Celebrating Spring with Cynthia Mackey

I’m excited to celebrate spring with Cynthia Mackey, the author of several picture books, including If a Bumblebee Lands On Your Toe. I was thrilled to be a part of Cynthia’s launch team for Butterfly Sea, a beautifully written book, which was released in January of this year.

Welcome Cynthia 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 are there any activities that you participate in related to the season? Do you have a favorite season?

Cynthia: Thank you for the interview, Patricia. I love the springtime. I’m hoping like to add a small wildflower garden to my front yard in an effort to do some rewilding. We have a big front lawn – too big and have been slowly adding more plants, especially native plants. I would like to attract butterflies and other pollinators.

This spring, I’m excited to be out visiting schools and childcare centres in my area to read my books aloud. I’m looking forward to sharing my books with young readers.

Me: How long have you been writing?

Cynthia: Since I was a child, I have enjoyed writing – both creative writing and journal writing. I didn’t start writing picture books until around 2015. That’s when I first joined SCBWI. I wrote one picture book and then decided I needed to write at least 3 more. After that I joined the 12×12 picture book challenge in 2017, and my writing habit snowballed from there.

Me: What, or who inspired you to write Butterfly Sea?

Cynthia: BUTTERFLY SEA began with the title, when I was documenting butterfly photos for citizen science and was surprised to discover a butterfly near the seashore.

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.

Cynthia: At first, I wrote BUTTERFLY SEA as a poem, and for me, that seems to be an excellent starting point when writing picture books. I made the decision to attend the Andrea Brown Big Sur Writing Workshop in 2024, and I wanted to bring this story to workshop there. Because of that, I was motivated to work EXTRA hard on polishing the manuscript before I went. It went through several revisions and the manuscript really started to shine once I added the younger sibling. I needed the editorial feedback, otherwise, I might not have seen the potential a sibling could add to the story. I’d call that an aha-moment when I realized the new possibilities I could explore.

Another question I had in my mind while developing the story was about the camera. What kind of device, phone or camera, should the main character use to take the butterfly photos? I liked the sound of ‘grandma’s camera’ and the internal rhyme as well as the idea that the camera could be borrowed. Isabella Kung was my critique group leader at Big Sur and when I shared BUTTERFLY SEA, she reinforced the idea that a camera could work well, (even better than a phone) for this story. With the feedback from Isabella and the rest of the writers in my critique group, I gained the confidence I needed to send it to publishers. Sending it out was the next step and I did send it to several editors and agents. Butterfly Sea captured the interest of an agent, but not enough for her to offer representation. In June, I sent Butterfly Sea and some other stories to Tielmour Press and they contacted me in August to express interest in publishing the 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?

Cynthia: The reality is you have to be sending work out to get published. Expect a lot of silence or passes. Try sending a story out in batches of five, then if there’s little or no response, re-read the manuscript and to look for missed opportunities and attempt to revise to add something deeper to the story. Or if you cannot see a way to improve upon it, send it back to your critique group to seek more feedback before sending out the manuscript again.

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

Cynthia: My husband and I have a spring trip to Europe planned – we’ve never been! We are going to get the chance to visit 5 different countries in two and a half weeks.

I like variety so I do a lot of different hobbies, walking/hiking, community choir, playing piano and guitar, crochet, stand up paddle boarding, gardening, and documenting butterflies for citizen science. I’m also learning to draw, sketch, and paint with watercolors. Of course, I love to read and keep coming up with new stories – I can’t help myself.

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.

Cynthia: My first self-published book is called KATIE SHAEFFER PANCAKE MAKER (2016). Katie hopes to make golden brown, fluffy as a cloud, perfectly round, pancakes. What could possibly go wrong? The book has a recipe in the back, and I’m going to share it, with a twist, add some maple blossoms. Spring is the perfect time for harvesting them and if you’re in Canada, like me, there are plenty of maple trees around. The flowers offer a subtle maple flavour that goes very well with maple syrup. Harvest the flowers before the edges of the petals turn brown. Yes, you really can eat them! The maple blossoms are optional.

