Candy has upstaged Ghost for far too long. It’s time to find a new Trick!

Jen Anyong has dreamed up stories of sorts since elementary school but fell in love with picture books while teaching at her daughter’s preschool. As she read aloud to the children―their faces beaming with wonder―Jen just knew she needed to write picture books! Most of her stories are inspired by her family. Between her mischievous dog, clever daughter, and humorous husband, you’ll find them laughing together, work-shopping all of the silliness that makes picture book magic. Jen’s Hungarian heritage mixed with her husband’s Chinese heritage makes for lots of multi-cultural fun and an array of holidays and traditions. When not writing, Jen is a caregiver to her father, a part-owner of a snazzy little jazz lounge, and an active member of her church and alumnae chapter. You can learn more about her at her website or follow her on Instagram.

THE GHOST WHO SAVED HALLOWEEN is a picture book that uses a familiar rhyming text to tell an unexpected Halloween story. I recognized Edgar Allen Poe’s “The Raven” immediately and was delighted as it tilted through a new text with joy. Here a retired ghost wakes to find the rapping at his door is none other than … trick or treaters! Not only was the holiday a near miss, but surely a ghost is better than candy? Whipping into action that doesn’t terrify, the ghost struggles to find a way to save the holiday.

Welcome Jen!

Me: Can you tell us a little bit about your writing journey? When did you start writing picture books? How has that brought you to writing this picture book?

Jen: I began how I’d now describe as ‘the hard way,’ both tripping and stumbling through, yet fully committed, like it was my calling. We were amidst the Covid pandemic, and my kindergartener was doing school from home half of the time. Both she and the outdoors were my greatest inspirations, and I had lots and lots of time to write.

But, it took me quite a while to realize…the landscape of picture books had changed. What I fondly remembered as picture books and what my daughter brought home from her school library…those were no longer what the market was buying. That was a tough lesson that I know many of us walk through, in one way or another. 

When I finally discovered organizations like SCBWI and 12X12, things began heading in the right direction. With their support in place, I gained some ground, finding critique partners and writer friends. Plus, I learned a lot from their webinars and conferences.

I went on to invest in myself even more through classes and opportunities at The Writing Barn. With all of their powers combined, I gained representation in fall of 2024, and soon after, I received my first two-book deal.

Me: Congratulations! I love the personality of your main character. I’m definitely feeling that tired vibe after school got out this year! What gave you the idea for this story?

Jen: Actually, the HarperCollins team asked me to write a Ghost/Halloween book after they fell in love with a Turkey/Thanksgiving book we submitted. And so was birthed the Who Saved the Holidays series!

What was really wild: they wanted the Halloween book to come FIRST and therefore, at the time we accepted the offer, I had NOT YET written what would become my debut picture book.

When the deal came in, I thought very hard about what made the Turkey/Thanksgiving story so special and then carried those two or three elements into the Ghost/Halloween story. In terms of the actual storytelling, as an October baby and eternal lover of Halloween, it was sort of in my spirit to write a ghost book. And bonus: I’d spent many an hour watching ghost hunting television shows in the past, so perhaps there lay an advantage?  

With the title decided by the publisher, I had to ask myself, how could a ghost save Halloween? And why would he need to? Then I worked backwards. I thought about how desensitized children can seem these days and what would happen if Ghost couldn’t get their attention? I also read all of the recent Ghost picture books, just to make sure I brought something fresh to the Harper team. All in all, it was a really fun process!

Me: It’s not every day you see a picture book use Edgar Allen Poe’s The Raven as a basis for a story! What inspired you to play with the same lines and meter? Do you have a background in poetry?

Jen: This goes back to the Turkey story again… The forthcoming The Turkey Who Saved Thanksgiving uses lines and elements of Clement-Clarke Moore’s A Visit From St. Nicholas to tell the story and I decided that was one special part I’d carry through the series. Next, it was a matter of deciding what poem to use: my mind instantly flocked to The Raven – it has all the right spooky vibes and is very familiar to adults. Then, I imagined what a pleasant surprise it will be for kids when they get to middle school, and going one further, what if this early exposure could make a positive impact for students’ future comprehension of Poe? One can hope!!

As for my background in poetry, I had a beloved teacher in fourth grade who not only told me I was a poet, but proved it by entering my poem into contest after contest. Those contests and accolades followed me all the way through high school. So, I suppose it’s really no wonder I’ve found myself in this place. Teachers are so so very powerful. That encouragement over 30 years ago definitely helped shape me.

Me: Can you talk about how you came to publish with HarperCollins? Did you shop the story around? Or was this the only publisher you submitted to?

Jen: My agent, Morgan Hughes of FinePrint Literary Management subbed it to a handful of editors in the first round, that strategically went out Thanksgiving week. When the Harper team’s offer came in, with its exceptional and grandiose vision for the book AND series, they truly knocked OUR socks off!

Me: What is one thing that surprised you in writing this story?

Jen: I was surprised at how naturally the story came together! It was March of 2025 and I was the weirdo checking out all of the ghost books within our library’s system. Then our family watched a few kid-friendly Halloween’ish movies, you know, to get me in the mood. And, within a week of the idea’s initial simmering, I had a complete first draft that I truly felt excited about! I sent it to my agent, who read it to her baby 🙂 and with their approval, I read it to my editor on our very first Zoom call. She said, “Dare I say, it’s ready!” What!?

Me: The illustrations by Kaly Quarles are pitch perfect! I love all of the details in every single scene! Were there any illustration surprises for you? Any favorites?

Jen: With this being my debut, I’d say it was full of surprises! But, the biggest surprise was Kaly’s advent of the Super Scare 5000! It’s such a wonderful addition to the book and pretty much the best possible outcome when leaving room for the illustrator! I couldn’t be more pleased with the illustrations and I cannot wait to continue working alongside Kaly and the HarperCollins team to bring the Who Saved the Holidays series to life!

Me: Do you have any advice for aspiring picture book writers?

Jen: My advice is read, read, read voraciously and then write, write, write what makes your heart happy!

That is great advice Jen. Thank you for stopping by my blog today.

Dear readers, this book publishes next week. Keep an eye out for it. It’s a fun mashup of poetry and Halloween tropes that will delight and surprise.