Interivew -- Heather Ayris Burnell

Today, I have an interview with my fabulous critique partner Heather Ayris Burnell, who is eagerly awaiting the launch of her first book, BEDTIME MONSTER. Join me as we learn more about Heather, her writing journey and what it's like to become a published author.

1. Hi, Heather. Thanks for dropping by my blog. I know you have a book that will come out next month. Tell us about your book. And don’t be bashful! TELL us about the book.

I do have a book coming out! It’s my debut picture book and it’s titled BEDTIME MONSTER. The story is about a little boy named Paul who does not want to go to bed. He has a tantrum so huge… so monstrous, that he turns into an actual monster. He sprouts a tail, claws, and long shaggy hair—a complete transformation. His parents have to help him calm down (and turn back into a little boy) so they can get him to bed.

BEDTIME MONSTER is illustrated by Bonnie Adamson and is being released by Raven Tree Press on September 16th. There’s going to be an English only edition as well and a bilingual English/Spanish edition, BEDTIME MONSTER/¡A DORMIR PEQUEÑO MONSTRUO! I’m really excited about it!

2. I know you live up a mountain, in an atmosphere that most people only get to see on vacation, if they are lucky. How do you feel that this life has given you a unique perspective?

Mountains are full of extremes. Extreme weather. Extreme land formations. Extreme beauty. Nothing comes easy. Just when you think you have finished something like a fence, or have removed all the big rocks from the road, or plowed all the snow so you can drive out, the mountain puts pressure on it and you have to change it or fix it or do it over again. I always have to stay alert too, for bears, rattlesnakes, and cougars.

I certainly didn’t plan it, but it seems living on this mountain has prepared me for the publishing world rather well. I have to revise my life all the time. The mountain continuously rejects me, but I don’t feel bad about it. It’s just the way mountains are. And I stay alert for publishing news as much as I stay alert for deadly animals. They can both be exhausting, and usually there’s nothing that’s life or death (at least as far as publishing news goes), but if you don’t stay alert you might miss something important. Living on a mountain and writing are both hard on the mind and body, but it’s nothing personal. Both make life an exciting, continuous learning process.

3. Do you think your experience as a librarian gives you insight into what kids want and are worried about? Can you tell us one or two things that have happened that made you feel just that much more aware of the world that kids live in?

I have a lot of fun talking about books with the kids who come into the library. I just finished a summer’s worth of storytime reading and I learned a lot doing that too. Some kids want to talk about every minute detail in a book while others are happy to enjoy the story without analyzing it.

One day while I was reading to the group—a really good story, I might add—a little girl said, “you’re wearing pink lip-gloss!” I nodded, smiled, and kept on reading. A few minutes later, with the story still in progress, she wanted to talk some more about my lip-gloss. Something that seems everyday to adults can be totally engrossing to kids. And when they want to know about it, they want to know about it now!

Also, I had a discussion with my tween reading group. They don’t understand why publishers will use a model on a book cover that looks nothing like the character described in the book. They hate it actually. It was a passionate discussion.

4. When you decided to start writing for kids, what steps did you take to learn your craft?

When I decided to start writing for kids I didn’t have the internet or even a computer. (I didn’t have electricity, running water, or a phone either, but that’s another story.) I went to the library and checked out books on writing. I read all the writing books I could get my hands on. Any genre. I still gleaned information I could use from every book whether it was on writing screenplays or adult non-fiction proposals. Of course, I learned the most things I could put to use from books on children’s writing such as Harold Underdown’s COMPLETE IDIOT’S GUIDE TO PUBLISHING CHILDREN’S BOOKS and CHILDREN’S WRITER’S AND ILLUSTRATOR’S MARKET.

Then we got a computer and satellite internet. Finding Verla Kay’s Blueboard was the best thing that could have ever happened to me. I spent hours reading the discussion threads, following the links to other writing-related sites, and reading agent and editor chat transcripts. I found my critique group through the Blueboard as well. I remember being amazed when I found the Children’s Book Council website and all their links to publishers. I got absorbed into the world of writing for children right here on a secluded mountaintop in front of my computer. I realized that I could do this. I could really be a children’s book author. There was a way to send my material out for publishers to consider and I could find all sorts of help in my quest, given freely online. There’s no local SCBWI—or any writing group that I know of for that matter—where I live, so online is my lifeline to the writing world, for sure.