Recipe: Maple Blossom Pancakes

1 egg

1 cup all-purpose flour

¾ cup milk

1 tablespoon of sugar

2 tablespoons of vegetable oil

3 teaspoons of baking powder

½ teaspoon of salt

Maple blossoms, one for each pancake, if desired

Beat egg until fluffy. Beat in remaining ingredients except maple blossoms, just until the batter is smooth. For thinner pancakes, add an extra ¼ cup of milk. Grease heated griddle if necessary. For each pancake, pour about 3 tablespoons of batter onto hot griddle. Add a maple blossom in the centre of each pancake if desired. Cook until puffy and dry around edges. Air bubbles will pop. Flip pancake and cook second side until golden brown. Eat and enjoy!

Thanks so much for your time. It’s always fun getting to know writing friends, and now I suddenly have a craving for pancakes…

You can connect with Cynthia here:

Celebrating the Launch of I’m Busy with Debbie Ridpath Ohi

I’m thrilled to have Debbie Ridpath Ohi with us today. Debbie is a children’s book author and illustrator who has illustrated books for Judy Blume and Michael Ian Black. I’m Busy, the newest addition to the I’m series of picture books, written by Michael Ian Black and illustrated by Debbie, launches on February 24^th.

Welcome Debbie, and congratulations on your newest picture book! Thank you for taking the time to chat with me.

Me: Do you have any special plans for the rest of this long, cold winter? Or are there any activities that you participate in related to the season? Do you have a favorite season?

Debbie: My favourite season is autumn. I do love early winter and would definitely miss that season if we ended up having to move somewhere that was always warm. However, winters in Ontario are looooong, and we’re all pretty much ready for it to end by March. 🙂 My plans for the winter: Since I’ve just come back from work travel in NYC and vacation travel in New Orleans, my plans for the rest of the winter consist of cocooning in my cozy basement studio and working on my middle grade novel!

Me: How long have you been writing?

Debbie: I have been writing and wanting to be a writer for as long as I can remember, honestly. I wrote my first chapter book when I was nine years old and was delighted that my teacher liked it and the illustrations I added.

Me: What, or who was the inspiration for this book?

Debbie: I asked Michael why he wrote I’m Busy, and he said, “I wrote I’m Busy as a reminder for the over-scheduled kid (or parent) that even though we’re so lucky we get to do so many amazing things, it’s also important to take some time to hang out with your buddies and just look at the clouds.”

Me: Tell me a little bit about your journey as the illustrator of this book. 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.

Debbie: There were definitely some bumps and bruises during the illustration process, at least in terms of challenges to figure out along the way. I’ve learned, though, that this is actually a good thing…it means that the project is pushing me to be more creative, to step outside my comfort zone, that I’m growing as an illustrator. For I’m Busy, the challenge was deciding on how I wanted to draw the background in illustrations that already had a lot of stuff in the foreground. One example: the spread where thegirl is walking away from the “camera”, with a ton of papers, notebooks, scheduling materials, pens, pencils etc. trailing behind her. My solution: to draw the background in a softer and more muted illustration style. That way, it wouldn’t interfere with the foreground elements or making things look too “busy” (despite the title of the book, heh).

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?

Debbie: No matter how busy you are, always make the time to read. On the most hectic days when I barely have enough time to eat, I still always make sure to read for at least 10-15 minutes a day. I read in all formats: print, digital, and audio.

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

Debbie: I’m excited about being the cover artist for two Judy Blume titles that are being reissued by Simon & Schuster Children’s! The titles are As Long As We’re Together, and Here’s To You, Rachel Robinson. I’ve been working with Lauren Rille, Hope Kim, and Jin Soo Chun. The new covers are not ready to share yet, but hopefully soon!

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.

Debbie: I confess that this is the question that took me the most time, because I’m not really a natural cook or baker; I rely heavily on cookbooks. One of my favourite breakfasts is oatmeal with a fried egg on top. Does that count as a recipe? I can also share my current favourite recipe website, which is Just One Cookbook at https://www.justonecookbook.com/. A friend pointed me there when she found out I was looking for simple tasty Japanese home cooking recipes. It’s wonderful!

