Q&A with Lorena M. Proia

  

 

 

Lorena M. Proia is the author and illustrator of the children's picture book How to Be Best in Class. She also has written and illustrated the book How to Make a Sandwich. She lives in the Boston area.

 

Q: What inspired you to create How to Be Best in Class?

 

A: My inspiration was twofold. My memories of the real Phebe are always the spark to my creative flame.

 

First, I wanted to use the very funny and disastrous experiences from our obedience classes and weave in my own experiences of feeling different. I often thought, I wish I’d known as a kid that I wasn’t broken.

 

I didn’t learn I had inattentive ADHD until I was in my mid-40s. I never understood why everyday “simple” things were impossible for me, yet I’d be able to solve the usability issues of some complex software just by looking at the problem.

 

After my diagnosis, I realized that this brain of mine brought unique gifts that allowed me to excel where others struggled.

 

Q: Did you work on the text first or the illustrations first—or both simultaneously?

 

A: I do the story first. Once I have it working, I create the pacing with boxes for each page and – wait for it – stick figures! This way I can get the image in my head down without investing the time in finished sketches. From there, I take my storyboards to my editor and we work on it until it’s solid.

 

Once the story is complete, I sketch it all out, then I work with a wonderful art director to bring it to life. Together we refine the images, and the story is always adjusted slightly along the way.

 

Q: How would you describe the relationship between your characters Rae and Phebe?

 

A: I think Rae and Phebe are like many human and dog relationships. They love each other completely, but Phebe’s excitement and intelligence can often collide with Rae’s expectations. And Rae doesn’t always understand that her mischievous dog is just… well… being a dog.

 

Q: What do you hope kids take away from the story?

 

A: For the child who sees themselves in Phebe, I hope they learn that even when the “simple” things seem hard, they still have gifts and abilities and sometimes, that means making the complex feel easy.

 

For the child who sees themselves in Rae, I hope they learn that their dog or classmate isn’t “bad” when they can’t get it just right, but instead are doing their best and just see the world differently. And that difference can make the world a more enjoyable place.

 

Q: What are you working on now?

 

A: Right now, I’ve been drawing like crazy trying to create awareness for my Kickstarter campaign. I’ve been making reels for Instagram and Facebook and having a blast doing it.

 

I’ve been drawing Rae and Phebe in WWII-reminiscent recruitment posters. It’s a playful homage to these iconic posters, and it has been a delightful process of wordplay and visual metaphors.

 

Q: Anything else we should know?

 

A: It’s worth remembering that when someone can’t seem to get the simple things right, it doesn’t mean they’re not as capable. What it may mean is that while they have to try very hard to do the things that you perceive as simple, they’re magnificent and intelligent in ways you can’t even imagine.

 

There’s a little story about Phebe that’s the perfect example of this. I went out forgetting the Chinese takeout box on the table. When I came back, she managed to eat all of the leftover fortune cookies while delicately removing each one from its cellophane wrapper and leaving them on the floor along with all of the paper fortunes.

 

I bent down and picked one up. It read, “Your exuberance and intelligence are often misunderstood.” I laughed and couldn’t have agreed more! That one went right on the fridge!

 

--Interview with Deborah Kalb. This Q&A was conducted in partnership with Lorena M. Proia. Back this book on Kickstarter to help reach its funding goal AND enter this giveaway for the chance to win an extra-special bundle featuring a signed copy of the first book in this delightful series, How to Make a Sandwich, a matching set of Phebe-n-Me T-shirts (one child size and one adult size), and a gorgeous collection of 12 blank note cards with Phebe-n-Me designs.