Welcome to the first post in our Five Questions With interview series. This month we speak to Charlotte Sullivan Wild, who has been involved with SCBWI for a number years and even served as Regional Advisor for Southwest Texas, USA. She tells us more about her second picture book, Love, Violet. Charlotte, take it away! Tell us about your new book. Love, Violet, warmly illustrated by Charlene Chua, is the tender story of a crush between two girls and the courage it takes to share your heart–even when it’s pounding! It appears to be a first picture book from a major U.S. publisher to portray a crush between two girls. And it’s the story I needed as a child but didn’t have. This book was a decade in coming, in part because of the topic. It’s still unbelievable to me that Love, Violet is finally here! (I describe that journey and the stakes of queer erasure here.) Ultimately, Violet’s tale is one of drumming up the courage to tell Mira she wants to adventure together. Violet tries to dodge speaking by making a valentine. (Isn’t that what young crushes are all about? Big feelings, innocent play, and homemade gifts?) Poor Violet’s stomach lurches as she worries over whether Mira will like her back. Violet’s anxiety is so relatable for me, and I suspect, for many of us. We all want to know we are lovable. And showing our true feelings can feel scary! I wonder if in a way this story was unconsciously about the courage it took for me to come out, to risk losing people I cared about, a job, and social acceptance—in order to be honest about who I am. It mostly ended well, but not without nauseating conversations, real losses and chaos first. Yet, I knew I couldn’t be fully in relationship with my family and friends while hiding a part of myself. Connection requires honesty. Which isn’t easy. In fact, honesty can be costly. Not everyone will welcome our truths. Yet vulnerability is the only path to connection. Honesty, not perfection, is the door to love. And so, this love story, is all about courage and sharing your heart! See for yourself! Here’s a short video from illustrator Charlene Chua and me about why we created Love, Violet (and about our young crushes!), with special cameos from fellow kidlit authors of LGBTQIAP2+ books and friends. (Hereafter LGBTQIAP2+ is denoted as Q+) What inspired you when working on this project? The simple answer is: Love! I was inspired by my young crushes in preschool and elementary school, memories of crafting “special” valentines, and later, falling for my wife in that cute hat one snowy winter in Minnesota! Again, homemade valentines were involved! The longer answer is: Growing up, I worried that as much as I dreamed of love, it might not be for me. I could never picture myself in love. I didn’t know what was wrong with me, but I felt… not normal. Finally in my thirties, in the middle of my MFA program (why did I keep writing stories about teen preacher’s daughters who realized they were lesbians?!), I finally got it: I am gay. It was a shock! But also, so obvious! Suddenly, my entire life made sense! I made sense! But how had I not seen it? The evidence was all there! It just didn’t fit the story I had for my life. I’d never been able to express how I felt. I didn’t have language for my love or for myself. Not one story had shown me that I could exist. That a Q+ person could be good or loved. Or could be born into a religious family like mine and stay. I had intentionally, systematically crossed out that part of myself. I wanted to be good. I wanted to be loved. I tried not to be gay. But that kind of self-revision is violence. It caused deep wounds, hurt my development and my relationships at every stage of my life. When young, I hurt Q+ friends, trying to reject anything queer, not knowing I myself was also the target. Later, I hurt my former husband and myself trying to be a heterosexual woman in our marriage. Sometimes I wonder, if I had seen even one realistic, affirming story about queerness as a kid, how different might my life have been? How much suffering prevented? So, I wrote the story I had needed as a child. I wrote it for all the Q+ kids out there in unwelcoming, unsafe places. For those being told that they are too controversial, too disgusting to even mention. That by existing, they are perverse. As a friend, as a former teacher and volunteer at an LGBTQ+ homeless shelter, I’ve heard too many tales of trauma, neglect, and violence hurled at Q+ kids from adults who rejected them. I was so lucky. Even with all the pressure to be cisgender and heterosexual (cis-het), I was loved. I never forget. I want that for every child. I wrote Love, Violet for the kids in dangerous places, so they will that they are not alone. And they are loved. I wrote Love, Violet so young kids can begin life cheering for happy endings for all kids, not just a few. I wrote Love, Violet to celebrate love as beautiful and honest and equal. As something for us all. Talk to us about the creative process for this book. Where to begin?! I started this story while fevering with flu during the dark winter holidays in 2011. I was just learning how to write picture books, so that first draft exists, but you will never see it! What a heart-filled mess! Finding the shape and voice of this story took endless experiments and, ultimately, a team effort. My devoted writing group in Minneapolis, MN journeyed with me through this winding process. They helped me think through the age and developmental level of my characters, which ultimately landed at about seven, given their social sophistication and crafting. They helped me shape the plot and winnow the wordcount. If I remember correctly, two of them came up with the title Love, Violet independently, and I’m forever