Thank you for stopping by, it’s always fun getting to know writing friends. I feel truly honored to have interviewed you and want to thank you for all you do for the Kid Lit community on Bluesky and through the resources on your website. And thank you for sharing your favorite recipe website, the Japanese fried noodles recipe looks delicious!

You can contact Debbie here:

Celebrating Valentine’s Day with Kris Tarantino

I’m excited to celebrate Valentine’s Day with Kris Tarantino and must say that I LOVE her books! She is going to share about her books, Be My ValenSlime, which is the perfect book for this time of year, and her follow-up book, BedSlime Blues. Welcome Kris,and thank you for taking the time to chat with me about your writing journey.

Me: Do you have any special plans for Valentine’s Day?

Kris: Thanks for having me! This year my special plans include appearing at my local Barnes & Noble on Valentine’s Day! I’ll be reading Be My ValenSlime and the second title in the Slime series, BedSlime Blues, and signing and personalizing books.

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

Kris: Every Valentine’s Day when my kids were growing up, I gave them each a small box of chocolate and a Valentine’s Day balloon. You see, I love balloons! Years ago, I worked for Anagram Balloons, the world’s largest mylar balloon company. So, I became quite fond of balloons and still am today.

Me: Do you have a favorite season? Is it winter?

Kris: My favorite season is fall, where the weather is cooler, and the leaves are changing colors.

Me: How long have you been writing?

Kris: I’ve been writing for over 10 years.

Me: What, or who inspired you to write Be My ValenSlime?

Kris: The idea for Be My ValenSlime came together after years of experiencing people who demonstrated a lack of love and kindness. I found myself saying, This doesn’t feel like love. What’s love anyway? The idea of exploring what love means kept rolling around in my head. I thought, what better way to get down to the kid-level on the topic of ‘love’ than with the opposite kind of character—a mash-up of monsters (typically viewed as a nasty unloving group). But they all couldn’t be monster-y. Then Snoodle burst on the page, along with the fun title, and rest was history.

As I developed the story and monster characters, I knew I wanted the story to be filled with humor and heart. So, the funny rambunctious monsters who “DON’T DO Valentine’s Day” provided the chaos and silliness, and the kind, patient, forgiving Snoodle provided the heart-part. The story is wrapped around 1^st Corinthians 13 and reminds children that love is patient, kind, and forgiving, and they can show love to others every day of the year.

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.

Kris: I met my editor at an online conference (covid time). During my One-on-One with her, I learned she was looking for holiday books and lit up when I pitched Be My ValenSlime. She asked me to send her the manuscript post-conference (which I did). The editor got back to me and said there was internal interest and would I be willing to do an R&R (revise and resend)? Yes!

My agent and I went through two months of revisions together and sent the new version to the editor, who took it to their internal acquisition meeting. The group then asked for additional story summaries in case they decided to make the book into a series, maybe, no promises. Did I hear that right? A possible series?! After another month, the series ideas were done and sent. Shortly after that we received a formal offer!

At the editorial kick-off meeting, the original story that sold had Snoodle (the main character) and groups of other non-specific monsters. My editor asked that I develop a few of the monsters, give them personalities and character traits, and have them appear alongside Snoodle. Enter in Iggy, Zee-Zee and Fleck. There were other changes to the story too. Overall, we went through three rounds of revisions over two months. My editor’s vision ultimately made the story much stronger!

Once the manuscript was ready for art, my editor asked me to put together a list of illustrators who I thought would be a good fit for the story. So, I poured over all my favorite picture books and put together a list of illustrators, including why I liked their style, and how it could best fit Snoodle and her monster friends. And here’s the cool part. My editor put together a list too. And Cori Doerrfeld was on both of our lists! How amazing is that? I love it. And, it turns out that one of Cori’s favorite things to draw is…you guessed it…monsters!

Me: Can you tell us a little about the follow-up book, BedSlime Blues?

