DON’T EAT THE BLUEBONNETS
Authors
Ellen Leventhal and Ellen Rothberg
Today is about Ellen Leventhal and her second edition is out! Let’s find out what inspired her and her road to publication.
Welcome Ellen and congratulations!
We all want to know how this story evolved into not one but two editions!
Thanks Patricia! As you know, Don’t Eat the Bluebonnets is co-written by my friend, Ellen Rothberg and me. One day while driving in the country, Ellen R saw cows in a field of bluebonnets. Of course, as Texans, we know that picking the bluebonnets is frowned upon, so we wondered what would happen if the cows ate them. After coming up with ridiculous ideas and entertaining mostly ourselves, we came up with something that we thought could possibly work as a picture book. And then we began the first many, many drafts.
After several years of being pretty successful, some business issues came up, and the book went out of print. We didn’t want to see the book die a slow death since stores and schools kept asking for it. The market is different than it was ten years ago, we are better writers than we were ten years ago, and there is a new generation of kids who may like the book. So, we took a chance and re-wrote it by changing a few story elements, significantly paring it down, and updating it in general. Clear Fork Publishing picked it up, the incredible Joel Cook illustrated it, and I’m thrilled to say that a new batch of kids seem to love it.
You usually write fictional stories. Now you’re working on a NF book. What’s this one about?
I am actually working on a non-fiction and historical fiction at the same time. My NF is way out of my comfort zone. It’s a narrative NF about narwhals and how climate change is affecting them. I never thought I’d do anything like that, but I am enjoying the research and the challenge of writing it.
The historical fiction is much more up my alley, since I love history. It’s about hidden children during the Holocaust. This started out as pure non-fiction, and perhaps it may morph back into it, but for now, it’s historical fiction.
When you write, do you use the computer or hand write. There’s been a lot of discussion about it lately. Do you prefer one over the other?
I often brainstorm with pencil and paper and get somewhat of an outline going that way. But I do prefer the computer for full drafts. The only exception is if I am doing something lyrical or poetic. For some reason, I like doing that in journals. Maybe it’s a throwback to when I was a teenager writing very serious and angst filled poetry. I cringe when I think about how bad they were.
You have another book coming out in 2018. Tell us about it, we all want to know.
I am excited about the new book. This will be my first published picture book that isn’t co-written. It’s called Lola Can’t Leap, and it tells the story of a poor little lamb who just can’t make it over the fence to get children to sleep. I don’t want to give too much away, but suffice it to say, she doesn’t have an easy time.
Do you have upcoming places, book signings where we can meet you?
Aside from school visits, which I love, I will be signing at a Barnes and Noble in Houston at the end of August. If anyone is in the area, I’d love to see from you.
I’m working on setting up some more signings as summer approaches and the next school year begins.
How can we contact you?
Website: www.EllenLeventhal.com
Twitter: @EllenLWrites
Email: Ellen@EllenLeventhal.com
You can buy her books @:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dont-eat-the-bluebonnets-ellen-leventhal/1100706700?ean=9781946101044
https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_c_1_18?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=don%27t+eat+the+bluebonnets&sprefix=don%27t+eat+the+blue%2Caps%2C170&crid=2DX5BYL1JL6B7
https://www.clearforkpublishing.com/our-store/don-t-eat-the-bluebonnets/
Thank you, Ellen. We enjoyed our little visit.
Thank YOU, Patricia!
Authors
Ellen Leventhal and Ellen Rothberg
Today is about Ellen Leventhal and her second edition is out! Let’s find out what inspired her and her road to publication.
Welcome Ellen and congratulations!
We all want to know how this story evolved into not one but two editions!
Thanks Patricia! As you know, Don’t Eat the Bluebonnets is co-written by my friend, Ellen Rothberg and me. One day while driving in the country, Ellen R saw cows in a field of bluebonnets. Of course, as Texans, we know that picking the bluebonnets is frowned upon, so we wondered what would happen if the cows ate them. After coming up with ridiculous ideas and entertaining mostly ourselves, we came up with something that we thought could possibly work as a picture book. And then we began the first many, many drafts.
After several years of being pretty successful, some business issues came up, and the book went out of print. We didn’t want to see the book die a slow death since stores and schools kept asking for it. The market is different than it was ten years ago, we are better writers than we were ten years ago, and there is a new generation of kids who may like the book. So, we took a chance and re-wrote it by changing a few story elements, significantly paring it down, and updating it in general. Clear Fork Publishing picked it up, the incredible Joel Cook illustrated it, and I’m thrilled to say that a new batch of kids seem to love it.
You usually write fictional stories. Now you’re working on a NF book. What’s this one about?
I am actually working on a non-fiction and historical fiction at the same time. My NF is way out of my comfort zone. It’s a narrative NF about narwhals and how climate change is affecting them. I never thought I’d do anything like that, but I am enjoying the research and the challenge of writing it.
The historical fiction is much more up my alley, since I love history. It’s about hidden children during the Holocaust. This started out as pure non-fiction, and perhaps it may morph back into it, but for now, it’s historical fiction.
When you write, do you use the computer or hand write. There’s been a lot of discussion about it lately. Do you prefer one over the other?
I often brainstorm with pencil and paper and get somewhat of an outline going that way. But I do prefer the computer for full drafts. The only exception is if I am doing something lyrical or poetic. For some reason, I like doing that in journals. Maybe it’s a throwback to when I was a teenager writing very serious and angst filled poetry. I cringe when I think about how bad they were.
You have another book coming out in 2018. Tell us about it, we all want to know.
I am excited about the new book. This will be my first published picture book that isn’t co-written. It’s called Lola Can’t Leap, and it tells the story of a poor little lamb who just can’t make it over the fence to get children to sleep. I don’t want to give too much away, but suffice it to say, she doesn’t have an easy time.
Do you have upcoming places, book signings where we can meet you?
Aside from school visits, which I love, I will be signing at a Barnes and Noble in Houston at the end of August. If anyone is in the area, I’d love to see from you.
I’m working on setting up some more signings as summer approaches and the next school year begins.
How can we contact you?
Website: www.EllenLeventhal.com
Twitter: @EllenLWrites
Email: Ellen@EllenLeventhal.com
You can buy her books @:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dont-eat-the-bluebonnets-ellen-leventhal/1100706700?ean=9781946101044
https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_c_1_18?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=don%27t+eat+the+bluebonnets&sprefix=don%27t+eat+the+blue%2Caps%2C170&crid=2DX5BYL1JL6B7
https://www.clearforkpublishing.com/our-store/don-t-eat-the-bluebonnets/
Thank you, Ellen. We enjoyed our little visit.
Thank YOU, Patricia!
