What a happy day it was last week when I found a package on my front porch containing a hardcover copy of my next book
1 + 1 = 5 and Other Unlikely Additions. And what a long wait it has been!
It was over seven years ago when I began to brainstorm all the different sums you could get when you added 1 + 1:
1 set of triplets + 1 set of twins = 5 babies
1 octopus + 1 starfish = 13 arms
1 decade + 1 century = 110 years
It was a fun puzzle (and I love puzzles), but I didn't know what to do with the ideas, so I let them sit. And they sat in my legal pad for years, until I happened to stumble upon them again. They still held my interest so I decided to put them into a book dummy. I knew illustrations would be important in conveying the concept, so I created a fully illustrated black and white dummy which I sent to several publishers.
I was pleased as punch when Meredith Mundy at Sterling sent me an email saying she was very interested in the story. Although she chose Brenda Sexton (who did a beautiful job!) to be the illustrator, I did have a lot of input into the final illustrations, the most I've ever had for any of my books. And after a few more years of waiting, an actual book appeared at my house.
The waiting isn't entirely over yet; the books won't appear on bookshelves until this summer, but for now, 1 long stretch of waiting + 1 small package= 1 very happy author!
8 comments:
This looks brilliant! I think kids will get a big kick out of it. Congratulations!
I think this is going to be a fun book, can't wait to see it on the shelves!
David-- this book looks wonderful! I can't wait to read it to Cooper and Ruby (who are teenagers now, but still enjoy a great puzzle-picture-book! Yay!
It's darling and sounds like a very fun read. Congratulations!
What (another) great idea, David! My son and I just reread Best Pet of All and The End again yesterday at the library. Very fun books, and definitely inspirational. Congratulations!
1 new book plus 1 great author equals thousands of hours of enjoyment for multitudes.
I agree with all above, David! Congratulations on a new twist to a concept book. Can't wait to read it.
Thanks for all the kind comments!
The process, and time, it takes to produce a picture book can feel overwhelming, but it is wonderfully rewarding when you finally have a finished book in your hands.
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