Interview with Tonya Duncan Ellis

KidLit Alert!

Self-Published & Traditionally Published

Tonya Duncan Ellis

and the Sophie Washington Series

Readers, writers, and Bookish People - please welcome the amazing Tonya Duncan Ellis to Teazurs Blog. We met on Instagram, where I was seeing some cool posts, so I reached out for an interview. I'm so glad she said yes! From self-published to agented, Tonya's done it all. 

Hello, Tonya,

You loved libraries as a child. What did you love the most? 

My main memory was coming out of the library with a large bag of books. I loved browsing the shelves and checking out the covers of the latest reads. 

Maya Angelou was a great inspiration for you. Who else has helped you along your writer’s path? 

There are too many to number. Editors from newspaper and magazine jobs...other writers whose work I admire,.. librarians and teachers who encouraged me to read and write. The list goes on and on. 

What motto do you live by? 

"Whatever the mind can conceive and 

believe the mind can achieve."

You said that after you became a mother, you wanted to write characters that looked and acted like your kids….what are some of the differences you write in your characters that you’d love for kids to learn about or notice? 

My books include a diverse cast of characters, but I'm happy when readers of other races find my books relatable and notice that the African American characters have many of the same experiences as they do. I want readers to recognize that all stories about the African American community don't center on trauma or hardship since so many that are published do. 

Why is it important for young readers to diversify their reading choices? 

As psychologist Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop says, books are mirrors, windows and sliding glass doors, giving readers insights into themselves, and other people, and helping them to vicariously experience other lives and cultures. 

Reading diverse books teaches young readers about different people, places, and things and also conveys that though we may differ in appearance or background, common elements of humanity make us the same in so many ways. 

If you could be any book character, even one you invent, who would you be and why? 

I'd rather be myself than any book character. As a wife and mom of three, my life has plenty of drama in it! 

What gave you the bravery to become an author? 

When I wrote my first book, a friend told me I was brave, and I was surprised. I've never considered writing an act of bravery. From a young age, I've kept journals and loved writing.  It's something that I've always done. Before becoming a children's author, I worked as a journalist for years, so I am used to having my writing read publicly. Becoming an author was a continuation of a path I started as a child. 

How easy or difficult has it been to get your work out into the world? 

I started out self-publishing, so it was fairly simple to have my books published through Amazon and Ingram Spark, a publishing company for independent authors. Marketing the books once they are published takes a lot of time and effort. I have an MBA degree with a concentration in marketing and actually enjoy marketing tasks, which helps. I am now agented and going through the process of having books traditionally published, so that takes time, patience, and a thick skin to deal with rejection. 

You are on Instagram. That’s how we met. What has been the best thing about social media for your writing? 

Social media has been a key factor 

in the success of my book series. 

Once I started posting images of children with my books, word about them spread throughout the nation and the world. I wouldn't be where I am in my author career without social media. 

You volunteered to knit blankets for hurricane survivors. What was that like to be a part of something bigger than yourself? How can others get involved? 

It was amazing to help others in this way. After Hurricane Harvey hit Houston, where I live, thousands were displaced, and over one hundred students from my sons' school were flooded out of their homes. One lady who received a blanket I knit came to me in tears and said that curling up in the blanket in the evenings comforted her. She and her family were forced to live on the upper level of their home for a few months when the rest of their house was destroyed. This effort came through a Care team at my son's school. In regular times the group knits blankets for people with illnesses, death in the family or other issues. 

For the young people out there who want to write a novel, what words of advice do you have for them?  

Read widely in the genre that you are interested in writing in and write daily in a journal. Reading gives you that writing instinct and keeps you in touch with what's popular in current literature. 

If I gave you a megaphone and the whole world would listen… What one sentence would you shout? 

Love one another, and live in peace! 

You are a member of SCBWI - why? What do you love about the organization? How has it helped you? 

I joined SCBWI around 2018 to be part of a writer's community where I could hone my craft, get support and learn more about marketing my books. I love all the resources SCBWI offers, like monthly speakers, critique groups, and writer's conferences. Membership has benefited me tremendously. I've learned so much that has helped me improve as a writer and I've made valuable connections that have expanded my author career. 

