Welcome to another TAKE FIVE interview. I hope that you’ll take five minutes to get to know more about our fellow GROG BLOGGER, Patty Toht and her latest picture book, DRESS LIKE A GIRL.
Patty's new picture book released just yesterday, January 22nd! Her book birthday also happened to coincide with Patty's actual birthday, too--what a great birthday gift! Cake and ice cream for everyone. :) Now on to our Five Questions for Patty:
1. What
was the inspiration behind your new picture book, DRESS LIKE A GIRL? Did your 3-year old granddaughter have anything
to do with it?
2. This
is your third picture book. You’ve previously released: All Aboard the London Bus, 2017 and Pick a Pine Tree, 2017. Tell us more about your writing process. As
an author who also works a full-time job and manages a busy family life, how do
you work to squeeze in writing and revision time?
I’m anything BUT consistent with
my writing, especially with new projects! Although I’m obsessed with recording
new ideas in tiny notebooks or on a phone app, I often carry these ideas around
in my head for months until I finally get started on them. It’s like a pitcher being
filled, and until it reaches overflow level, I’m willing to let it keep
filling. But the positive twist is that my first drafts tend to be very
well-developed.
As for revisions, I can be grumpy about revising, (my critique partners are angels for dealing with
my grousing!), but I love working to an established deadline. I dig in and get the
work done. The text for Dress Like a Girl
was almost completely rewritten twice, so there was a lot to do!
3. What
is the best writing advice that you ever received? Did it encourage you during a time that you
felt stuck?
The best advice I received came
from fellow Illinois author Carol Grannick. We both had begun writing for
children during the days of snail mail subscriptions, when editors actually sent correspondence in return – either acceptance or
rejection letters. But this practice sadly disappeared, to be replaced by a bit
of a black hole, with no word unless editors or agents wanted to acquire your
work.
Carol had grown discouraged by
this and had written a post about putting aside thoughts of publication to
focus on craft and writing that brought joy. I decided to do the same.
After a few years of doing just that, I discovered that I was enjoying the
journey again and my writing had taken a leap forward. I was then ready to
start submitting again.
4. Share
something surprising that people don’t know about you.
Most people outside of the
Chicago area don’t know that I’ve been writing for over 20 years! It wasn’t
until recently that I’ve been published, so many folks see me as a “new”
author.
5. Tell me a little bit more about the artist for your
book, Lorian Tu, and about how her style was the perfect fit?
In closing – Patty, you have another book releasing later
this year – Pick a Pumpkin! 2019 will be a very exciting year for you. Where
can readers and fans find you on social media?
I do have another book coming
out in 2019! Pick a Pumpkin (July
2019) is a companion book to Pick a Pine
Tree, which came out in the autumn of 2017. Jarvis has illustrated them
both in a rich, nostalgic style. I am completely crazy over his illustrations!
Lucky me, he will also be illustrating a future book of mine, Together With You (date TBD).
My website = www.patriciatoht.com
Facebook = Patricia Toht
Twitter handle = @patriciatoht
Instagram = patricia.toht
Thank you Patty! For readers - leave a comment below and you'll have a chance to win a copy of Patty's new book, DRESS LIKE A GIRL! We’ll announce one lucky winner from those who comment by Saturday, February 2nd.
Thank you for having me, Eileen!
I’m so happy to be part of the kidlit world!
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| Patty is involved with the #KidsNeedMentors program. Here is Patty visiting with students and sharing a sneak preview of PICK A PUMPKIN, due out later in 2019. |
