04 Nov Gina Soldano-Herrle, NIA’S RESCUE BOX, and GIVEAWAY!

EL: Happy November! It’s time to welcome Gina Soldano to the blog today to discuss her book, Nia’s Rescue Box.  This book tells the story of Nia, a young girl experiencing food insecurity. When she visits a food rescue, at first she is embarrassed to take anything, but eventually, she reconsiders and realizes that accepting help is a good thing. This story is sweet, timely, and informative.  I’ll let Gina tell you more about it. 

Gina, we know you’re an author, and I think many people know that you’re a podcaster (Thanks again for having me on your podcast, by the way!), but you are so much more. Will you please tell us a little bit about yourself?

GS-H:  Thank you so much, Ellen! I live in Ohio with my husband and son, though, our hearts are in Colorado and Iceland (it’s a long story and I tell more about it on my blog). I’ve been writing professionally since 2015 and have done most everything one can do within marketing and writing: blogging, podcasting, streaming, social media, ghostwriting, email–but these days I’m a development writer at a local nonprofit that provides integrated services for homeless youth. I love the work I do there and I’m still doing my own writing (not nearly as much as I want/plan). I write in all genres from board books through adult nonfiction and at the moment have: 9 picture books, 2 middle-grade fantasy novels, 1 memoir, and one contemporary adult fiction all in various stages of revision. I also started my podcast, “Getting to the Heart of Why We Write” in January 2024 because I have interviewed 700+ people over the course of my marketing career, and when my career switched gears, I missed interviewing people. Also, writers, especially kidlit, are just the best people! When I’m not working, momming, adulting, or humaning, I’m reading, playing video games, or staring at the ceiling.

EL: I’m pretty sure you don’t have a lot of time to stare at the ceiling! 🙂

I think the illustrations are perfect for your book. What was your communication with your illustrator, Abi Eaton, like?

GS-H: We had a lot of communication. She actually became the illustrator from a submission in a contest to work on the book that I coordinated with the head of the food rescue within our community (in Fort Collins, CO). We met a couple of times and talked about what direction to go and after her first draft of all the art, there were only minor changes. I couldn’t imagine a better artist/illustrator, and it was her first time as a children’s book illustrator. Her art made me cry happy tears more than once.

EL: Your book is about an important topic. I love how you refer to it as rescuing the food. What was your inspiration for this book?

GS-H: My inspiration behind this book was Vindeket Foods. It’s a food rescue organization in Fort Collins, CO. I am absolutely OBSESSED with them and everything they do for the community and environment. Food rescues are a relatively new forum for shopping as people are more familiar with food banks.

Rescues are different because there is no qualifying factor to shop there. It’s a way for people to access food and also prevent food waste that would have a negative impact on the environment. The rescue where I participated did everything they could to keep things out of the dumpster, but even with hundreds of people or more shopping weekly, some items don’t get rescued in time. Some foods can be composted for gardens or farm animals to eat. Others can be recycled. But the best option is for someone to rescue food, helping themself and the food that would otherwise be wasted.

The food system in the United States is complicated, and many corporate partners are doing everything they can to prevent waste and positively impact the environment. Vindeket’s trucks are busy most days of the week, picking up deliveries of all types of delicious foods. There could be pallets of fresh kale, boxes of kombucha, sacks of potatoes, or the occasional non-food item like deodorant.

One of the things I love most about the food rescue is that you never know what you’re going to go home with. There’s an element of mystery and surprise to every visit that can push you outside of your typical eating habits and try new things–like watermelon popcorn. Or mangos. Always lots of mangoes.

Vindeket’s message is revaluing food and people. In my opinion, it’s a simple solution to a complex problem. My dream for this book is to not only make it easier to talk about being hungry and experiencing food insecurity, something I know from lived experience, but also to inspire the next generation of food waste warriors to open their own rescues.

EL: I love that phrase…”Food Waste Warriors.”

The road to publication can often be a twisty and bumpy one. Please tell us about the road to publication with Nia’s Rescue Box?

GS-H: It was weird. I’ve been querying/submitting to agents and editors since 2019. As you can tell, I have a lot of different ideas and so I jumped around with the manuscripts and genres I submitted. When I drafted this book, it felt bigger than me or anything else I’d ever written about. I chewed on the idea for about a year before I sat down and put the words together. So, after a very brief querying period and some interest in a Twitter pitch event, I decided to self-publish.

