Q&A with Melissa Stewart and Sarah S. Brannen

  

 

 

Melissa Stewart and Sarah S. Brannen are the creators of the new children's picture book Monarch and Mourning Cloak: A Butterfly Journal. Stewart's many other books include A Place for Butterflies. Brannen's many other books include Uncle Bobby's Wedding. They both live in Massachusetts. 

 

Q: What inspired you to create Monarch and Mourning Cloak: A Butterfly Journal, and why did you choose those two butterflies as the focus of the book?

MS: During school visits featuring my 2006 book A Place for Butterflies, I noticed that many students raise monarchs and assume that all butterfly species have similar lives and habitats. But butterflies are an incredibly diverse group of insects.

 

In 2008, I began writing a book called Two Butterflies, Two Lives to help kids understand the variety of foods butterflies eat, the different habitats they call home, and the many ways they survive winter weather. Each butterfly’s unique behaviors help it survive—and thrive! 

 

I chose to feature monarchs and mourning cloaks because they’re both common throughout North America, and they’re about the same size. But their lives couldn’t be more different.

 

Melissa Stewart

Monarchs live in fields, sip flower nectar, and migrate to warmer places in winter. Their bright colors let predators know that they’re poisonous. But mourning cloaks live in forests, guzzle tree sap, and hibernate in their northern home. They hide from predators by blending in with their surroundings.

 

Comparing these two species really makes the range of butterfly lives apparent.

 

Q: How did you collaborate on the book, and were the illustrations created along with the text, or did one come before the other?

SB: Melissa got in touch with me in 2022 or 2023 and we met for a walk to talk about her idea. She asked whether I would want to submit the book with her, and I was enthusiastic about the idea. I had seen an older draft of the book and she sent me her current draft. I took some time to think about what kind of concept might bring her poems to life.

 

I thought of several different possibilities but I was particularly taken with the idea of showing our process and including earlier drafts of the poems in some way, along with sketches. It seemed like presenting the book as a nature journal would do that, as well as incorporating the nature journal concept.

Sarah S. Brannen

We met again and I showed Melissa some rough sketches, but mostly I talked through the concept.

 

I did some more developed sketches and a piece of possible finished art to submit to the editor. Once the book was under contract it proceeded more like picture books usually do; I did rounds of sketches and got feedback from Melissa, the editor, and the art director. As the art develops it’s always shared with the team.

 

Along the way, I actually wrote some of the notes in the book; some of them were already in Melissa’s text and I added more after I raised caterpillars and observed their life cycle in detail. To bring those to life, I created a font from my own handwriting.

 

Q: How did you research the book, and did you learn anything that especially surprised you?

MS: As a scientist and nature lover, I knew a lot about these two butterflies before I began writing the book, but I welcomed the opportunity to learn more. I observed the butterflies and caterpillars of both butterflies in natural areas in Massachusetts and Maine, and I read everything I could find about them.

 

Because the main text consists of short poems, initially, there was a TON of information that I had to leave out. But when our editor accepted the book, she suggested adding A LOT of backmatter—12 pages. That allowed us to include lots of expository explanations accompanied by even more art. It was a dream come true for both of us.

 

One surprising fact that I learned (shown in Sarah’s art below) is that mourning cloak butterflies sometimes play dead, so that predators won’t eat them.

SB: As I was working on the sketches, I saw a monarch laying eggs right outside my window. I collected the eggs and raised the caterpillars, and observed them closely from that first moment until the adults emerged and flew away. I was able to record video of the caterpillars molting and pupating and the adults emerging. I also went out and collected plant samples for most of the plants in the book, like black willows.

 

In February 2024, there was a night when the temperature dropped to 15 below 0˚ F. Although I have not had this confirmed, my guess is that it may have killed a lot of the mourning cloak butterflies that had been hibernating in this area.

 

Whatever happened, I did not see a single one the whole year I was researching and illustrating the book, so I relied on photos and videos for reference for the mourning cloak. An Audubon naturalist shared some of her photos with me. Also, I had seen many, many mourning cloak butterflies and caterpillars previously, which helped. I have a good memory for color and texture.

