Just an Idea
It all started with just a simple idea. As a teacher of elementary students, I’m surrounded by kids loosing teeth literally everywhere all the time. They are so excited and can’t wait to show you which one or tell you how they lost it. You see kids skipping to the nurses office to get the coveted tooth necklace. Stories are shared from the moment their tooth became wiggly until it finally came out. Loosing a tooth is a BIG deal!
BFF
As I was writing my story, some parts came really easily. Prior to actually sitting down to officially begin writing, I had spent a lot of time jotting down ideas and thinking through different scenarios. I think everyone’s process is a bit different and it took me awhile to realize I could do it my way. Regardless, I still got stuck a few times. My secret to becoming unstuck was my BFF, Lisa. We are childhood besties and grew up together. So when I got stuck, I thought to myself…what would Lisa and Chrissy do in this situation? It worked like magic every time.
Movie in my Head
When I was teaching 1st grade, I always told my firsties to make a movie in their head. Writing can be hard and overwhelming. I had kids who loved to write but the majority really dreaded when it was time to write a story. Our curriculum we used had students plan out their story, write and then illustrate. I think it is good to have a process to follow; however I believe it can hinder the creative process. As I was writing, Tooth on the Loose, I created a movie in my head the entire time. Sharing it with my Special 5, they had to listen to my story and create their own movie. I absolutely love when they look at the illustrations and say that is exactly how I had it pictured in my head or that it is so much better than they had imagined.
Illustration Time
Finding the right illustrator is one of the biggest decisions. I spent countless hours looking through portfolios, websites and other published books to find the perfect one for me. Olga Sall has been amazing to work with as a first time self-published author. She is so incredibly talented and has made my book come to life through her creativity. I was so excited when she wanted me to share my vision for each spread of my book. I was afraid I might not have a lot of opportunity to do that. Another fear I had was that I would be too much of a control freak and not allow Olga to add her creativity to the pages. I’m very happy to share that it has been a beautiful culmination of us working together.
I knew I loved my story before the illustration process even started. The saying a picture is worth a thousand words is so true when it comes to a children’s picture book! It seems surreal to have the characters I created at Rise & Shine Elementary come to life through the illustrations. I truly can’t wait to share them with all of you when my book is printed. Until then, here is another spread of my book to enjoy.
Always Rise & Shine,
Chrissy