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Hi, Kristen and Sam! Welcome to the PBPeekaboo author interview series! Congratulations on your picture book, Miss Rita, Mystery Reader, which arrives May 3rd from Macmillan.  Where did you get the idea for MISS RITA, MYSTERY READER and what was it like to collaborate with your co-author, Sam? Kristen: I got the idea for MISS RITA, MYSTERY READER when I was having lunch with some college friends. We were talking about how the world has changed so much since RuPaul’s Drag Race, how drag queens have become more part of the mainstream, including drag story times. My mind wandered to a book idea—what about a drag queen story time book about a drag queen dad getting ready for a story time? I mentioned it to Sam, my nephew, who was living with my family at the time, and it clicked with him. Working with Sam was great; we laughed a lot. Since we’re both creatives, it turns out we think in a very similar way. I mentioned to his dad, my big brother Dave, that we are more alike than I had ever realized and he nodded—he’d noticed that a long time ago. Why did you feel it was important to write this book? Why did you make Tori a non-binary character? Sam: It felt really important to write this book because they are just isn’t enough kid accessible queer culture, particularly culture associated with drag. Drag is such an inspiring and affirming part of queer culture that I can remember feeling connected to it as a very young person before I really had a name for it. (According to my mother, I saw my first drag queen when I was three years old walking down the streets of Provincetown – my mother remembers the queen as looking exactly like Barbra Streisand while singing like Frank Sinatra.) As for why we decided to make Tori non-binary, it’s largely for the same reasons – so much of how we find and affirm our identity as young people is by reflecting what we see, what we absorb through culture in media, and for kids, there can always be more queer representation for them to identify with and see themselves in. Kristen: As Rudine Simms Bishop said, books should be “Mirrors, windows, and sliding glass doors” for kids. What other projects are you currently working on? Kristen: We are working on more picture books, stay tuned! Sam: I am working on a YA novel and, of course, making costumes for local Boston area drag queens. Kristen: I am working on a middle grade environmental fantasy, a picture book about a boy who has a tiny dragon living in his house and no one believes him, and a new mythical creatures anthology with The Writers’ Loft, my art-and-writing community. I also run a non-profit called Little Book Locker that gives away books to kids who don’t have books. What advice would you give to aspiring authors? Kristen: Don’t be afraid to collaborate on a project with a fellow creative friend or relative! Also don’t be afraid to indie-publish something if it doesn’t get “chosen” by the world of traditional publishing for some reason. Hire an editor, an artist if you need illustrations, make it as high quality as you possibly can, and put it out into the world. If money is an issue check out what people do on kickstarter. Thank you, Kristen and Sam, for giving us insight into your new book!
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