Interview with Keely Parrack

 KidLit Alert!

Traditionally Published, the Fabulous

Keely Parrack

Welcome, and get ready to learn more about this amazing writer, Keely! She and I met years ago and the next time you see her...ask her about the Moths. (Inside joke) Keely has had a long career as a writer who loves to write for kids. She's a mentor in-person and guides us all with her beautiful prose. 

Keely writes for YA (young adult), Poetry, and PB (picture book) audiences. She is represented by Tara Gonzalez with Erin Murphy Literary Agency. Her Young Adult novel ~ Don't Let in the Cold ~ is debuting on 9/6/2022! 

Way to go Keely!

I'm so glad she interviewed and shared her story with us.

Enjoy reading more about her below...

Where can fans connect with you? What is the next writer’s conference or retreat you are attending where fellow creators will get to speak with you?

I will be launching at Kepler’s Books, Menlo Park, 9/6/2022,

https://www.keplers.org/upcoming-events-internal/keely-parrack-stephanie-kuehn

and Towne Center Books, Pleasanton, 9/8/202 

https://townecenterbooks.com/events/highlighted-events-1

I love meeting people and chatting about books and writing! I’m hoping to do some SCBWI events in autumn and will be on a Thriller/Crime/Mystery Instagram panel in early October; details are being worked out now, so check into my social media for updates.

It is so nice to be able to actually meet people in person again!

You write for multiple ages in KidLit: Is there a favorite? What is the best thing about writing for kids in different genres?

I love writing both! 

It’s so much fun to lose myself in a dark, gritty thriller and then come up for air and write something fun and joyful and shorter! I think they use different sides of my personality, but they do share common themes, like nature, caring, and awe of the world around us. 

I love the freedom YA gives to go deep into the setting, character arcs, and plot, and for PB (picture books) they are so small, so every word has to be perfect. I see them more like a fun puzzle of how can you get across all of that with a minimal amount of words.

You’ve worked with children most of your life. What’s the funniest thing a kid ever said to you?

This is hard because I have had so many different kinds of interactions with kids, and they have taught me so much! I love chatting with kids and teens of all ages they are always fascinating. 

So, I’m going to change your question to what was the sweetest – at a recent school event, I was doing a presentation on my picture book 

MORNING, SUNSHINE! and my PowerPoint has a picture of my cat Mimi pretending to write, and a little girl ran up to me with a really cute picture she’d made of Mimi for me to take back and show her ☺.

If you could be any Super Hero (even one you make up), who/what would it be, and what are your powers?

I wish I could spell!! 

So, I would be a superhero spelling bee - and save a lot of time while writing without spell check, having no idea what word I’m trying to spell, while also saving the bees as we need them, and they are pretty fascinating :)

Pretend we are a kid in your creative writing class, and give us a prompt:

There is something under your bed, and it is terrified of you - what is it, and how can you help it lose its fear?

What are your favorite KidLit books in each of the categories you write?

There are so many gorgeous ones, but a recent favorite is OUTSIDE IN, by Deborah Underwood, illustrated by Cindy Derby. A keeper of a book!

And for YA – again so many great ones, but I’ll go with my current read, which I am loving, WE WEREN’T LOOKING TO BE FOUND, by Stephanie Kuehn.

Was there a special teacher or mentor in your background that helped you become who you are today? 

There was a really awesome sixth form English teacher, Mrs. Halle, I think her name was, who was just so passionate about English Lit!  

I went to school in the UK, so I guess it’s equivalent to AP English here. And there was an amazing Professor at Loughborough Uni, I can’t remember his name, but he taught me all about Ibsen, Strindberg, and Lorca – bliss to study with him! I also have amazing friends and critique partners that I wouldn’t have gotten this far without!

If I gave you a megaphone and the whole world would hear what you have to say, what one sentence would you shout?

You are worthy, you belong, you are enough, 

and lean into kindness.

How would newbie writers go about getting started in this book business? What one snippet of advice would help them the most?

I heard this quoted somewhere, and I have no idea who said it, but they are very wise!

Most of the time, you need at least two of these things to get published, talent, luck, and persistence. You can have luck and persistence, or talent and luck, or talent and persistence, but eventually, persistence is the strongest of the three, persistence to keep getting better and learning your craft, and persistence in staying power and not giving up!

Also, have fun, and if you’re just starting out in Kidlit, join the SCBWI Society of Children’s book writers and illustrators to get support and how-to resources and to meet some wonderful writers at all stages of their journeys all over the USA and the world!