Kris: BedSlime Blues is about the same group of monster friends who first appeared in Be My ValenSlime—Snoodle, Iggy, Zee-Zee and Fleck—and how they don’t want to go to bed. Iggy doesn’t want to take a bath. Zee-Zee’s jammies are itchy. Fleck whines and stomps when it’s story time, and so on. With all their stomping and clomping, the bedslime blues are impossible to escape. Readers will laugh along and wonder if these grumpy monsters will ever lie down for a peaceful night of ZZZ’s.

Me: How did this follow-up book come about? Was it your idea, or your publishers?

Kris: My publishing team decided. Once Be My ValenSlime was in the final art stage, my editor had internal meetings with editorial, sales and marketing regarding what kind of story should follow. The team picked bedtime since it’s an evergreen kid category with year-round appeal.

Next, I wrote a story that showed how these monsters—who generally don’t like anything—also don’t like bedtime. I thought about how that would look within typical bedtime routines. Since this was a series, I needed to keep some elements from Be My ValenSlime to anchor this next story. For example: I kept key works, like wowza, grumpy, and gruffy. I also added a few new ones, like slime-tastic and monster-ific. In addition, I kept each monster’s personality and character traits. And I kept a similar opening to the story.

Meet the monsters! A tad gruffy. A bit grumpy. And definitely not ready for . . . BEDTIME!

Finally, there was the title. It had to contain the word ‘slime’. The original title was BedSlime for Monsters. But the team wanted something punchier. So, I spent a weekend brainstorming and landed on BedSlime Blues. I thought it was hooky and fit the monsters—they could be singing the blues, the bedslime blues (not literally singing, but grumping about it). My editor loved it!

Me: Is BedSlime Blues tied to a bible verse?

Kris: Yes. BedSlime Blues is tied to Psalm 4:8. I will lie down and sleep in peace for you alone Lord, will keep me safe. There’s a good combination of silliness and sweetness as the little monsters finally wind down, one by one, showing young readers the big concept of God’s perfect peace, what it is and how it feels. The verse is not obvious as in Be My ValenSlime, but the theme of finding peace is definitely woven throughout.

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?

Kris: Perseverance is #1. Don’t give up. Keep writing. Get your work critiqued. Be open to critique feedback. Love revision. Surround yourself with other kid-lit writers. Ask questions. Attend SCBWI conferences. Listen to kid-lit webinars. Submit your work. Embrace R&R’s. Stretch into new directions. And…be read for a little luck.

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

Kris: Besides writing, I love playing tennis, gardening, and going for walks. I’m also hoping to visit more national parks. I’ve already been to over 25 with my family!

Me: I’d love for you to share a recipe with me.

Hello Dolly Squares

¼ lb. butter (1 stick)

1 C. Graham Cracker Crumbs (break down the graham crackers inside a plastic bag)

1 C. Flaked Coconut

1 C. Semi-sweet Chocolate Chips

1 C. Nuts (optional)

1 C. Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk

Melt butter. Add to 9 x 9 pan.

Sprinkle in graham cracker bits to make a crust layer. Pat down.

Add coconut.

Add chocolate chips.

Add nuts (optional).

Pour Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed milk over all.

Bake 350 degrees for 30-minutes

Cool.

Cut into squares.

Thanks so much for your time; it’s always fun getting to know writing friends. I am inspired by your books and how you incorporate faith into your writing. And the Hello Dolly Squares are delicious!

Bio:

Kris Tarantino is a children’s book author whose work is filled with humor and heart. Her debut book, Be My ValenSlime, illustrated by New York Times bestsellingCori Doerrfeld, received critical praise and a Starred Revies by School Library Journal. Kris is a member of SCBWI and speaks frequently at conferences and schools. Most recently, she was selected to participate in the 2025 Storyfest Literacy Day in San Antonio, TX. In 2024, Kris was selected to be a faculty presenter at the All-Texas SCBWI Conference.

Visit her online at:

Website

Facebook

LinkedIn

X / Twitter

Kris is offering a giveaway for a copy of her new book, Bedtime Blues! To enter, like, comment on this post and share it on social media.