In 2021 I won an SCBWI Austin chapter writing mentor award, and this year I won an SCBWI Marketing Grant that helped me get the word out about my work. I've presented on marketing at my Houston SCBWI chapter. In February 2023 I'll be teaching two intensives on marketing at SCBWI's Winter Conference in New York City. It's a great organization for children's authors to improve their craft and network. 

You belong to Black Creators in KidLit. What is that? Why should others get involved? How has it helped you? 

Black Creators in KidLit is a community of Black creatives (writers and illustrators) that offers support and information about publishing industry opportunities.  

In 2021 eight percent of traditionally published children's books featured Black characters, and less than half of those were written by Black authors. 

The group works to increase the number of published Black creatives. I joined about a year ago and got involved as a member of one of their picture book critique groups, which was a source of great support. 

Where can young people and other writers meet you in person?  

I'm winding down on events this year, but children interested in meeting me can have their schools contact me for visits through my website at tonyaduncanellis On December 9 (Today - So I hope I see you there), I'll be attending an author event at the John Cooper School in the Woodlands, TX. The next event I have will be in January at a Houston area school. 

What is Sophie’s Club, and why should we sign up for it? 

Sophie's Club is my email newsletter. Members get information about my upcoming books and appearances and chances to win prizes. This past week a member won six new children's books in a Thanksgiving promotion. You can join through my website at tonyaduncanellis. 

Writing diverse books is great….but how do we get people to buy diverse books? What can we say or do to cross-pollinate our readers? 

Diverse books are best sellers. I don't see any issue in getting people to buy them, except when they are banned. Children love to read great stories. If the story is good with interesting characters, they want to read it, whatever the character's background. 

If you could have a conversation with your younger self about being creative and writing. What would you tell her? 

Take detailed notes on all your travels and experiences. They'll be great material for future books. 

Have you taken any writing courses that others should take? What did you learn? 

I've taken workshops through the Highlights Foundation that I highly recommend. They offer virtual and on-site courses on all areas of kid lit, from writing non-fiction to picture books, to chapter books, to novels in verse. Taking these courses has definitely improved my work. This is a great place to start if you are interested in learning more about writing children's books. 

We writers love to be creative, but now we must market ourselves, too. How do you do it, and what is your advice for other writers? 

There's no cookie-cutter answer to this question, as marketing varies depending on the topic and genre of your book. There are many online resources and books available to learn about marketing. If you lack knowledge, I'd recommend you start learning how to market your book while you're writing it because this will be key to getting your work in the hands of readers once it's published. 

What’s the best part about visiting schools as an author?

 

The best part is interacting with the children. They really are my "why." I love seeing their interest and excitement and encouraging them to explore literature. 

What’s the funniest or craziest thing a child has said to you about writing or your books? 

The funniest question a child asked me was, 

"Do you do anything besides read and write?" 

I guess I truly am a book nerd! 

What question would you ask yourself? 

I'd ask, "What's your next book?"  

I'm working on a middle-grade novel and have also started writing picture books. 

___________________________________________

Thanks so much for featuring me on your blog, Angie! 

This was fun. 

Oh, this was my pleasure, Tonya! Your path is one we all can admire and learn from, so thank you for sharing. We will be looking out for your Debut Middle-Grade...

If you'd like to contact Tonya, please use her links below:

Tonya Duncan Ellis: 

Instagram &

Writer's Website

                    

And If you'd like to be interviewed on the Teazurs blog, please reach out to angazur@mac.com  

Write~on

Angie

Debut Author Matt McMann

KidLit ALERT!

Interview with traditionally published 

Monsterious Series Debut Author

Matt McMann

Hello Fellow Bookish Friends,

Please welcome Matt McMann to the Teazurs Blog. We met on Instagram, and I reached out for an interview after checking out his books and his website. He's a spooky guy. I hope you and your kids will get to know him and read his Monsterious Books! 

