Talking with Tim

First Ballet

Sometimes I walk into an interview situation. Such was the case a few months back when I walked into a bookstore where Deanna Caswell was promoting her storybook/picture book for children, First Ballet (Disney-Hyperion). After chatting with Caswell for a bit, she told me about her children’s book (written by Caswell, illustrated by Elizabeth Matthews), which captures a child’s first trip to the theater. Before starting the email interview, a bit of Caswell’s bio:

“…she is privileged to share her diverse experiences and love of learning through children’s books, newspaper and book articles, and posts for Little House in the Suburbs (under the pseudonym Ivory) while caring for three kids, four red-headed chickens and two miniature goats.

Deanna’s first book, FIRST BALLET (Hyperion) arrived October 6, 2009.  Her second book, TRAIN TRIP (Hyperion) arrives Fall 2010.  She can also be found in the 2009 and 2010 Children’s Writers Market.” It was a pleasure to discuss the challenges of getting published and her work in general.

Tim O’Shea: Along the road to writing First Ballet, you had several attempts at other manuscripts. To be exact, as you detail: “From February 2005 (when I started writing) to April 2007 (when I got my first sale), I wrote 30 manuscripts and had 150 rejections.”

Did you ever feel like losing track of the number of rejections to ease the sting?

Deanna Caswell: Over 100 submissions in two years is a lot to keep track of, but my crit partner and I were submitting as precisely and as often as possible. We didn’t want to send the same manuscript to the same publisher twice! That meant that we had to have spreadsheets (or handwritten notebook paper lists in her case. HA!) We had a record whether we really wanted to know the count or not.

O’Shea: Were there any particular rejections that were harder to take than the others.

Caswell: My agent contacted me just after Scholastic had called about a haiku manuscript. I thought that was my only selling point– that someone big was interested. So when they form rejected me, that was really hard. I thought I was done for.

O’Shea: Not every first time published author is fortunate enough to get published by Disney-Hyperion–how did that come about?

Caswell: It’s bananas, I know! After all those rejections and the zinger from Scholastic…I quit kids’ lit. But then, the amazing agent I’d been chasing in California called back! Along with my other material, I’d sent a manuscript I’d just finished…First Ballet. He sold it to Disney in two days. It was CRAZY!

O’Shea: Can you single out a favorite scene from the book where illustrator Elizabeth Matthews took what you wrote and visually elevated it to a stronger level?

Caswell: ”Gather coats and bundle tight. Warm cheeks greet the chilly night.” As the grandmother is putting on the child’s coat, she has her feet in fifth position and is already pretending. I love that picture!

O’Shea: How did you first come up with the core concept for the story?

Caswell: My daughter was obsessed with ballet. I’d always wanted to be a ballerina, but my build and complete lack of lessons or talent were against me. Her interest revived my dream. By then I was writing. It was a natural outlet.

O’Shea: How did you come up with the idea of providing presentations with your book readings [ie Ballet is for Everyone! (30 minutes – PreK-2nd Grade); From Idea to Print: How a Book is Made (45 minutes-Grades 1+); Exciting Writing! (45 minutes-Grades 3+); and Poetry Workshop (45 minutes-Grades 4+)]? Has it been fun to see the different reactions to your work from the varying grade ranges you visit with these presentations?

Caswell: I took classes from Anastasia Suen. One class helps a writer work through all of the particulars of setting up school visits and presentations.

O’Shea: How challenging was it to be economic with your words? And do you feel like you succeeded when you get endorsements like this:
“If ever a book proved the idea that less is more when it comes to picture book rhyme schemes it is First Ballet. This delightful book not only captures the magic of loving the ballet, but it conveys the charm of truly being captivated by anything magical.”
– Kenny Brechner, Devaney, Doak & Garrett Booksellers, Inc.

Caswell: OOOOOoooo, I love that review. I wrote him to thank him for it. Made my life! Anyway, I think it’s in my creative nature to be sparse. Not verbally, though. I talk SO much. But when it comes to a picture book, I’m a word-count slasher. That’s probably why I’ve turning in two completely pitiful novels to my agent. He thinks I can write a good one, but anything over 300 words and I get confused!

O’Shea: Are you excited by the prospect that some children after reading your book will want to go to the ballet?

Caswell: YES! I got the wonderful opportunity to sign books at every one of the Ballet Memphis Nutcracker performances at the Orpheum! Dream come true. AND, I was even given ticket to take my five-year-old to the Nutcracker for her FIRST BALLET!

O’Shea: Can you tell folks anything about your 2010 book, TRAIN TRIP, or is it too early to talk about it?

Caswell: I know that Dan Andreasen is illustrating. But I haven’t seen any proofs yet. I’m sure he’s doing a great job. My editor, Tamson Weston, is fabulous. We worked on the manuscript together. She won’t let anything less than amazing happen to it.

O’Shea: Is there anything you’d like to discuss that I neglected to ask you about?

Caswell: Hmmm, I always tell aspiring writers that it’s not a numbers game. You have to write your best. And until you hit about 20 manuscripts and 100 rejections, don’t think for a second you’ve hit your best. Even now, I write bombs. But, now that I’m on the other side of DYING to be published, I’m SO GLAD the previous 20 manuscripts WEREN’T published. I’m so proud of this one. It ain’t great forMem Fox, but for Deanna Caswell, it’s top notch.

But, I won’t downplay the depression that comes with enduring all the way to publication. I quit out loud once, but on the inside I quit all the time, especially when everyone else around me was succeeding. Damn, that hurt. I cried. A lot. But, I highly recommend the path my crit partner and I took (she got a contract a year before me, BTW). Rip off the band-aid. Write a lot. Submit a lot. Do it fast. Do it now.