WILL WRITE FOR COOKIES
INSIGHT – INFORMATION – INSPIRATION
FOR WRITERS
TODAY’S GUEST
KIRSTI CALL
I love relaying how I met each of our Will Write for Cookies guests – I think it shows what a close-knit kidlit community we have. As co-coordinator of ReFoReMo (Reading for Research Month), Kirsti was one of my first kidlit mentors. I loved participating in that challenge – it really helped me focus on the importance of using published picture books as mentor texts for my own writing. And I’m grateful to her and to Carrie Charlie Brown for creating such a helpful resource.
Kirsti Call is the co-host of the Picture Book Look Podcast and the co-coordinator of ReFoReMo. She reads, reviews, revises and critiques every day as a 12×12 elf, a blogger for Writer’s Rumpus, and a member of critique groups. She’s judged the CYBILS award for fiction picture books since 2015. Kirsti’s picture book, MOOTILITA’S BAD MOOD (Little Bee) debuts fall 2020. COW SAYS MEOW (HMH) and COLD TURKEY (Little Brown) release in 2021. Kirsti is represented by Emma Sector at Prospect Agency.
And I count myself fortunate to have connected with Kirsti in person…we’ve met at our regional NESCBWI conferences, as well as at other local book events. Plus, she generously invited me and Alleanna Harris to be the very first author-illustrator duo to be interviewed on her fabulous new undertaking: Picture Book Look Podcast.
ME: Howdy, Kirsti! I’m thrilled to have you visiting here today! And I know that everyone is excited to hear more about you and your writing journey – so let’s get to the Q&A.
Who were your favorite authors/illustrators when you were a child?
Kirsti: I absolutely loved Maurice Sendak’s quirky stories and his expressive illustrations.
ME: What do you know now that you wish you knew when you first started writing?
KIRSTI: I wish I had known how little I knew. Haha. But seriously. There’s so much that goes into the craft and business of children’s writing—I had no idea. I wish I had slowed down and enjoyed the journey and been less frustrated about the concrete results (or non-results) of my work. I now know that I’m closer to creating exceptional books with each new day that passes.
ME: Where do you like to write – inside, outside, special room, laptop, pen and paper?
KIRSTI: I like to mix it up. I write on paper and on my laptop. I write inside and outside. I just finished converting my sunroom into a writing studio!
It’s the perfect place for creating. I have a desk and a papasan and windows that overlook a backyard teaming with birds and animals. And of course I have a stream filled with frogs. And children to enjoy all of it with me.
ME: When do you write – early morning, late in the day, middle of the night, on schedule, as the muse strikes?
KIRSTI: Early mornings are my favorite time to write. But in actuality, I write in the open spaces and the ten minutes crevices of time between kid interruptions. Having five kids and my husband home full time makes for a chaotic (and fantastic!) household, so focused writing time is rare.
ME: Why do you write for children?
KIRSTI: I write for children because I love them. I love how silly kids are, how they let curiosity lead them to learn, how easy it is for them to love other people, how kind and open hearted they are, how they soak up stories.
I write for children because reading has been one of favorite things for as long as I can remember. I hope my words make children laugh and maybe even learn a little too.
ME: Kirsti…thank you so much. I love that you write for kids because…you love them! Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?
KIRSTI: I sure do, Vivian
Failure lives in the neighborhood of success.
The more rejections we get, the closer we are to getting those book contracts.
Just. Keep. Writing.
My first book came out 7 years ago. It took me 5 years after that to get an agent. And now I finally have another book coming out. Persistence, baby!
Enjoy the journey.
There’s nothing better than putting words together in a way that will influence other people for the better!
Thank you so very much, dear Kirsti! We are all loving your insights…and I know you are sharing a great recipe with us – because when it comes to cookies…there is nothing better than putting great ingredients together!
KIRSTI: This has been so much fun, Vivian! And I sure do have a super yummy recipe for everyone.
WOWOWOWOW! Rice crispies in date balls…that is an amazing combination. Thank you so very much, Kirsti!
Hey, dear readers…I know we are all grateful to Kirsti for her thoughts and for the recipe…and please don’t forget to leave a comment to be entered in the giveaway of a signed ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) of MOOTILLA’S BAD MOOD, written by Kirsti Call and Corey Rosen Schwartz, illustrated by Claudia Ranucci, and published by Little Bee Books.
If you’d like to check out the other stops on the book blog tour for MOOTILLA’S BAD MOOD, check this out:
August 17 The Story Behind the Story
August 19 Grog
August 24 Kidlit Oasis
August 28 deborahkalb.com
September 1 ReFoReMo
September 1 Picture Book Look Podcast
September 2 Future Bookworms
September 4 Perfect Picture Book Friday
September 10 https://www.nancychurnin.com/
September 12 Will Writer For Cookies
September 15 Writer’s Rumpus
September 25 Mining for the Heart
And remember…the best way to help your favorite books success is to buy them if you can, review them on Amazon and other sites, share them with friends and on social media…and ask your local library to purchase them for their collections.
