you first begin work on it?
I
began working on that initial dueling story shortly after a trip to Jackson,
Wyoming in 2008, however; I think the story probably began brewing in my mind after
earlier trips I had taken to New Mexico, Arizona, and Colorado. Having grown up
in the Midwest and spending much of my time in Florida, on each of those trips west
I was captivated by how the dust and light work together, the sweeping
landscapes of valleys, peaks and mesas, the sometimes lush, sometimes sparse
vegetation, up-close wildlife and far away ranches, national forests, the good,
hearty people, the history…I need to visit again soon!
When did you finish?
The
current version felt complete in 2012 and that’s when I began submitting it to
editors.
What research was
involved before and while writing the book?
Before
writing the book, I let my imagination run with the images from my western trips.
After I had written a solid draft, I had a great discussion with fellow Hamline
Alum and reader extraordinaire, Jamie
Swenson, where she helped me clarify my purpose and the story’s focus. From
that point, as I zeroed in on the specific images featured in each spread, I verified
that those images would hang together to create the setting.
Gone Fishing, your first book, was
published in 2013. What have you learned about the business of writing since
then?
We
may write alone, but producing a book and helping it reach readers is a
wonderfully collaborative business. Before release, there is a huge amount of
behind-the-scenes work happening with the editor and her or his team to
complete the book and prepare for release – that includes artwork coordination,
layout, first and second page reviews, copy editing, internal marketing and
sales, promotions, etc. Then once the book is out in the world, teachers,
librarians, booksellers, fellow authors, friends, children and parents – any
book lover, really – can have a huge impact on how a book is received by
helping spread the word through social media, word of mouth, invitations to
events, etc. I’ve always treasured places where I can find books – libraries,
schools, and bookstores – after the release of Gone Fishing I have an added admiration for anyone who helps books reach
places where they can nurture reader.
Where do you do most of
your writing?
Lately
I've been "writing in my head" while I'm physically doing something
else that doesn't require all of my attention. For example, while I'm cleaning
or standing in line at the store, I find myself working through a plot point,
or a rhythm or rhyme structure for a poem. I'm lucky enough to have a writing
space in my home with plenty of books and a door when I need it. It's where I
go when I'm ready to get those thoughts down or ready to decipher a scribble on
a grocery receipt.
Do you remember the
first book you loved?
Yes!
It’s a counting book called Over in the
Meadow, based on the original version by Olive A. Wadsworth and illustrated
by Ezra Jack Keats. It was a gift from my grandparents and uncle and it came
with a record. I loved hearing that baritone voice chant, “Over in the meadow in the sand in the sun, lived an old mother turtle
and her little turtle one.” I’m sure I replayed that story hundreds of
times, probably driving my mother batty. That rhythm and rhyme and those images
are huge parts of my fiber as a writer and poet. I still have the book, but,
sadly, the record has disappeared.
