Rinda was a second-grade teacher who read and told stories until she met a bat in Germany. She learned to edit, thanks to SCBWI classes and critique partners. Rinda substitutes to stay connected to the kids she wants to write for. She established Beach Girl Press to publish NEIL ARMSTRONG’S WIND TUNNEL DREAM and LAKE FUN FOR YOU AND ME. Today I chatted with Rinda about her writing and publishing journey, and her 3rd book, ZOE’S SCAVENGER HUNT FUN.
1. Your 3rd book is coming soon. Congratulations! What was your author journey like?
It was an accident! I never wanted to write. I cried my way through college papers, trying to get the words just right. In 2007 I chaperoned my son and a group of local kids to our German sister city, Lengerich.
On the 2nd night, I met a bat. I even held it on a mop. Really! It seemed like a good story, but I drug in Herman the German, thinking that my story wasn’t enough. It was full of 1st writer mistakes, so I wrote the mostly true bat story. It was merely flat, but I was hooked – on writing!
2. Can you give us a short introduction of ZOE’S SCAVENGER HUNT?
Zoe may be the youngest in the family, but when Mom reveals the Roberts’ Family Scavenger Hunt Fun, she’s determined to beat her older siblings. The more answers she finds, the more points she’ll earn towards the crown of her choice – and bragging rights for the rest of the summer. Follow Zoe and her family on their lake vacation at Norris, then find your own adventures. Read along as Zoe records her answers for the hunt. Use the space provided at the end to record your own memories. This is the perfect activity book to help you record your vacation.
3. What was your inspiration for this book?
Failure! Last year’s book, LAKE FUN FOR YOU AND ME, never found a market with the marinas. At a book event last summer, I discovered a better one – lake rental units. My book’s a great gift for families who vacation there.
LAKE FUN was a paperback picture book. I thought hardback might be a better fit for the rentals. I couldn’t self-publish it so I asked Brooke Van Sickle at BiblioKids Publishing. A month later I signed my contract, and on March 9th Zoe will come out!
4. What do you hope readers will learn or discover from reading ZOE’S SCAVENGER HUNT?
I hope kids have fun reading it. That it engages their imagination and encourages them to get outside and enjoy the lake, the way my own family did.
That’s the first part. The second is an activity book that allows kids to draw and write about their own lake experiences. Zoe is half storybook/half souvenir!
5. Please describe how you came to write this book, including any interesting experiences researching or experimenting it.
Brooke was my editor. She put LAKE FUN into a chapter book format and sent it to me. I was surprised – and a little shocked, but it was late, so I slept on it.
The next morning, I thought, why not? Early chapter books are a better fit than picture books for my target audience. Brooke and I worked together to put the original manuscript into chapters first.
Then we went through 3 rounds of editing. Brooke noted the places to work on, and I got to ADD words! Every time I did that in LAKE FUN, the picture fell off the page. I was always trying to balance the words and the pictures.
6. What is the most surprising thing you discovered while writing or researching ZOE’S SCAVENGER HUNT?
I got to have input on the illustrations. In traditional publishing, I wouldn’t. Brooke sent me the first draft. I looked it over and made notes. We met on zoom to talk about what stayed and what changed. I couldn’t believe she listened to all my ideas. There were a lot of them!
We did the 2nd round the same way, but Brooke told me right away we were out of budgeted time with the art director. In other words, we could only afford to make a few changes. Brooke listened to all my ideas, but we only made 2 or 3 changes, the really important ones.
7. How was the editorial process? Did you do some revisions?
This is the first time I’ve ever had an editor. It was like having a really good critique partner who sees things that you don’t. We did 3 rounds of revisions. Brooke sent notes. Once or twice I had questions that she clarified by email or zoom. I sent revisions back within a week. The best part – Brooke asked me to write more, for the reader.
I liked working with her so much that I pitched another book. It would turn Zoe into a series. Brooke was interested! I’ll send her the full manuscript when it’s done. Zoe’s going on a zoo scavenger hunt. I have the first chapter written, along with a rough outline for the other 6 chapters.
8. If you read this book to a room full of kids, what message do you want to share with them?
I’d say, have fun. I hope you enjoy reading my story. It’s about the things my family did at the lake. I hope you get outside and try some of them.
When you come back inside, I left room for you to draw and write about your own experiences. You’ll get to be my co-writer and illustrator. You’ll also have a souvenir to keep forever.
Thanks, Rinda. It’s so exciting to hear about your writing journey and upcoming books.
ZOE’S SCAVENGER HUNT FUN is Rinda’s third book which will be published by BiblioKid Publishing on March 9th. You can preorder it now from Rinda’s website www.rindabeach.com.
Please stop over and take a look at Rinda’s blog and book reviews at www.rindabeach.com
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