Hello Matt, 

From accomplished musician to middle-grade author - you’re living a great creative life. What has being creative done for your being/soul? How has being creative helped you emotionally?

    On some level, we all hunger to be heard and to connect with others. Creativity, be it through performing music or writing, is one of the ways I satisfy that hunger. It allows me to express my thoughts and feelings in a form that hopefully appeals to some people enough that they listen, which then creates a bond between us that is good for my soul. Also, the sheer act of creative expression is extremely satisfying emotionally.

You loved spooky mystery adventure books as a kid….why? What draws you to the spooky side of things? Do you like being scared?

I’ve loved all things spooky for as long as I can remember.

    Maybe it’s because I was a shy, timid, scared kid, and so many things in life felt out of my control. In spooky stories, I got to experience those feelings in a safe way and see the characters overcome their frightening situations. It helped me develop a positive association with those emotions and gain the belief that I could overcome my real-life trials.  

You and your wife are authors, and she is a New York Times bestselling author. Are you competitive with one another? How do you work together? What should you never ask the other to do?

    I’m the luckiest debut author in the world because I have my wife, Lisa McMann as my writing coach. She has blazed a trail for me to follow through the incredibly challenging world of traditional publishing and has taught me so much. I’ll always be grateful to her for that.
    We’re both competitive people, but when it comes to being an author, there is zero contest at this point. She has published 29 books, many of them New York Times bestsellers, and has entire shelves at bookstores dedicated to her work. As I’m writing this, I’m over five months away from my first books even coming out. 

Any competition between us would be like 

a kitten taking on a T-Rex!

    Even though she’s far down the road in her writing career and I’m just starting out, we’ve always worked together. I’ve been her first reader and given her edit notes since her very first book, and I still edit her first drafts before she turns them in to her editor. She does the same for my books, though with her experience, I get the better end of that deal! We also help each other brainstorm new books and titles and how to solve plot problems, especially during our morning walks in our neighborhood.
    The one thing we never ask the other to do is actually write each other’s books. We give advice, feedback, and ideas, but it’s always up to each of us to do the actual writing of our own work.



Your whole family is a creative hub - how did you instill creativity in your children? Were you hands-on or hands-off in getting them into the arts?

    Our kids found their own way into the arts. We always tried to support any artistic interest they had and provide whatever supplies, classes, and performing opportunities they needed, but the impetus came from them. 
 

   That said, they grew up with me as a musician and watched their mom develop a highly successful writing career from hard work, talent, and sheer will. Our daughter often credits the example my wife set for giving her the belief that she could make it as an actor.
    I think one of the biggest things that helped both of our kids develop careers in the arts was our unwavering belief that acting and illustration were viable career paths as long as they were willing to put in the work.

What got you writing in middle school? Why did you write?

    It was a creative writing assignment in English class. My teacher passed out a piece of paper with a picture of a decrepit old mansion on it along with story prompt questions like, “What is this house? Who lives there? What happens inside?” That led me to write my first spooky story, which I have posted on my website (MattMcMann) in all its twelve-year-old writer glory.
    I went on to win the grade-wide writing contest in both 7^th and 8^th grades. The key moment for me was when Mr. Douglas, my 7th-grade English teacher, read the first chapter of my winning story aloud to the class. He said, “If the writing had continued at this level for the rest of the story, I’d have suggested it be published.” 

His encouragement was the catalyst 

for me believing I could be an author. 

Which NFL stadium did you play at? What team is your favorite? (I’m a Steelers fan, FYI)

    I just did a one-time group gig at the stadium where the Arizona Cardinals play. I’m honestly not a big football fan, but I do remember enjoying watching the Steelers as a kid when Terry Bradshaw, Lynn Swan, and Franco Harris played. Yes, I just seriously dated myself!



Where do your story ideas come from? Do they flash in your head like dreams, or do you sit and come up with ideas?

