08 Jan Carol Munro, SPRINGTIME STORKS, and a Giveaway

EL: Happy New Year, everyone! I wish you all a year filled with health, happiness, and peace. As we enter this new year, I am thrilled to welcome author Carol Munro to the blog. Her newest book, SPRINGTIME STORKS: A MIGRATION LOVE STORY illustrated by Chelsea O’Byrne, will leave you and your little ones smiling. Based on a real story of two storks and their dedication to each other, Munro weaves a tale of love, nature, and wonder that children (and adults) will love. 

Welcome, Carol! Before we dive into the book, will you please tell us a little about yourself? 

CM: I grew up in a suburb of Hartford, Connecticut, where we had woods to hike, hills to climb, and ponds to explore. Every day was an adventure in nature with friends. This was where my love for nature and animals began.

I now live in a densely populated neighborhood in a rural town in Western Massachusetts. While the houses are closely nestled, we have clusters of wooded acres and our share of wildlife — deer, raccoons, and last month, we spotted a bobcat. A full list of our “yard pets” is on my website. 

When I’m not writing, I like to get outdoors and photograph nature and animals (pics are also on my site).

EL: I love the pictures on your website! Your beautiful book is based on a true story. Will you give us some background? 

CM: Can you imagine taking care of a wild animal for 28 years? When I first saw a video on Facebook about Malena and Klepetan, the storks that inspired my picture book, I dove into learning more about them. What impressed me was the dedication of the man who cared for Malena year round, building nests for her on his roof and in his garage, fishing for her almost every day — he’d welcome Klepetan each spring with a bucket of fish — and finding documentaries of storks for Malena to watch on T.V. in his living room during her lonely winter season.

This man deserves a book of his own, but I was inspired to write a poem about having to separate from a loved one. That poem became the picture book SPRINGTIME STORKS: A MIGRATION LOVE STORY.

EL: Why did you decide to write in the first person, in Katarina’s voice?

CM: It seemed the natural thing to do when I first wrote the poem that became the picture book. I had imagined how it must have felt for Malena to watch the storks migrating to South Africa, not being able to join them and having to separate from Klepetan. So I wrote from her point of view. When I decided the poem could work as a picture book, I kept it in first person because I thought the emotional response from the reader would be stronger.

EL: It certainly works. I think the illustrations are perfect for your book. Did you get to communicate with your illustrator? When did you see the roughs? 

CM: Chelsea O’Byrne brought the story alive with her emotive illustrations! While I had no direct communication with Chelsea throughout the entire process, I had included in my contract that I’d be given opportunities to review the illustrations. I shared my thoughts with my editor, who passed them on to Chelsea and others on the team. We also had an ornithologist review the pages — text and illustrations — for accuracy. I was glad to be so fully involved; the process was fascinating.

It was a long time from viewing the first images in email to holding the book in my hands. That first reading of the book, the turning of the pages and seeing the story evolve from Chelsea’s perspective, humbled me and made my heart quite happy. I’m proud of the book we created, and I’m so appreciative of the attention to detail by the team at Minerva / Astra Publishing House.

EL: I agree that it turned out beautifully. Do you have a writing routine? If so, will you share it?

CM: Friends and I have been meeting every Thursday morning to write together for more than twenty years. Many of my picture book drafts were started at these meetings. Other than this group, I don’t really have a routine. I write when an idea drives me to it. I revise much more often. And I’m always open to opportunities to learn about craft and the industry.

I think having a writing group, critique groups (I have three), or even a regular routine of getting together with a friend to work independently on your projects is vital to keeping a writing career on track. Being committed to others can keep us motivated.

EL: More than 20 years! That’s amazing. It’s pretty inspiring! What inspires YOU?

CM: Anything that evokes a strong emotional response in me — a video I watch on social media, a scene in a movie, an overheard conversation, great picture books I’ve read, learning something about craft from a webinar or conference workshop, and the list goes on. The New York Times morning newsletter I read has a “Lives lived” section, which can be a great inspiration for biography writers (not something I write, though I’ve been so tempted so many times).

EL: As we all know, writing a good story takes work. What do you do when the words won’t come?

CM: I don’t worry about it. If I’m having trouble with a revision or can’t figure out the ending for a draft, I set it aside. I let it stew in the depths of my brain. When I go back to the work, I can usually find the right words for the revision or a satisfying ending for the story.

When I worked as a freelance writer, putting aside a project with a deadline wasn’t an option, so I had work-arounds. For example, if I couldn’t find the right way to begin a magazine article, I’d start writing in the middle. Just getting going seemed to get the creative juices flowing.

EL: In your opinion what is the best part about writing kidlit?  What is the most difficult part?

CM: The most difficult? Being brave enough to turn picture book manuscripts that aren’t quite working into chapter books or middle grade novels which they should be.

The best part? Imagining a kid holding SPRINGTIME STORKS and loving it. Of course it’d be great for thousands — tens of thousands! — of kids to be fans, but if just one child hugs my book, I’ve done my job and I’m thrilled.

EL: Nothing like seeing kids hugging your books! 

Website:  www.caroljoymunro.com

SPRINGTIME STORKS: A MIGRATION LOVE STORY is available in hard cover and audio online or at your favorite bricks & mortar store.

EL: Thank you so much for visiting, Carol!

Carol is happy to send a signed copy of  SPRINGTIME STORKS: A MIGRATION LOVE STORY to one lucky winner. Just comment on this post and lin order to get an extra chance to win, let me know if you are a subscriber or if you are sharing the post. Good luck! 

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On a personal note, I’d love you to check out my school visit section on the website. I’m currently booking visits for both the 2024-2025  and 2025-2026 school years. Also, please check out some of my books here. They’re 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

DON’T EAT THE BLUEBONNETS

https://www.clearforkpress.com/product-page/don-t-eat-the-bluebonnets