Tell us something weird about yourself.

I am terrible at spelling and grammar, and I can’t type!

You have a new YA book coming out on 9/6/2022 - what’s the backstory? How long did it take to write? How did you set time aside to finish it? Did anything crazy happen while getting it published?

I first got the idea from staying at my friend’s cabin in Tahoe with my then-8-year-old son. It was summer and so beautiful in the daytime, surrounded by trees in the mountains, but at night it was so dark and quiet! And everything seemed eerie and threatening! 

Maybe because we were so alone, it felt like we were in this big house lit up like a goldfish bowl! And that’s when I started imagining what it would be like for a teen girl who didn’t even really want to be there but was stuck with just her step-sister, and it was winter, and there was a blackout and a tap at the back door in the middle of the night? 

It took me forever to get the story figured out. I always had Lottie, the main character, and Tahoe as the setting but probably wrote at least 5 totally different versions of the story – don’t do that!

A few months after I’d got it into polished shape, I was lucky enough to get a great agent, and she sold it! But backing up, it took 8 years to get the story right and two to sell it! My agent never gave up, and that’s one of the many reasons she is so awesome!

You’re agented through Erin Murphy Literary - how did you choose them, and what have they been the most helpful with?

I choose Tara Gonzalez as she seemed so passionate about her clients and what she was looking to rep, and she had purple hair – seriously, I wanted someone passionate and fun to rep me! 

Plus, I knew a lot of people who were with EMLA,  Erin Murphy Literary   and they were very happy with them. Also, I knew that even though Tara was new, she had all the agency support and expertise behind her. And after our phone call, I knew she was the one! 

Aspiring writers have difficulties writing query letters. Do you have any advice to share?

Don’t stress too much. Keep it simple and brief. Three paragraphs! 

1 - What is it? - description plus hook and comp titles. Why are you sending it to that agent? – MSWL list or something unique about them that makes a good fit.

2 – One paragraph outline – you don’t need to give away everything here, but make sure the stakes, tension, and character arc are clear.

3 - Over and out – any relevant published work i.e., short story – don’t stress if you have none, add membership to SCBWI or similar author organizations plus any relevant experience or skills, i.e., working at an indie bookstore, is a definite bonus!

Thank you for your time, and sign off!

If you google ‘agent query letters,’ a lot of authors have great advice and examples – good luck!

**The work is what will get you an agent, so always make sure that is as good as you can possibly get it!**

What great advice, Keely! 

Thank you for your willingness to share your writer's journey with us. I look forward to reading Don't Let in the Cold very, very soon!

For more information about Keely and her books:

Keely Parrack Website

Meet Keely in Person at Kepler's Books

Meet and Greet Keely at Towne Center Books

Connect with her on Instagram

Write~on

Angie Azur

Follow Angie in Instagram

Where's Angie Been?

 Hello Blog Readers, Writers, and SCWBI Members,

Thank you for welcoming me back from a long time away from writing and my writing friends. You want to know where I've been and what I've been doing since I began my writer's journey 15+ years ago. Well... the short of it is LIFE hit me hard. As it does for all of us at one point or another. If you can use the traumas life brings to your doorstep for growth, then you will have an arsenal of ideas and complicated characters for your novels. 

Below you will find my journey...and some great tools to help you on yours. 

Live life, play, and create!

                                                                                                                Play by Play...

• I was writing and enjoying being creative - my kids were still small, in elementary school.
• I headed off to writer's conferences and started learning more about my craft.
• I made writing friends and even got an interning job with Andrea Brown Literary Agency.
• Everything was great and easy going....my life was blessed. 

• The Universe had other plans for my growth...

       SO...

• My husband became a partner with the founder of Paleo Magazine
• We had to move to Bend, Oregon, to learn the magazine from the ground up to help it become more widely distributed.
• My kids had to leave their best friends & I had to leave my writer-wife, Victoria Piontek, and my agent internship behind.
• There were upsets and disappointments from all sides.
• I gave up my writing and put my finished novels in a drawer.

Life moved one way...without my consent (like it always does)

• Ten years flew by --- the magazine was all-consuming
• My husband - the publisher, and I, as content writer/contributor and other behind-the-scenes jobs, took all of our time and focus as our kids grew into middle schoolers.
• There were conferences and never-ending research into all things Paleo and Keto.
• My creativity was zapped....then came the family drama!
• Personal family issues took over, and for another 4 years, we were on rocky territory - not just relationship-wise but health-wise
• Then COVID hit the world, and we all hunkered down.
• My family and I learned how to live together 24/7, and we used meditation to cope with the stresses. 

