Where are your books available?

Topsy Turvy Land is available through any bookstore, and of course, on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. The ebooks can be ordered through Guardian Angel Publishing, Fictionwise, and other sites specializing in ebooks. When they come out in print, they will have the same availability as Topsy Turvy Land in bookstores and online.

What was your experience in looking for a publisher?

I met the publisher of Topsy Turvy Land, Liz Ball, with Hidden Pictures Publishing, after looking for an SCBWI chapter. We met for a critique session without my knowing she also had her own publishing company, and had been considering publishing a picture book. I took my laptop to a meeting to show what Kevin and I were doing, and she loved it. Soon after, we met to talk about the release of the first picture book for her company. I was honored she chose mine!

Kevin introduced me to Lynda Burch with Guardian Angel Publishing. We’ve worked together on several books now. She’s a terrific promoter of her authors and great to work with.

What was your experience in working with an illustrator?

Kevin (Scott Collier) and I have worked together on several projects now. He has a wonderful sense of humor, and adds a lot of whimsy to my words through his vision. I never know what he’s going to come up with next. For No More Gunk, he practically turned the teeth into characters in the story.

What type of book promotion works for you? Any special strategies you’d like to share?

Networking is key. And give more than you get. I try to promote and encourage other authors, and I’m blessed when they reciprocate. I’ve set up blogs for all my books, and the Topsy Turvy Land blog has coloring pages by Kevin, Hidden Picture Puzzles by Liz, some poetry I’ve written, and a few other goodies. It gets a lot of traffic.

What advice would you offer aspiring writers?

Well, I still feel like an aspiring writer, but I can tell you what has worked for me. If you want to be a writer, write! Don’t just talk about it, or go to critique groups, or read about it – although that’s all part of learning. Take out a pen or fire up the computer and write. Then re-write. Great writing is re-writing!