I hope you all have a wonderful weekend…and please swing by next week for more Picture Book awesomeness when we feature NO VOICE TOO SMALL and authors Jeanette Bradley, Keila Dawson, and Lindsay Metcalf.
Love that quote: Failure lives in the neighborhood of success. So true! And those date ball sound yummy, although I might be tempted to add cocoa powder to them. I pretty much add cocoa powder to lots of things, LOL……Congrats on Mootilda!
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Congratulations on Mootilda! Can’t wait to get my copy. 😊 And thank you for the date ball recipe. My grandmother used to make those and I’d lost the recipe!
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Oh yay! I’m so glad you’re going to hold MOOTILDA in your hands! I’d love to send you stickers and a signed bookplate. Email me your address: at Kirsticall @ gmail.com 🙂
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Thank you Jilanne! Cocoa powder does make everything better!
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Congratulations Kristi! I also love your advise. When we focus too much on failure, we forget that there may be a house for sale in our neighborhood soon!
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Thank you, Mary!!! There are so many great houses available, right?
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Congratulations, Kirsti and Mootilda! This has become one of my all-time favorite books! Thanks for spreading the word, Vivian! Best of luck to all!
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Oh Lynne Marie, Thank you, that makes my day!
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Thank you Kirsti and Vivian for lighting the way for so many kidlit authors. This book looks adorable! I look forward to reading it soon.
Thanks too for the new quote for my inspiration wall “There’s nothing better than putting words together in a way that influences people for the better.”
Best wishes!
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Oh Carmela! I’m honored!
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Congratulations, Kristi! I’m looking forward to reading Moothilda’s Bad Mood. The cover art fits the title perfectly. Your words are encouraging. I’m still seeking my agent, and if it’s based on the number of rejections, I must be very close.
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Yes! I can’t even count the number of rejections I’ve gotten in the last 7 years!!!
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I’m glad my words are encouraging.
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I have heard that this book is Moo-valous!! Can’t wait for the chance to read it. Congrats on your books and that you for being such an inspiration on patience and perseverance!
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Yay!
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Kirsti, Congratulations on your forthcoming book! AND getting to team up with Corey Rosen Schwartz–WOW!! I can’t wait to get my hands on this book. Love the title!
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Thank you!!! Sooo much fun!
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Love this book! Congrats!
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Thanks Deb!
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What a gorgeous writing view! I got to read an egalley of this for review (posted on Goodreads) and loved the humor and word play. I’d love to have a physical copy, so thanks for the chance.
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Oh Yay! I’m glad you loved the humor!
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What a fantastic book to teach children about mindset and learning how to balance a bad mood. Thank you for the yummy recipe.
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Yay!
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Every time I see this cover, I fall in love with this book again! Thanks, Kirsti and Vivian for a great interview!
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ohhh sooo sweet! Yay!
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Thank you both..I love that you love kids!
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This book looks hilarious, would be great for my twins, they love cows!
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Oh yay!!!
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Love the title of your new book–Cold Turkey. I’m having fun imagining the storyline. Congrats on your writing success!
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Thank you Deborah! I’m excited for COLD TURKEY also!
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Congratulations, Kirsti, on your latest success! Aren’t sunrooms the best? You’re reminding me of my dream sunroom office in a former home – plenty of windows to let the sunshine & nature inspire!
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Yes, I have the best. writing. studio. ever. Thank you!!!
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Love your writing space! And the date treat sounds yummy! Congrats on Mootilda!
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Thank you Angie!!!
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Mootilda’s Bad Mood is a book that I’ve looked forward to for a long time, and it doesn’t disappoint. (I mean, cow puns? They rock. Kirsti & Corey? Same.) Congratulations on this very funny, relatable book and here’s hoping your persistence continues to pay off, Kirsti!
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Thank you Sandy! And I’m soooo glad you like MOOTILDA!
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Kristi-I love cows and I know I’ll love this book. Congratulations and enjoy writing in that great sun room.
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I also love cows!!! Thank you!
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Mootilda sounds like a good book for the whole family. I’ll be sure to ask my local bookstore to carry it and I’ll put in a request at the library too. Btw, I read Sendak’s In the Night Kitchen to my children when they were young, and now wonder if it somehow influenced Mac Barnett when he wrote Sam & Dave Dig a Hole.
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Yay! Thank you Marie!!
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Congratulations Kirsti! Enjoyed seeing your smiling face this morning. Thank you for the interview, advice and the recipe. I love baking and MOOTILDA looks like a great book.
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