This week, renowned and pioneering children’s book author Leslea Newman discusses her new release, along with her reflections on her most famous book.
JD: What was the inspiration for your new book, Donovan's Big Day?
LN: I wanted to write a book for kids with two moms that was purely celebratory. Since I live in Massachusetts where gay marriage is legal, I have been to many, many lesbian weddings (including my own!). By the time gay marriage had become legal, many lesbian couples had already started families. I wanted to show how a child could be part of such a special day.
JD: Donovan seemed like such a real kid. Do you use children from your own life as starting points for your characters?
LN: When I write for children, I dig deep inside myself to recall the emotional experience of being a child. That's the most important research a children's book writer can do--go through your own childhood. I thought about a wedding day--how exciting it is, but also how challenging it can be for a child to sit still behave, not get dirty, do everything right, etc. So that's how I wanted to portray Donovan: very excited, a little anxious, and full of love for his two moms.
JD: When you look back on the publication of "Heather Has Two Mommies" what do you remember most? Did you realize at the time how iconic the book would be?
LN: What I remember most is 4,000 copies of the book arriving at my front door. My friend Tzivia Gover and I published the book on our own because I couldn't find a publisher to take on the project. We raised the money through ten-dollar donations. It was a very grass roots effort. I never thought it would become "iconic." It's the little book that could!
JD: What drew you to writing children's books and do you write for adults as well?
LN: "Heather Has Two Mommies" was my first children's book, but when I wrote it, I had already published three books for adults, a novel, a short story collection, and a book of poetry. I wrote "Heather" because a lesbian mom stopped me on the street and asked me to write a book that showed a family like hers that she could read to her daughter. After that, there was no going back. I love writing for children. I'm a poet, so many of my books are written in verse. My newest children's books besides Donovan's Big Day are Just Like Mama and Miss Tutu's Star. Some of my titles for adults include the novel, The Reluctant Daughter, the short story collection, A Letter to Harvey Milk, and the poetry collection, "Still Life with Buddy."
JD: What's your writing practice like?
LN: I try to write every day for at least one hour, first thing in the morning. If something "takes" I become obsessed and can't think about anything else until I get it right (which can take months). I write every first draft out in long hand, and then put it on the computer where I rewrite about a bazillion times. I rarely think something I create is perfect, but eventually I let go and move on to something else.
JD: Thanks so much Leslie.
For more on the practice of writing, check out my book, Bang the Keys. And until next week, I leave you with this question, how hard is it to switch gears between writing for one audience and another?
