11 Aug Lindsay Leslie, Geeta Ladi, and GUS “HEARTS” THE BUS! Plus a great GIVEAWAY!

Yay! If you follow this blog, you’ll notice there are a lot more posts this summer than usual. I’m thrilled that so many wonderful children’s books are being released. Today, we’re going to have double the fun because with us is not only Lindsay Leslie, the author of Gus Hearts the Bus, but Geeta Ladi, the talented illustrator of that adorable book!  Children and children at heart will love this story. Lindsay’s text pulls the reader in immediately, and Geeta’s fabulous illustrations complement it to create a sweet, fun book.  Every child who loves something fiercely, whatever that may be, will relate to Gus’s love for buses.

EL: Welcome, Lindsay and Geeta! It’s great to have you both here. Before we get into the nitty-gritty of the book, will you please tell us a little about yourselves? 

LLL: First, thank you for having us on your blog, Ellen. You have always been such a wonderful cheerleader for all of us in this fun industry. You are a gem and a fabulous author.

EL: Aw, thanks, Lindsay!

LLL: So, I’m a children’s author living in Austin, Texas, with my husband, Ryan Leslie, who has a day job, but also writes horror, sci-fi, and psychological thrillers for adults. He has a book coming out in September, called THE GARDEN OF BEFORE. It’s the sequel to THE BETWEEN. I’m so excited for him! I also have two teenage boys, who are doing all the awesome teenagery things and living life to the fullest, as well as two pooches. When I’m not writing (or marketing my books or doing school visits), I’m a taxi for my youngest. Can anyone relate to that? He is sooooo social! If I’m not driving all over Austin, you can find me lifting weights, cycling, swimming, walking around the lake, or doing some kind of butt-kicking workout. (That’s how I get out my nervous energy, folks.) I also have acquired a green thumb and am working hard on creating a beautiful garden. 

GL: Thank you, Ellen, for having us on your blog. I’m a children’s book illustrator, and I’ve been doing this full time for the past four years. Before that, I spent over a decade with an organization in Mumbai that worked to improve primary education in the public sector, mostly in places where kids had very limited access to books or resources. That time brought me close to children growing up in hard situations, and I slowly realized how much they needed joy, just space to play, to be curious, to feel seen. Picture books did that! We eventually built a small library, and somewhere in that process, I fell in love with children’s books. That’s really where this path started. I now live in Chennai, India with my husband, Oli Murugavel, who’s a photographer and artist. When I’m not working on books, we love to travel by road, often visiting friends and family or exploring old architecture with our sketchbooks and cameras. At home, we’re usually watching world cinema, pausing often to talk about framing, storytelling, or how a moment just lands.

EL: Wow! You are both amazing. And congrats to Ryan too! Let’s talk about the book now. Lindsay, how did you get the idea for Gus Hearts a Bus?  Can you share a bit about your process? 

LLL: I almost can’t claim the idea, because it is pretty much the story of my oldest son, Mars, when he was a young boy. Gus Hearts the Bus is a story I have been stewing on for a while, because I didn’t want it to be too on-the-nose, and I wanted the story to really engage young readers and have them do some reflection. I knew it was special and I knew it would connect with children, but I had to find the right way to convey the story. My first draft was messy and just getting down the timeline of events, as it follows Gus as he falls in love with buses. The second draft is where I found the engagement of the reader. That’s where I interspersed questions in the second person. I felt it was also a great way to bring up cool conversations during a read-aloud and create some moments of connection. I toiled with the manuscript a bit more and then launched it over to my critique group. They really help me narrow my focus. I had the story following Gus and his passion for buses all the way up to adulthood. It was something to try, but they all agreed (and so did I), it wasn’t working. So SCRATCH THAT! They also said I needed more tension, so I created a scene that actually happened in real life. Gus and his family visit a big city and get lost! From there, I edited and smoothed out the prose more, and out came the version (roughly) of what you all will see in the book today.

EL: Geeta, when you saw the text, did you immediately picture what you wanted your illustrations to look like? Can you describe your process?

GL:  Yes, absolutely! When I first read the manuscript, I felt like I already knew Gus. His curiosity, his energy, the way he chased his passion; it instantly reminded me of my nephew. So a lot of the character study started right there.

Screenshot

I usually begin by reading the story several times, just letting it settle in. I make little notes about things I don’t quite know yet and stick them all over my studio walls. For Gus, it was things like suburban buses, the city transit system… New York itself felt like a character. Since I’ve never been to the U.S., that part felt like a big responsibility! So I dove into research, bus routes, the NYPL, street corners, transit stops, just trying to ground the world as much as I could. Then comes my favorite part, sketching the character. I draw them in different gestures, expressions, and moments of emotion. Gus was especially fun; he was always in motion, full of wonder, often completely lost in his own thoughts. After that, I move on to the storyboard, shaping the rhythm and flow of the book. Once the team approves it, I refine the sketches, add details, and finally move on to final art. The cover sometimes comes first, but for Gus, we saved it for last, which I loved. By then, I knew his world so well, the rhythm, the heart of the story, and that made all the difference.

