We are just starting to see flowers everywhere here. That’s why today’s picture book seems like a lovely infusion of blooms to me.
Welcome Jackie!
Me: Can you talk a little bit about yourself and about your writing journey up to this point? What brought you to this book?
Jackie: My writing journey began earlier than I can remember, to be honest. My love of reading and writing is as much a part of me as any other essential organ and becoming a published author was something I always hoped to achieve. I used to dream of being a poet, actually, and in a way my leap into writing picture books came about as a creative exercise to battle off writer’s block (I was drafting a YA at the time) through poetry. As a first-time, very sleep-deprived, mom, I found myself surrounded by this beautiful new format of book and I was inspired to give it a shot. I wrote my first picture book draft, for a story I hope to sell one day, in July of 2021. The idea for Abuelo’s Flower Shop hit me like lighting a few weeks later and I drafted it in the Notes app on my phone in about twenty minutes tops. It sold by November of that year.
Me: A flower shop and grief seem to go hand in hand. Yet I’ve never seen the subject approached quite like you did. It’s very clever! What gave you the idea for this story?
Jackie: Thank you! Abuelo’s Flower Shop was loosely inspired by my experience visiting with my abuelos growing up. They sold flowers from the sidewalk of their Miami home, which sat catty-cornered from a cemetery. Of course, I never made the connection between their flowers and the cemetery until well after my abuelo died and my abuela moved away—when I was not much older than our main character, Elena. The realization that there might be a story to tell didn’t come until many years later.
Me: I love Elena’s joy and innocence. She’s so enthusiastic and yet bumbling into people’s grief, just like any child would be. Was that always part of the story? Or did it come about during revision? Did this story go through a lot of revisions?
Jackie: Elena is so sweet. Her abuelo’s flower shop, filled to the brim with blooms, is the most magical place in her world and our story takes place on the first day she’s old enough to “help.” She simply can’t wait to spend time with her favorite person in her favorite place! The idea that she can’t see past her joy, paired with Abuelo’s hesitation to—like many caretakers but especially latino men of an older generation,—lift the veil of why they sell their flowers, was always the starting point for the book. In fact, the bones of the story have remained largely unchanged through many rounds of revision. Most of the edits where stylistic as I learned more about the craft of writing picture books because the first drafts of my early work leaned more lyrical.
Me: What is one thing that surprised you in writing this story?
Jackie: It still surprises me how vulnerable I end up being through my work. I’ve always considered writing to be an escape but the stories that have struck a cord the most with agents and editors are all ones that came from mining my own lived experience. It’s not something I anticipated when I was younger and imagined writing vast fantasy worlds about pretend people! But, I welcome it all the same.
Me: The illustrations by Deise Lino are perfect for this story. I loved all the color and texture she brought to this story. Were there any illustration surprises for you? Any favorites?
Jackie: I love Deise’s illustrations so, so much. It’s hard to pick a favorite but I especially love all of the scenes inside of the shop where it feels like the pages are bursting with flowers. As for surprises, this was my first time seeing a story I dreamt up come to life on the page so the entire experience was a wonderful surprise. While I’m a very visual person—my stories all play in my mind like Pixar Shorts before they find their way to the page—I’m not particularly tied to any one vision. I’m of the opinion that, once my words make it to the desk of an illustrator and creative team, the story becomes just as much theirs as it ever was mine. Seeing their work woven in is like reading the story for the first time all over again. It’s beautiful.
Me: I love that there were different flowers for different people all throughout the book. You dedicated this book to your grandparents. Are there specific flowers that remind you of them? What flowers would you bring to their garden to remember them?
Jackie: This is such a thoughtful question. There isn’t one specific flower that reminds me of them because their home was an explosion of colorful blooms but if I were to build a bouquet to take to them today it would have daisies, white lilies, peach carnations, yellow roses, and light pink snapdragons.
Me: Any advice for other new picture book writers?
Jackie: Find your writing community. Having at least one person in your life who understands this industry is essential. Bonus points if that person doubles as a critique partner!
That is great advice Jackie. Thank you for stopping by my blog today.
Dear readers, this book releases into the world tomorrow. It’s a sweet story of a child’s first experience with recognizing other’s emotions, told with kindness and understanding. You won’t want to miss it!