grateful! Behind every book is always a supportive team! One area that was especially challenging was uncovering the emotional storyline of the main characters. So many scenes felt utterly visceral for me—perhaps because they were inspired by real childhood memories. I could fill a few words with my imagination. But those feelings were not coming through to others. I had spent a lifetime repressing feelings. You don’t unlearn silence in a day. Or even in a few years. It takes work. Maybe a lifetime. I needed help drawing out those repressed emotions. In 2013, agent Minju Chang of BookStop Literary Agency became interested in LOVE, VIOLET—what a thrilling day that was! We entered an audition period of revision to see whether she might ultimately represent my work. (I think I was continually nervous for four months!) Minju raised important questions. What were the characters feeling? What is Violet scared of? Why? How can we see this? Why precisely do they change, why now? This onion had a thousand layers, and I agonized over each word, knowing I had to be spare, but also true, down to the core. Minju sent several rounds of comments and processed with me over the phone each time. Another dear writing friend devoted hours to what we laughingly call “book therapy.” We explored Minju’s questions, teasing out the nuances. She nudged me to identify points of emotional inspiration from my own life that I could draw on. When had I felt like Violet, even in a different context? (My anxiety over auditioning for Minju is surely baked into Violet’s portrayal, too!) Then, I created a giant thumbnail chart of every scene. I added a sticky note to each with Violet’s and Mira’s unspoken thoughts in each moment. All of this helped me break through that practiced silence and draw Violet and Mira out and onto the page. In January of 2014, Minju felt the manuscript was ready to submit and offered me representation. (Huzzah!) What a thrilling time! Surely everything was about to begin for Love, Violet and my career! Finally, kids like me would see themselves in a book! (You’ll note that it is now 2022. Obviously, there is more to this story!) Did you encounter anything unexpected while working on this project? By far the biggest challenge of this project was writing a story that many people felt should not exist. There are so many horrible myths and stereotypes about Q+ people. Many folks don’t believe that Q+ kids even exist. But we do! We aren’t born cis-het and then suddenly transformed at adolescence or by outside influences. We are born who we are. Whether our biological sex, gender, or orientation are fully expressed or obvious to others or not, we are who we are our entire lives. We may evolve and grow, but we always have a sex, gender, and orientation, even if nascent, even if fluid. The question isn’t whether we exist as kids. The question is whether we will be safe and supported, allowed to live without fear. I wanted to write a story that would simply portray Q+ kids being kids, without all the outside arguments and noise. So we can be seen as simply human. But this story goes against the culture’s grain. It triggers fear in those who are already safe. Which made both the writing and publishing paths for Love, Violet harder. And longer. I was so fortunate to be surrounded by creative support at every stage of this process, including from SCBWI. I wish this for everyone! Yet, once I shared Love, Violet beyond my close circle, the feedback became confusing. Craft comments were often tangled up with people’s assumptions and biases. None of it was meant with cruelty. The questions were honest. People simply hadn’t seen queer childhood depicted, didn’t know we existed as kids. They’d grown up when people like me hid as much as possible. Those who couldn’t hide usually paid the price. So at first, my readers at first couldn’t perceive the crush, even when the evidence was there. Just like I couldn’t see my own crushes for what they were, though they were joyful and intense! The truth didn’t fit our assumed narrative. Much of writing feedback focused on the ages of the characters, motivations, and plot—all crucial questions! I struggled to separate craft comments from bias. Sometimes I revised myself in circles trying to be clear and accurate, to assuage fears. The one advantage of this, perhaps, was that I triple checked the age level of every thread of this story. I drew heavily on concrete details from the young crushes of my Q+ friends and myself. I listened to the kids in my life. I’m confident the details of the story are age appropriate because they come from real experiences of real kids at this age. But when it came to the writing itself, wow, did I doubt myself. Unfortunately, I discovered, this struggle is common for minority writers. Most of my work had been rooted in white, cisgender, protestant Christian, and able experience. I was used to readers identifying with or understanding this perspective. Around this time, I participated in a Beyond the Pure Fellowship, sponsored by the Jerome Foundation and hosted by Intermedia Arts in Minneapolis, Minnesota (USA). I learned that my BIPOC, immigrant, and working-class peers had dealt with this kind of friction their entire careers. For most, this also blocked them from the very support I had enjoyed. It closed doors. Places where I loved learning craft, many of them found rejection. Harm to their work. No grants. They received comments such as: This character isn’t believable. I can’t relate. This language/ cultural detail sounds unrealistic. This isn’t the type of story I want for this cultural group. No one will publish this. Often the feedback was essentially: Please, erase what is diverse about yourself. Erasure is not what writing