Signed, Abiah Rose Blog Tour -- and the Perils of Writing and Illustrating

The blog tour is hosted today by Tina Nichols Coury on her site Tales from the Rushmore Kid.  I’m honored she agreed to kick off my blog tour.  Tina’s interviewing the writer half of me, which brings to mind some thoughts I had while working on my picture book.

At SCBWI workshops I have often heard advice about the roles of authors and illustrators and how to not get in each other’s way. These tips apparently apply even if the author and illustrator are the same person.  In my case the two kept ignoring each other in their desire to get their own way. My dummy was full of examples of this. Who were all those children who kept popping up?  The manuscript only mentioned four.  Artist-me wanted to include a baby. Writer-me insisted on including a wagon (several, actually). Wagon wheels are no fun. Writer-me tried to include a Native American that illustrator-me couldn’t find period-appropriate costumes for. Not in detail. Both of me really got annoyed, but we have declared a truce, and we’ve promised to consult each other more next time.

By the way, the author of this book failed to anticipate the confusion resulting from 1) predictable mis-pronunciation of the title character’s name and 2) the reading of the title.

1. Abiah is a Biblical name, and is pronounced uh-bye’-uh.
2. When reading the book title out loud, it goes Signed (pause) uh-bye’-uh Rose. Without the pause, it too often sounds like Signed by a Rose…….which, unfortunately, could also be the title. (Read the book – you’ll see.) Writers. They don’t think things through.

Remember, comments posted here and on the other blogs on the tour make you eligible for a signed copy of the book!

Tuesday, June 8
Interview with Signed, Abiah Rose author - me!
Tina Nichols Coury
Tales from the Rushmore Kid

Wednesday, June 9
Interview with Tricycle Editor, Abigail Samoun
Megan Frances
On Beyond Words and Pictures

Thursday, June 10
Interview with Signed, Abiah Rose illustrator - me!
Mary Peterson
A Beautiful Fish

Friday, June 11
To be Announced!