I recently realized that this year, 2021, marks my 40th year as an author and illustrator of children’s books. In 1981, as a recent art school graduate, I signed my very first book contract, illustrations for Thanksgiving at the Tappletons’ (written by Eileen Spinelli). Earlier this month, my 75th book, The Power of Yet was published. (Yes, I counted.)
Over the past 40 years, my two constants have been my husband, Eric (we’ll also be celebrating our 40th wedding anniversary this year!) and my work creating picture books. No matter where we lived, my art studio was my creative haven. My trusty drawing desk traveled with us, from our early days in the Boston area…to New Hampshire, where we brought up our two daughters, Janine and Kristin... to our recent move to the Maine coast. The paint splattered top of this old desk reminds me of all the books I have created, the inspirations behind them, and the many editors and art directors who helped move my journey forward through the years. *
Publishing in the early 1980’s was a very different world. Online portfolios didn’t exist, heck…. online didn’t exist! The world-wide-web was still 10 years away! So, how did this young illustrator who just graduated from Massachusetts College of Art find her place in the publishing world? By hauling a portfolio from publisher to publisher in hopes that someone would like my art. I started my search by sending art samples in the mail and followed up with a phone call to make appointments in Boston and New York. (Editors and art directors actually met with new talent back then.) I’d carry two portfolios, one for drop-offs and one for in-person interviews. While in NYC, I strategically mapped out my days geographically to try to fit in as many appointments as possible. Sometimes, things didn’t go so well, like the time an art director glanced at my portfolio in the elevator on the way to lunch, but many times, I felt encouraged. On one such meeting, an editor at Grosset & Dunlap pointed to an illustration of a cat in my portfolio and asked. “Do you write?” I was not expecting that question. “Ahh…no. I’m an illustrator. “Try writing a story about this cat.” she suggested.
Mmmm… I never saw myself as a writer. I never even took a writing course, but I had lots of ideas. And just like that, I started writing (or tried to). After eight rejections and just as many revisions, that cat in my portfolio became the star of the very first book I wrote and illustrated; Wednesday is Spaghetti Day (1990). Ironically, Grosset didn’t buy it, but Scholastic did and it had a 20+ year run! I will always be grateful to the editors, who, in those early days, gave me the confidence and courage to develop my storytelling by combining my words and pictures.
From that point on, I kept writing and developing ideas. I mailed out manuscripts and dummies and continued to nurture my relationships with editors and art directors, in person, by phone or by email. I got many rejections but also sold some books. The one thing I discovered about myself was that I loved “the chase.” I educated myself on the business of publishing and contract negotiations, and decided that I would represent myself, and I have continued to do so throughout my career. Over the years, my elevator lunch meetings became actual working lunches, and little by little I sold more stories and in turn, expanded my list of publishers. (Oh, and I did end up having a very long relationship with Grosset, publishing over 12 books with them.)
Throughout the years I witnessed many technological changes in publishing as the industry moved from hand-pre-separated art of the 1980’s to digital illustration. I weathered the low points, including the loss of several editors during the 2008 recession and I celebrated and welcomed the high points, especially the publishing of diverse books buoyed by WNDB and #OwnVoices.
All I can say is…it’s about time! As a mother of a child with disabilities, and a disability advocate, I was always hoping that children with disabilities would be included as part of the natural landscape in children’s books. I tried for years to publish on this topic with rejections stating; “There is no market for this book.” FINALLY it’s happening! Attitudes are starting to change. My next two books, We Want To Go To School! The Fight for Disability Rights (2021-AW) co-authored by my daughter Janine Leffler, and Sit-In To Stand Up! The Story of Disability Rights Advocate Judith Heumann, (2022-Abrams) will proudly be my 76th and 77th books.
And so…here I am. Still spending my days creating books on that very same desk, feeling very blessed… blessed to have been able to do what I love to do for 40 years. I can only hope that my books, past and future, will instill the love of reading and leave something behind…a smile, a parent-child moment, a lesson of kindness and hope, and maybe even inspire a child (or an adult) to tell their own stories. I see a bright future for the publishing world, a world that I am happy to be part of.
*With Thanks to my Editors & Art Directors (past and present):
(an incomplete and ever changing list)
Meredith Mundy
Hana Nakamura
Courtney Code
Wendy McClure
Christina Pulles
Rick Demonico
Christy Ottaviano
Irene Vandervoot
Kelly Barrales-Saylor
Jordan Kost
Cyrisse Jaffee
Jane O’Connor
Denise Cronin
Dianne Hess
Karen Klockner
Tim Gillner
Kathy Tucker
Abby Levine
Beverly Reingold
Jeffrey Salane
Grace Maccarone
Celia Lee
Rachel Matson
Joanne Kane
Toni Markiet
