So You Want to Write for Children? A Conversation With Authors

So You Want to Write for Children?  Join us for a conversation with a diverse panel of 2023 debut picture book creators. Learn about their publishing journeys, how they brought their ideas to life, how they landed their book deals, and more. Bring your questions about the mysterious world of publishing! They probably have answers!

ABOUT THE AUTHORS 

VICKI JOHNSON is a children’s book author, and a former band nerd, White House staffer, and nonprofit director, among other life adventures. Her debut picture book Molly's Tuxedo (Little Bee Books, June, 2023), illustrated by Gillian Reid, is a 2024 NCTE Charlotte Huck Award Recommended Book. Vicki is a 2022 Lambda Literary Fellow, a first-gen grad of Smith College and Emory University Law School, and an MFA student in Writing for Children & Young Adults at Vermont College of Fine Arts. She lives in a historic log cabin where she tends to 3 cats, 2 dogs, and 1 college kid. More: vickijohnsonwrites.com (she/her).

PAT TANUMIHARDJA Born in Jakarta and raised in Singapore, Patricia (Pat) Tanumihardja writes fun, heartwarming stories that often reflect her experiences growing up in Southeast Asia. Pat’s Chinese Indonesian parents encouraged her appetites for both delicious foods and good books, resulting in a writing career that spans both cookbooks and children’s books. Her debut picture book RAMEN FOR EVERYONE, an indie bookstore favorite and a JLG Gold Selection, was followed by JIMMY’S SHOES—THE STORY OF JIMMY CHOO, SHOEMAKER TO A PRINCESS, and THE SUGAR PLUM BAKERS—A TALE OF 12 HOLIDAY TREATS. Pat lives in Northern Virginia with her husband and son. You can find her on Twitter and Instagram: @ediblewords and online: https://ediblewords.com. Don’t be shy to hit her up for some favorite recipes, or share yours! 

OLGA HERRERA is an author/illustrator. Her debut PB The Unwelcome Surprise, is published by Feiwel & Friends, Macmillan. She is the co-founder of Illo Chat, a podcast about Illustration. Olga is a long-time member of the SCBWI, and has served as a writing/illustration mentor. She is multicultural, Cuban Ecuadorian, and bilingual in Spanish and English. She earned her BFA from the Ringling College of Art and Design with a major in Illustration.