03 Aug Author Kate Fox and PANDO

I’m excited to have fellow Picture Book Scribbler, Kate Fox with us today. I was lucky enough to see an ARC of her beautiful debut picture book, PANDO, and it pulled me in immediately. You won’t want to miss this one!

Welcome, Kate! Would you please tell us a little about PANDO?

Pando: A Living Wonder of Trees, illustrated by Turine Tran, tells the true story of a giant and ancient grove of 47,000 Aspen trees connected by their roots to form one of the world’s largest and oldest and living organisms. The book releases on August 15^th from Capstone Editions.

I didn’t know about Pando before I began writing this book. I was driving home after a hike when I remembered something I had read or heard about trees connected by their roots. When I got home, I Googled it and became absolutely fascinated. 

It’s wonderful how little things can spark such great ideas. As picture book writers, we all know that our words comprise only half of the story. I have to give props to the wonderful illustrator of this book, Turine Tran. The pictures are gorgeous and a perfect complement to your lyrical text.

PANDO is nonfiction. What made you want to write a nonfiction book? And do you consider yourself primarily a nonfiction writer?

I originally wrote the story as informational fiction, but I couldn’t get it to work. I took a step back and asked myself what I loved about the story, and it was really the nonfiction piece. So, I did more research and reached out to experts to make sure I got it right.

Once I started writing nonfiction, it became my focus. In retrospect, it makes a lot of sense. I prefer reading nonfiction. I love research. And, I worked at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for a long time, where my job included translating science for lay audiences. Now, I almost exclusively write nonfiction picture books, though I’m dabbling with a middle grade novel-in-verse.

After people read PANDO, they will see why you are perfect for writing a novel-in-verse. I can’t wait!

Where do you find inspiration?

I find inspiration from conversations, hikes, National Parks (I awkwardly take pictures of the signage rather than the landscapes), and reading. Eventually, something catches my interest, and I just can’t stop researching it.

Do you have a specific writing routine? If so, will you share it?

As a homeschooling mom of two young boys, I don’t have a schedule, but I do have a routine. I try to write between 12-2 when my boys are eating lunch and napping (or doing some screen time for my older guy). When I’m really excited about a project, I find myself stealing time as often as possible (10 minutes here, 12 minutes there).

 Do you consider yourself a planner or a panster? Why?

Pantser. I tend to experiment with 3-4 different structures before I decide on one and have to rewrite every manuscript from a blank page several times.

Oh, how I can relate!

 What do you feel is the most difficult part of writing a PB?

For me, it’s trying to find the balance between science and lyricism/emotion. I think a winning manuscript has both, but different editors will want different levels of each. And, honestly, sometimes the science is more complex and difficult to distill.

Do you have anything else in the pipline that you can tell us about?

Not that I can tell you about!

Ah, I love those answers and can’t wait until we can all hear!

Any advice for aspiring or even published kidlit writers?

Keep experimenting to find your voice, and don’t be afraid to start with a blank page. That’s when I get my biggest breakthroughs.

Where can we get your book?

You can order Pando from Leopard Print Books before our big launch event on Sunday, August 22nd. You can register for the launch here. Pando is also available wherever books are sold, including Amazon, your local bookseller, and Barnes and Noble.

Do you have a website where people can learn more about you?

My website is katefoxwrites.com, and I’m active on Twitter and Facebook @kateallenfox.

Thanks for visiting us today, Kate. I love this book, and I know that others who read it will feel the same.

And to our readers, thank YOU for visiting today.

Until next time,

Ellen

If you’d like to learn more about me, my books, and my love for school visits, please visit my website at https://ellenleventhal.com/