Celebrating the Winter Wonders Season with Donna Marx

I’m thrilled to celebrate the Winter Wonders season with Donna Marx, the author of Good Luck, Puck!, which will be published next month.

Welcome, Donna, and congratulations on your debut picture book! It’s so exciting that your book will be published during the time of the 2026 Winter Olympics! Thank you for taking the time to chat with me about your writing journey.

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

Donna: Our winter season is spent watching our grandsons play ice hockey. I live in Missouri, and winter can be brutal at times. However, we are sometimes blessed by a run of unseasonably warm days. My favorite season is summer. I love being outside in the sunshine and going on family vacations to the beach.

Me: How long have you been writing?

Donna: I started writing picture books in 2021. However, my career as a teacher involved writing curriculum and grading essays, so I think that counts too! After I retired, I spent a lot of time reading picture books to my grandsons. One day, I thought, “This can’t be THAT hard.” So I started keeping track of ideas from my interactions with the boys. I admit that my early stories were more tell than show – the first lesson many aspiring authors learn.

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

Donna: My grandsons and I were playing hockey in the driveway. The puck kept getting away from us and rolling down the street. So every time that happened, we would shout, “Runaway Puck!” It reminded me of a book we read called The Runaway Pea by Kjartan Poskitt. It’s a story about a pea that rolls off the plate and into some adventures. So I started writing the story – with a similar pattern – that turned into my debut book, Good Luck, Puck!.

Donna: I had been working on this story over the course of three years. During that time, I joined Rate Your Story, worked with Lynne Marie (owner of Rate Your Story) as a mentor, and joined a couple of critique groups. Of course, since this was very early in the process of learning and investing in my craft, the number of revisions got frustrating at times. However, each one was essential for adding the “missing” elements: stronger stakes, the right combination of adventures, a better setting, more layers, a catchier title, more kid-friendly language, etc. Finally, the critiques became more focused on choosing the right words and less about the essential elements in a marketable picture book. I took advantage of a First Pages opportunity at the Girl Power Conference (hosted by The Little Press). After receiving some glowing feedback, I submitted it to them, which resulted in an offer. I do think one of the most challenging aspects of getting published is that your solo vision becomes the collective vision of others, i.e. publisher, editor, illustrator, and even the distributor (they suggested we make the hockey players more generic – as opposed to Team USA – for a broader appeal). Just like Puck, I had to be a team player and have confidence that the changes they were making were in the best interest of the 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?

Donna: This blog is reaching many other talented writers. I feel fortunate about my accelerated path to publication. The key to that unexpected success was having the right idea, at the right time, in front of the right person. Today’s publishing market is very crowded. Therefore, writers should always be thinking about ideas and concepts that are unique. Never stop learning and persevere through those critiques and numerous revisions. One comment or suggestion could be what your story needs to get the attention of a publisher.

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

Donna: I plan to polish other stories I’m working on and make an effort to write more new manuscripts. I have lots of ideas, as well as some great manuscripts that need more revising. Finding and making the time to write is my biggest challenge. We have plans to travel to London and cruise the Mediterranean within the next two years. And, of course, attending our grandsons’ sports events is always a top priority!

Donna: I am sharing a super simple appetizer dip.

Cheddar Cheese Dip

1⁄4 cup roasted pecans (broken into small pieces)

4 slices bacon, cooked, crumbled, and cooled

1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese

green onion, sliced thinly

1⁄2 cup mayonnaise

salt, to taste

In a serving bowl, combine roasted pecans, bacon crumbles, cheddar, green onion, and mayonnaise. Season with salt. Serve with your favorite crackers or apple slices. Enjoy!

Thank you for allowing me to participate in your spotlight of debut authors and sharing my journey with your kidlit community!

Me: You’re very welcome. It’s always fun getting to know kidlit friends, and I love the way your grandchildren have inspired you. I can’t wait to read Good Luck, Puck! I’m sure you and your family will celebrate on publication day! And thank you for the cheese dip recipe; I can’t wait to try it. 🙂