Author Archives: Pat Brown Books

Celebrating Summer Solstice with Jeanette Fazzari Jones

I’m so excited that we will be celebrating Summer Solstice by interviewing Jeanette Fazzari Jones, the author of MEATBALLS FOR GRANDPA, which was released in March of this year by Two Lions Press.  In this sensory-rich picture book, a little girl and her grandparents make the family’s traditional spaghetti and meatballs recipe together and hope to jog Grandpa’s fading memory.

Me: Welcome, Jeanette and thank you for taking the time to chat with me about your writing journey. It’s hard to believe that summer is upon us, it seems like just yesterday that the trees were beginning to bloom, and now we are in full swing barbecue season!

Jeanette: Yes! I just returned from a short trip out of state and arrived to find my garden had tripled in size! My pumpkin plants seem to be ready to overtake our back yard, and my tomatoes are threatening to burst out of their cage-stands!

Me: Do you have any special plans for the summer?

Jeanette: Our big trip this summer just wrapped up. We returned to my hometown in New Jersey to see family and do a few book visits. One of them was my own elementary school—a special, sweet little place nestled in one of those towns you think only exists in Hallmark movies. Seeing how it’s both changed and stayed exactly the same over the years was definitely a highlight. Of course, while I was in town we went to the beach and got our fill of the best pizza in the world.

Me: Are there any activities that you participate in related to the season?

Jeanette: As for summer activities—I’d love to lie and say that I’m enjoying lazy-days, but actually I’m zooming around the house cleaning and organizing all the things I didn’t get to during the school year. People ask how I take on so many things—teach, write, bake, and be a mom. I tell them to look at the state of my living room and that will speak volumes!

Me: Do you have a favorite season?

Jeanette: I don’t have a favorite season, honestly because I love how they are constantly changing and offering us new ways to appreciate nature. The vibrant greens of summer with the smack-you-in-the-face heat; the crisp evening air during the fall; watching a silent blanket of white cover the earth during winter; and the spring morning smell of dew on grass. There’s always something to look forward to!

Me: How long have you been writing?

Jeanette: I’ve always enjoyed writing and found little ways to hone my skills over the years. Truly learning how to be a children’s author came about when I started back to work as a kindergarten teacher. I wanted a new hobby, I LOVED reading to my own young children and students, and I loved how books could transport you through any time, place or topic. So, writing seemed like a good fit. Then, the pandemic hit. While locked inside with nothing but time, I decided to look into the publishing industry. Fast forward 4 years, and here I am!

Me: What or who inspired you to write this book? June is Alzheimer’s Awareness month, and I understand that is one of the themes in your book. Can you tell me about that?

Jeanette: Yes! MEATBALLS FOR GRANDPA is based on my real grandfather. Sadly, he passed away from Alzheimer’s Disease when I was 17. The book was also inspired by the spaghetti-sauce and meatball recipe in the back. One day, I set out my sauce to simmer, then took a walk. I was playing around with words that sounded and smelled like my kitchen in those moments. So, it started as a poem. One my critique partners suggested adding a layer from my family history, and one of them showed me a similar story she was working on. Combining the concepts really helped me hone in on the big why behind the story—the little things we do can have a big impact on those we love.

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, amazing, aha-moments? You can share the good, bad, ugly, or not lol.

Jeanette: This book actually had a pretty quick turn around when it comes to the snail-paced publishing industry… about three or so years from start to finish. There were a few false starts—a R&R from one publishing house that became a no. When Marilyn, my editor at Two Lions Press got a hold of it, she helped me develop the vision for the story even further. Then, Jaclyn Sinquett came on board and pure magic happened! My aha-moment was definitely in there—the collaboration process and the little tweaks everyone brought to the project made it so much stronger than I could have ever done by myself.

My other aha goes hand-in-hand with the first… There is always another revision. Even after publication! Every time I read MEATBALLS FOR GRANDPA, I think of a sentence I can change or a word I can remove. I’m thankful for my editor and critique partners who tell me that it’s time to stop, haha!

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?

Jeanette: It’s the same advice that I give myself:

One – Figure out what you want to say to the world and don’t give up. Your voice has value, even if an editor or an agent says you’re not the right fit right now.

Two – Find a way to make it fun. Writers invest a lot of time and even money into our craft. We all get in slumps; we all wonder if there is any point to pushing forward. BUT—if we can shift our thinking and enjoy the different aspects of the writing community, then it’s never a waste! I love my critique group, entering writing contests, playing with words, and coming up with concepts that make me chuckle. Sometimes we just have to take a step back and embrace those moments.

