Greetings Friends!
I’m a little late in posting this month. Honestly, it’s been such a busy fall, and I don’t know where the time has gone. I’m sure many of you can relate.
This month, rather than post an essay on my musings about life, I’m sharing an interview I did with my author friend, Carrie Sharkey Asner. Carrie and I are writing critique partners and members of Julie Hedlund’s 12 x 12 Challenge – a group that tries to write one children’s story per month. Hedlund’s 12 x 12 website is home to many wonderful writers and offers authors the support of a community of experienced, creative mentors.
I’m so proud of Carrie because she has recently achieved her dream of becoming a published author. Writing children’s books is not an easy thing, as many presume it is. Becoming an author involves a lot of study and hours dedicated to researching ideas, writing, revising, and obtaining feedback from peers and professionals. Then beyond that, there is the entire design of the book and business end of things, which is considerable. Carrie has bravely and cheerfully tackled it all; what she has accomplished is something to be celebrated. Carrie’s debut picture book, Blueberry Blue Bubbles, is fun to read with loads of playful alliteration, delightfully illustrated, and would make a lovely gift for a little one who is just learning how to blow bubbles with bubblegum.
Below you can learn more about Carrie’s writing journey.
Julie:
Hi, Carrie. Congratulations on your newly published book. I’m excited for you and want to share your success with our readers and other budding writers. Let’s start with you telling us a bit about yourself.
Carrie:
I grew up on a farm in Central Illinois – the oldest of 6. I graduated with a biology degree from St. Ambrose University and then went to the University of Illinois for medical school. My Family Medicine training was in Peoria, IL, and then my husband and I moved to Rockford. I’m the proud Mom of 3 grown men and have a strong interest in STEM education.
Julie:
How did you get interested in writing children’s books?
Carrie:
A change in jobs gave me more time than I was used to, and I was looking for a new hobby. I had a middle-grade magic story idea, but when I started researching it, I found fun facts I thought would make great picture books and revised my focus.
Julie:
When did your writing journey begin, and how did you go about developing your writing skills?
Carrie:
I started writing a little over a year ago and realized there was so much to learn. I joined SCBWI (The Society for Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators), and my local chapter told me of Susanna Hill’s course, 12 x12, and Story Teller Academy. I also read dozens of books on storytelling/writing and any free information I could find online. I joined a few critique groups and loved both the feedback and the friendship I have found through those.
Julie:
You’ve recently debuted your first book, Blueberry Blue Bubbles. Can you tell us something about it?
Carrie:
The book is about a little boy blowing bubbles with his blueberry blue gum. The suspense grows as he blows the bubble bigger and bigger. And we all know that bubbles can only grow so big before something happens. The book has a lot of humor and alliteration, which I think readers will enjoy. I’m hoping it’s a story children will want to read again and again.
Julie:
How did you get the idea for your story, and where do you find inspiration?
Carrie:
Everything I read discussed using very few adjectives/adverbs and strong verbs/nouns instead. In reaching for my inner child, I decided that “they can’t tell me what to do” and wrote a really bad draft of a really big bubble that became a really, really big bubble, etc. It was obvious that it was not the way to write that story, and I kept tweaking it. I added alliteration. It gradually became the biggest, beaming, balancing, bouncy, bumpy, bendy, bigger blueberry-blue bubble. I also added animals and the different sounds they make to the story.
Julie:
You chose to self-publish your book. Tell us about that process and what the experience was like.
Carrie:
There are so many little parts to learn about self-publishing. I took a 12-week self-publishing course, and even then, it was a lot to learn and complete. To publish the best book I could, I hired a couple of editors for feedback and a graphic designer to bring the illustrations and text together and format it properly. I am still trying to work on marketing and advertising.
Julie:
The illustrations in Blueberry Blue Bubbles are so much fun and capture the excitement of blowing bubbles. Tell us about your illustrator and how you found him.
Carrie:
I love my illustrator – Marcin Piwowarski! I spent hundreds of hours looking at different illustrators on SCBWI, Instagram, Facebook, Reedsy, Fiverr, etc. I would save the ones I liked, then go back later to see if my tastes had changed. I kept coming back to Marcin’s illustrations – they had the perfect fit for the book. I finally got enough nerve to email and ask if he would be willing to work with me, and he agreed! I was so excited each time he sent a drawing. He came up with some ideas that I would never have thought of but helped the story flow.
Julie:
You are also in the process of self-publishing a second book. Can you tell us a little about it?
Carrie:
Yes, Heart Print – How to Not Foozle Mom’s Gift is with the graphic designer. It’s a sweeter story with some fun elements. It’s about a child that makes multiple attempts to make her Mom a birthday gift, but each time the present gets foozled. Then she makes an accidental discovery that leads to simple fun and a free way to show love.
Julie:
What are the most significant things you’ve learned about the self-publishing experience?
Carrie:
I have learned that writing the book is the easiest part. I am happy for the freedom to hire the illustrators I wanted since that was important to me. There is a tremendous self-publishing population online, and they are always open to help.
Julie:
What have been the biggest rewards of your writing journey?
Carrie:
I was surprised that I had made such good friends online and especially in my critique groups. People genuinely want to help others. I have learned so much, but I have to admit holding an actual book of my story felt amazing.
Julie:
Where can we purchase or learn more about your books?
Carrie:
Thanks for asking! You can order my book through Amazon and Barnes and Noble.
Julie:
Thank you, Carrie. Congratulations on achieving your dream of becoming an author.
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To learn more about Carrie and her books, check out her website at: https://carriesharkeyasner.com/
Little Seeds Read 