5. Are there any books, web resources or conferences that you feel have been particularly helpful to you?

I’ve been to two SCBWI Western Washington conferences. They both opened my eyes to some of the realities of children’s publishing. I’m hoping to go again next year, and maybe even try to be a little more outgoing. It may sound funny, but Twitter has helped me a lot. I used to be freaked out about posting anything online. I did manage to blog, but participating in conversation was definitely out of my comfort zone. (I have a very low post count for the amount of years I’ve belonged to the Blueboard.) Somehow, when I was coerced into joining Twitter by one of my critique partners, I just clicked with it. I had found my niche. I talk to all sorts of writers there no problem, and I think it’s trickling over to my other online resources. I’m trying to participate more---if I just had more time I’m afraid I would become quite a blabbermouth.


6. What are a couple or three of your favorite picture books

There are so many picture books that I love. Actually, picture books are my favorite books. If you had asked me what my favorite books are, my answer would be the same.

I just adore BILLY’S BUCKET by Kes Grey. I love the imagination in that story. I was quite pleased that I managed to work in a reading of it at the Summer Reading Program this year. The kids loved it too. None of them knew what a shoehorn was though. It seemed that the room echoed, “shoehorn?” all at once. Made me laugh.

WAKE THE DEAD written by Monica A. Harris, illustrated by Susan Estelle Kwas. Henry’s family tells him he’d better be quiet or else he’s going to wake the dead, and that’s exactly what he does. Then he has to figure out how to get them to get back to sleep. The story is filled with puns. It cracks me up. The book makes a great read-aloud.

I also love OTTO GROWS DOWN written by Michael Sussman, illustrated by Scott Magoon. Whenever I read this book with my kids we have endless discussions on what it would be like if time went backwards. It’s a story that really gets kids thinking, and it’s fun to read too!


7. Are you ONLY a picture book writer? Or do you have a desire to write for other age groups?

ONLY a picture book writer? I hear picture book writing is pretty difficult. ;-) Hee hee. (You know I’m just giving you a hard time, don’t you?!)

I do mainly work on picture books, they fit into my life really well. I can work on a picture book any time I have a moment and jump right back into the story, which is good when you have children and not a lot of time to spare. I love the tight writing and being able to leave openings for the illustrator to fill in.

I do write other things though. I try to resist, but I can’t help myself. I have a middle grade as well as a young adult novel both begging for my undivided attention. I’ve managed to ignore them all summer. I plan to finish them up once my three kids are in school this year—which is a first. Having all three kids at school will give me large chunks time to myself. I’m hoping to get a lot of writing things accomplished.


8. Now that you're about to have a book out there, do you feel any different?

I do. A publishing house has decided my work was good enough to spend money on because they think other people will want to read it. I feel responsible for how well my book does (or does not. Eep!) do. I also feel like I need to work hard to sell another book. I like to write. I’ve never been much of a manuscript subber. I feel like I have got to spend more time on that now.


9. What is your next step as a writer?

I’m too all over the place to have one next step. I have at least a dozen. Finish my graphic novel style picture book. Revise my alternative energy series. Get my manuscripts out into the world. Keep working on my website. Keep up with my writing peeps. Blog. Tweet. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat.

10. What have you been doing to market your book?

Just like my connection to the writing and publishing world, my book marketing is mostly online. I belong to Authors Now book marketing co-operative. I have a website http://www.heatherayrisburnell.com. I blog, and I’m on Twitter, but that seems more like fun to me. I’ve lined up a few online interviews but I’d love to do more. I am having a book release party at my library at the urging of my supervisor. Together we wrote up a whole Monster Pajama Party plan with food, games, and music. It should be really fun. I’m writing up press releases and such for local newspapers as well. There are lots of little things. I’m hoping they will add up to a successful book.

Thank you, Heather for sharing your time and yourself with us. You're an inspiration!