I just love the picture book, EGG! It's written by my friend and Spork Sister, Laura Clement, and illustrated beautifully by Sunny Choi. As the title character says, WHOMPBOOM! Read on to learn about Laura's stories, creativity, and connections.
STORIES -- Discuss what inspires your ideas and stories, and share the process about your latest projects.
Life inspires my ideas. I love walking around and seeing life, breathing it in and feeling it. I have a photographer’s eye, I am always seeing things in vignette form like a good photograph. The hard part is filling in the meat of the story. I usually have the feeling, the moment of an idea in mind when I start a new project that drives me to find out more about a character and really get their voice just right.
CREATIVITY -- How do you showcase your creative side through writing/illustrating and other pursuits?
I have been bad at showcasing my creative side through writing. Up until recently, it has only been my critique group or certain family members I have shared work with. There were a few occasions in my younger years when I submitted poetry (and won awards), but really it has been a rare thing, sharing. I never showcase my creative side through illustrations, unless I am forced to. But my house is FULL of my photography.
CONNECTION -- How do you connect to your young readers through your writing/illustrating, and how do you stay connected to the kidlit community?
I think the most important thing about connecting with a reader is to find the most genuine voice for a character or a story. Without that you are just throwing words on a page. It may have heart, but that heart will feel hollow. I think adopting my daughter and having her in my life these last 4 years has really impacted my ability to find the genuine voice for each of my stories. I see her world through her eyes and that above all helps me connect to her and my writing overall.
To stay connected to the kidlit community, I rely heavily on Facebook pages like All the Wonders, and Kidlit 411. I am a part of SCBWI and Arree Chung’s Storyteller Academy. I also have built up a good network of writers and illustrators I consider to be friends and staying in touch with them helps me stay in touch overall.
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Thanks for sharing, Laura! I look forward to reading more of your work! In the meantime, WHOMPBOOM!
LAURA'S BIO:
Born in Fairbanks, Alaska, I was graced with the beauty of nature’s extremes. My parents gifted me unconditional love and the freedom to explore my natural world as well as my creative one. I struggled as a child with dyslexia (undiagnosed until college.) But that struggle, once I could read, made me want to be a part of the world of literature more. To this day I struggle with a lack of confidence because of my dyslexia, but I am unwilling to let it limit me. My family moved to Washington State when I was 11 years old, and other than LOTS of world traveling, I haven’t ever left. Currently I live in Ballard, a beautiful little community in Seattle, WA, with my husband of almost 10 years and my daughter Mia (adopted from China in 2013), who turned 7 this year! And of course, our two fuzzies (cats) The Dude and Baby Griffin (both 14 pounds and very fluffy).
CONNECT WITH LAURA AT:
on FB @lauranclement
On twitter @clementcreation