Celebrating Spring with Stephanie Henson

I’m thrilled to have Stepanie Henson with us, the author of the award-winning picture book No School My Rules! and Tall as the Sun, which was released today. Congratulations, Stephanie, and thank you for taking the time to chat with me about your writing journey.

Me: Do you have any special plans for the spring? Are there any activities that you participate in related to the season? Do you have a favorite season?

Stephanie: This spring we will be busy prepping our Ocean City, NJ beach house for the summer season. We have been going there for over 20 years, and my kids have been going their entire lives. There is so much to do (beach, dining, shopping, mini golf, boardwalk), and there are events down there prior to the “busy season” that we enjoy, including the Annual Spring Craft Fair, which is an open-air festival where vendors line the streets of Downtown Ocean City. It’s so much fun. Tall as the Sun is inspired by and dedicated to Ocean City, NJ.

But my favorite season is actually fall, and fall at the beach is just as beautiful!

Me: How long have you been writing?

Stephanie: I have been writing since I was about 8 years old. My mom told me that I had a talent for writing, and those words have stuck with me my entire life.

Me: What, or who inspired you to write this book?

Stephanie: Tall as the Sun came to be from an interaction that I witnessed in Ocean City, NJ, on the 34th Street beach between a young daughter and father. He hoisted her up on his shoulders, and she was calling out everything that she could see. It was adorable to see father/daughter bonding firsthand. From there the idea sparked in my head – what if she imagined herself getting taller and taller as she encountered things such as kites, airplanes, and the sun?

Me: Tell me a little bit about this book’s journey to publication. Were there any bumps and bruises along the way, obstacles you had to overcome, aha-moments? You can share the good, bad, ugly lol, or not.

Stephanie: The idea came to me in the summer of 2024. I wrote and workshopped it with my critique partners and then submitted it to my agent, who I had just signed with at the time – Katie Monson of SBR Media. She loved it and we put it on submission right away. The contract came in the day before Thanksgiving in 2024. Since it’s a summertime book, we knew that trying to make a 2025 publication date would be a challenge, so here we are in 2026! It takes a LONG time for an idea to become a book. It’s difficult because I am not the most patient person. But I really am thrilled with how the vision of the story came to life and the belief that Watchful Wizard Publishing has in this book.

Me: What is one piece of advice you can give to writers who are just starting out or who are still in the query trenches?

Stephanie: Don’t query a first draft, lol. I wish that was a joke. When I first started out, I knew nothing, so I actually did that! But getting yourself a good critique group is so important. But my favorite advice is to invest in yourself, whether that is through classes, webinars, conferences, etc. Always try to learn and grow your craft. Some resources are even free!

Me: What are your plans for the future? Writing, traveling, hobbies, etc.

Stephanie: We will definitely spend most of the summer at the beach. Hopefully I can finish up a middle grade novel in Verse that I have been working on for forever. We are also going to a few concerts this summer which should be fun. As for writing, I am a writer for life whether or not anything else gets published. I am hopeful though.

Me: I’d love for you to share a recipe with me; I have a collection of recipes from friends and family that goes back many years. I would love to include yours, as well as share it with my readers.

I’ve talked a lot about the beach, and my favorite thing to eat in OCNJ is blueberry pancakes at Uncle Bill’s Pancake House. I searched the internet and found this recipe, which is supposed to be close! Hope everyone enjoys it.

Ingredients

2 c. sifted unbleached all-purpose flour
2 c. buttermilk
2 pints blueberries
6 eggs (at room temperature)
5 T. vegetable oil (or melted butter)
5 t. sugar
4 t. brown sugar, packed
2 T. baking powder
2 t. baking soda
2/3 t. salt
Optional: 2 oranges, zested and marinated in a splash of Grand Marnier or triple sec Travels with Mai Tai Tom

Instructions

Prepare the mixture: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugars, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Combine wet ingredients: In a separate bowl, mix the buttermilk, eggs, and vegetable oil (or melted butter).
Mix: Gently combine the wet and dry ingredients, stirring until just mixed. A few lumps are fine.
Add berries: Gently fold in the blueberries.
Cook: Heat a greased griddle or skillet over medium heat. Pour roughly 1/4 cup of batter per pancake.
Flip: Cook until bubbles form on top and the edges are set, about 2-3 minutes. Flip and cook until golden brown.

Thanks so much for your time; it’s always fun getting to know writing friends. The blueberry pancake recipe looks delicious; I think I’ll give it a try. Have a wonderful time in Ocean City NJ this summer, and again, congratulations on this beautiful book coming into the world!

You can connect with Stephanie here:

Website

Twitter/X

Instagram

Celebrating Asthma Awareness Month with Jacob Lockett

May is Asthma Awareness Month, and we are celebrating it with Jacob Lockett, whose debut picture book My Life as an Asthmanaut came out last month. I’m a huge fan of this book and believe it belongs in every home, classroom, and school nurse’s office.