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

Jeanette: I have a second book, DUCK, DUCK, GROOVE(The Little Press), coming out in Fall, 2025, so that’s super exciting! Hopefully there will be more down the road as well! By day, I’m a kindergarten teacher and by night I’m a chauffeur to my amazingly extroverted daughter and base-ball playing son. I also accidentally started a mini-bakery out of my kitchen a few years back when my friends suggested I sell my decorated cookies…so in my spare time, I take on orders.

As for writing, right now I’m back in the query trenches. Sadly, my sweet agent, Dawn Dowdle, passed away last fall from a sudden heart attack. I’m a member of SCBWI and 12×12, so I’ve been using all their resources to build up my portfolio. I’ve sent a few queries out, and I think I’ve wound up in some “maybe piles.” But I really want to have about 6-8 polished, amazing, ready-to-wow manuscripts to present to a prospective agent before I get serious about querying. I plan to do that next year, so for right now I’m writing-revising-rewriting and revising some more!

Me: I’m sorry to hear about what happened to your agent. I know it’s tough to be in the query trenches, but it sounds like you’re on the right track. SCBWI and 12×12 are full of helpful resources for Kid Lit authors, and the 12×12 community offers a lot of friendly help and support for its members.

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.

Jeanette: Well, since MEATBALLS FOR GRANDPA has a recipe in the back, I’ll give you all some desert! I mentioned I love baking, and everyone loves a good story, so this one even comes with a little laugh.

When my husband and I were dating, he told me that he once said he’d marry the first girl that baked him his favorite cookies—Snickerdoodles. Well, I took that as a challenge! I’d been baking cookies for as long as I could remember, and Snickerdoodles were one of my favorites. I wanted him to have his fill so I doubled the recipe… all except the butter. He was away at grad school, and so I mailed him cinnamon flavored bricks! It worked out for me though; we’re celebrating our 16th anniversary this year and have two beautiful children!

Snickerdoodles (or Cinnamon Cookies … but not Cinnamon Bricks!)

1 c. butter

2 c. sugar

2 eggs

2 ½ c. flour

2 tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. salt

2 tsp. cinnamon sugar

Cream together the butter and sugar. Add the eggs.

Combine the dry ingredients. Add to the wet ingredients.

Refrigerate the dough for 30+ minutes.

Roll into balls and dip in cinnamon sugar. (I make them about the size of a golf ball, but you can make them bigger or smaller based on your preference. Just adjust the cooking time).

Bake at 375° for 8-10 minutes. Let sit on the warm tray for about 2-3 minutes before cooling on a wire rack.

Me: Thanks for taking time out of your very busy schedule. It’s always fun getting to know writing friends! I hope you enjoy the rest of the summer, and I look forward to seeing more of your books out in the world. 

Jeanette: You’re very welcome, thanks for letting me be a part of your blog.

You can contact Jeanette here: Website, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter/X, Bluesky

Spring Fling Kid Lit Contest 2024

This is my second year participating in the Spring Fling Kid Lit Contest. Sidewalk Chalk Garden was inspired by my love of drawing with sidewalk chalk. It continued into my adult years as I enjoyed watching my daughter and students create their own sidewalk art. The possibilities are truly endless…

4 year old child drawing flower on sidewalk with chalk.
Sidewalk Chalk Garden

by Patricia Brown


I begin my garden

with yellow circles,

bright like the sun.

Then I draw

one, two, three, 

four, five, six, seven 

swirls for the petals.

This one is pink,       

like cherry blossoms.

This one is yellow,

like marshmallow peeps.

This one is purple,

like my favorite Easter egg.

This one is white

like little soft bunnies.

This one is green,

like shamrocks and leprechauns.

This one is orange 

like monarch butterflies.         

This one is blue

like the sky.

I draw long green lines

and add the stems.

Then I scribble streaks

of purple for the grass.

As I dust the chalk off my hands

I notice a fluffy dandelion

growing through a crack on the sidewalk.

I pick it up,

close my eyes 

and blow.

I wish that one day,

I will have a real garden.

I open my eyes and realize I already do.


Spring Fling Kid Lit Contest 2023

This is my first time participating in the Spring Fling Kidlit Contest, and I’m very excited about it! My recent experience of having my beautiful flowers eaten by a not-so-darling deer served as the inspiration for this story. Having lived in a city most of my life, deer were certainly not a part of my urban garden experience. Despite the curious creatures in my new yard, I enjoy my time outside gardening, reading, and playing with my dog.

I want to thank all of you who have made this contest possible and hope you will enjoy reading my story.

