16 Jan Lydia Lukidis: DEEP DEEP DOWN (And of course, a GIVEAWAY!)

EL: I’m thrilled to have PBSpree sister, Lydia Lukidis here with us today. I was lucky enough to have read an early ARC of this gorgeous book, DEEP, DEEP DOWN: THE SECRET UNDERWATER  POETRY OF THE MARIANA TRENCH. I promise it will take your breath away.

Welcome, Lydia! The first thing that caught my eye about your beautiful book is that the words and illustrations flow so well together. When you were writing with such lyricism, did you have a picture in your mind about how you hoped the images would look?

LL: Thanks for the sweet words! I actually made illustrator suggestions to my publisher early on, but they said they already had someone in mind. They told me about Juan and how he used to be a biologist before pursuing his dream of illustration. When I saw his samples, I immediately knew he was the right person. I spent a lot of time getting the facts rights for DEEP, DEEP DOWN, so I wanted the illustrations to be realistic and truly reflect the creatures. I prepared a 20-page resource guide with references (it took a month to put it together because there isn’t an abundance of actual photos). The end result was nothing short of miraculous. I couldn’t believe how stunning the illustrations were! They pull the reader in and reflect the true beauty of the trench,

EL: Absolutely! Have you written any other books in that same lyrical style, or is this something new?

LL: This is my first published book that contains such lyricism! It took me a while to begin understanding myself as a writer. For this project, I dove back into one of my first loves; poetry. I’ve been writing poetry since the age of 6, and I continued to study it in college. I never thought of pairing poetry with science. This book provided a breakthrough for me, where I realized how connected these disciplines are. For me, the text could not have been written in any other way; it had to reflect the poetic and mesmerizing beauty of the trench.     

EL: These interior pages are lovely. Did you have any contact with the illustrator as you were working? 

LL: No. I followed my editor’s lead, and if I had any comments or edits, I passed them on to her, and she relayed them to Juan. I was never introduced to him via email or telephone. That was the process with Capstone, and I respected it.

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

LL: I’m understanding my process more and more as a writer. Although it’s always different, some elements remain consistent. When it comes to nonfiction, I spend a lot of time (months or years) researching my topic. I may not know exactly what I want to write about, how to structure the information, and most commonly, what the hook is. It took about 6 months of research to find my hook for DEEP, DEEP DOWN. I was becoming increasingly frustrated because I knew I wanted to write about the Mariana Trench, but I wasn’t sure how to hook readers until one day when it came naturally. Once I met certain experts, I realized this notion I had of the trench being inhabited by big or menacing creatures (cue the goblin sharks or the anglerfish) was simply not true. In truth, the creatures that dwell in the deepest, darkest spot on our planet are nothing like what some may imagine.

Once I had my hook, it was full speed ahead. But it was incredibly difficult to get the facts straight, so I needed 55 revisions, six experts, and a ton of patience. A lot of the information on the internet is false (even from reliable sources), and our understanding of the trench is constantly evolving. It took about 2 ½ years to write the book. I’ve given up trying to “speed” up this process; I let it be what it is. The last book I just announced took seven years to write, so one can never calculate the flow and speed of inspiration.

Just to add, usually, my process involves putting the book aside for a while (months or years), but I didn’t have to do that with DEEP, DEEP DOWN. Although it was difficult to research, it flowed well from the start, and I never had to change structures.

EL:  Please talk about your road to publication with this book. 

 Fun fact: This manuscript is the one that managed to snag Miranda Paul as an agent! This was my third agent, and I was so excited to be working with her (cut to today, and she’s still my dream agent, so the third time is a charm!)

But it took a while to find the right publisher. I did get an offer early on, but we decided to decline it for various reasons. It’s tough to decline an offer, but you have to focus on the bigger picture. The pile of rejections grew until we finally heard that it had gone to acquisitions at two publishing houses. Shortly after, Capstone made an offer which we happily accepted.

 EL: I’m so happy that Capstone published this beautiful book! The words don’t always flow easily, though. What do you do when the words won’t come?

LL: Putting my manuscripts aside is usually a critical part of my process. Editing only seems to work when my eyes are fresh. Some books remain in the “drawer” forever, while others make it out due to sudden inspiration, which I can’t seem to control.

Reading is another great way to unclog the writing engine. It doesn’t necessarily have to be the same genre in which you’re writing, but it usually helps me access my own well of ideas.

The most important thing for me is not to force it. Sure, I’d love to pump out solid manuscripts every six months, but you can’t rush good writing. It takes the time it takes.

 EL: Do you have any words of advice for aspiring kidlit writers?

LL: From all my years of querying and hundreds of rejections, I’ve learned a few things:

-be patient

-DON’T TAKE ANYTHING PERSONALLY! What may be right for one agent or editor may not be right for another, it’s a highly subjective industry.

-try to learn from feedback, but let it go if it doesn’t resonate with you (the same goes with bad reviews)

-write EVERY day (be ruthless about setting this time aside)

-and don’t forget that sometimes, it’s a matter of the right timing!

EL  Great advice! Thank you so much for joining us, Lydia, and good luck with this beautiful book! 

Lydia is giving away a non-fiction picture book critique to one lucky winner. Less than 1,000 words, and no rhyme, please.

All you have to do is comment on this post. If you subscribe to the blog, let me know, and you will get an extra chance to win. 

Lydia’s Bio:

Lydia Lukidis is the author of 50+ trade and educational books for children. Her titles include DANCING THROUGH SPACE: Dr. Mae Jemison Soars to New Heights (Albert Whitman, 2024), DEEP, DEEP, DOWN: The Secret Underwater Poetry of the Mariana Trench (Capstone, 2023), THE BROKEN BEES’ NEST (Kane Press, 2019) which was nominated for a Cybils Award, and NO BEARS ALLOWED (Clear Fork Media, 2019). A science enthusiast from a young age, she now incorporates her studies in science and her everlasting curiosity into her books.

Lydia is an active member of SCBWI, CANSCAIP, 12 x 12, and The Authors Guild. She’s very involved in the kidlit community and also volunteers as a judge on Rate your Story. Another passion of hers is fostering love for children’s literacy through the writing workshops she regularly offers in elementary schools. Lydia is represented by literary agent Miranda Paul from the Erin Murphy Literary Agency.

Social Media Links

Website & order links: http://www.lydialukidis.com/

Twitter: @LydiaLukidis

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LydiaLukidis

Blog: https://lydialukidis.wordpress.com/

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3fATvqtKDk

—————————————————————————————————————-On a personal note, I’m thrilled to let you know that my newest picture book, DEBBIE’S SONG: THE DEBBIE FRIEDMAN STORY, is available for pre-order now! You can order the hardcover or paperback. 

It’s available for pre-order here. If you’d like a signed copy, please order from the wonderful Brazos Bookstore.  

Bookshop.org

Amazon  

Brazos Bookstore 

Also, to learn more about me, my books, and my school visits, please visit and look around. 

www.EllenLeventhal.com