Tamara Girardi’s adorable and relatable board book Why, Daddy? Why? released May 10th. We’re here to celebrate her book and all the fun details of her writing life. Another PB22Peekaboo author, Jennifer Kam, released her debut picture book May 1st. Since Tamara and Jennifer both have May book birthdays and also paternal themes, they interviewed each other about their process and the experience of bringing their stories to fruition. You can catch Jen’s interview on this blog here. Welcome Tamara and Jen! Jen: I’m excited to chat with you, Tamara. Thanks so much for doing this interview. Why, Daddy? Why? is such a delightful and endearing book filled with humor and gentle reassurance. Can you talk a little about the inspiration for this story? Tamara: Yes! Thank you for that description. I agree, but that's so well-said. When my seven-year-old daughter was three, she used to ask the string of "why?" questions so many parents have heard, but she asked them by using the word "why" at the beginning of the sentence and then again at the end. I always thought it was adorable, and it softened the questioning, I suppose. She asked both me and my husband questions that way, but I liked the idea of celebrating the daddy/daughter relationship, so I framed the book as questions to a father. It's a sweet way to honor my daughter's relationship with my husband. Jen: I love that, what a sweet story! You’ve had a busy year with two books releasing within a few months of one another, congratulations! Can you tell us about your path to publication? The query process and timeline. Struggles? Tips? Tamara: Oh my goodness. The struggles are many, or at least they were for me. There are definitely those quick publishing deal stories, but they don't happen to everyone. I wrote for fifteen years before becoming published. Interestingly, Why, Daddy? Why? was the first picture book I submitted for publication, and it was picked up. That was after years of submitting young adult fiction with no publishing deals! That said, I've received plenty of rejections for picture books since! I've seen it all though: querying with no offers, querying with multiple offers, being agented, having a book die on sub, parting ways with an agent, searching for a new agent, and then finally signing contracts with small publishers as an unagented author. All I can say is the path you envision for yourself is not always the path you find. Keep writing. Keep submitting. Keep growing. Keep an open mind, and the right opportunity will find you. Jen: That’s great—and much needed--advice, thank you! You write for both young children and young adults. Can you tell us a little about your approach to writing for different age groups and what you enjoy most about writing for each of these age groups? Tamara: Before I signed my six-book deal with Wise Wolf Books for young adult contemporary novels, I enjoyed toggling back and forth between writing YA and picture books. Mostly, I would write PB during the academic year as I'm a full-time professor, and I'd write YA on my breaks from work. I could write PB in short bursts, but I needed that deep focus that I could only achieve when my mind wasn't torn between so many tasks and responsibilities. I'm learning how to better manage that, but I'm also struggling with it at times, too. I love writing picture books for children because it helps me connect with my own kids. They're ages 3-10. Children's stories are fun, and I enjoy the opportunity to be clever with a rhyme or creative with a piece of history or biography. I love seeing children's books come to life with illustrations, too. I mostly read YA, so I'm excited to publish in the age category. I love writing strong protagonists who go for their dreams, even if that means they have to step on some toes. We've programmed women and girls to be too nice. A female can be respectful and still ambitious. I want to contribute to that narrative and empower young women to choose themselves when they see fit. Jen: That’s so interesting. Thank you for giving us such wonderful insight into your writing process and inspiration. Can you tell us about the illustrations and the illustrator for Why, Daddy? Why? Tamara: Yes! Nichola Cowdery illustrated the book, and she did an incredible job. What I love most are the sweet details on the pages. She captured the love between the two characters so well, and she added so much value to the book. For instance, readers will see a cat on several of the pages. They might also recognize a bug and other small details. So as kids read a relatively simple story, they can engage the illustrations in a game of hide and seek. I am so pleased and honored by her work. Jen: I agree—what beautiful illustrations. What else is on the horizon for you Tamara: Thanks for asking! It's a busy year for me. After fifteen years of writing and submitting, I have five books releasing this year! Four of them are young adult contemporary novels in the Iron Valley sports series. Wise Wolf Books operates under a rapid release model, which is kind of exciting, and I think readers like to immerse themselves in a world and binge. They're releasing a novel each quarter, and of course, Why, Daddy? Why? releases in May! When I signed with Wise Wolf, they also acquired another YA contemporary series that I'll share more about later this year, but the first book releases in January of 2023, and the second book only a few months later. So that will be seven books releasing in the course of fifteen months! I'm also working on a few short stories about the Iron Valley High characters, and those will be available only to my newsletter subscribers, so of course, hop over to my website and subscribe asap! Jen: Wow! That’s amazing and quite inspiring! Do you have any words of wisdom for authors who might be at that critical point in their publication journey? What was most valuable to you along the way? Tamara: Every time I considered stepping away from writing - not quitting because I know I would always need to write - something happened in my career that reminded me to keep pushing. That's not to say breaks aren't beneficial. We all need them! I will also say that it's crucial to surround yourself with amazing people. There are so many writers out there, and they are generous and brilliant. Get to know them. Exchange work with them. Learn about their processes and experiences. It's been the people I love and respect that have kept me going when the path became a little too bumpy. As I mention in the acknowledgments of my debut, Gridiron Girl, they are my people. Jen: Yes! Writers are the best, and those connections are so important and sustaining. Congratulations on all of your success! Readers should click on over to their favorite bookstore and order it now! In fact, here are some links to make that happen: Mystery Lovers Bookshop Amazon Link
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