26 Oct Joyce Lapin and an Out of This World Giveaway

I am happy to introduce a new friend to Writing Outside the Lines today. I “met” Joyce Lapin in one of Mel Rosenberg and Colleen Paeff’s fun online writing get-togethers. I am impressed with all Joyce has done, and I wanted to share.

So, welcome, Joyce! I can’t wait for everyone to learn about your latest book, THE LITTLE SPACECRAFT THAT COULD, illustrated by Simona Ceccarelli.

Thank you to you and your readers, Ellen, for welcoming me to your blog! And by the way… “Ellen” is my middle name. 😊

 Funny! Tell us a little about yourself—what you usually write, how long you’ve been writing, etc.

I was an advertising copywriter for many years, so I came to children’s books with a solid writing background. However, there was still a big learning curve! I enjoy writing about other worlds, and it’s sort of becoming my niche!

You do it well! I thoroughly enjoyed reading your newest book, The Little Spacecraft that Could. Will you please tell us about it? Is it nonfiction or fiction? When was it released?

The book is nonfiction and was fact-checked by Dr. Alan Stern, leader of NASA’s New Horizons mission to Pluto. The book was released this May 18, and I was thrilled when it received a *starred* review from Kirkus Book Reviews!

It gets five stars from me, for sure! This blurb completely takes me in. 

Ride along with the New Horizons spacecraft as she rockets three billion miles to Pluto!

Be there as she takes the first close-up photos of Pluto—then journeys another billion miles to mini-world, Arrokoth.

You’ll whiz through space at more than 10 miles per second; learn how giant planet Jupiter helped the little spacecraft reach Pluto, and discover the astonishing surface feature that made the world fall in love with Pluto.

Joyce Lapin and Simona Ceccarelli, the author-illustrator duo behind   If You Had Your Birthday Party on the Moon, invite you to join them on this real-life adventure to the edge of the solar system!

What was your inspiration for this project? What usually inspires you to write?

 I’ve always loved reading about other worlds. I also enjoy TV documentaries on the planets, and I’d seen a few on the New Horizons mission to Pluto. In one such show, it was explained that just days before the spacecraft was to rendezvous with Pluto, its Earth team briefly lost contact with the spacecraft! Can you imagine?! After years of planning and preparation, and then 10 years and three billion miles of space flight! Man, what the New Horizons team must’ve gone through!

It turned out that the spacecraft’s computer was handling so many tasks that its backup computer took over. The New Horizons team worked madly 24/7, and contact was re-established in time for exploring Pluto. But the whole episode really grabbed me by the throat and stuck with me.

Wow! Talk about tension! 

The irony is that this loss-of-contact didn’t make it into my book! I’d thought it would add terrific suspense—but instead, it slowed the story down too much. So, I reluctantly took it out.

How disappointing! At least it gives you a lot to discuss when talking to kids about writing, as well as about space.

These illustrations are amazing! What are some of your other projects? 

My first book was also nonfiction: If You Had Your Birthday Party on the Moon. My inspiration for that book was how much my niece, Meryl, loved the Moon when she was a child. There are many kids’ books about the Moon, of course, so I needed to view the Moon through a fresh lens. I thought about a party on the Moon, but something was still lacking. When I made the party a birthday party, the idea suddenly had legs. For both books, I had the assistance of UMass Astronomer Prof. Stephen Schneider; and for the Little Spacecraft book, I also had the support of Dr. Alan Stern, Principle Investigator for the New Horizons mission. Such a blessing, both of these scientists!

Will you give us a little insight into your path to publication? What were the joys and the frustrations?

 Like most authors, I had many false starts. My first agent was from a reputable agency, but his efforts on my behalf were minimal. This was quite frustrating and sucked up lots of my oxygen. After giving this agent every chance, I cut ties with him and queried anew, this time with a different project, If You Had Your Birthday Party on the Moon. John Rudolph stepped up immediately, which made me feel terrific. And John was the perfect agent for this book! But I must say, it took me 3-4 years to develop a saleable project and find the right agent.

I suspect that only authors who are exceptionally talented or exceptionally lucky hit right away! If you believe in your work, be prepared for a long road, but keep at it.

How true! What do you find easiest in the writing and publishing process? What do you find most difficult? Why?

 I’m not sure that any part of the process is easy. But I can tell you what I find the most fun: Editing! And by this, I mean the editing that you do yourself, before you submit your manuscript. I once read that editing is where the real magic happens, and I believe it’s true.

When you’re editing, the “bones” of your book are already in place. Now you get to polish it all up, fold in new ideas from your environment, and in general, make the whole thing sparkle.

I agree! I love the revision and then especially when I get near the end, and I’m pretty much wordsmithing. Are you a planner or a pantser? Do you think one is better than the other?

I gotta be honest: I had to look up the word “pantser!” So I found it means “writing by the seat of your pants.” 😊

Well, I think that when creating the book’s bones, being methodical works best for me. Maybe that’s because I write nonfiction. But that said, I move on to pantsing when I’m editing. At that point, I really let my mind wander, and shiny new elements tend to “appear.”

That makes a lot of sense!  Do you have a specific writing routine? If so, will you share it?

An important time for me is when I first wake up in the morning before I get out of bed. At that time, I’m very relaxed—most people are—and just musing about the manuscript takes me down fresh paths. Really, that window of time can be extremely valuable. If you haven’t already tried it, I suggest it!

I think I’ll try that! Do you have anything in the pipeline that you can tell us about?

Thank you so much for asking that. Several of my manuscripts are on submission now, so I’m not free to discuss them. But of course, my fingers and all crossable parts are crossed

Ellen, thank you so much for having me as your guest! And a special thank you to your readers for being interested in my works. I hope everyone will check out The Little Spacecraft That Could, and journey with their kids to the edge of the solar system!

It was my pleasure learning about you and your books. You’ll be happy to know that I had to put a hold on The Little Spacecraft that Could at my local library because it was checked out. 

I hope everyone checks out these links! 

http://www.JoyceLapin.com

https://www.amazon.com/Little-Spacecraft-That-Could/dp/1454937556

And here’s a link to the book’s trailer: https://drive.google.com/file/d/15XinfpQW9tq1Tx1D3mscOTw7DC7c6llI/view

It’s Giveaway time! Joyce is generously giving away a copy of The Little Spacecraft that Could to one lucky winner. Just comment on this post. If you follow this blog or sign up now, let me know in the comment. You’ll have two entries. 

Bio – Joyce Lapin

Joyce Lapin is the author of If You Had Your Birthday Party on the Moon and The Little Spacecraft That Could, both from Sterling Children’s Books.

Joyce has enjoyed reading and learning about other worlds since childhood.

A former advertising copywriter, she’s happy to have found a kinder, gentler life.

Joyce is originally from Glen Cove (Long Island, NY) and now lives in Simsbury, Connecticut. Her favorite nonfiction readings include biographies and survival stories. For fiction, she loves anything by John Grisham and Elin Hilderbrand.

Joyce’s happy place is the beach. The lights of her life are her 10 great-nieces and great-nephews.

Thanks Joyce! Until next time, 

Ellen  

Thanks for reading! If you’d like to know a bit more about me, my books, my school visits, and speaking engagements, please check out my website at http://www.EllenLeventhal.com.