Chrissie Krebs is the author of the new middle grade graphic novel Bizard the Bear Wizard. Her other books include the Mack and Cheeze series. She lives in Australia.
Q: What inspired you to create your character Bizard?
A: I wanted to create a quirky response to all the unicorn books out there in the children’s book market. I began drawing various animals and finally decided on a bear with a magic horn on his head. I drew the character first before I had any idea about the story.
It’s strange to say, but, it was once I drew Bizard that I understood what type of character he was and the story followed from there.
I am a “pantser” - I fly by the seat of my pants when I write stories, which must have driven my wonderfully patient publisher crazy! I just find that if I start off plotting everything I clam up and get blocked when it comes to creating the text.
But what I have discovered is that being a pantser is good with picture books when the pages and the word count is lower but you do really need to have a plot or at least an outline of where the plot is heading for stories in a longer format. With the help of my editor, I was able to create a general plot which then helped me with the flow of text.
Q: So did you know how the story would end before you started working on it, or did you make many changes along the way?
A: I made many MANY changes along the way. I definitely had no idea how the story would end, all I knew was Bizard had to save the day with the help of his friends. It did get a little stressful at certain points; there were at least two different endings that were rewritten. The only thing I was clear on from the start were the characters.
Q: How did you first get interested in creating books for kids?
A: I always loved drawing pictures. I became obsessed with picture book artwork early on. It’s so easy to overlook the fact that picture book illustrations are an art form which could easily hang framed on a wall, not just viewed from inside the pages of a picture book.
I began creating my own illustrations with the idea that they could be hung on a wall but I wasn’t really getting much traction in that area, so I started submitting my artwork ideas to publishing houses in Australia and I was getting positive feedback but the process was a slow waiting game.
“If a story that would be suitable for your illustrations arises, we will be in touch” was the usual response. I got tired of waiting for someone with a suitable story to complement my drawings so I began writing the stories myself.
Q: What are you working on now?
A: I have a junior graphic novel/early reader series out in Australia by Scholastic called Mack and Cheeze. Mack is a dog who is sweet and a little naive and he loves wearing hats, while Cheeze is a cat who is sneaky and sometimes mean to poor Mack, but at the end of the day, it’s nothing but love between the two. Aimed at readers 4 -7 years.
Q: Anything else we should know?
A: Bizard Book 1 and 2 have both been chosen as part of the Junior Library Guild Selection.
--Interview with Deborah Kalb
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