Welcome, Jake, and thank you for taking the time to chat with me about your writing journey.

Me: Do you have any special plans for the spring or for Asthma Awareness Month? Or are there any activities that you participate in related to the season?

Jake: I’m currently planning my book launch for Asthma Awareness Month, specifically around World Asthma Day on May 5th. For the rest of the month, I’m considering additional author events.

Me: Do you have a favorite season?

Jake: As someone who lives in the middle of the Allegheny Mountains in Pennsylvania, where it’s quite cold for a lot of the year, I’d say my favorite season has to be summer. Though I do love the feeling of renewal that spring gives.

Me: How long have you been writing?

Jake: Ever since I was little, when I started writing and illustrating my own comic books. As I got older, I came up with plots and lore for fantasy novels that I, unfortunately, never got around to actually writing. I guess I procrastinated a bit! In my 20s, I enjoyed sending letters to podcasts, magazines, and radio stations. Many of my opinions and reviews got published in Doctor Who Magazine and read on BBC Radio. It was also during my 20s that I began to write stories for young readers with the goal of being traditionally published.

Me: Tell me a little bit about this book’s journey to publication. Were there any bumps and bruises along the way, obstacles you had to overcome, or aha-moments? You can share the good, bad, ugly lol, or not.

Jake: I had always played around with the notion of writing a picture book about my experiences with asthma. However, I was unsure of what approach to take. Should it be fiction? Non-fiction? Told in first person or third? What themes should I incorporate? I didn’t know where to start. So the project had become more of a far-off dream rather than a set goal.

Then, in 2023, I discovered Free Spirit’s call to authors to submit children’s story manuscripts for the disability book series they were planning. I started to seriously consider writing an asthma picture book, but I first had to apply. I found some bravery and crossed my fingers as I sent one of my published short stories to Free Spirit as a writing sample.

The publisher eventually got back… inviting me to submit a full book proposal! I was over the moon, but still a little reluctant about tackling the project. That same old question returned: “Where would I start?”

But after I read Free Spirit’s series guidelines and mission, I felt inspired. I decided to explore topics like fear and loneliness in the story, things that I’ve experienced living with asthma and other chronic illnesses throughout my life. This naturally led me towards a space theme for the book and using an astronaut metaphor to help explain what it’s like living with asthma.

I wrote the book fairly quickly, and it was a good thing too, because I only had a few weeks to submit it. After I sent the manuscript, I waited. I was on pins and needles to say the least! Then the acquisitions editor got back and said she was impressed by the story! She requested revisions, suggesting mostly to simplify the metaphor, tone down some of the sad language, and devote more text to showing strategies. I was given a couple of deadline dates for the revisions. The closest one… four days away.

I could’ve chosen the date that was further out to give myself more time to consider the feedback, but I wanted to know a bit sooner that my story was going to succeed. So I aimed for the earlier date and was surprised by the amount of creativity that came out of me in such a short time frame. I sent the revised manuscript (two days before the deadline), and the editor took the story to the acquisitions committee for consideration. Soon, it was accepted!

Me: What is one piece of advice you can give to writers who are just starting out, or who are still in the query trenches?

Jake: As someone who’s been in the query trenches since 2018 (yes, you read that correctly), writing and submitting can feel discouraging at times. But you must remember to stay persistent while maintaining a growth mindset. Query widely (your story deserves it) but also pivot when it becomes clear that something isn’t working.

Me: What are your plans for the future? Writing or otherwise, traveling, hobbies, etc.

Jake: I’m currently planning heavy promotion for My Life as an Asthmanaut to make sure it gets into the hands of kids (and adults) who really need it. I hope to travel to other states to spread asthma awareness with the book.

Me: I’d love for you to share a recipe with me, I have a collection of recipes from friends and family that goes back many years. I would love to include yours, as well as share it with my readers. I’d love to! When researching material for my children’s story, “Going Ape for Grape Juice,” I found this recipe for making your own grape juice:

What you’ll need:
8 lbs. Concord grapes, washed and stems removed
Water
3/4 cup sugar
2 Large pots
Ladle/large spoon
Strainer
Large bowl
Pitcher

What to do:
1. Add the grapes to the pot and enough water to cover them.
2. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium. Simmer for 10 minutes until the skins are soft, and the purple juices are released. Don’t forget to stir!
3. Ladle the mixture through the strainer set over the large bowl. This separates the juice from the pulp.
4. Pour the strained juice into a clean pot. Bring to a boil. Add the sugar and stir until dissolved.
5. Transfer the juice to the pitcher. Chill. Serve in glasses!

Thanks so much for your time, Jake, it’s always fun getting to know writing friends. I like how you let us follow you on your journey through the submission process of this wonderful, much needed book. You are truly an inspiration to me, and it gives me joy that there is a book in the world that empowers children that have asthma.

You can connect with Jake here:

Website

Twitter/X

Bluesky