23 Apr David McMullin and a Giveaway!

EL: Another day, another great book to talk about! I’m thrilled to welcome author David McMullin to discuss his debut picture book, Free to Be Fabulous, which can only be described as well…fabulous! There is so much that I love about this book from the message to the illustrations by Robbie Cathro to the joy it brings to readers.

I will let David talk more about this book, but for now, David, will you tell us a little about yourself? We’d love to know what you do when you’re not writing.

DM: Thank you, Ellen, for taking the time to talk with me about my book. My background comes with enough twists and turns to give anyone whiplash. I studied biology, then immediately started my first career as an actor. I eventually performed on Broadway, but then decided to work in education. It was about this time I started writing, and found that working in a library as a youth specialist was the ideal setting for me. But then, my husband and I decided to leave our jobs to travel the world full time. We now run a YouTube channel—the adventure never ends! At the moment, I am in Kotor, Montenegro, so when my book comes out on April 30th, I will still not have held a copy!

EL: That’s wild! I had no idea! I think we’ll need another interview when you and your husband come back. It sounds fascinating! But back to the book. What do you want readers to get out of reading this book? I think you hit the nail on the head giving a message without being didactic.

DM: Thank you, that is always a challenge with a book that centers on an issue. I hope readers feel empowered and can relate to Daniel’s story. All kids can relate to feeling different or being laughed at one time or another. Daniel discovers that there are people on his side, that he has more power than he thinks, and that his power comes from the very thing others tease him for.

EL: Absolutely! I love how you talk about “the mean” instead of saying mean kids, bullies, etc. Why did you choose to do that?

DM: When any of us has a challenge, the worry around it can feel larger than the thing itself. Especially with bullying, a child can have a sense of sadness, loneliness, or fear that pervades everything. The child often doesn’t know when the next negative encounter will come. The anxiety becomes an entity bigger than the bully itself.

EL: Very interesting. As a long time educator (and mom, grandmother, and human being) I totally understand what you’re saying. And the was you chose to handle this is wonderful. I think the illustrations are perfect for your book. Did you get to communicate with your illustrator? When did you see the roughs?

DM: I agree. I think Robbie’s art is glorious—his characters are charming, and the colors are dreamy. We did not communicate, but I was able to see the work at each step of the process. I was even invited to comment, but rarely had a reason to do so.

EL: Check out the joy in the illustration, everyone! 

EL: Please talk about your road to publication.

DM: I consider joining SCBWI (the Society of Children’s Book Authors and Illustrators) in 2014 as the moment when I decided to seriously pursue publishing, that’s ten years ago if you’re doing the math. I made 332 submissions to agents before I found mine. It’s been work! Fortunately my passion for writing and publishing outweighed the struggles. Even this book did not come easily. My editor asked for three R&Rs (rewrite and resubmit) before making an offer.

EL: Agree–this is not an easy business. What do you do when the words won’t come?

DM: I have two tactics. 1) I switch to a different story. I’m never without at least a dozen stories in the works. 2) I write anyway. I let the awful writing have its turn, then sift through the wreckage for the good bits.

EL: Ahh…let the awful writing have its turn. I love that phrase. What inspires you?

DM: So many things, but at the moment, travel. I am fortunate to encounter so many places, people, and situations that lead to endless possibilities for stories.

EL: Do you have anything else in the pipeline you can talk about?

DM: My next book is not yet announced, but I will say it is a rhyming board book coming out in 2025.

EL: Congrats on the upcoming book!  Do you have anything else you’d like readers to know?

DM: I was fortunate that although I was the “artistic” kid in a rural community, I never had anything but support along my journey to figuring out who I was. Not all kids are as fortunate. Keep a watchful eye out for those kids who might be struggling and let them know that they are fabulous!

EL: Wonderful advice to everyone! Thank you so much, David. The book is available wherever you buy your books including here.  Also, check out David’s website here. 

And here’s what you’ve been waiting for!

David is offering either a manuscript critique or a 30 minute Zoom for a classroom or career talk. Winner’s choice!

Just comment on this post and let me know if you are a subscriber or if you’ve shared the post, and you’ll get an extra chance to win. 

Until next time,

Ellen