    My story ideas usually come from an observation. Of my three currently unpublished books, the first was inspired by a loose floor tile—what might be under there? My second was inspired by seeing an unusual fence—what might be behind it? My third was inspired by a very vivid dream.
    The Monsterious series, my spooky middle-grade monster mystery debut, was inspired by a misspoken word. My wife Lisa was reading an article to me and mistakenly said “monsterious” instead of “mysterious.” I said, “That sounds like a middle-grade book.” She replied, “No, it’s a whole series, and you should write it.” So I did!
    The catalyst for the first book in the Monsterious series, Escape from Grimstone Manor, was an online photo of a gargoyle statue that promoted a ride at an amusement park. That inspired the story of three friends who get trapped overnight in a haunted house amusement park ride and discover the monsters are real.
    The idea for book two in the series, The Snatcher of Raven Hollow, came from a baby stroller abandoned by the road that my wife and I saw years ago. At the time, she said, “What if there was a baby in there?” When I was putting together ideas for Monsterious books, I used that abandoned stroller as the starting point for a story about two friends who learn that a monster is behind the baby kidnappings in their small town—but no one believes them.

Why should kids read your books? What do you hope they feel while reading?

I want kids who read my books to enjoy spooky thrills, laugh, fall more in love with reading, and learn that they are strong enough to overcome the monsters in their own lives. I hope these stories ignite their imagination and inspire them to express their creativity. 

Do you have an agent? If so, how did you get that agent? Any advice for writers querying?

    I had a very unusual and fortunate path to getting my agent. I’d known him for years as he was my wife’s long-time agent. While I was working on my first novel, we had plans to meet him for dinner. My wife Lisa said I should prepare a pitch for my book, so I’d be ready when he asked what I was up to. I worked on it for days to get it smooth and tight, completely memorized. Over dinner, I had the chance to give him the pitch, and he was interested enough to agree to look at the manuscript.
    After his first read, he said there was potential but that it needed a lot of work. He gave me great notes and said if I was willing to do significant edits, he was willing to read it again. I really worked hard to do everything he suggested, and after his second read, he signed me!
    Obviously, my path to an agent isn’t one most aspiring authors can replicate, but they can learn from my wife. She got her agent by really learning the craft of how to write a query letter, researching reputable agents who were looking for her type of book, and scrupulously following the submission rules for each. Websites like agentquery are a great place to start. For kids and YA writers, the Society for Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) has fantastic resources and information on finding an agent and the whole publishing journey.

 What about monsters gets you excited to write novels about them?

    I’ve been fascinated with monsters for as long as I can remember. I checked out every book from my elementary school library on Bigfoot, Yeti, the Loch Ness Monster, werewolves, vampires, you name it. The spooky mystery of creatures unknown to science roaming the dark places of the world captivated my imagination then, and it still does today.
    When I set out to pursue my dream of being an author, I decided to write the kinds of books that I’ve always loved—spooky monster adventures. I want to give kids the same kind of thrill that I had all those years ago and help them fall in love with reading because a kid who reads is far more likely to succeed academically and become a more well-rounded, knowledgeable, and mature adult. 

If you could be any Monster - even one you create right now - what monster would you be and why?

    

    The werewolf has always been a favorite of mine. There’s something compelling about the idea of being able to live as a human, but for one night a month, run free as a powerful wild beast. Except for all the killing, of course! I would rather skip that part.

What was your biggest fear as a kid, and how did you conquer it?

    My parents hung a painting of a sad clown at the top of the stairs near my bedroom. It terrified me. How did I get over it? It may have mysteriously disappeared one day. How did that happen? Don’t ask me because I had nothing to do with it. Really.

You posted the very first spooky story you wrote as a kid on your website - and you got an A- on it!! Congratulations. Will this story ever become a part of a novel? Or a novel itself?

    Thank you, but I’m going to go with no. My middle school English teacher (hi, Mr. Douglas) must have been grading on a curve. It’s bad. But that’s okay because that’s how most of us start—you have to write poorly before you can learn to write well.

What is your favorite book out of your wife’s novels?

She’s written so many that I’m going to cheat and pick three:

Cryer’s Cross – this is the scariest of all her books which is one of the many reasons I love it!