is for. Art is for truth. And human connection. And so, like Violet, I had to push through fear and doubt to share what was in my heart. What I knew to be true, for the sake of kids. I kept those kids in the center of my mind as Minju and I processed even more confusing feedback from editors. I knew the text might need work. But editors’ comments were all over the map. Even Minju said she had never seen feedback like this. Once, in exasperation, I made a chart of all the responses to find a theme in the comments that I could work on. I was at a loss. I revised Love, Violet into a jumbled mess. Finally, in 2015-16, we stopped sending it out. No one was going to publish a book on this topic. Not yet. By late 2018, the world had changed. We tried again. I returned to the original manuscript we’d submitted in 2014 with only slight adjustments. Love, Violet sold quickly and at auction! I’m still struck that the world had to change for this book to exist. I think about the kids living through those years of waiting, also not allowed to exist. Revision isn’t always the right answer. When you’re writing—or living—against stereotypes and fear, you must know who you are. No matter what other say. Yes, you must work out the storyline of your life or manuscript like anyone else, but you must also do the personal work of clinging to the honest truth, for the sake of love. Honesty is the only door to connection. Even when it’s hard to open. And terrifying! But the reward is beyond words. It is hope in the heart of a child. Relief. The joy of kids cheering for two ordinary kids like them. It’s the personal notes, teary messages from parents at finally seeing their kids, themselves, their family members on the pages of a book. It’s kids surrounded by hate knowing they are not alone. That they are loved. That—is everything. Now for something completely different! Snack options: would you prefer salty or sweet, Why? Both! Like fries and a chocolate shake, I love my sweet and salty together! Maybe that’s also how I like my stories. The sweetness of life can only fully be appreciated against the salt of honest human pain and reality. Pure sweetness is a lie. Pure salt is a lie, too. Life is both, and embracing the salty realities, facing them, deepens the flavor and truth of sweetness. Love only has meaning in the context of hard life, when people stick with you, no matter what. Anyone who writes well for children understands the importance of being both honest and hopeful. That’s how I like love and stories and, apparently, snacks! Wow! That's certainly quite a road trip you and this picture book have taken; from a four-letter word which holds so much within it to a beautiful, tactile item which would allow children to explore the world of love and feelings. Thank you for sharing with us such an amazing journey. We wish you and Love, Violet all the best. Sandra Yoong-Chia Bio: Charlotte Sullivan Wild Charlotte Sullivan Wild is the author of the picture books Love, Violet (Chua; Farrar, Straus & Giroux 2022) and The Amazing Idea of You (Lundquist, Bloomsbury 2019). She was first struck speechless by a crush in preschool. In grade school she may have crafted a special Valentine for someone but been too shy to sign it. But she’s not shy about love anymore! She has loved teaching, bookselling, volunteering in libraries, and chatting about books on the radio. She first joined SCBWI in 2009, and from 2017 - 2019 served as the SCBWI Regional Advisor for Southwest Texas. She also received a Regional Advisory Marketing Grant in 2018. Originally from snowy Minnesota, she now lives with ME/CFS, a chronic illness, wherever her wife is stationed, recently in San Antonio, Texas, and now in Italy with a flock of adorable, opinionated hens, The Eggyatrixes! She is represented by Minju Chang at BookStop Literary Agency. Learn more at www.charlotteswild.com Follow Charlotte on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and TikTok.
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When learning a new computer programming language, the first program you usually write is one that displays the words “Hello World!” Those are the perfect words to launch this new blog for the International Central Region of SCBWI. The ICR is a virtual region of SCBWI members living in places where there is not an active local chapter. Our members live in more than 65 countries around the world, and as part of my responsibilities as SCBWI’s Assistant International Advisor (Outreach), I serve as the Regional Advisor for the ICR. In addition to our new regular newsletters, I wanted to offer a blog as an additional resource to our members, and as a place where we can celebrate the successes of ICR members. My thanks to Sandra Yoong-Chia, who has volunteered to serve as editor for our regional blog. If you have a children’s book coming out, anywhere in the world, and would like to featured on the blog, please email Sandra and she will be in touch with interview questions. In addition to interviews with members, Sandra will post useful tips, inspiring prompts, and links to resources to help you develop your writing or illustration skills. This month, you’re getting two posts - this one to launch our blog, and our first regular post - an interview with ICR member Charlotte Sullivan Wild. Look for new posts every month. Wishing everyone a creative day! Elisabeth Norton Assistant International Advisor (Outreach) and Regional Advisor (International Central Region) |
SCBWI ICRThis is the blog for the International Central Region of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI). You can learn more about SCBWI here and about the International Central Region here. Archives
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