Earlier this summer we did a Tuesday Tips focused on summer reading and one of the books we featured was called the “The Barefooted Bad Tempered Baby Brigade” by Deborah Diesen. We were thrilled when Deborah Diesen took the time to post a comment on our blog and even more excited when she agreed to do an interview with us about how she became involved with writing children’s books.
Don’t forget to check out Deborah’s website where she has more information about her books and some fun games for children. Also: Check out her blog Jumping the Candlestick.
Deborah has just released another book and has graciously offered to do a give away to our Regarding Nannies readers.
If you have ever considered writing books for children, Deborah has some great words of wisdom for you. She also shares with us the inside story of how she was inspired to write her books.
How long have you been writing children’s books?
Writing has been a lifelong interest for me, but I didn’t become interested in writing children’s books until I became a parent. My kids dove into the love of books at a very early age, so life at our house was almost like an intensive seminar on children’s literature seminar for me. Each week we’d bring home dozens of picture books from the library, all of which I read aloud, and the favorites of which I read aloud 2,649,328 times each. Without even realizing it, I learned about plot arc, pacing, story length, character development, word choice, meter, and rhyme. Somewhere in the midst of all that came the thought, “I’d like to write a children’s book.”
How many have you written?
I have three books in print (The Pout-Pout Fish; The Barefooted, Bad-Tempered Baby Brigade; and, new just last week, The Pout-Pout Fish In The Big-Big Dark). I also have another book on the way, about a disastrous school picture day. I hope there will also be other books (I’ve got literally a hundred picture book manuscripts in my files!), but I’m so grateful to have been published at all that I’m just enjoying the experience as long as it lasts.
What was your inspiration for your first book?
The Pout-Pout Fish was inspired by a real life situation with my elder son. He was maybe three or four years old at the time and in a bit of a mopey mood. I started making an exaggerated pouty face, to try to get a smile out of him. After a few attempts, it worked, and then we got into both making big pouty faces at each other and giggling about it. I said to him, “We look like fish. Like pout-pout fish!” That moment was the inspiration, and within a few weeks I had a complete first draft. Then, after six years of revising, submitting, and waiting patiently (er, mostly patiently…), a book was born!
Did your writing start out as just a hobby or did you set out with a goal of writing children’s books?
Writing is one of those things that I’ve done with various degrees of seriousness throughout my life, but for the most part even my more serious writing periods were always hobbylike efforts. It wasn’t until I got involved in children’s literature that I began to do some of the important additional steps that are part of a goal-oriented writer’s life. For me, these included finding a writing group, attending writing conferences, doing research about publishers and editors, and developing a thick skin for rejection letters! By themselves, these four steps are no guarantee of publication. But without them, getting published is likely to remain just a dream.
What was the best advice you received along the way?
When I first started taking my writing for children seriously, I attended an evening class that was an introduction to writing for kids. The instructor encouraged us to consider joining SCBWI (The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators) and also to try to find a writing group. I did both things immediately, and have benefited greatly from both. SCBWI-Michigan is a very active chapter of the national SCBWI, and I’ve learned a lot at SCBWI-Michigan conferences. And my writing group – they’re amazing! Talented writers, each and every one of them, and also very fine friends. Their careful critiques and their constant encouragement have made all the difference to me as a writer.
What is your advice to aspiring writers?
Writing, while theoretically a labor of love for those called to it, is often just plain hard work. And trying to get published can be a very long and extremely discouraging process. The best advice in the face of all that? Write anyway! Writing is good for us as individuals, for it helps us tap into unique and unexplored parts of our selves. And sharing stories is part of what makes us human. So… Start where you are, and write what most interests you. It may take you a while to hit your stride and to find what it is you’re meant to be writing — and just when you get it all figured out, it’ll change. But write anyway! And then: Keep on writing.
Which of your books is your favorite and why?
All three are my favorites! But each in a different way. The Pout-Pout Fish has a special place in my heart for being my first book. And it has been such fun to share it at story times – what a joy to see Mr. Fish and his friends come alive for kids! I’ve also got a major soft spot for the grouchy babies in The Barefooted, Bad-Tempered Baby Brigade. The quirky sentimentality in that book reflects pretty accurately my own take on parenthood. And then the newest addition to my book family, The Pout-Pout Fish In The Big-Big Dark, is special to me as a story of the amazing power of friendship to help us all face our fears.
Tell us a little bit about your book that was just released.
In The Pout-Pout Fish In The Big-Big Dark, Mr. Fish promises Ms. Clam that he’ll help her find her lost pearl. But his quest takes him deeper and deeper in the ocean, and he’s scared of the dark! His recurring refrain: ”I’m fast as a sailfish; I’m strong as a shark; I’m smart as a dolphin… But I’m scared of the dark!” Lucky for Mr. Fish, his friend Miss Shimmer is there to help him on his journey, and in the end, he – whoops! I don’t want to give away the ending (but it’s a happy one…. 
Thank you for taking the time to do this.
Truly my pleasure! Thank you for having me on your blog!
Not only did Deborah take the time to answer our questions but she is giving away 3 of her books on our blog.
You can win a copy of all 3 of Deborah’s books
The Barefoot Bad Tempered Baby Brigade
and her newest book that was just released:
The Pout Pout Fish in the Big Big Dark
Giveaway Details:
Deadline is 4pm EST Thursday Sept. 16
If you would like to enter to win you need to do the following
Leave a required comment here on this Regarding Nannies BLOG post (Facebook and Twitter don’t count) about what book you would like and why.
Don’t forget that you should make sure your email address is included in the comment form under your name so that you can be contacted if you are the winner! Winner has 3 days to claim their winnings!
You can earn up to 4 extra entries by doing the following:
The recipient of the books will be announced on September 17 2010.