The Unwanteds – I’m a fan of origin stories, and this is the first of 14 books in this incredible magical world she created. My love of beginnings is partly why I wrote my Monsterious series in an anthology style—all the books live in the same series, but each is a standalone spooky adventure, so they can be read in any order. Every book has the comforting familiarity of a series, yet it’s also something new.

Clarice the Brave – this is the most beautiful book she’s ever written. The voice and language are exquisite. 

Who was the writer first, you or your wife? When did you two both decide to become authors? And was that weird in any way?

    We both wanted to be writers since we were kids, but she was the first to pursue it seriously. She tried to get published right out of college but couldn’t handle the rejection at that point and quit for ten years. Then she got back into it as a hobby and started writing short stories. She won a prize in an international short story contest and used that as a springboard to write novels. The third book she wrote got her an agent, hit the New York Times bestseller list as her debut in 2008, and she just published her 29^th book!
    When I was burning out after a 26-year music career in 2017, she encouraged me to follow my childhood dream of being an author. She has always been incredibly supportive, thinking of writing as something we could share, so her choosing that attitude kept it from being weird. There have been struggles, of course, as she became my writing coach—she had the challenge of training a newbie, and I had to embrace the teacher/student dynamic in our relationship. But overall, it’s fantastic! I love that we can bounce ideas off each other, commiserate with each other, and just enjoy the wild ride of author life together.

What’s the funniest thing a reader has ever said to you? 

KID AT ONE OF LISA’S BOOKS SIGNINGS: “Will you sign this book?” (hands me my wife’s book)
ME: “Oh, I didn’t write that. Only she did.”
KID: “Please?”
ME: “Okay, sure.”

KID AFTER ONE OF LISA’S SCHOOL VISITS: “Hey, are you her husband?”
ME: “Yep.”
KID: “You’ve got a pretty cool wife, man.”
ME: “Truth.”

If I gave you a megaphone and the whole world would listen, what one sentence would you yell?

“You are deeply loved just as you are.”

What do you love most about being a children’s book author? What do you hate?

    I love the creative outlet, the ability to entertain, inspire, and connect with readers, the freedom of being my own boss, the flexibility to set my own schedule and work from anywhere, and staying in my sweatpants all day!
    I hate the waiting—traditional publishing moves painfully slow at times—and the uncertainty of success.

What was the publishing path like for you? Any shocks along the way? Anything super easy or difficult?

    I was incredibly fortunate to get signed by the first agent that I pitched. He decided to start with an exclusive submission of my first book to a single editor. She liked it and gave me notes, and asked if I’d revise. I did her revisions, and she took it to her team. I couldn’t believe it! I was going to get a book deal on my first submission!
    And then I didn’t. She ultimately passed. My agent sent my book out to a first wave of editors, then a second wave, then a third. They all passed. After a year on submission, we pulled that book and sent out my second one (author tip: always work on the next thing. Use the painful waiting time to keep writing, keep producing, and keep honing your craft).
    The second book received another long list of rejections (author tip: the book receives the rejections, not you. That’s a hard mindset to have because our writing feels so personal, but if you can find that perspective, it will help you survive the long and rocky journey to becoming a published author).
    My third book never even went out on submission. I came up with the Monsterious series idea as my agent was about to send book two out again. He felt strongly enough about it that he paused sending out book two and did an exclusive offer of book four (Monsterious), and it sold immediately in a four-book deal to Penguin Random House.

How do you revise your first draft? Are there any tools you’d advise writers to use?

