Now What? was a winner in the Children’s (Early to Intermediate Readers) category (it was a tie!) of the 2022 IndieReader Discovery Awards, where undiscovered talent meets people with the power to make a difference.
Following find an interview with authors Brenda Faatz and Peter Trimarco.
What is the name of the book and when was it published?
Now What? published October 21, 2022
What’s the book’s first line?
What does one do on a day such as this, a little bit gray and a little bit “ish”?
What’s the book about? Give us the “pitch”.
“Now What? is a lively, innovative story of friendship which encourages readers to think creatively.” – Kirkus Reviews
Curiosity, frustration, imagination, and a unique perspective are at the heart of this tale about Lizzy, the protagonist from the “It’s Just So” book series. Written in lyrical rhyme, we are taken on a rainy-day journey that brings personal growth and the meeting of Luna, a new neighbor, who just moved from the Caribbean. Together, they color their way through adventures and embrace the concept of “living in the now” while being creative with what life presents.
What inspired you to write the book? A particular person? An event?
We love taking a common phrase or question and turning it on its ear by inspiring different ways to look at things through creative thinking. With the common question “Now What?” we wanted to explore new perspectives on how to answer that question when faced with all kinds of situations.
What’s the most distinctive thing about the main character? Who-real or fictional-would you say the character reminds you of?
Lizzy’s flaming red hair and “can-do” attitude are likely the most distinctive things about the main protagonist.
What’s the main reason someone should really read this book?
It’s absolutely the BEST as a read aloud, joyous, lyrical romp that makes you giggle with a message about being right here, right now enjoying each moment. So if you like that sort of thing, we highly recommend this one.
If they made your book into a movie, who would you like to see play the main character(s)?
If it were possible, Lucille Ball at age 8 or 9. (but honestly, like so many other authors and illustrators, we would love to see this animated.)
Is this the first book you’ve written?
We created three other ‘Lizzy’ books as part of the It’s Just So book series. Now What? is the offspring of our initial adventure.
What do you do for work when you’re not writing?
We work with our peers….children… as we run a musical theatre program for children in Denver. We also work with other (grown-ups) authors as we ventured into publishing through Notable Kids Publishing.
How much time do you generally spend on your writing?
Not enough as we are so busy in both directing children and running our boutique book publishing venture.
What’s the best and the hardest part of being an indie?
“Being an indie creator and publisher has some advantages in defining your goals, taking some creative risks, and connecting with readers and other creators. That said, it is a lot of work and one does not have the advantage of a full team. Wearing too many hats can limit the opportunities and stifle some of the creativity.”
Would you go traditional if a publisher came calling? If so, why?
Interesting question as we have been doing this ourselves and, as discussed, wearing the publisher hat and the ‘creative’ hat can often be challenging. I believe that with the right fit we would absolutely embrace the opportunity to be published by a larger indie and/or traditional house so that we could focus on the creative process and helping connect our books with new readers. That said, were we to bring our craft and content to a larger imprint, we would bring the knowledge and experience necessary to support the publisher’s efforts on our behalf. Many believe that if you simply get signed to a publisher, things will become easy and the royalty checks will come floating in. We know that this is not how it happens and that this is where the real work and accountability comes in. Short Answer: Yes as we would have a team to help us and we could do what we do best, both as creators and as ambassadors for our own content.
Is there something in particular that motivates you (fame? fortune?)
Book publishing, writing, and illustrating for us is not about fame or fortune, as sometimes the greatest achievement comes when connecting with a single child. However, this might be a bit altruistic as the more one does this, the easier it is to pay the mortgage, and someone might actually remember your name and be inspired to dive into your next book or grow up to become writers themselves. So, if a small bit of fame and a reasonable amount of fortune allows us to continue our craft…we’re in.
Which writer, living or dead, do you most admire?
“Trick question…depends on the day. I could say F Scott Fitzgerald, Hemmingway or Steinbeck….but Theodore Geisel is my happy place.” – P.
Which book do you wish you could have written?
“The Lorax”.