                                                                                    

                                                                                        TODAY...

• I am proud to say we have come a long way, baby.
• We're back to ourselves, and I'm back to my creativity.
• Our family is together, and our health issues are on the mend.
• We have our older son in his first year of college at Warren Wilson and our younger son starting his junior year of High School.

• The timing is right for me to dust off those old books and revise, submit, and cross my fingers.

The moral of the STORY...you can do it all...LATER

• It's never too late to do what you came here to do!
• Dust off those old ideas and look at them again - you will find that your old writing is ready for your new understanding that life taught you while it sat in that drawer.
• You can have a life....a crazy, windy, bizarre, frustrating path....and be creative, too.
• It's not all or nothing.
• Reach out to your friends, and those true to you will still be there!
• Just when I thought my life was going in one direction, the Universe had other plans, and at first, I hated the Universe and its meddling. 

NOW...

• I'm excited about my creativity in a whole new way.
• I have more compassion in me. 
• I understand the voices I am hearing in my characters, and I know why they're talking to me.
• I get life in a more deep way than I did over ten years ago when everything was peachy.
• I've made it through some tough stuff, and I'm standing and still laughing.

To all you writers and artists out there that had to put aside your dreams and make it through your life as it came at you....you are not alone! 

Whatever you couldn't finish then....you can do later. 

Some advice that helped me in my most dark hours:

• 
  Journal your anger, sadness, despair, and grief.
• Meditate every time you feel like it's not worth it.
• Sleep, eat healthy, and exercise - take care of yourself.
• If you notice you are losing weight or gaining weight, reevaluate your food choices and get the help you need to stay healthy.
• Join a group - I joined a Priestess group where we learned about the Goddesses throughout many cultures. It was amazing to be around other women and to hold each other sacredly in that space.
• Tell only those you trust and are in your life for your highest and best. Many people are going through trauma, and where they are may not be where you are or want to go. Talk to others, but only those who care for you without agendas. 
• Wake up your creativity slowly and with less judgment. I started by painting with my left hand, which is my non-dominant hand. It took the judgment out of it for me and allowed me to slowly enjoy creating again. 

Wherever you are --- you are there. 

When you're ready and you feel grounded again, your creativity will be there for you. I promise. It may hibernate, but it does not abandon you!

I am here to encourage you back to yourself. 

I am here to say YOU CAN DO IT! 

The time is when you are ready.

Write~on

Angie 

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Interview with Elizabeth Rawls

KidLit Alert: The Extraordinary Illustrator & Writer

Elizabeth Rawls

I am delighted to introduce Elizabeth Rawls....an amazing and kind... Illustrator/Writer I met years ago in San Francisco. Her heart has always been one of sharing, teaching, and guiding. No wonder she's a volunteer for SCBWI. 

If you don't know Elizabeth, you should! She's one of the most loyal and friendly writers you'll have the pleasure to meet. Go up to her at the conference and introduce yourself. It will be a treat! 

Enjoy reading more about her below.

You’ve got a great headshot on your illustrator website www.ebrawlsart.com Who is the photographer? 

I am so fortunate that my son-in-law Mitch is an amateur photographer! He took my headshot and did a beautiful job. 

Do you recommend professional shots for writers and artists?

Because of my volunteer work with SCBWI (Society of Book Writers and Illustrators), it was important to me to have a headshot so I could be easily recognized, and professionally I preferred a photograph on my website. Most illustrators and authors have professional headshots especially when they get published so I would encourage a headshot for your website if at all possible.

 

I see you are part counselor, part artist - how do these two worlds blend in your illustrations? 

I was a mental health counselor for many years. I had my own private practice, then worked at Central Michigan University along with volunteer work at Hospice of Central Michigan. During this time, I counseled college students, facilitated grief groups, and developed a grief camp for children called Camp Bravery. I was especially drawn to working with children, and with an undergraduate degree in art, picture books seemed like a natural fit. 

What emotion/s are the most difficult to draw for you? 

What I find challenging is not so much drawing difficult emotions but creating a story for young readers that is neither preachy nor boring but has substance. I am still working on this :-)

 

You are the assistant regional advisor for the SCBWI Carolinas Region - what does that mean, and what do you do?