 

Q: The School Library Journal review of the book says, “Is this a poetry book packed full of information, or a nonfiction study with a sprinkling of poetic joy? . . . when found by the right readers, it will be pored over and cherished.” What do you think of that description?

MS: Thank you, SLJ! The thought of children cherishing our book is thrilling. As to the reviewer’s question, I say, “Yes and yes! It’s both.” Our hope is that the book will excite a wide range of readers because there are many different ways to experience and enjoy these two special butterflies.”

SB: “Poetic joy” sounds exactly like what I was going for. I hope that the book will inspire children – and adults! - to start and continue their own nature journals. My own sketchbooks have given me so much joy throughout my life.

 

Q: What are you working on now?

 

MS: In July—during Shark Week—my next book, Sharks in Kansas: The Ancient Sea inthe Middle of America, will enter the world. Set 180 million years ago, it tells the story of the Western Interior Seaway—an ocean that once divided the North American continent in two.

 

For reasons scientists don’t understand (yet), the number of top predators was extremely high in this waterway compared to most other environments on Earth. There were more than a dozen different shark species as well as turtles the size of a car, and giant reptiles called mosasaurs and plesiosaurs. I think lots of kids (and adults) are going to be surprised by this book!

SB: I wrote and illustrated a book called Lolly on the Ice, about an anxious little figure skater. It was just published a few weeks ago, so I have been busy visiting bookstores and going to conferences. I’m working on a couple of new picture books and a middle grade novel, but it’s too soon to talk about them.

 

Q: Anything else we should know?

SB: I kept a real butterfly journal the whole time I was raising the caterpillars and filled it with my notes, photos, and sketches. If you want to see it, Melissa and I will both be bringing it to bookstores and conferences, so keep an eye out! 

 

--Interview with Deborah Kalb 

Q&A with Claudia Rueda

  

 

 

Claudia Rueda is the author of the new children's board book The Smushkins: ABC Zoinks. Her many other books include Meet the Smushkins. She is originally from Colombia, and she lives in New York City.

 

Q: What inspired you to create this alphabet book?

 

A: I created the Smushkins characters before thinking of a specific book for them, but I knew they would strongly appeal to children. Then I wrote a picture book that introduced The Smushkins and their world, and that’s how Meet the Smushkins came to be published.

 

I also wanted to create concept books for them, because I love that format and felt the characters were the perfect fit for fun informational books.

 

At first, I considered writing a book about games, but for some reason, the idea evolved into an alphabet book made up of sound words. I loved that direction because it felt original, playful, and different from all the alphabet books already on the market — and it didn’t sound pedagogical, which is something kids really enjoy.

 

Q: How did you choose the words to include for each letter?

 

A: I first came up with very obvious sound words like “Splash,” “Boing,” or “Plop,” and I made sketches for situations that might fit those sounds. I then created two or three ideas with character situations for each sound.

 

But some letters were not easy, like the K, the I, and the V, to give you a few. So I would research in dictionaries, on the internet, and in comic books, trying to find a sound for the letters I was missing. I didn’t want to make up words, but to use word sounds that are in the English language.

 

It took a while, but I was able to do it for both the English and the Spanish versions. The hardest was the X, but I believe it ended up working quite nicely.

 

Q: How did you create the illustrations for the book?

 

A: For all my illustrations, I begin with pencil sketches. Once I knew which images I was going to include in the book, I would scan those drawings and paint them with Procreate brushes. I wanted them to have a white background so there would be enough room for the handwritten sound word.

 

I decided to include only one, two, or three Smushkins in each scene and to place them in simple, funny, and kid-friendly situations. This also helped me get to know my characters better.

 

Q: What do you hope kids take away from this alphabet book?

 

A: I aim for my books to be more of an experience for a child than a lesson, even when working on a nonfiction book. Children memorize information, but what they really remember are the experiences.

 

In this book in particular, I would like them to be surprised by the sounds and situations. I would love them to laugh and get to know the Smushkin characters better.

