20 Questions: Get to Know Soaring '20s Authors

Welcome back to our series, 20 QUESTIONS!,

where we answer questions about writing, reading, and author life.

This month’s question:

What’s one random fact that people might not know about you?

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Candy Wellins

“I went to high school in a castle!”

—Candy Wellins, author of THE STARS BECKONED: Edward White’s Amazing Walk in Space, illus. Courtney Dawson (Philomel, 2021)

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Joana Pastro

“I played the foreign character in a community theater production of Chicago a few years ago. Instead of being Hungarian, my character was Brazilian and was called Brazuca. I loved it!”

—Joana Pastro, author of BISA’S CARNAVAL, illus. Carolina Coroa (Orchard Books, 2021)

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M. O. Yuksel

“I helped build the first church in Nueva Rosita, a small village in Mexico on a college volunteer program.”

—M. O. Yuksel, author of ONE WISH: Fatima Al-Fihri and the World’s Oldest University, illus. Mariam Quraishi (HarperCollins, 2022)

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Anna Crowley Redding

“There are THREE lighthouses in my town!”

—Anna Crowley Redding (COURAGE LIKE KATE: The True Story of a Girl Lighthouse Keeper, illus. Emily Sutton, Random House Studio, August 2022)

20 Questions: Advice For Aspiring Authors And Illustrators

Welcome back to our series, 20 QUESTIONS!,

where we answer questions about writing, reading, and author life.

This month’s question:

What’s your top piece of advice for aspiring authors and illustrators of all ages?

Darshana Khiani

Follow your curiosity.

—Darshana Khiani, author of HOW TO WEAR A SARI, illus. Joanne Lew-Vriethoff (Versify, 2021)

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Kelly Carey

It’s very easy to get stuck in the “thinking about” phase of becoming a writer. To get over that hurdle, aspiring writers need to build intention and structure around their writing. This can mean committing to writing at least twenty minutes a day or devoting a specific day a week to writing. I’m partial to Writing Wednesdays—it has that nice alliteration. Your writing dream needs a concrete plan and goals. For help with that check out www.24CarrotWriting.com, a goal-setting blog I host with fellow authors. It’s full of good advice and help as you kick off your writing journey.

—Kelly Carey, author of HOW LONG IS FOREVER?, illus. Qing Zhuang (Charlesbridge, 2020)

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Kim Rogers

My top answer will always be this: READ, READ, READ, and READ some more. It’s the best way to see how books are written, which ones work and which ones don’t, and what is currently selling in the marketplace.

—Kim Rogers (Wichita), author of JUST LIKE GRANDMA, illus. Julie Flett (Cree-Métis) (Heartdrum/HarperCollins, winter 2023)

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Anna Crowley Redding

Run your own race! It’s easy to compare yourself to others, but then you aren’t focused on what you need to do. And you can end up feeling like your efforts/talents/etc. are not enough. Wake up each day and focus on what YOU need to do to take the next step in your journey. Run your own race.

—Anna Crowley Redding, author of COURAGE LIKE KATE, illus. Emily Sutton (Random House Studio, August 2022) 

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Colleen Paeff

Keep a toe in the water. Life will throw situations at you that can make it hard to stay focused on building a career in writing, and during those times you may be tempted to get out of the pool completely. Don’t do it! Even if you aren’t writing, keep reading like a writer, watch writing-focused webinars, listen to podcasts about publishing, take the occasional writing workshop, jot down story ideas. When life eases up and you’re ready to dive back into writing, you’ll be a much stronger swimmer—er, writer—than you were before.

—Colleen Paeff, author of THE GREAT STINK: How Joseph Bazalgette Solved London’s Poop Pollution Problem, illus. Nancy Carpenter (Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2021)

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20 Questions: Favorite Childhood Books

20 Questions: Favorite Childhood Books

Welcome back to our series, 20 QUESTIONS!,

where we answer questions about writing, reading, and author life.

This month’s question:

What was one of your favorite childhood books and why?

Robert McCloskey’s One Morning in Maine was a favorite picture book of mine as a child because it transported me to another world—an island in Maine. There were many things that pulled me in: the sensory details in the text and illustrations (I could smell the salty ocean and feel the slippery seaweed), the two sisters who reminded me of myself and my sister, the dog (my parents wouldn’t let me have one, so Penny was my substitute), the everyday adventure of island life, and the way the whole community was interested in Sal’s problem (her lost tooth). Such is the power of a picture book that I now live in Maine (and have a dog who looks a bit like Penny)!

—Melanie Ellsworth, author of BATTLE OF THE BOOKS, illus. James Rey Sanchez (Little Bee Books, 2022)

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I grew up in the same small, not-famous-at-all town as author and illustrator Stephen Kellogg. I have a signed copy of his book, The Island of the Skog. He wrote my name on the inside in big bubble letters and even drew a skog. Holding his book in my hands and knowing that he lived where I lived made me think, for the first time, that I could be a writer too. And the book is awesome! As I sign copies of my book for kids, I’m always secretly hoping it might spur on their own publishing dreams. 

—Kelly Carey, author of HOW LONG IS FOREVER?, illus. Qing Zhuang (Charlesbridge, 2020)

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I adored Nancy Drew. She was focused, so curious, and had so much agency and gumption. Her process spoke to me but also her ability to show up and get the job done. She really inspired me. I also deeply loved Mildred Taylor’s Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry. I was growing up in the South, and Taylor’s book opened my heart and eyes in such a profound way and really ignited this sense of injustice and service in me. I am so grateful for these books!

—Anna Crowley Redding, author of COURAGE LIKE KATE, illus. Emily Sutton (Random House Studio, August 2022)

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My favorite books as a child were the FRANCES books from Russell and Lillian Hoban, specifically Bread and Jam for Frances. I felt alone amongst siblings and friends as a picky eater, and the neighborhood kids would sometimes stand out on the sidewalk yelling for me to hurry up and finish my dinner so I could come out and play! Frances made me feel seen, and she, just like me, sang songs to reflect and navigate life’s hurdles. She is still a character I identify with all these years later!

—Julie Rowan-Zoch, illustrator of NOT ALL SHEEP ARE BORING!, written by Bobby Moynihan (G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers, September 2022)

My favorite book as a child was one that made me laugh out loud till my belly ached! The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales by Jon Scieszka and illustrated by Lane Smith. I loved their spin on traditional fairy tales, all the “stupid” jokes and the way the book interacts with the reader. It was the first book I’ve ever read that had such an unconventional way of storytelling, as well as arrangement of text and illustrations! Needless to say, it left an impression. Perhaps that’s why I’m so drawn to creating humorous picture books too!

—Isabella Kung, author and illustrator of NO SNOWBALL! (Orchard Books, November 2022)