12 Jul Janie Reinart: WHEN WATER MAKES MUD and a GIVEAWAY

We are in for a treat with my friend, Janie Reinart, visiting us today. Janie and I met in person at a non-fiction writing retreat in 2016, and aside from being a wonderful writer, Janie is a  pretty great person! Thanks for being here, Janie. 

Before we get to your lovely debut picture book, let’s learn a little about you. I know you’ve worn many hats. Will you tell us about them?

Hello, Ellen. Thank you so much for inviting me to your blog. It is a delight to talk with you about my favorite things, reading, writing, and books!

A hat that set my path for the future was the black and white broad-brimmed one I wore portraying Eliza Doolittle in the Royal Ascot scene in my high school senior class play.  I was very shy and quiet. My high school English and speech teacher, Mr. David Shaner changed my life and inspired me. In his class, I began to write and present speeches and perform on stage.  I wanted to be like Mr. Shaner. Because of him, I got my degree in education, speech, and theater so that I could give students the confidence to find their voice and tell their stories.

I’ve also tried my hand as a professional puppeteer, interactive musical storyteller, I wore a clown hat in a hospital’s gentle clowning ministry, and a poet’s beret at an inner-city school as a poet in residence helping children find their voice through free verse poetry.

I know you’ve written a lot (you’re very prolific!) but you consider When Water Makes Mud, your debut. Can you explain that?

This will be my first trade picture book.  Previously, I worked for hire with Learning Horizons, a subsidiary of American Greetings Corp. My publications included pre-school workbooks and a book about puppies for their “Know-it-all Series.”

After my son came back from being deployed, I had the honor of contributing, collecting, and editing 45 stories for an anthology, Love You More Than You Know: Mothers’ Stories About Sending Their Sons and Daughters to War (Gray & Co., Publishers, 2009, eBook 2012). The title of the anthology came from a letter my son wrote, “I love you deeply, more than you know. Your son, Joe.”

What a beautiful and loving picture of you with your son, Joe celebrating your launch of that lovely book!

My latest work for hire picture book, a retelling of The Ugly Duckling was published by Wonderbooks, 2020. I also use my own photography and try to write a poem a day on Instagram.

I  love your photography and poetry. Everyone should follow you on IG! Aside from all your writing and everything else you do in your busy life, you are an active contributor to ReFoReMo. Will you tell our readers about that?

Carrie Charley Brown, Founder/Co-Coordinator of Reading For Research Month and Kirsti Call, Co-Coordinator are on a mission to help picture book writers reform their writing by reading and researching mentor texts. There is a challenge in the month of March (although we talk mentor texts all year round.) After reading the daily online posts in March, participants will read picture books and apply the things they learn to their own writing. I have been with the group for six years. I am the Facebook group moderator and mini monthly challenge blog contributor. Come and join us. I would be happy to welcome you to the ReFoReMo family.

NOW…let’s talk about your fabulous new book, When Water Makes Mud. I’ve read it, and I love it. Such a simple, yet complex and beautiful topic.

What inspired you to write this book?

A National Geographic article about refugee children making their own toys from mud, paper, and plastic caught my eye. The exquisite pictures in the article started the picture book story for me. I was inspired by the children and the complexity of the invented toys they made from found objects using their imagination and critical thinking skills. Children without toys—yet children who play. Play is the work of a child. Their hope becomes our hope. The universal themes of play, hope, and dreams inspired my story.

I watched videos and read more articles about the Bidibidi Settlement. I noticed Nora Lorek, the National Geographic photographer was on Instagram. I gathered my courage and contacted her to ask if she would consider confirming what animals might be found in the Bidibidi Settlement. Nora was gracious enough to give me her email and became my inspiration and resource.

Nora asked to see my story when it was done. She loved the story and said it reminded her of a photo. When I clicked on the link it was the very picture of Nora’s that started the story for me. I wanted that picture in the backmatter.  It was important to me for children in the USA to see that photo, to empathize with children in other places in the world. Nora directed me to her agent in London and I purchased the photo.

Such an incredible story. Thank you for sharing. 

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

When I write, I love the quiet. I usually write first thing in the morning or late at night. Even if I don’t make much progress on a project, I try to write a daily poem using a picture I took during the day as a prompt.

What are some things you do to get yourself in “the zone” when the words or ideas don’t come easily?

I stop what I’m doing and choose one of these activities:

• Take a walk
• Do a chore
• Pray
• Read a book
• Exercise
• Step away from the computer—work on a different writing project using paper and pen.
• Check out this writing exercise using your superpower.

What a great exercise! I am going to try it for sure. 

Those of us who write, know that getting something published is not a solitary endeavor. Would you like to give a shout out to a few people who made this book possible? 

It takes a village! I would like to thank my critique partners, my editor, and the illustrator of our book. Shout out and hugs to my amazing and talented critique partners: Pamela Courtney, Charlotte Dixon, Kathy Halsey, Marietta Apollonio, and Monique Wakefield.

What a joy to work with Alayne Kay Christian, retired acquisitions editor and creative director for Blue Whale Press. From the first moment, Alayne was excited and loved the story about the children as much as I did.  Not only is Alayne an editor, but she is also an award-winning author, and creator and teacher of her own picture book writing course. Alayne’s vision for the story was the steady hand at the helm that launched my picture book.

And last but not least, the charming and talented Morgan Taylor, illustrator for When Water Makes Mud : A Story of Refugee Children, who tells stories though art, and promotes making the seemingly ordinary, beautiful. Morgan’s art carries so much emotion. Each spread is more lovely than the next. Her pictures make the story come alive.

Just the other night, my four-year-old grandson picked When Water Makes Mud for his bedtime story. Owen said,” I want to read Grandmommy’s book.” When they finished the story, he told his mom he wanted to visit Susan (the young girl in Nora’s photo) and go to her house. Morgan created a space so tangible that Owen wants to visit.

I agree with Owen. Morgan’s illustrations, as well as your words, brought me right in the place and time of your story. 

Please give us some words of wisdom for aspiring kid lit writers.

This quote is on my bulletin board.

“And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don’t believe in magic will never find it.” ~Roald Dahl

Believe in yourself. Writing is magic—with a wave of your pen, you can make something from nothing appear. Keep your glittering writer’s eyes open—find the unlikely hidden idea that ignites your heart. As Julius Lester says, “The primary purpose of story is one heart touching another.” Only you can write your story.

Here are links to buy the book. You won’t regret it.

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Target

Visit Janie’s website and follow her on social media here

Website

Twitter

Instagram

Pinterest

GIVEAWAY TIME!

Janie has offered to give away a signed copy of When Water Makes Mud to a lucky winner. Just comment on this post, and if you’d like more than one chance of winning, please follow this blog and let me know you are a follower.

Until next time,

Ellen

If you’d like to learn more about me, my books, and my school presentations, please visit me on my website.

www.EllenLeventhal.com