 

Although there have been a few fantastic alphabet picture books, most are straightforward and built around nouns. Onomatopoeia is unexpected and lives outside academic books. So I hope they find the book intriguing, original, and fun.

 

Q: What are you working on now?

 

A: I’m writing picture book stories for the Smushkins. I strongly believe in the power of storytelling, and now that I know my characters much better, I can put them in situations and give them problems to solve. I’m having lots of fun creating these stories, and I hope they reach the children’s audience soon.

 

Q: Anything else we should know?

 

A: Yes! This alphabet book is part of a series featuring a group of adorable creatures called the Smushkins. They live on their own, love to play, cook, spend time together, and go on adventures. I would like to invite you to check out more of their stories and get to meet them!

 

--Interview with Deborah Kalb 

Q&A with Victoria Dillon

  

 

 

Victoria Dillon is the author of the new novel Ava. She is also a pediatrician and a former research scientist, and she lives in Tennessee. 

 

Q: What inspired you to write Ava, and how did you create your character Larkin?

 

A: I was inspired by the overturning of Roe v. Wade in the summer of 2022, following the Dobbs decision.

 

Years ago, someone I know was pregnant with a baby with a lethal birth defect. Because she lived in Tennessee, she wasn’t able to get an abortion and had to travel out of state. I was taken aback by the judgment she faced from family members and friends from her church for making that decision.

 

Her experience influenced Larkin’s character and shaped the questions I wanted the novel to ask about choice, compassion, and the consequences of governmental overreach.

 

Q: How did your background as a scientist and pediatrician inform the writing of the novel?

 

A: Larkin’s first job as a research assistant mirrors my own experience. I worked as a research assistant for four years before medical school, and much of the research she does in the book is work I’ve actually done. That’s why I’m comfortable writing about things like chicken eggs, embryo staging, and laboratory incubators.

 

What I didn’t know going in was much about backyard chickens, and I ended up learning a lot about how egg-laying is triggered and regulated. That mix of firsthand experience and curiosity helped the science feel grounded and accessible rather than abstract.

 

Q: The author Jill McCorkle called the book a “wise and accomplished blend of storytelling, science and social commentary that explores a woman's right to choose and the heartbreaking consequences when choice is denied.” What do you think of that assessment?

 

A: I love it. I’ve also loved getting to know Jill as a person after asking her to review the book—before that, I knew her only as an author I deeply respected.

 

Her description feels very aligned with what I was trying to do: use storytelling and science together to explore women’s right to choose, the real consequences when choice is denied, and the possibility of hope even when we feel powerless to change the laws around us.

 

Q: What do you hope readers take away from the book?

 

A: My hope depends on the reader. I think like-minded, nerdy feminists may feel a sense of validation and maybe even empowerment.

 

I also hope that people who might initially be put off by the book’s subject matter give it a chance and come away with a better understanding of the pro-choice community. Agreement may not be possible, but understanding would be meaningful.

 

Ultimately, I hope all readers gain a deeper appreciation for the difficult decisions women face as mothers along with an appreciation for science, especially evolutionary biology, and perhaps a newfound respect for chickens.

 

Q: What are you working on now?

 

A: I’m working on a sequel to Ava called Avas. The name Ava means “little bird,” so I think the plural form is perfect for a continuation of the story.

 

My book ends on a hopeful note, but as more females with Ava’s egg-laying abilities reach reproductive age, new complications emerge. We begin to learn that incubating a baby may not be all it’s cracked up to be.

 

Q: Anything else we should know?

 

A: Friends and family were shocked that I wrote a novel, since I never had aspirations to write a book.

 

Around the same time Roe v. Wade was overturned, I became very ill. After many visits with different specialists, I learned I had two rare autoimmune diseases: ankylosing spondylitis and Takayasu’s arteritis, which affects about one in two million people each year.

 

As a physician, I was stunned as I didn’t fit the typical demographic, and these diagnoses weren’t on my radar. I decided that if my luck could be that bad, maybe it could also be that good, and I could write and publish a novel.