My charges and I dearly dearly love Baby Brigade…it has been one of our top favorites since we found it months ago (and then mentioned it here!) It’s a fun paced, and the kids love the idea of the babies standing up for their own rights. We use it often in discussion…most notably at a local museum that has the Rosa Parks bus. I’ll never forget talking with my charges about Rosa Parks and the idea of standing up for what is right and them all shouting out “Just like the baby brigade!”
Thank you for the introduction of such a wonderful writer and 3 great books! I am sending this out to my Nannies knowing they will pick up a copy for their charges!
Love your Q & A blogs!
Patti M
I was told about Baby Brigade by Glenda and I love that book. I got it inot the library and used it in my Babies and books program at the library I work in. I work in youth serivces and the babies loved it! So did the mom’s and older siblings that were there that day
Jenn
Youth Services
Patterson Library
This is the first I’ve heard of these books, but I love the cover illo for the Pout-Pout Fish! And I’m requesting them all from the library now. I love the idea of the Baby Brigade standing up for their rights in our adult-run world, and can’t wait to read it!
I actually requested the Baby Bridaged from the library when Tara had mentioned it on Regarding Nannies. We LOVED it, both my charges and my step-daughters. Now I requested the other 2 books.
I also love to find authors that are from the state. It makes me feel more connected to them.
OK, I put a notice on my FB page and then emailed RN from there about it (I have no idea how to “tag” anything!).
And I put a notice up on my BANSG website on the welcome page:
http://BANSG.info.
And I emailed the info to the yahoogroups for nannies in my area, copied to RN.
Since I don’t have Twitter, that’s about all I can do!
I love finding out about engaging children’s books! Thanks for the interview and info, and for the chance to win the books!
I am always looking for new books for my “Nanny Bag.” These three books will be added soon! I also do a pouty face to get my charges to smile. Thank you Deborah for sharing your creativity and generosity!
I LOOOOve the Pout Pout Fish!! Great interview. Thanks for sharing.
I don’t know any of the books but love to share them with my kids. Just loved the interview with the author and can’t wait to see what the books are all about.
Nanny Petra
We have Pout Pout fish. The kids got it from my mother in law and we love it.
I can’t wait to read the others!
We live on an island, and thus, my kids love anything fish related! I think Pout Pout Fish looks great! My oldest son gets really excited about new books in his library!
I really enjoyed the itnerview and can’t wait to get a few and share them with other nannies I know. I am always seeking new books to read to the kids I care for. I love when kids get excited about a book and want to read it over and over. I feel anything of these books would be a favorite to kids I nanny as well as the kids I sit for. This book would also be a great give away for the TCPN conference coming up in Oct.
I LOVE the names of your books! Great ideas and suggestions too, for those wanting to share their love of writing. Looking forward to reading the 3 books with my charge and other children I come in contact with! What a great interview! Thank you.
My husband loves fishing and so we have been collecting all kinds of books about fishing/fish for our son who we’re expecting in December! The Pout-Pout Fish sounds really cute. The setting is fun for kids with the ocean and it has a good message from a negative fish to a positive fish!
LOVE the Pout, Pout Fish, but we don’t have it!! I would love to win a copy of it. I haven’t read the other 2 books yet, but would love an opportunity to do so.
Just tweeted the giveaway
Would love any of these for our library. I love sharing such wonderful stories!
We LOVE “The Pout Pout Fish”. It was read at our local library during the pre-kindergarden storytime. Owning this book would make my 4 year old’s day. The pictures are awesome in this book.
since i have two of them i would love to read the barefoot bad tempered babies.
They all sound so cute but I think “The Pout Pout Fish” would fit in perfectly with my two year old as he has quite the mood swings!
We would love The Pout Pout Fish in the Big Big Dark. These are wonderful books and would love to read them and add them to our collection.
I would love all three. I’ve never heard of them before, but since I have 25 nieces and nephews with 3 on the way I love keeping a variety of children’s books at my house! My nick-name used to be Ms. Fish… so I think I’d especially enjoy fish books.
The Pout Pout Fish just arrived at my branch of the library yesterday. What a fun book for dealing with those downbeat toddler times! The illustrations are very engaging, and I especially love the flowing and loving illustration of the squid.
[...] We had a busy week here at Regarding Nannies and we have lots of great info coming up for you this month. Don’t forget that you have until this Wednesday to register for the Deborah Diesen book give away. [...]
They all sound like such fun but PoutPout Fish would be fantastic. We’ve been dealing with a lot of pouting and whining lately in our house and a book that could perhaps help turn the pouts into giggles would be so helpful!
I would love the Bare Foot Bad Tempered Baby Brigade. I have two little ones that would have been at the head of that brigade!
ape2016(at)aol(dot)com
i tweeted
http://twitter.com/ape2016/status/24229080079
I haven’t read any of these books yet, so I’d like to start with The Pout Pout Fish b/c I’ve heard that the rhyme and illustrations are wonderful!
I reposted the article/giveaway on my personal blog:
http://oldsockfarmer.blogspot.com/2010/09/books-by-deborah-diesen.html
I wish I had enough books for every single one of you!!!! What a joy it was to read these blog comments. Thank you all for your enthusiasm for books and reading, and for your commitment to sharing that enthusiasm with the children you care for. Every book that you read, every library that you visit — these things have a ripple effect in the life of a child. They set off a powerful childhood literacy trajectory. Thank you.
For those of you who did not win the books, I do also have some small bookmarks. I’d be glad to send a few to you. Just contact me via my web site at http://www.deborahdiesen.com and I can put some in the mail to you.
All best to you — it was an honor and privilege to be here on Regarding Nannies!!!
Best Fishes,
Debbie Diesen