18 Jun Jessica Stremer, TWO new exciting books, and a GIVEAWAY!

I am thrilled to welcome my friend, Jessica Stremer to Writing Outside the Lines. I met Jessica in the fabulous marketing group, PBSpree, and I’m so happy for her success as she continues to soar. We’re going to be talking about two of her books today.

The recently released picture book, LIGHTS OUT: A MOVEMENT TO HELP MIGRATING BIRDS is filled to the brim with both facts and heart.  That’s a difficult combination to pull off, but Jessica does it artfully.  It’s the story of migrating birds but brought down to a personal level with a story about a little girl who wants to help the birds.  The back matter describes the Lights Out Movement and includes ideas for ways for children to help.

Jessica’s upcoming Middle-Grade non-fiction book, FIRE ESCAPE: HOW ANIMALS AND PLANTS SURVIVE WILDFIRES is another winner. We used to think of wildfires as being geographically specific. However, they seem to be all over these days, but not everyone understands the implications of wildfires and their effect on our world. And it is not just what you’d imagine. FIRE ESCAPE gives middle-grade readers a deep understanding of how wildfires affect living things and the environment.

EL: Welcome, Jessica! Before we get deeper into the books and your literary journey, will tell us a little about yourself?

JS: I live with my family in southeastern Wisconsin. Both my girls play soccer, so much of my free time is spent shuttling them to practice and cheering from the sidelines. I also love spending time outdoors, hiking and camping. We’re in the process of rewilding our yard, planting trees and wildflowers that are native to the area, so that has been taking up a lot of my time. I’m hoping to plant as many natives as I can to support the local ecosystem.

EL: For someone who writes about the environment, you don’t just talk the talk, you clearly walk the walk! As I’ve mentioned, you have two books coming out close together! How did that come about?

JS: My debut picture book, GREAT CARRIER REEF (GCR), was published in July 2023. That book sold spring of 2021, and by the fall I was itching to go on submission again. My editor for LIGHTS OUT (LO) had passed on a different manuscript, but was open to seeing more work from me. That fall I sent her LO and ended up with an R&R, which she asked to work on after the new year. Somewhere near the end of 2021, we soft-pitched my editor for GCR a few picture book ideas, as well as the idea for FIRE ESCAPE (FE). She liked FE the best, so I began working on the proposal that winter. JS: I wasn’t expecting an offer on either, but ended up selling both within two weeks of each other. I feel incredibly lucky to have been able to create both of these books.

EL: WE are lucky to be able to read those two books! I have your debut, THE GREAT CARRIER REEF on my bookshelf, and I can’t wait to get LIGHTS OUT and FIRE ESCAPE. After your first two amazing picture books, what made you want to write an MG?

JS: We lived in southern California for twelve years and during that time the threat of wildfires grew each year. Once we were on watch for evacuation, and a friend of ours nearly lost their house. Wildfire seemed to be on everyone’s mind even outside the normal fire season.

About two years after that nearby fire my family and I went hiking in a totally different area a few hours from our house. The forest had experienced wildfire at some point in the past, yet it was thriving. After that hike I knew I wanted to write about a different side of wildfires. I wanted to show that they’re not only about destruction. There are so many ways fire benefits the ecosystem.

I originally set out to write a picture book, but there were too many details I wanted to include. I realized that if I was going to pursue this idea, I would need to make the leap from picture book to middle grade. I pitched the idea to my agent who pitched the idea to my editor. She loved it and encouraged me to write a proposal and first chapter.

The jump to middle grade was scary, primarily because there was a bigger commitment in terms of research and time, but I figured I had nothing to lose by trying. Plus, I had some amazing kidlit friends in my corner offering me support and guidance. The book was a lot of work and worth every bit of effort. I’m extremely proud of what I created.

EL: Your books are so beautifully written. They are not like the non-fiction of my youth. What draws you to non-fiction?

JS: I’ve been writing books for kids since 2019, although the desire to write had existed well before I first put pen to paper. Once I got started writing, it didn’t take long to hone in on the types of stories I wanted to tell – nonfiction narratives about lesser-known topics or events that inspire kids to look at the world differently. Many kids don’t have the opportunity to travel or explore. I hope that my books reach those kids, expand their world, and plant seeds of interest that grow as they get older.

I’m also extremely passionate about creating books that create hope regarding the state of our planet. I want kids to feel empowered to make a change and feel optimistic about their future.

EL: Your books do that very well! Do you have a writing group? How helpful are they?

JS: I have a few writing friends that I’ve known for years. We don’t swap on a regular basis, but know we can send a manuscript over anytime for feedback. They’re also the people I share news with first, whether it be good or bad. Writing can feel so lonely, but it’s comforting to know you’ve got friends who are always in your corner.

I’m also a member of PB Spree. Everyone is super supportive in sharing industry knowledge and experiences, as well as celebrating our books as they are published throughout the year.

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

JS: I have three books publishing in 2025 that I’m excited to share: PLIGHT OF THE PELICAN: How Scientists Saved a Species is about bioaccumulation and the discovery of DDT. It’ll be out spring of 2025. Next up that summer is WONDERFULLY WILD, which is about a school who re-wilds their campus after an old willow tree goes down in a storm. And finally, fall of 2025 I have TRAPPED IN THE TAR PIT, which is about the discovery of fossils in the La Brea Tar Pits. It’ll be a busy year, and I hope people will consider requesting my books be added to their libraries (and maybe their home and school libraries, too).

EL: This is incredible! See, I told you all she is soaring! Jessica, what do you think is the most difficult part of this job?

JS: The waiting! There’s waiting in finding out if a book I’ve written will be published, waiting to find the perfect illustrator, waiting for the publication date.

EL: And what do you think is the the best part about writing kidlit?

JS: Oh, there are too many parts to choose just one! The excitement of researching a new topic. The feeling of accomplishment when you finish a draft, no matter how rough it is. Seeing the art for the first time. Seeing the cover for the first time. Holding the physical book for the first time. And of course, the kidlit community!

EL: Thank you so much for visiting with us, Jessica, and congratulations on all your wonderful books! All of Jessica’s books are listed on her website www.jessicastremer.com and can be purchased wherever books are sold. Signed copies of both LIGHTS OUT and FIRE ESCAPE are available through Books and Company.

Jessica’s Bio:

Jessica Stremer is an award-winning children’s author who combines her love of science and writing to create books that inspire kids to explore and think critically about the world around them. Her titles include GREAT CARRIER REEF (a Cook Prize Silver Medalist and NY Public Library Best Book of the Year), LIGHTS OUT: A Movement to Help Migrating Birds, FIRE ESCAPE: How Animals and Plants Survive Wildfires (a JLG Gold Standard selection), PLIGHT OF THE PELICAN: How Science Saved a Species, TRAPPED IN THE TAR PIT, and WONDERFULLY WILD. Jessica obtained a B.S. in Biology, with an emphasis in Ecology, from the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh. She was a recipient of the 2023 Stephen Fraser Encouragement Award and 2023 finalist for the Russel Freedman award. When not writing you can find Jessica cheering from the sideline of her kids’ soccer games, spending time outdoors, and planning her next family adventure. 

And now, it’s time for a

Jessica is offering a Non-Fiction PB  critique to one lucky winner! (non-rhyming). To get in the running for this prize, please comment on this post. Let me know if you are a subscriber or shared the post to get an extra chance to win. GOOD LUCK!

Until next time,

Ellen