 

Writing kept my mind occupied while my immune system decided it hated my joints and blood vessels. My immune system still hates me, but the medication is helping so I’m feeling pretty lucky overall.

 

--Interview with Deborah Kalb 

Q&A with Patricia Henley

  

Photo by Kathleen O'Neal

 

 

Patricia Henley is the author of the new story collection Apple & Palm. Her other books include the novel Hummingbird House. She lives in Kingston, Washington. 

 

Q: Over how long a period did you write the stories collected in Apple & Palm?

 

A: Most of the stories in Apple & Palm were written during the height of the pandemic. I’d finished a novel, and I was doodling around with micro-memoirs.

 

Then some tucked-away ideas kept coming back to me, especially the story of Roxy in “Currency,” and I set about writing the stories. I didn’t intend for them to be interconnected, at first, but I enjoyed the characters, particularly Jill Zebrak, the owner of the apple orchard.

 

I went through enormous life changes while writing these stories. I was diagnosed with a rare blood cancer. My beloved dogs passed away. I sold my house and gave away almost all of my earthly possessions. I moved across the country to a region I’d always loved.

 

All that affected the speed with which the stories were finished. But sometimes the most memorable stories have long gestation periods.

 

Q: The author Joan Frank said of the book, “These deeply atmospheric, sensuous, richly textured stories have a Winesburgian feel.” What do you think of that description?

 

A: I have great admiration for Joan and her writing. I was delighted when she agreed to read and comment on the stories. “Sensuous” and “richly textured” are descriptions that pleased me. I aim for texture.

 

I suppose by “Winesburgian” she refers to the exploration of one small town – Whistle Pig – in Apple & Palm. I appreciate this comparison. I’ve lived in small towns and rural situations almost all my life, although I have my favorite cities – Vancouver, BC, London, Chicago, New York City, New Orleans, and Seattle.

 

Cities can – not always – be lonely places, due to the anonymity. If you stay in a city long enough, it’s possible to get past that and feel a part of a neighborhood or block. In small towns, you might not welcome the intimacy, but it’s available almost immediately, around every corner.

 

Frank O’Connor, the Irish short story writer, posited that short stories give voice to submerged population groups. That’s my intention in Apple & Palm.

Q: How was the book’s title (also the title of one of the stories) chosen, and what does it signify for you?

 

A: Apple and Palm are cross streets in one of the stories. Significant things happen there or near there; these moments are from a child’s point-of-view. She doesn’t yet understand how meaning in her life will change over time. To me, those cross streets are a sign of innocence.  

 

Q: How did you decide on the order in which the stories would appear in the collection?

 

A: I didn’t belabor the process! I wanted to start with the story of the centenarian Roxy because it’s a joyful story overall, and yet she has a life history of many ups and downs, desires, some realized, some not, and dishonesties.

 

Then Jill, a woman in her 60s, plays a role in almost all the other stories, except the last two. Gradually, toward the end of the book, she is relegated to being “the old woman from the orchard.” Her character fully blooms and then wanes. Like all of us do, I suppose, as we age. 

 

Q: What are you working on now?

 

A: I’m mulling over an idea for a novel, but I haven’t committed to it yet. I’m exploring the area where I live, with a view toward setting a novel here. I can’t talk details at this stage, lest I lose the passion for it.

 

Q: Anything else we should know?

 

A: I’ve come to realize lately – from the early stories in Friday Night at Silver Star all the way to Apple & Palm and including my two novels – how much my work is a close-up examination of the arguments women have with themselves about sex, marriage, work, mothering, aging.

 

I’ve been a writer for over 50 years. My life’s work has been about women gaining agency in the world, becoming more fully who they long to be.

 

--Interview with Deborah Kalb 

Q&A with Mojdeh Bahar

  

Mojdeh Bahar

 

 

 

Mojdeh Bahar is the editor and translator of the new book The Dusk of Exile: Poems of Longing and Light. It focuses on the poems of Jila Mossaed, who was born in Iran and now lives in Sweden. Bahar's other books include Song of the Ground Jay. She lives in the Washington, D.C., area. 

