Every once in a while, I like to mix things up here on the old blog.  Today, I’m interviewing two different authors at the same time about two different books with one thing in common: construction!

Diana Murray has visited my blog numerous times in the past.  She is now the author of over twenty five children’s books, including Firehouse Rainbow, Pizza Pig, and Unicorn Night (an Amazon Best Book of the Year). Diana grew up in New York City, where noisy trucks rumbled under her window, and busy construction sites were always in view. She still lives nearby with her husband, two children, and a fuzzy dog who loves car rides. You can learn more about her at her website.

Her book SLEEP LITTLE DOZER is a delightful bedtime story with a small dozer who is getting ready for bed.  However, his mama isn’t home from work yet and he really wants her to tuck him in with their lullaby.  Yet daddy does the job!  The illustrations by Cleonique Hilsaca are soft (in both hue and rounded edges) and fit perfectly.  I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a cuter dozer character before!  It’s a perfect goodnight book for busy little readers.

Carrie Finison has visited my blog before as well. She writes poetry, stories, and books for kids, including the picture books Don’t Hug Doug (He Doesn’t Like It); Dozens of Doughnuts; Lulu & Zoey: A Sister Story; and Hurry, Little Tortoise, Time For School! She lives outside Boston with her husband, their son, and their daughter, and two cats who allow her to work in their attic office. You can learn more about her at her website or follow her on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.

Her book PIGS DIG A ROAD is a hilarious rhyming picture book where the crew have a job to do with a tight deadline: they must build a road to the Hamshire County Fair which is starting SOON!  Yet problems abound (as they should) and poor flustered Rosie fixes problem after problem until she is completely wiped out.  The illustrations by Brian Biggs are funny in a cartoon-y way that reminds me of 80s or 90s cartoons for some reason I just can’t put my finger on.  These too are the perfect fit for the story.  This misfit crew is a wonderful story for young readers who love construction equipment and can’t get enough.

Welcome back Diana and Carrie!

Me: Construction is an evergreen topic, yet there are so many books out there on the subject already.  What made you two decide to dive into this setting?  What gave you the ideas for your stories?

Diana: There are certain themes that are always popular with kids. Themes like unicorns, trucks, dinosaurs, etc, will make kids want to pick a book off the shelf. And if a grandparent is looking for a book for their grandkid, they often choose something that lines up with their grandkid’s interests. But what makes a book stand out are the layers, twists, and unique execution. And perhaps most of all, a distinctive voice. As far as where my idea came from, it was very simple. I was playing around with lullaby ideas when I came up with “Truck-aby”. When I posted the manuscript in my critique group, it was clear that “truck-aby” was too difficult to pronounce without hearing it. So I dropped that word. But honestly, this manuscript went through many, many different versions till I got to something I was happy with. It’s hard to believe, but I wrote the very first draft around 2009 or 2010. I was looking for an agent at the time and I sent it to someone who had asked to see more of my work. It has gone through lots of changes since then and I didn’t start submitting to publishers until many years later. It ended up selling in a pre-empt.

Carrie: For me, ideas come from a variety of places and also change over time. A lot of my ideas begin life as a rhyme, a play on words, or even a mistake, like one word substituted for another. Pigs Dig a Road began as a twist on the children’s song “Five Little Ducks” – except that mine was called “Five Little Trucks.” From there,  the idea grew through many drafts – who would drive these trucks?  What would they be doing? A big influence in the direction of the story was my memories of reading Richard Scarry’s What Do People Do All Day, and other books. I wanted my world of vehicles and animals working to reflect the one I spent so much time enjoying  as a child.

Me: Given that construction is an evergreen area, comparisons to already successful picture books like GOODNIGHT, GOODNIGHT CONSTRUCTION SITE must abound.  Carrie I see that you use it as a COMP title on your website.  But Diana, with a Dozer bedtime story, does comparison happen frequently?  Do either of you welcome these comparisons?  Do you use those comparisons, like Carrie, for marketing your own book?

Diana: Yes, it’s typical to include comp titles in your query letter when you’re sending out your manuscript. And then if your text gets published, it’s common for the publisher to include comp titles in the description. Mine says “…perfect for fans of Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site and Where Do Diggers Sleep at Night?” There’s a pretty good chance that people who like those books might like my book, too, so it makes sense to mention them.

Carrie: It’s funny, but probably not a coincidence, that both of our books have Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site as a comp title. I do welcome these comparisons because I think it helps readers to find books they love. When I was young, I loved books about horses. One was definitely not enough! I read shelves of them. I think for any beloved topic, there’s always room on the shelf for more, as long as it’s a fresh take.

Me: Both of you chose to write each of your books in rhyme (as many of your previous books are).  Were these particularly difficult stories to write in rhyme when you had complicated names of construction equipment to include?  Or did that just bring a fun challenge of playing with innovative ways to include them?  Were there a lot of revisions for either of you with these manuscripts?

Diana: My manuscript went through loads of revisions! Complex names can be difficult to incorporate into meter, but it was really fun to try to get in lots of truck-themed words. For example, “cab to tread” instead of “head to toe” and “The Three Little Rigs” instead of “The Three Little Pigs”. Having a specific theme can sometimes make it easier to incorporate wordplay and humor.