Since it was based on a local organization where I was a service participant, I had community support and a real grassroots feel that didn’t lend itself to waiting around for the publishing industry. So, here’s the timeline:

• November 2022, I wrote the first draft.
• December-February, I queried.
• March, I approached the head of the food rescue to ask about collaborating.
• April 2023, I launched the Kickstarter.
• May I found the illustrator and we signed a contract–started working on art.
• End of May, Kickstarter closed funded.
• August, I got the first full draft of art and paid half the illustrator fee.
• End of September, I got the art revisions and paid the remaining half of the illustrator fee.
• October, I spent a month pulling my hair out figuring out digital picture book formatting and got it up on Amazon and Ingram Spark, published October 27!
• Visited Colorado (from Ohio) to launch with food rescue friends the first week of November.

EL: That’s amazing. It must have been so exciting! I think books like this, books of our heart, are especially meaningful. On another note, do you have a writing group or groups? How important do you think they are?

GS-H: Writing groups can be wonderful or problematic. It depends on what you need and what stage of your writing journey you are in. I’ve had groups fall apart, some with troublesome feedback, and some with people whom I consider dear friends who came and celebrated with me at my book launch.

I think writing groups are crucial for gaining momentum when you’re losing steam. Right now I’m in one critique group that actively meets, though I’ve been in others over the years.

I also have a few friends I can send work to for feedback. At the Nonfiction Connect for Rocky Mountain SCBWI that I co-moderate, there is always a critique and share portion at the end of each meeting.

What I want to see more of though, and what most writers really need, is a writing support group.

It’s not about critiquing work, though you can do that if you need to from time to time. I’m talking about a group of people who write and with whom you can let your writer self totally loose. We all need a group of writers (or illustrators), who understand what we mean when we say, “but I just can’t find any comps!” Someone you can text, “I got a full request!” or “I got a personalized rejection!” And they send you back 💃💃💃💃

You may not need a critique group, but we all need friends–a writing group is a great place to start.

EL: Yes. Writer friends understand. I totally get it. They’ll never say, “So it’s just a picture book, it can’t be that hard!”

GS-H: A note on starting your own writing group:  Be selective. It can be difficult when you’re just starting out to find the people you really connect with and can talk to for hours. But, keep trying in different ways. Go on social media, join an organization like SCBWI or 12×12, and ask to be connected with critique partners or post in forums, go to local in-person events at your library, or put up flyers on your own.

One of my favorite groups was founded with one critique partner match through SCBWI and a flyer. It started with just the two of us but grew over the months and that friend who found it with me was there at my book launch, a year later (almost to the day) from reading the first draft at our writing group in the same bookstore/cafe. Get creative, and put yourself out there. And don’t be afraid to talk about picture books or squids to someone–they might be a secret writer too

EL:  Ha ha! I love that. But with most of us, sometimes the words just won’t come. What do you do when that happens?

GS-H: I read or go for a walk. Sometimes I watch TV, or play video games, or meditate or stare at the ceiling. Literally anything but stare at a blank screen. Writing by hand can work because my hand moves slower than my brain. But sometimes we just need a break–you have to refill your well not just keep taking from it.

EL: Wise words. Thank you so much for coming today, Gina!

Find out more about Gina at  https://ginasoldano.com/. The book is available at all major booksellers: Amazon, Bookshop, and Barnes and Noble. You can also ask your local indie to order it.

And now for a

Gina will give away a signed book to one lucky winner.  Please comment on this post to get in the running, and let me know if you are a subscriber or if you shared it to get an extra chance to win.

Until next time,

Ellen

On a personal note, I’d love you to check out my school visit section on the website. I’m currently booking visits for this school year. Also, please check out some of my books here. They are also available wherever books are sold. THANK YOU! 

DEBBIE’S SONG: THE DEBBIE FRIEDMAN STORY

https://bookshop.org/p/books/debbie-s-song-ellen-leventhal/18680277?ean=9781728443027

A FLOOD OF KINDNESS

https://bookshop.org/p/books/a-flood-of-kindness-ellen-leventhal/15150623?ean=9781546034582