Doomed Blooms

by Patricia Brown

Dear Deer,

Shame on you! Do you have any idea what you’ve done? My mom was so excited to have a real garden with dirt, and grass. Don’t get me wrong, we had a fine garden. Beautiful begonias, gorgeous geraniums, and pretty petunias adorned terracotta pots in our concrete yard.

When we moved here, we planted dazzling dahlias, lovely lilies, and radiant roses in the soft soil. We stepped back to admire the splendor, and Mom beamed like the sun.

Then one not fine day, you snuck into our garden and munched and crunched on the tasty, fabulous flowers, leaving nothing but stems and disappointment. And we learned, that you naughty, greedy, greenery eating deer munch and crunch on a variety of doomed blooms.

So now, we’ll only plant flowers that you DON’T like in our soon-to-be magnificent garden.

Sincerely,

Not your neighbor

PS: Don’t come sniffing around!

Cardinals – 50 Precious Words

I was happy that my story got an honorable mention in the Stem/Non-fiction category in the 2022 50 Precious Words contest. This is the second year I have participated in this event, in which you have to write a story of 50 words or less. I enjoyed writing several different stories and chose the one I wrote about my favorite bird.

Cardinals 

Winter

Cardinals fluff their feathers to keep warm.

Dazzling red against the snow.

Spring

Cardinals build their nest in a cedar tree.

They feed and protect their young.

Summer

Cardinals enjoy insects and summer breezes.

Babies learn to fly.

Fall

Cardinals feast on berries.

And prepare to hide in evergreens.

I Am Still a Teacher

I recently realized how long it’s been since I’ve posted. I have spent most of the summer traveling Europe and organizing my house. I’m learning to be easier on myself and to spend more time doing what I want. Today is Labor Day, a day in which I spent many years getting ready to transition from summer vacation back into a new school year of teaching. Since retiring in July, I am happy to say I have a newfound sense of freedom. Regardless of the transition, I am still a teacher. Probably tracing back to when I first taught my classroom of dolls and stuffed animals, way before getting my teaching degree, I was a teacher. Now that I am retired (although I do plan on teaching and mentoring part-time), I am still a teacher. I have always been a teacher, and I will always be a teacher. So, as I rejoice that I don’t have to go to work every day, I look forward to working on my terms. While I am glad that I don’t have to take the train tomorrow morning, I will miss seeing the wonderful staff of friends and co-workers at school. I wrote a haiku poem in June. Of course, it can’t begin to describe the almost 30 years I have taught (perhaps there will be more blog posts about that) but it is relevant and concise. Now that I’m retired, I will have more time to devote to my writing and will hopefully get my picture books published. Between writing, working part-time, traveling, knitting, cooking, spending time with family, and…oh yeah, relaxing, I will also be checking in here from time to time.

My teaching journey
Has had many twists and turns
A road well-travelled

The Miracle of Life

Each spring, the second-grade classes in my school participate in a bird study. The students become “ornithologists,” learning about different species of birds. They read about birds, engage in hands-on activities, and participate in trips to observe bird behavior. All of the second-grade teachers receive incubators and eggs. The students wait anxiously, taking turns to turn the eggs and learning about the developing chick embryo stages. Last year, I was lucky enough to witness a baby-chick enter the world! I walked into one of the empty classrooms to look at the adorable baby chicks that had already hatched. As I looked into the incubator, I noticed one of the eggs was shaking! I quickly took out my phone and started recording. What a privilege to see the miracle of life, through a little baby chick! The entire process took about nine minutes. (The edited video, however, is much shorter). I hope you enjoy watching this baby chick working its way into the world. I am once again looking forward to seeing the new chicks that will be joining the second-grade classes in my school. It is a reminder that even the smallest of things can be wondrous.

A baby chick working its way into the world.

Treasure

Happy May! NaPoWriMo has been officially over for a few days. I’m happy to say that I did finish the last few days using the writing prompts. I was a bit nervous on the last day since I had planned to leave a little early for work and was so relieved to see the prompt was to write a minimalist poem. Just to make it clear, if you’re thinking that’s a short poem then you’re correct! One of the most familiar types of minimalist poems is Haiku, a poetry form that I’ve always been fond of. This last day prompt was like the cherry on the top of the ice cream sundae for me or the pretty little bow on the top of the gift. I quickly wrote a succinct Haiku. As I wrote this poem, I recalled my daughter’s and my conversation the day before about my parents (her grandparents). I feel so fortunate to have them in my life, as does my daughter. Family is such a precious thing, something that can so easily be taken for granted, and something that never should be. This is the poem that I wrote for the last day of my poetry challenge, I hope that it will inspire you to appreciate the special people in your life, your family, and perhaps your friends too.

Treasure

Like a precious gem,

Family is a treasure

To be held and loved.

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