Great question. So many people have great ideas for picture books and come to me hoping that I’ll be able to tell them the secret formula for publishing their own. The secret formula is: never giving up. lots of patience. the ability to revise your work constantly. and… research. The industry is packed with talented people already and cutting through of it is rough. I say start taking classes and meeting helpful people at a conference through SCBWI. 

I was ashamed of my own story growing up. I thought having a gay dad who killed himself was pretty weird, and I didn’t want anyone to know. I walked around with a mask on, which made it hard for me to make friends. I couldn’t get close to anyone. Once I started telling and writing my story, my entire life changed. I began to meet people and lose some of the anxiety associated with holding in a big secret all the time. 
That feeling was so rewarding and freeing that I wanted to share that with others. 

Every minute can inspire a story. If you write it well, the story of fixing the garbage disposal can be a literary journey through letting go. I also love human insight so much. That’s why comedy is so funny. What’s the stuff that everyone feels or experiences but never talks about? That’s where the good stuff is. 

YES! 10000%. I think we live in a place where the average person is full of shame. Not their fault! Society says we should be this or that or perfect or size 4 with huge hips and lips. So we feel bad about who we really are. And we hold it in, it eats away at our insides, and there’s nowhere for real emotion to go. So we have shootings and hate crimes and divisiveness. I think sharing or shouting our stories helps us because we no longer have to feel judgment about who we are. And it helps others realize they’re okay too. So even if you don’t take one of my classes, share your story. Write it as an anonymous letter. Tell it to a friend. Every little bit helps the collective. Start with this: Write about a time you felt shame.