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recipe for a picture book
mood: 
cheerful
cheerful
Happy 15th Birthday, Dumpling Soup!!
Wonders never cease -- my little picture book is still in print after all these years!
To spice up my Hawai'i celebration this month, I'm giving away three signed hardcover copies! These are original trade editions from my personal stash (currently, only paperback and library editions are still in print). This seems like the right time to part with them, as a way of thanking you for all your support and interest in my books and this blog.
All you have to do is comment on any post between now and January 31st, and I'll toss your name into my big red soup pot. Enter as many times as you like. Each comment = one entry. On Monday, February 2nd, the most well-behaved teddy bear in the kitchen will ladle out the winners! (Note: This giveaway is open to everyone, with or without a blog. Please include your first name and last initial if you're logging in as "Anonymous." Non U.S. residents also welcome to enter.)
And now, for your nibbling pleasure, HOW I COOKED DUMPLING SOUP (which is a story about celebrating the New Year in Hawai'i):
Well, you know me. It all began with hunger pangs.
I lived in Virginia, but my favorite dumplings lived far away in Hawai'i. No, I couldn't make them myself. It just wouldn't be the same. But I could write about them.
So, I started pre-cooking, with a few notes:
which became an essay published here:
Good for an appetizer, but didn't satisfy me for long. I wanted a bigger serving!
Could I turn the essay into a children's book? I stirred a few ideas around via webbing and clustering,
until I came up with a draft, which I chewed on for awhile. Since it was my first picture book, I didn't see the parts that were raw or half-baked.
Early DS draft.
But I sent it out anyway. Form rejections blackened my mailbox, but I kept sending it out. Then, one day, I received my first little nibble; what a delicious crumb!
Macmillan, I still don't know what you mean by "too special."
I read the letter carefully, added a few new ingredients to my story, then received an encouraging response from another editor:
Houghton Mifflin wanted more detail, but wasn't it kind and generous of the editor to enclose that SLJ article? Turns out, they bought my second book.
Back to my antique computer (no mouse, no internet!) for more tweaking. Plot (still my weakest area), definitely needed reworking. All the writing books I read back then never mentioned "story arc." These days, that's all I hear about.
The next time I submitted it, I got the best feedback of all:
Thank you, HarperCollins!
All this time, along with my disappointment, I'm thinking, they've all found something good to say, and they've all taken the time to tell me why they rejected it. It must be worth pursuing. So I worked on my characters and focused on establishing a stronger emotional core.
When it was ready to go out again, I heard that Little, Brown was sponsoring a New Voices, New World Multicultural Fiction Contest. Why not? I had nothing to lose by trying.
Months later, on the day the U.S. entered the Gulf War, a tired editor called me at 4:30 in the afternoon. "We've selected your story," she said. "Congratulations on winning our first New World, New Voices contest!" I babbled my thanks, hands shaking. Then we talked about the war and watching CNN all night.
It had taken me five years to revise the book, resubmit, revise, resubmit, again and again. I couldn't have done it without all the suggestions those editors gave me along the way. I didn't belong to a critique group back then; there was no internet, no message boards, no blogs. I cannot emphasize enough how critical it is to get editor feedback. Even a small gesture of kindness or encouragement makes a huge difference to a writer working in isolation. I had written this story in silence, and after I received the news and hung up the phone, I sat there in silence. I simply couldn't believe it.
Once the contract was signed, I revised even more, with the help of three very cool editors: Melanie Kroupa, Ann Rider, and Megan Tingley. Lillian Hsu-Flanders did an awesome job with the illustrations! Loved all her details -- those little dumplings all lined up! those vegetables! those charming facial expressions! She brought my story to life in ways I never could have imagined. There is a warmth in her pictures that still shines through, even though I have seen them a million times. To this day, I remain in awe of artists and illustrators. How do they do it?
Grandma really did have a big metal mixing bowl.
My mother never wore bows in her hair, though :).
This pot of soup has been on the burner a long while, and I will continue to season it with gratitude. Just the other day I received these wonderful photos from my sis, Sylvia, who invites her kids and grandkids to her home in Bend, Oregon, each year for dumpling soup. Their tradition is to read the book aloud and make the dumplings together. For a writer, this is what it's all about!
Melia reads, while Marin listens.
Harri and Keenan get into it (even the dog seems interested)!
Melia, Kaylin, and Jordi in full work mode (love the Obama t-shirt, Jordi)!
Harri and Keenan are experts by now (good job, guys,)!
Logan's expertise is chowing down.
But Marin gets the last dumpling!
So, my pretties, if you've read the book, shared it, purchased it, borrowed it, or passed it on -- thank you veddy veddy much! Why not feast on some dumplings, so it will bring you good luck in 2009!!
*All interior spreads copyright © 1993, Lillian Hsu-Flanders, published by Little, Brown. All rights reserved.
Happy book anniversary!
(Anonymous)
Kristi Valiant
http://kristivaliant.blogspot.com
(Anonymous)
Vijaya (from the blueboards)
www.vijayabodach.com
Happy book birthday, and have some soup to celebrate!!!
Perhaps the incoming First Family should "win" a copy of your book?
Thank you also for the giveaway. I REALLY, REALLY want to read Dumpling Soup, so sign me up! :D
Tarie
Into the Wardrobe
Edited at 2009-01-06 05:54 pm (UTC)
Congratulations! And may this year bring you joy and peace!!!!
(Anonymous)
May you have some awesome times in 2009!
DUMPLING SOUP!
DUMPLING SOUP looks delicious! And congrats on its 15th birthday! Hooray! That is a triumph! I'm going to get a copy of my nephews. Hooray and Happy 2009!
Love
Kerry
Re: DUMPLING SOUP!
(Anonymous)
I'm a Dumpling Soup fan!
Mimi(another Blueboarder)
(MarleenKarns@gmail.com)
Re: I'm a Dumpling Soup fan!
(Anonymous)
I really enjoyed seeing the story behind the story. It's always interesting to hear about the road to publication!
Becky
www.rebeccasramsey.blogspot.com
(Anonymous)
Best, Grace (Lin)
(Anonymous)
Grace (Lin)
(Anonymous)
Amazing
What a refreshing and hopeful post. Being a children's writer myself and coming from a different culture altogether( I am a Muslim from Pakistan) I am keen to find a niche in the western market Being troubled by the way in which the world is heading, and believing in children completely, I feel that books still have the power to create connections and bring people and cultures closer.
I write for this purpose so will remain steadfast and keep pursuing the writing.
I am in Austin these days and have been invited by Shana Burg to attend the meeting at Book People tomorrow. Looking forward to hearing you speak.
Best regards,
Basarat Kazim
Re: Amazing
Note: I think you may have confused me with someone else, as I'm not speaking tomorrow at Book People, but do enjoy the meeting!!
(Anonymous)
Great Post
Mila R.
Re: Great Post
Yours,
Jenny Schwartzberg
(Anonymous)
(Anonymous)
Janet @ across the page (Janet G.)
(Anonymous)
I would love to win a copy of your creation and thank you for sharing all that you did! Extremely enlightening!
- Carrie, Reading to Know
readingtoknow (at) gmail (dot) com
Thanks so much for sharing your journey and the happy faces! Now I want some dumpling soup!
Here's to a great year!