I am part of a SCBWI Regional Team that consists of a Regional Advisor (Erica Wood), another Assistant Regional Advisor (Becky Shillington), and an Illustrator Coordinator (Ashley Belote). 

I mention the Team because we do everything together, such as planning conferences, online workshops, managing volunteer coordinators, email accounts, etc. I love being part of the Team. They “have my back” as we share the workload making volunteering for SCBWI  just FUN! 

These women are so bright and innovative. Everything seems easy and enjoyable. I am so grateful to be partnering with them and supporting those in the Carolinas with a passion for children's books.

 

You love to hike - which is your favorite route in North Carolina?

We used to own a log home in Boone, NC which has a lot of wonderful hikes along the Blue Ridge highway. Now that we have relocated to Durham, NC, and bought electric bikes, we absolutely love the American Tobacco Trail, which is a paved rails to trails. 

I sometimes feel guilty riding my E-Bike because it seems like cheating, but I love pedaling long distances (with an assist from the motor) early in the morning with the wind in my hair, hearing the sounds of birds, and watching the sunrise.

 

You have amazing artwork on Instagram   https://www.instagram.com/ebrawlsart/  @Ebrawlsart - has Instagram helped you find agents/book deals/publishers? 

Thank you for the kind words about my art. I really appreciate it! I am pre-published and currently looking for an agent. I am in the process of submitting my book dummy “Calamity Wayne '' which is a humorous ‘tail’ about finding one’s talent while learning to care for others along the way (I love puns). 

So far, I have gotten very nice rejections which I count as a “win” as opposed to no response at all. 

I have learned to trust the process 

and keep doing what I love. 

As far as Instagram, most art directors will look up an illustrator's work on that platform, so I use it. I also participate in #KidLitArtPostcard, which is on Twitter, instead of sending actual postcards to art directors. 

I am on Instagram (@ebrawlsart), FaceBook (elizabeth.rawls.750) and Twitter (@EBRawlsArt).

 

What animal is your favorite to draw and illustrate?

I am really enjoying giraffes right now . . . like my Yoga Giraffe

 

 

 

Where is your next writer’s conference you are attending, and why should other illustrators and writers go?

My next conference is, of course, the Carolinas Fall Conference called “Swinging into Kidlit” from September 30 - October 2nd. I am biased because I helped select the diverse faculty, and there is a lot to offer for writers & illustrators. 

I also had the honor of my banner being selected for the conference by (outside of the region) judges, so this event is very special to me.

 

 

What medium is your favorite, and why do you use it?

I am a traditionally trained artist and love to work in watercolor and ink. I also use Photoshop to correct any mistakes and enhance my watercolors. I love the feel of paper and watercolor. This medium can be hard to control, but I love the challenge and actually find the process relaxing, fun, and surprising.

 

What one thing do you wish you would’ve been told as a young illustrator just starting out in the children’s book world?

One of the best ways I have learned to let my creativity flow is to not take myself so seriously. That concept has taken me a long time to understand. 

When I decided to not worry about being published and just become curious about my images, their stories, and how I could delight young readers, my creative energy began to flow. However, when I try to control the outcome and feel fearful about the future, I find my images are stiff, boring, and no fun!

 

How has the pandemic affected you and your art?

When the pandemic started, I felt a lot of uncertainty and fear of the future. Everything I thought would never change, did. I was really forced to “go inward” and examine my values, specifically, what was important to me, or live in a highly anxious and hypervigilant state. 

Through this introspection, I found meditation, which I really love, and also puzzles. I meditate 20 minutes a day which helps center me and also allows me to focus on my body. I am much more aware of what my body is trying to tell me i.e., I am not breathing deeply, or I am too anxious or tight, etc. 

I also found that my husband of 39 years and I love doing puzzles together. Nothing is better than having a glass of wine, relaxing, and working a puzzle together. What bliss. 

Oh, and what bliss reading about you and your work. Thank you, Elizabeth, for sharing your creative self with us. It's always a pleasure to learn from you.

To contact Elizabeth:

Email her: ebrawlsart (at) gmail.com

Check out her website: https://www.ebrawlsart.com/

Follow her on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ebrawlsart/

See you at the SCBWI Carolinas Conference!!

If you are curious about the conference, follow this link:

https://www.scbwi-carolinas-events.org/

Oh, and by the way, Elizabeth...Camp Bravery - sounds like a book to me!!! 

I look forward to reading your first book soon.

Write~on

Angie Azur

Follow Angie on Instagram