Carrie: My editor strongly encouraged me to include the names of all the vehicles in the text, which was smart. It made for a lot of time staring at the computer screen with RhymeZone open on the side, but ended up adding more than I expected to the story. I was even able to rhyme ‘compactor’ with ‘distracts her’ on one  page, which was fun and unique. Sometimes you have to lean into the opportunities that rhyme presents, rather than cursing it as a problem (although there were moments of cursing, for sure!)

Me: Each of your books bring a unique angle to your stories.  Carrie your book talks about the importance of collaborative teamwork, as well as showing females working in non-traditional roles in construction.  Diana your book shows dads can be the ones at home taking care of the kids too.  Both of these are relational aspects that readers might not necessarily associate with construction equipment.  Why was that something you both wanted to share with young readers?

Diana: Having Mom out working late was my way of adding an emotional layer. And I always try to be aware of stereotypes. The first book I sold was Ned the Knitting Pirate, about a pirate who wants to knit fuzzy blankets but the other pirates don’t think that’s tough enough. And in Firehouse Rainbow, the Captain is given a pink birthday cake. In fact, someone in my critique group said that sounded “off”. But that’s the point! I think gender stereotypes can be confining and I like to push that when I can. 

Carrie: I remember once reading a statistic that a very low percentage of animal characters in books are female. After that, I made it a priority to feature female animal characters in my stories. After all, at least half of the animals we encounter out in the world (if not more) must be female, right? In my book Dozens of Doughnuts, the bear main character was male in the early drafts, and so was the tortoise in Hurry, Little Tortoise, Time for School. But once I changed them to female characters, it felt very natural. With Pigs Dig a Road, I knew the crew would be at least half female from the start. It feels like a small step toward giving readers (girls AND boys) a more equitable sense of the world.

Me:  I love the illustrations in both of your books!  Diana, your illustrations by Cleonique Hilsaca have been described as Kawaii-esque with their adorable softness and roundess.  Carrie, your illustrations by Brian Biggs have been described as comically lively.  Do you agree with those descriptions?  Were there any illustration surprises for you?  Any favorites?

Diana: The illustrations were very different from what I expected and I love their adorable squishiness. I think Cleonique’s unique, fresh and modern look makes the book stand out from other truck books. Probably my favorite is the depiction of Rumbletruck Town in Dozer’s dream. Doesn’t it look like the sweetest place to visit with its rolling hills and friendly residents?! I also love how Dozer scoops up stars.

Carrie: With most of my books, I don’t have a strong visual sense of how I want the story to look, but Pigs Dig a Road was a little different. Since I had Richard Scarry’s books firmly in mind while writing it, I was really hoping for an illustrator who could capture a similar feel while putting their own unique stamp on it. Brian exceeded my hopes. There is a LOT of action in the story and he did a great job of capturing it in a fun way that makes the sequence of events clear. One of my favorite unexpected elements is the three motorcycle-riding beavers that can’t wait to zoom onto the not-yet-completed road.

Me: Diana, this isn’t your first bedtime book, and it won’t be your last with another one due out in October.  Carrie, this is now your fifth published picture book.  Do you still manage to be surprised in creating picture books at this point in your careers? What is one thing that surprised either one of you in writing these stories?

Diana: Absolutely! Surprises abound! It’s basically a never-ending roller coaster ride. I was certainly surprised when publication was delayed by several years. And I was very pleasantly surprised when it was chosen as an Amazon Best Book of the Month as soon as it released!

And if you mean surprises specifically in the writing, then perhaps what surprised me the most was deciding to remove the refrain. In my first draft, there was a refrain and for some reason, I thought refrains were always a good idea. But one day I realized it was too repetitive and monotonous and it was slowing the story down. So I took it out. And it was a big improvement! That’s a lesson I’ve kept with me and there is always more to learn.

Carrie: With Pigs Dig a Road, I was surprised at how much fun I had doing the research for this story. Even though it is fictional, I knew I needed to get the stages of road building and the different trucks used 100% accurate. So many kids are obsessed with vehicles and I knew they’d be the first ones to correct me if I made mistakes – and rightly so! I found books at the library, watched videos, and even researched websites intended for road construction  project managers to make sure I had the process accurate, but also simplified enough to work in a picture book format.

In general, I agree with Diana – there is always more to learn. Sometimes I feel like with each new manuscript I’m learning to write a picture book all over again – and that can be a great thing.

Me: I’ve known both of you since the start of your publishing journeys.  It’s been a delight to see so many of your books published and garnering successful attention.  If you could go back in time and give yourself one piece of advice at the start of your journeys, what would it be?

Diana: Maybe “Don’t be afraid to revise aggressively rather than gingerly. You can keep separate versions if you get attached. At least lock your darlings in another room.” And of course I’d also have to say, “Don’t give up! You’ll get there!”

Carrie: Find critique partners who will give you honest and constructive feedback about your work and hold onto them. And also remember, you often gain almost as much by critiquing someone else’s story as you do by having your own critiqued.

I would also say that “keep your eyes on your own paper” is a good policy in general. It can be so easy to compare and feel discouraged when you see others getting the things that you’re working hard for. Just keep at it, get your work out there, and good things will come.

That is excellent advice ladies.  “Lock your darlings in another room” and “keep your eyes on your own paper.”  I love it!  Thank you for stopping by my blog again today.

Dear readers, SLEEP LITTLE DOZER published in June, but PIGS DIG A ROAD, however, releases September 10th.  You’ll have to keep your eyes out for that one.  Either way, you won’t want to miss these books.  Both will appeal to young readers fascinated with construction equipment. They also make excellent bedtime stories and fun reads.