    I’m still learning what works best for me in writing a first draft. I’ve written one book from a paragraph idea, another from a free-flowing two-page summary, and others from chapter-by-chapter outlines. Regardless of how I get the first draft down, one thing I’ve learned is to not be afraid of having a bad first draft. Award-winning author Malinda Lo said that if writing a book is like sculpting a statue, the first draft is making the clay. The first draft helps you see what you have to work with.
    The process I’ve used for the four Monsterious books I’ve written so far has been to start by writing a chapter-by-chapter outline. In the drafting phase, I have a target word count of either 1000 or 1500 words a day. I start a new writing session by editing what I wrote in the previous session. This gets me back in the flow of the story, and when I finish the first draft, I’ve already completed one edit pass. That doesn’t work for everybody, but it does for me.
    At that point, I go back and look at my outline and any character notes I made previously. Did I hit all the plot points? Leave any loose ends? Give each character a distinct voice? Take them through an appropriate arc based on their wants and needs? With those thoughts in mind, I start from the beginning of the manuscript, looking for anything that feels abrupt, checking the pacing, and smoothing and tightening the writing.
    When I’ve done multiple passes and gotten it as tight and clean as I can, I give it to my wife. She does her edits in Word with track changes, then we talk it through, and I take notes. After completing her edits, I let it sit for a few weeks (if I have the time) and work on something else, then come back to it for a final editing pass before turning it in to my editor at Penguin.
    In terms of writing tools, I like doing my initial drafting in the writing program Scrivener, then exporting it to Word once the structure is in place. I use thesaurus.com frequently to avoid repetition and overused words.

The covers of your debut novels are spooky! Did you have a hand in the decision process? How did you choose them? What was the process like?

    I’ve been fortunate to have a lot of input on the covers for the Monsterious series. Not every author does, especially as a debut, so I’ve been very grateful to Penguin and my editors for that. 
    The first step was brainstorming the style and direction we wanted for the covers (bold colors, monster-focused, spooky but not too scary, etc.). Then my editors and I emailed each other covers of existing books that we felt captured the vibe we were going for. I was again very fortunate that my editor, agent, and I were on the same page.
    Once we’d zeroed in on a direction and feel, my editor took that info to Penguin’s art department, and they

sourced different illustrators they thought would be a good fit. My editor came to me with sample work from two different illustrators. We picked one we all loved, Ryan Quickfall, out of the UK, and fortunately for us, he was available. The art department then came up with a fantastically spooky series treatment for the Monsterious title.
    Ryan started sketching and presenting various ideas, which we would refine with input from the art and sales departments until we settled on a final cover for each book. 

Ryan really captured the vibe of the stories, 

and I’m thrilled with his work! 

While the final decisions always rest with the publisher, overall, it was a very collaborative effort, and I couldn’t be happier with the results.

You’re on Instagram - that’s how we met - do you think social media helps authors sell books? Or is it more support between writers? What do you get out of it?

    I think social media is a great place for authors to build connections with potential readers, other authors, and gatekeepers like booksellers, teachers, and librarians. That’s how I believe it functions best—a place to make connections vs. a sales platform. Having a large number of followers on social media is great, but that doesn’t often translate to high book sales.     

    Using social media to allow other book lovers to get to know me as a person, as well as learning about my books, will hopefully lead those who are really interested to visit my website and sign up for my newsletter. Then I can communicate with them in a more targeted way and provide them with additional content I think they’ll enjoy. Those are the people who are much more likely to actually buy one of my books.

    I highly recommend the Book Marketing Simplified podcast. It’s fantastic and has been hugely helpful to me in understanding the role of social media and shaping my thinking about author marketing in general.

And what is the one question you would ask yourself: Why didn’t you start writing sooner?

    I’m a person who thrives in routine and finds it hard to make big changes. Switching careers in my late forties was quite a leap, and I waited longer than I should have out of fear of failure and of the unknown. 

But once I took the plunge, it was so exciting! 

    There was plenty of hard work and setbacks and slogging, but I found a renewed energy and passion that I hadn’t felt in a long time. I wish I’d done it sooner!

Wow, Matt! Thanks for sharing your path on writing spooky kidlit books! You have an amazing family with multiple talents and I'm so glad we got to know you a little bit more. Good luck with your debut! 

If you'd like to connect with Matt, please check out his links below:

Website: Matt McMann 

Instagram: Matt McMann

Twitter: Matt McMann

YouTube: Matt McMann

How to support Matt (author) & Ryan (illustrator): 

1. preorder Monsterious books 1 & 2

2. sign up for Matt's newsletter on his website and receive a free original spooky short story

If you'd like to be featured on Teazurs Blog - reach out. I love promoting bookish people.

Write~on

Angie