 

Q: Why did you decide to translate the poems of Jila Mossaed?

 

A: My fascination with women's literary contributions has spanned many years, particularly in the context of shaping literary history. Recently, I've focused on translating contemporary Persian women poets, starting with the anthology Song of the Ground Jay, featuring 52 poets, and its expanded edition with 104.

 

I then explored the works of poets who resonated with me, and whose contributions go beyond their poetic works, culminating in my latest translation, Silence and Lost Words, which showcases Rouhangiz Karachi’s poetry, whose body of work on Iranian women poets and their enduring literary impact is remarkable.

 

I now present The Dusk of Exile: Poems of Longing and Light, a collection by Jila Mossaed, an award-winning poet in both Persian and Swedish, as well as a novelist and member of the Swedish Academy.

 

Mossaed began writing poetry in Persian in her teens but shifted to Swedish after emigrating to Sweden, where she has published several collections. As a language enthusiast, I admire her remarkable ability to write in both her native Persian and her adopted Swedish.

 

Q: How did you choose the poems to include in the collection?

 

A: Jila Mossaed has 11 collections of poetry in Persian and seven in Swedish. I went through the Persian collections and chose the ones that resonated with me. Selecting poems was not an easy task as I love so many of them.

 

I translated and then selected the poems to eliminate repetition. In The Dusk of Exile: Poems of Longing and Light, more than any of my other translations, I have taken more creative risks in reordering certain lines for a more natural flow in English.

Q: For those who are not familiar with Jila Mossaed’s work, what are some of the prominent themes?

 

A: Themes of exile, longing, home, life and death are most prominent in her poetry. 

 

Jila Mossaed

Q: What do you hope readers take away from this collection?

 

A: First and foremost I hope to introduce Jila Mossaed, the woman and the poet, to English-speaking audiences. Although her poetry has been translated into many languages, very few poems are available in English. 

 

Additionally, I hope that the book will challenge the media’s portrayal of Iranian women.

 

Lastly, since Mossaed became a member of the Swedish Academy in 2018,  her career trajectory can inspire immigrants and those learning a second language, demonstrating that anything is possible. 

 

Q: What are you working on now?

 

A: I am thoroughly enjoying the time between finishing this project and honing in on the next. It is play time, a time to explore new poets and delve deeper into those I may already know. I am also dedicating some time promoting this book as well as my other translations.

 

Q: Anything else we should know?

 

A: I have a new website that I hope your readers will visit Mojdeh-bahar.com and for those in the Washington Metro area I will be doing a reading and book signing on March 28 at 2 p.m. at Kensington Row Bookshop.

 

--Interview with Deborah Kalb. Here's a previous Q&A with Mojdeh Bahar. 

March 5

 

 

ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY
March 5, 1870: Frank Norris born.

Q&A with Claudia Mills

  

 

 

Claudia Mills is the author of the new middle grade novel Calliope Callisto Clark and the Search for Wisdom. Her many other books include The Last Apple Tree. She lives in Boulder, Colorado. 

 

Q: What inspired you to write Calliope Callisto Clark and the Search for Wisdom, and how did you create your character Calliope?

 

A: For much of my adult life, I have pursued two different careers simultaneously. I was a professor of philosophy at the University of Colorado, and I was the author of many books for young readers.

 

As the years went by, my two careers began to become woven together. I sometimes used children’s literature to illustrate concepts in my philosophy classes; I often had my child characters ponder ethical dilemmas.

 

But I yearned to write a book where my main character would actually encounter some of the great works of the history of philosophy that I have loved for long and try to apply their advice to her own life. This was my inspiration for Calliope Callisto Clark and the Search for Wisdom.

 

As for how I created the character of Callie, I did something new for me as an author.

 

I wasn’t quite sure how to find my way into the story, so I just started free-writing, letting Callie start talking to me, explaining who she was, why she chose this new name for herself (Calliope Callisto Clark), and how she felt about the main people in her life: her grandparents, her best friend, her teacher, and of course her beloved dog!

