Beth Anderson, Children's Writer

Many of the books coming out now were products of the pandemic, a time when all of us experienced anxiety and many kid lit authors found it difficult to write. When faced with an exciting opportunity, Karen Jameson dug in to find her way past that block. In this post, she shares how she did it. Sounds like a great idea for all anytime the muse goes AWOL!

GIVEAWAY: Leave a comment below to be entered to win a copy of WAKE UP, WOODLANDS! from Karen Jameson.

Congratulations to Teresa Robeson, winner of one of Melissa’s Mwai’s 2024 DK series books coming out this year and a 30-min Ask-Me-Anything session!

Waking the Muse for WAKE UP, WOODLANDS

By Karen Jameson

My picture book, WOODLAND DREAMS, released from Chronicle Kids in October, 2020, to great reviews, a Kirkus star and even a write up in the NY Times! It had sold multiple foreign editions, as well! Hooray!

Time to celebrate, right? But, there would be no celebrations. In-person book parties, story times, and events were on hold for the foreseeable future. Several months into a global pandemic with no end in sight, the world was bone-weary. That December, we were heading into a bleak holiday season- one without friends, family and gatherings. A sad time at best.

Then, in the midst of darkness, a wonderful email popped up in my inbox!  Based on the success of WOODLAND DREAMS, Chronicle Kids was proposing a spring companion book – an opportunity to revisit those same woods waking to the joys of a new season. If I could compose 4 or 5 sample stanzas by the first week of January, they would acquire it, and allow me a few additional months to complete the manuscript. Our incredible illustrator, Marc Boutavant, was on board to do a second book, but was I?

Seems like a no brainer, right? But, here was the challenge. How was I to write a book about the positivity and hope of spring during a pandemic winter? Like many writers at that time, I’d been struggling to write anything for months. My muse and creative energy had simply vanished along with my spirit. It seemed like a hugely impossible task. Then again, how could I pass up such a great opportunity? I had to at least try.

And so began my immersion into all things spring! Though gray skies loomed outside, I willed myself to revisit my spring picture books and poetry collections. I pulled up photos of our family nature walks and trips to Yosemite and Lake Tahoe. I listened to spring music on repeat. Looking everywhere for inspiration, I took walks on nearby trails and imagined them in their spring glory, visited an outdoor nursery and strolled among the plants, and bought bouquets of flowers at the farmer’s market. Slowly, my mind took it all in and I began to feel myself drifting into the zone.

Long story, short, I delivered those beginning stanzas on time and the book was acquired in January, 2021. As I worked on completing the manuscript, spring actually did arrive, along with COVID vaccines and hope. Despite everything, Mother Nature did show up and the world began to brighten. Though additional challenges presented themselves while writing this book (verifying facts about the animals and their habitat mostly), I was able to face them head on. And the strategy of completely immersing myself in a given topic has earned a permanent place in my author’s toolbox. I find it an effective way to jump start many projects.

WAKE UP, WOODLANDS, with enchanting spring art by Marc Boutavant, released on March 5, 2024. Its glorious floral endpapers draw the reader into the woodland spring setting, where they meet all the forest creatures within. As ever, I’m grateful for the opportunity to write this book and especially for the final spread, with everyone gathering together once more.

BIO:

A former teacher, Karen Jameson holds a master’s degree in education. She has found the perfect way to combine her love for language, learning, poetry, and animals in her prolific picture book career. Karen is the author of WOODLAND DREAMS, FARM LULLABY, WHERE THE WEE ONES GO, and WAKE UP WOODLANDS (Chronicle), TIME TO SHINE (Groundwood), and A LLAMA IS NOT AN ALPACA (Running Press Kids) and many more.

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Don’t forget to leave a comment below if you’d like to be entered in the giveaway for a copy of WAKE UP, WOODLANDS! (ships to US addresses only. Winner announced 3/22/24.)      

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