EL: Check out Geeta’s work! Geeta, you did an amazing job with research, and of course with the drawings!

Screenshot

EL: Will you talk a little bit about the road to publication?

 LLL: The road to publication for Gus began with an SCBWI Austin annual conference that I was actually working at the time as the Assistant Regional Advisor. Sarah Rockett with Sleeping Bear Press was on the faculty, and I thought Gus would be perfect for her, so I bought a critique. She fell in love with it and said when I’m done editing it, please sub it to her. My agent, Charlotte Wenger, sent it on, and the rest is history.

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

  LLL: I almost skipped this question, and then I thought, NOPE! I’m going to answer this even though I don’t have anything in the pipeline. This will happen to authors. It’s sometimes the reality of this business, and it’s happening to me, not for a want of trying. I do have a couple of projects I’m working on that are exciting to me. I do have irons in the fire and work out on sub. Those are all wonderful positive things, and we will see what happens! But I will tell you all this, I’m going to keep at it and keep trying. Persistence is key! But what is filling my bucket is doing a bunch of story times at bookstores and school visits with my pal Kari Lavelle, author of the Butt or Face? series and Ode to Grapefruit: How James Earl Jones Found His Voice. 

EL: I am glad you said that, Lindsay. This is really helpful (and hopeful) coming from someone as prolific and talented as you are.  Thanks! And I know you’ll have another book out soon.

GL: Yes, there are a few things quietly growing behind the scenes. One that’s about to step into the world is Curry Means More, a tender, joy filled story by Maria Marianayagam, coming this October with Astra Young Readers. It’s about a little girl trying to explain what curry is to her friend, and along the way, how she discovers it’s not just a dish, it’s memories, family, and tradition. It’s about friendship too, and all the small, surprising ways we connect over what we share through our food. Other than that, I recently wrapped up illustrations for Current Gone by Neesa Bally, set in the tropical world of Trinidad and Tobago, coming in 2026 from Abrams. And next up, I’ll be working on Melodies Of Sitar by Shachi Sharma, again with Sleeping Bear Press. I truly feel so lucky to be working on stories that carry so much heart!

EL: I can’t wait to see it all, Geeta! Lindsay, what do you do when the words won’t come?

LLL: I throw things and have a temper tantrum. Kidding! But that’s how I feel inside. That’s why I work out and garden. They are helpful hobbies and healthful hobbies. Usually, the words loosen up in my mind, and then I can get back to work. 

EL: What do you think is the best part about writing/ illustrating kidlit?

GL:  The best part of being a kidlit illustrator is that you get to imagine, always. To dream up things beyond what’s visible, unseen, unexpected, a little bit magical. You get to live inside many stories at once, and in each one, there’s space to quietly tuck in a piece of your own childhood experiences, something you remember, something you felt, something only you can give. And then, somehow, this thing you poured your heart into…a character, a moment, a world goes out into the hands of a child. A curious mind. A reader who might feel thrilled or understood. Maybe even seen. I feel it’s so so precious!

EL: Beautifully said. Anything else you’d like to add? 

GL: I really hope Gus Hearts the Bus finds its way to whoever needs it, maybe a child who sees the world in their own bright, particular way, or even a grown up who remembers what that felt like. Gus is full of joy and confidence, and if his story brings a little comfort or courage to someone starting out on their own adventure… I think that would be the loveliest thing.

EL: I agree, Geeta! Thank you both so much for coming today. I wish you a lot of success on Gus Hearts the Bus and ALL of your projects! 

Here’s some where you can find out more about Lindsay and Geeta.

www.lindsayleslie.com

IG: @lindsaylesliewrites

Threads: @lindsaylesliewrites

 BlueSky: @lindsayleslie.bsky.social

The book can be purchased here:

BookPeople in Austin: https://bookpeople.com/book/9781534113282

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Gus-Hearts-Bus-Lindsay-Leslie/dp/1534113282

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/gus-hearts-the-bus-lindsay-leslie/1146882319?ean=9781534113282

IndieBound: https://bookshop.org/p/books/gus-hearts-the-bus-lindsay-leslie/22272469?ean=9781534113282&next=t&next=t%2Ct

Geeta Ladi:

IG: https://www.instagram.com/geetaladi_illustration/

FB: https://www.facebook.com/geetaladiillustrations

Agency:https://astound.us/publishing/geeta-ladi

And now for a

 Lindsay and Geeta are happy to give a book AND a PB critique from Lindsay to one lucky winner. To get in the running, please comment on this post and let me know if you’re a subscriber or if you have shared this 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/school-visits/