 

I don’t usually write in first person, but as Callie poured out her heart to me, I knew I would have to let her tell her own story in her own words. A lot of that early free-write ended up on the cutting room floor, but quite a bit survived, especially the breathless enthusiasm of her voice.

 

Q: You write in the book’s author’s note about your fondness for the philosopher Epictetus--why did you decide to include him in the book?

 

A: Epictetus was the philosopher with whom I first fell in love, back when I was in high school, a few years older than Callie. So I thought the same words that thrilled me back then might thrill young readers now: “What say you, fellow? Chain me? My leg you will chain, but my will? Not even Zeus can conquer that.” So great!

 

I also think the wisdom of Epictetus was what Callie most needed, and indeed, what all of us desperately need. It is so simple – and so profound. There are things we can control, and there are things we can’t control. The ONLY things we should care about in life are the former.

 

And … this is the kicker: the ONLY thing we can control is . . . ourselves. In particular, NOT other people. Only our OWN thoughts, choices, and actions. I have trouble every single day of my life remembering this!

 

Q: How would you describe the dynamic between Callie and her grandparents?

 

A: Like many – or most? – relationships, it’s complicated. Callie’s grandparents love her, but they don’t understand her.

 

After all, they are raising her only because of the car accident that killed her parents when she was a toddler (just as many grandparents today take on childcare responsibilities when some tragedy leaves their grandchildren without other parenting).

 

And Callie is a particularly intense child, full of questions, bursting with powerful emotions, and overflowing with passionate responses to everything. They are old and tired; she is young with boundless intellectual and emotional energy. Making a life together is a challenge for all of them.

 

Q: The Kirkus review of the book called it a “love letter to seekers, as heartfelt as it is wise.” What do you think of that description?

 

A: I love it! I love it, love it, love it!!! I couldn’t believe that the reviewer had so perfectly understood what I was trying to do with the book.

 

I wanted to invite readers to ask big questions, deep questions, the kind of questions that can’t be easily answered, but often just provoke even more questions,  until our brains are ready to explode, less with frustration than with the sheer exhilaration of this philosophical journey.

 

Q: What are you working on now?

 

A: My work-in-progress is a chapter book series for readers a bit younger than Callie, featuring a Little Free Library and the child who creates it and serves as its “librarian.” Along the way, mysteries arise over which books are left there and which books are taken, relationships are ruptured and relationships are healed.

 

If Callie’s story is a “love letter to seekers,” Livvy Lu’s Little Library (my working title) is a love letter to libraries and the communities that form around them. There is nothing in the world more magical than libraries, so I wanted to offer a tribute to them.

Q: Anything else we should know?

 

A: Hmm. I think the thing I am most famous for in the children’s book community is my “hour a day” writing day system that allowed me to write 64 books while working a full-time job and raising a family.

 

I commit myself to write for an hour – just an hour – every single day (well, most days!), timing myself with a hand-crafted cherrywood hourglass.

 

There is something SO magical about turning over the hourglass and seeing the sand begin to flow; it makes my ideas start to flow, too; it makes my pen start moving across the page (I still write my books the old-fashioned way, with pen and pad of narrow-ruled paper).

 

I don’t set myself a target word count for each stint. All I ask of myself is to devote myself fully to the project for those 60 minutes (it’s perfectly fine to spend time just thinking!).

 

Usually, I can write a scribbled-over, crossed-out mess of a page during that time span. Not very much! But, as I tell kids during my school visits, a page a day adds up to 365 pages by the end of a year. Not too shabby!

 

Thanks so much for hosting me on this book tour, and for all you do to connect books with readers!

 

--Interview with Deborah Kalb. Here's a previous Q&A with Claudia Mills. Enter this giveaway for the chance to win one of 10 signed hardcover copies of Calliope Callisto Clark and the Search for Wisdom. One grand-prize winner will receive two additional signed books by Claudia Mills, plus an unforgettable one-hour Zoom visit with the author!