My Author & Illustrator Friends in Bookstores
One of the most exciting things about getting more involved in the kidlit community is the number of people I know who I count as friends and mentors whose books are sitting on bookstore shelves. Going into a bookstore is a completely different experience now, because the books are truly like friends.
Talented picture book authors and illustrators I've met in person or befriended online:
Brooke Boynton Hughes (illustrator of CUPCAKE COUSINS, by Kate Hannigan), who I met at David Diaz's Lost Weekend last fall:
Lori Nichols (author-illustrator of MAPLE):
Debbie Ridpath Ohi (picture book illustrator, and illustrator of new covers for Judy Blume classics):
Corey Rosen Schwartz (her latest fractured fairy tale, NINJA RED RIDING HOOD, is on the same shelf as WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE):
For example, amazing mentors in the Nevada SCBWI mentor program:
Jim Averbeck (his new MG thriller A HITCH AT THE FAIRMONT):
Jim Averbeck (his new MG thriller A HITCH AT THE FAIRMONT):
Ellen Hopkins (her YA verse novels CRANK and others. Be sure to check out her Indiegogo campaign to fund the filming of the play, CRANK, to benefit Ventana Sierra, a nonprofit helping youth at risk):
Talented picture book authors and illustrators I've met in person or befriended online:
Brooke Boynton Hughes (illustrator of CUPCAKE COUSINS, by Kate Hannigan), who I met at David Diaz's Lost Weekend last fall:
Lori Nichols (author-illustrator of MAPLE):
Debbie Ridpath Ohi (picture book illustrator, and illustrator of new covers for Judy Blume classics):
Corey Rosen Schwartz (her latest fractured fairy tale, NINJA RED RIDING HOOD, is on the same shelf as WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE):
And others I've interacted with online and learned from:
Cynthea Liu (author of WOOBY & PEEP), who ran a great writing contest last spring, Red Light Green Light:
Drew Daywalt (horror film maker and NY Times bestselling author of THE DAY THE CRAYONS QUIT), who we interviewed on the website I help run, Kidlit411.com (in which he reveals that he was raised by a family of anchovies):
Actually, many of these friends have also been featured in Kidlit411.com interviews (check them out: Debbie Ridpath Ohi, Brooke Boynton Hughes, Lori Nichols, Jim Averbeck).
I imagine that it is such a thrill to see one's books in the stores and hope to experience that thrill myself one day.
What about you? Whose books would you like to be displayed next to?
If you enjoyed this post, you may also like:
- Nevada SCBWI Mentor Program: An Illustrator's and Writer's Dream
- The Power of the Swarm and the 12x12 Picture Book Community
- A Whirlwind Month of Creativity (part 2 of the Nevada SCBWI mentor program)