10 Dec MELISSA STOLLER AND SADIE’S SHABBAT STORIES

EL:  I  am thrilled to have Melissa Stoller back with me today.  Melissa and I first met as “Spork Sisters” with Clear Fork Publishing and have been friends ever since. We are now in the 2021 Word Birds marketing group together and get to virtually hang out. Melissa, will you please tell us about your newest book, SADIE’S SHABBAT STORIES? 

MS: Hi Ellen – I am so happy to be featured on your blog! You are a wonderful friend and writer, and I can’t wait to get a copy of your upcoming picture book, A FLOOD OF KINDNESS! I hope we can see each other in person again soon!

EL: Ah, thanks for the plug. Yes, I can’t wait to see you in person again. 

MS: I’m delighted to share my newest picture book, SADIE’S SHABBAT STORIES, illustrated by Lisa Goldberg (October 2020 from Clear Fork Publishing).

It is written directly from my heart, and I wove in several true stories from my family history. It’s all about Sadie, who listens to her Nana tell tales about their ancestors, and the candlesticks, Kiddush cup, and challah cover heirlooms they use to help celebrate Shabbat every Friday night. Sadie hopes that one day, she can tell stories, just like Nana. I have known for many years that I wanted to write this book, and finally, I was able to imagine the “just right” plot and structure. I was first inspired by the stories I had heard for many years about my father’s childhood. He was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1912, and was then stuck in Europe for many years after World War I broke out. I also was touched by the immigration story passed down from my husband’s grandfather, who escaped from Russia during the pograms against Jewish people. At the same time, I kept in mind my Nana, who was an excellent storyteller. Central to the whole book idea are my three daughters – I always encourage them to use their strong voices to tell their unique stories, just like Sadie.

EL: Aside from the stories, I love the illustrations. Lisa Goldberg is wonderful. They kind of bring me back to the time of the stories being told. 

Mira Reisberg expertly edited and art directed this book as well as my other two picture books. And I was thrilled that Mira paired me with Lisa, whose illustrations are magnificent. Lisa was inspired by the artist Marc Chagall, and readers will love the dreamy quality of her work and the lovely color palette, as well as the playful cat and dove Lisa includes throughout the book.

I hope that readers will take away from this book several points to consider. First, it’s a wonderful time to interview relatives about their own histories and to capture their stories. Children can get involved in this project, especially during the holiday season. Second, our families may have heirlooms that are important to our history or holiday rituals. Now is a wonderful time to ask about those objects and any family stories associated with them. Finally, we are all storytellers. Whether your voice is big or small, you can use it to tell your special story.

EL: This next picture kind of says it all to me. Being a nana myself, this is kind of heart-melting.

EL: know this isn’t the only book that your own life inspired. Will you expand on that, please? 

MS: I do use my life experiences as a springboard for my book ideas! For example, in THE ENCHANTED SNOW GLOBE COLLECTION: RETURN TO CONEY ISLAND, my time travel adventure chapter book, I was inspired by my Nana who told the story of how she met my grandfather on the Coney Island trolley. For SCARLET’S MAGIC PAINTBRUSH, I found inspiration at my favorite museum, the Metropolitan Museum of Art located about ten minutes from my NYC apartment. I stood in front of a Monet painting, and asked myself, “What if I had a magic paintbrush and could paint like Monet?” The story idea took off from there. And in READY, SET, GORILLA!, I observed a billboard in Times Square that read, “Ready, Set, GO!” I wondered about a little GOrilla who loved to race, and an adorable GOpher who challenged him. Ideas are everywhere – I am naturally curious and I love to incorporate the things I wonder about into my books.

EL: I love learning about how people get the sparks of ideas for their stories. Thanks for sharing yours.  Now, you don’t let any grass grow under your feet. Will you tell everyone about your newest project?

MS: Next, I am collaborating with Callie Metler and Shirin Shamsi on a new picture book called PLANTING FRIENDSHIP: PEACE, SALAAM, SHALOM. It will be illustrated by the amazing Kate Talbot and published by Clear Fork Publishing. The story centers on three girls from three different faith traditions who cultivate friendship by planting seeds on the first day of school. Callie, Shirin, and I are from the same faith traditions as the girls, and we have found so much joy in writing this story together. We hope the book spreads kindness, friendship, and peace.

EL: Sounds wonderful! Now can you tell us a little about yourself? Maybe something people don’t know about you? 

MS: I live in New York City, and I also spend time at the beach on Long Island, about two hours away. So my stories tend to feature city life and beach adventures as settings. I am a lawyer by training, and I love researching, writing, and analyzing. I’m definitely an organized plotter in my writing, although I do leave room for the story to morph into directions I hadn’t even anticipated when I started writing. And of course, I love my critique partners (including you!) who provide so much support, writing insights and friendship. Often, a critique pal will provide a spark that takes the story revision in an unanticipated but wonderful direction.

EL: Ah yes, critique partners are the best. Including you. 🙂 Thank you so much for stopping by and sharing all this wonderfulness. (Is that a word?):

MS: Than you again, Ellen! I loved thinking about your questions, and I look forward to our 2021 books and working in the group @2021WordBirds together!

BIO:

Melissa Stoller is the author of the chapter book series The Enchanted Snow Globe Collection – Return to Coney Island (Clear Fork Publishing, 2017); and the picture books Scarlet’s Magic Paintbrush, Ready, Set, GOrilla!, and Sadie’s Shabbat Stories (Clear Fork, 2018 and 2020). Melissa is a Blogger and Course Assistant for the Children’s Book Academy, a Regional Ambassador for The Chapter Book Challenge, a Moderator for the Debut Picture Book Study Group, a volunteer with SCBWI/MetroNY, and a founding member of The Book Meshuggenahs. In other chapters of her life, Melissa has worked as a lawyer, legal writing instructor, freelance writer and editor, and early childhood educator. She lives in New York City with her family, where she is a Board Member at Temple Shaaray Tefila and a member of the Jewish Book Council’s Literary Society, and enjoys theatre, museums, and long beach walks.

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