Interviewed by Cynthia Mackey, Kidlit Village.

Kid Lit Village: Fishing with Pop-Pop Today!

Hello Kid Lit Village blog readers! Thanks for stopping by. Today I’m pleased to feature author, Leslie Eva Tayloe on the blog. Her books are I’m Fishing with Pop Today and Save the Trees. As an added bonus, Leslie is offering a giveaway!

First off, a bit about me…

I’ve been writing for children since 2015. I started with picture books, then poetry, and more recently, I’ve completed the first book in an early reader series. I even have a verse novel in progress. After years of working on the craft, I have few published poems and my debut picture book is forthcoming with Yeehoo Press in 2024! IF A BUMBLEBEE LANDS ON YOUR TOE will be available for pre-orders in spring. Kid Lit Village blog is my way of giving to the kid lit community. There is rich talent in this community and it’s my pleasure to feature a host of lovely books, all of which contribute to the body of children’s literature.
And now for Leslie’s book…

Rosie wants to catch a BIG fish while fishing with her Pop-Pop. She realizes her Pop-Pop won’t allow her to hold her own fishing pole, bait her own hook, cast her own line, or reel in her own fish. Will Rosie ever get to catch her own BIG fish? Read on to find out in this charmingly illustrated book for children.

Leslie Eva Tayloe is a children’s picture book author. Her inspiration for writing, I’m Fishing with Pop-Pop Today and Save the Trees (releases in the Fall of 2023 or Spring of 2024) came from her personal life experiences, which are woven into her stories. She’s a former analyst with the federal government and worked as a substitute teacher for elementary school-aged children. Leslie lives in the Virginia countryside with her partner, Michael, where she can take time to explore nature and share her life in written stories. When Leslie isn’t writing, she loves to take long walks with her black lab Frankie, craft, and spend time with family.

And now for the interview…

Cynthia, Thank you very much for having me as a blog guest!

Leslie, it’s my pleasure.

To begin with, we’d love to know what challenges you as a writer.

A big challenge for me as a writer is determining when to submit a story to a publisher. When I first started writing picture books, I’d write a story and immediately send it out. Wow! Was I wrong—now I take my time and revise and edit, put it through critique partners and editors, and then submit to publishers. But I still get that nervous feeling—IS IT REALLY READY TO SUBMIT? 

Who do you admire as a writer and why?

I admire writers who can go from writing a picture book to writing a middle grade or even a novel. To me, that is talent. How do they do it? I’ve been writing full-time for four years, and I’m still learning how to write a picture book.

List 5 favorite picture books. Explain what you like about them.

Princess Puffybottom by Susin Nielsen (Tundra, 2019). I actually laughed out loud when I read this book. I have two cats and a dog and can totally relate to the behaviors described in the book. My dog Frankie wants to be friends with one of my cats. But the cat just hisses at her. My favorite line in this book is “Until the day Darryl arrived. He was horrible. He was disgusting. He was an animal!” That line makes me laugh each time I read it.

Chicken Dance by Tammi Sauer (Sterling Children’s Books, 2009). This book is so creative from the text to Dan Santat’s illustrations. It is a hilarious book. And, I’ve always been a fan of Elvis, the King!

Can I Be Your Dog by Troy Cummings (Random House, 2018). This book tugged at my heartstrings. I love dogs and I love writing letters. Combining the two together into a book was very creative.

Billy Monster’s Daymare by Alan Durant (Tiger Tales, 2007). I love this book. It is so funny. I read this book when I want to smile. When I read the last spread, I just said “Wow! That was creative”.

Something Smells! by Blake Liliane Hellman (Atheneum Books, 2018). I love the structure of this book. I’ve used this book as a mentor text many times. The book is easy to read and humorous.

Can you recommend any resources for developing your talents as a writer?

There are so many great resources available for writers. I joined the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators (SCBWI), Children’s Book Insider (CBI), the 12×12 Picture Book Challenge, and Women in Publishing (WIP). These organizations conduct classes. Some classes are free and some will cost. Finding a critique group in your genre is crucial. It’s a plus if critique members pay attention to the industry and understand their genre. Depending on your time, try joining several critique groups. I recommend ProWritingAid or something like that and I also use The Emotions Thesaurus by Angela Ackerman, Becca Puglisi, and a good dictionary! Also, brush up on your grammar.

Tell us about the inspiration for your books.

I’m Fishing with Pop-Pop Today (Austin Macauley Publisher, 2022) story involved my grandson, Michael. He and his Pop-Pop went fishing at the pond behind our house, and Pop-Pop wouldn’t let Michael hold his own pole, bait his own fishing line, or catch his own fish. So, Michael finally said, “Pop-Pop, can we both fish?” The situation was hilarious. I changed the main character from a boy to a girl because there weren’t a lot of books with a girl fishing with her Pop-Pop.

Save the Trees (Brandylane/BelleIsleBooks, 2023) is about a boy and girl saving their town’s trees from invasive plants and vines. I got the idea from my own experience. I live on 74 acres with about 25 different species of trees. Invasive plants and vines have been a tremendous problem for us.   

More about Leslie: Leslie posts author and illustrator interviews each month on her website. Also, she does a free book giveaway of the interviewed author’s book. If you like picture books, you can subscribe to leslieevatayloe.com.

Kidlit at Heart Marketing Group: Leslie was instrumental in forming a marketing group titled Kidlit at Heart. Kidlit at Heart comprises of four women from the United States, in the Eastern, Western, and Central Regions. They collaborate on everything marketing. You can follow them at kidlitatheart.com. Children’s Book Insider recently published an article Leslie wrote in their April Newsletter regarding this collaboration as authors. As a marketing group, they also presented at the Women in Publishing Summit Conference in March. You may read the entire Children’s Book Insider article on Leslie’s website at leslieevatayloe.com.

Website: leslieevatayloe.com

Email: letayloe987@gmail.com

Twitter: @LeslieTayloe

IG: leslieevatayloe

Finally, it’s Giveaway time!

Free Book Giveaway: I’m giving away a free copy of my book, I’m Fishing with Pop-Pop Today!

And…. an additional prize. You can choose a Free 30-minute author Q and A with your classroom or a Picture Book Critique from Leslie!

How to enter: It’s easy – Just share the post and leave a comment! Giveaway closes August 31st, midnight Pacific time.

Leslie, thanks for joining us and for your generous prizes!

I hope you’ll stop by Kid Lit Village again soon for more author and illustrator interviews. I;m super excited to let you know that very soon I will have the opportunity to start introducing the members of Kids Book Crew, our promotional group of children’s book creators.

See you again soon!

 

More details here.

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