23 Jun Author/Illustrator, Laura Smetana, MY LOVE FOR YOU IS LIKE THE NIGHT SKY, and a Giveaway!

I’m excited to welcome author/illustrator Laura Smetana, to the blog today. I am in awe of people who can write gorgeous text and illustrate it just as beautifully. Laura is no exception. Her stunning new book, My Love for You Is Like the Night Sky, celebrates love with lyrical text and unique, color-filled illustrations.  This book is one you will want to share with a little one and maybe even go outside to marvel at the wonders of the sky together. It’s truly a magical book.

• EL: Welcome, Laura! Before we get into the book, will you please tell us a little about yourself?

LS: I live in the Chicago suburbs with my family. My grandpa was a cartoonist, and from an early age, I developed a love of drawing and writing. Growing up, I was surrounded by supportive family and teachers who encouraged me to follow my curiosity and creativity, which usually involved checking out a lot of books at the library. In elementary school, we wrote and illustrated a book each year, and I still have most of them. After college, I used my creativity in different ways—first in a career in nonprofit communications and then as a preschool teacher. During the pandemic, my path circled back to writing for kids, all thanks to my son, who suggested we write a book together. It was such a wonderful experience, and to my surprise, more ideas for books kept flowing.

Afterwards, I wrote Ice Cream with Grandpa: A Loving Story for Kids About Alzheimer’s & Dementia (beautifully illustrated by Elisabete B. P. de Moraes), which was inspired by the relationship between my son and my dad, who died of Alzheimer’s just a few weeks before the pandemic shutdowns began. Then came My Love for You Is Like a Garden, which was my first book with cut-paper watercolor collage, and that led to its companion, My Love for You Is Like the Night Sky. When I’m not writing or painting, I love inspiring kids to write and illustrate their own books at school author visits, teaching collage art, gardening, stargazing, spending time with my family, and planning our next travel adventures!

EL: I love the cut-paper watercolor collage. It’s perfect for these books. As an author/illustrator, what comes to you first? The words or the pictures?

LS: For me, sometimes the words come first, and other times the pictures come first. And for some stories, they come in tandem. But for My Love for You Is Like the Night Sky, the words came first; however, they didn’t flow out of me as easily as they did for My Love for You Is Like a Garden. After writing about half, I got stuck and knew I needed more inspiration, so I took a field trip to the Adler Planetarium in Chicago, where I saw exhibits on stars, planets, and galaxies. I left feeling inspired and finished the manuscript shortly after. That visit to the museum, along with research at my local library, provided visual inspiration that I channeled into my cut-paper watercolor collage illustrations.   

EL: It certainly worked. Do you have a writing group or groups? How important do you think they are?

LS: I’m so grateful to be part of a wonderful critique group. Writing and illustrating are very solitary activities, so I think it’s so important to have a space to connect with others in-person for support, feedback, and friendship. It makes the creative journey a little easier and results in better books! I’m also a member of several artists’ guilds that host regular meetings, as well as opportunities to exhibit our art. It allows me to learn new techniques, meet other artists, receive feedback, and gather in community to share and celebrate what we all love—art and creativity!

EL: That’s wonderful.  What inspires you?

LS: I find inspiration all around me—in nature, my childhood memories, my backyard garden, and in the simple joys of everyday life experiences. But I’m probably most inspired by flowers and plants. I try to do one drawing a day, and it usually ends up being a flower or plant. Whenever I travel, I love learning about the native plants. I usually bring watercolor paint, a brush, and blank watercolor postcards so I can paint the new flowers, plants, and scenery. Often these paintings, as well as pictures I take during the trip, become inspiration for watercolor collages that I make just for fun. My family and I just returned from a trip to Scotland, and I’m filled to the brim with inspiration for new collages! These aren’t for any particular book, but I think following your inspiration, whatever it is, is never wasted, and it just may lead to your next book idea. I know it has for me!

EL: What do you do when the words won’t come?

LS: I usually wait for a time and space that allows the words to flow, but I don’t try to force it. Sometimes that means putting my draft away and coming back when I feel ready, other times it means going on a walk with the intention of writing in my head while walking and jotting down notes on a piece of paper. Other times, I’ll sit on my bed with the pages of my draft all around so I can see all the pieces together, and sometimes I write with a dry-erase marker on the bathroom mirror. If it’s summer, I like to go out in my kayak, and surrounded by nothing but water, I often find the words come more easily. I suppose getting away from the computer and distraction is the common theme here!

EL: All of that sounds lovely. I don’t live close to where I can hop in a kayak, but I may try the dry-erase marker thing! Do you have anything else in the pipeline you can talk about?

LS: Right now, I’m wrapping up a book that celebrates the childhood joys of catching fall leaves that I illustrated with cut-paper watercolor collages. I’m also in the process of writing and illustrating a bedtime adventure story and have a few stories about my Slovak American heritage that are in the works. I look forward to sharing those with readers soon. Anyone who is interested in staying updated, can sign up for my newsletter at www.laurasmetana.com.  Thank you so much for welcoming me here today, I really enjoyed it!

EL: Thank YOU for visiting today. Congratulations on another wonderful book.  To find out more about Laura and find where to buy her books, check out these websites.

www.laurasmetana.com

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1737140993/

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/my-love-for-you-is-like-the-night-sky-laura-smetana/1147255240?ean=9781737140993

Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/p/books/my-love-for-you-is-like-the-night-sky/7837fbd2f8858df2?ean=9781737140993 

It’s time for the…

Laura is happy to give away one signed paperback copy of the book to a lucky winner. (US addresses only.)

 Good luck! Just comment on this post to get in the running to win. Let me know if you’re a subscriber or have shared the post to get an extra chance to win. 

Until next time,

Ellen 

On a personal note, I’m currently scheduling school author visits for the 2025-2026 school year. I’d love to visit YOU or a school near you! Please check out  https://EllenLeventhal.com.