Bookpleasures.com is pleased to have as our guest Kathy Brodsky. Kathy is a psychotherapist, poet and national award-winning author, who writes and promotes high quality books that are timely, visually exciting, educational and fun! 

She currently has 14 picture books (including one in Spanish, one bilingual Spanish/English, two board books), and one book for adults in print. Her books contain the positive messages they do because of her 40 plus years as a clinical social worker.

All of the picture books are in rhyme, with engaging hand- painted illustrations, recurring characters and socially conscious messages. Kathy has also included life-skills “funtivity” questions which lead to more personalized conversations between children and adults. She has presented her books to young and old alike.


Norm: Good day Kathy and thanks for participating in our interview.

If you could relive a moment in your life, which moment would you choose and why?


Kathy: It’s difficult to choose one moment, but I would say that the greatest moments of my life have been giving birth and watching the growth of my two sons.

Norm: What has been your greatest challenge (professionally) that you’ve overcome in getting to where you’re at today? 

Kathy: There have been many challenges: In my therapy practice, I’d say the greatest challenges are usually - how to help clients understand what’s happening in their lives, get them “unstuck” and help them move forward in a productive way.

As an author, the greatest challenge is always marketing - how to get the word out about my books. As an independent publisher, it is very challenging to get book stores to carry my books, so I have to work harder for people to find out about them. Therefore, I have an online presence as well.

Norm: How many times in your career have you experienced rejection? How did they shape you? 

Kathy: We all experience rejection as we move through our lives. Again, as a therapist, it’s important to realize that clients move at their own pace, and not the pace of someone else. Regarding books, not everyone thinks each book is “the best ever.” Rejection has “shaped” me because I can only do the best I know how. I listen to comments of others and try to make positive changes.

Norm: When did you begin to write children's picture books and what motivated you to write these books?

Kathy: I published my first children’s picture book in 2008. I hadn’t planned on writing anything more than my book for adults - Moment in Our Lives - which came out in 2004. I then did an audio version of the book and thought I was done.

One day in early April 2006, while walking with my dog on our usual route, I noticed a crooked pine tree. The time of year is important because the leaves on the other trees weren’t out yet, and the pine tree was very visible. That crooked tree became “My Bent Tree,” which now has a bilingual version, Spanish/ English, as well as the English version.

Norm: What do you believe makes a good children's picture book?

Kathy: I like a good story - and I always like happy endings. Life is full of so much difficulty and sadness, that happy endings feel right to me.

Norm: Do you write organically or are you a planner?

Kathy: Definitely organically. I start with an idea - and then may write four or eight lines about it. (All of my books are in rhyme - because that’s fun for me - and poetry is very succinct.) When I start I have no idea what the ending will be.

Norm: How do you choose the themes for your books?

Kathy: Each book is different. I may hear or see something, or just think of an idea. Nothing is planned in advance. When I finish one book, I really have nothing else in mind, but then another idea usually “shows up.”

Norm: In your opinion, what is the most difficult part of creating children's picture books?

Kathy: Again, it’s the marketing. I’ve been very lucky to have a wonderful illustrator, Cameron Bennett, who has been with me from the start.

Norm: What are some ways in which you promote your books? Do you find that these add to or detract from your writing time?  
 

Kathy: As I started before, writing the books is the fun part. Getting the word out about my books is always the most difficult part.

We live in an age where there are so many different things competing for our attention, so I go to tradeshows, independent book stores, toy stores, any place that sells books or gifts. In addition, I carry bookmarks with me, and always try to let others know about my books. I sold one in the check-outline in a store, another in the security line at the airport, another after buying shoes for an event, many at the supermarket, etc.

Norm: How did you become involved with the subject or theme of High Wire Act?

Kathy: I was on the bus, going to South Station in Boston , and it was a windy day. We were stopped at a traffic light right outside the station. The light was suspended on a wire, and as the wind got stronger, the light was swinging erratically.

At that moment, I thought to myself, “A book about a traffic light.” I was meeting my son, and mentioned the book idea to him. He said casually, “The light could fall off,” and that became the book.

All of my books have recurring characters of a red-haired girl, a bent tree and a red bird. Those three characters were in My Bent Tree, and I suggested to Cameron that I wanted them to appear in subsequent books. For High Wire Act, I suggested to Cameron that I’d like all of the characters from my other books to “show up.” Kids really love “finding’ characters they know.

Norm: What were your goals and intentions in this book, and how well do you feel you achieved them? 

Kathy: High Wire Act is dedicated to “Anyone who ever wondered, ‘Do I really matter?’” And yes, I feel I accomplished my intentions. At different times, we have all wondered if we really matter - in our home, school or work lives.

Especially in this day and age, we may feel disconnected to others. The suicide rate is going up - and even for young people - as young as age ten. This is a crisis.

If my books, especially with the questions following the story, lead to more discussion about what’s going on in a person’s life, and help to prevent sadness and a possible tragedy, then, yes, I’ve done my job. All of my books are light-hearted and fun, but the underlying messages in all of them are more serious. My books aren’t planned ahead, but with my many years as a clinical social worker, life issues seem to just “show up” in my books, and the questions make the books much more than just another story.

Norm: How did you collaborate with illustrator Cameron Bennett? Please explain the process?

Kathy: I wrote a poem My Bent Tree and realized it had to be a picture book. I had no idea how to find an illustrator, but at the time I was taking Argentine Tango lessons, and I happened to mention that to Cameron Bennett, the Tango instructor.

The rest is history. Cameron is amazing! Each one of his pictures, is a painting on canvas. I write the story, and then send it to Cameron. He then draws several thumb nails (small sketches) - often giving me options - and then we both decide which picture to use. Cameron used to live locally, but several years ago, he moved to England with his wife and kids, so now we collaborate by phone and email.

Norm: What projects are you working on at the present?  

Kathy: We have another Stover book in the works - Stover Learns to Swim. It will be the third Stover book. First we did Stover, ( about an adorable pig who stays fit and eats healthy food) then, Stover Goes to Camp, (about leaving home for the first time) and next year, Stover Learns to Swim.The idea for Stover Learns to Swim, came to mind while I was taking a shower after swimming.

Norm: Where can our readers find out more about you and your children's books?

Kathy: From the following  MY WEBSITE

AMAZON


Norm: As this interview comes to an end, what advice can you give aspiring writers that you wished you had received, or that you wished you would have listened to?  

Kathy: Read! Read! Read! You have to write what you know. You may see or hear something that could be the basis for a story. Also, have paper, or something handy to write on. You never know when an idea may come to mind. As a child, I devoured books, and since I never took a formal writing course, I think my stories are a culmination of those many years of reading, plus my years of experience as a clinical social worker.

Norm: Thanks once again and good luck with all of your books.

Thank you very much, Norm.

Follow Here To Read Norm's Review of High Wire Act

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