The New Jersey Children’s Writer’s Guild

Cofounder Sheila Wright interviews children’s writer and NJCWG member, Jennifer Troulis

Hello, Jennifer, and welcome to The Writer’s Journey…

Sheila: You grew up in Edison, New Jersey in the late 60’s writing and illustrating stories based on your family and pets. I seem to recall that you once told me that you still have those early stories. Was your love of writing and illustrating influenced by your parents?

Jennifer: No, not exactly. Even though my parents encouraged me to follow my passions, I believe my love of writing and illustrating was influenced by my imagination as well as the sense of accomplishment and satisfaction I got from the creative process. I was about six when I wrote my first story and even though I had no idea about the power of the written word when I wrote down my thoughts, I felt powerful. I also felt fulfilled because only through my writing was I able to give the characters, places, and ideas in the imaginary world inside of me a voice.

Sheila: Writing, however, was something that you put aside after your earlier years for quite some time. What inspired you to start writing again in 2000?

Jennifer: Even though I put my writing aside for over twenty years, I did continue to sculpt and paint and dream that one day I would use my love of creating to make a living. In 1990 I started my own cleaning business, which paid the bills, but I knew this was not my dream career. Nine years later, in an attempt to follow my heart and make a living as an artist, I started working on my own line of hand-made picture frames. I was unsuccessful in selling them to local gift shops, so I decided to try my hand at custom painting mailboxes for a local gift shop. Unfortunately, this new venture turned out to be even less fulfilling than making picture frames and only slightly more lucrative, so I decided to quit. Finally, in December of 2000 something amazing happened. I was cleaning the bedroom of my customer’s baby girl when I noticed a new picture hanging on the wall. The picture featured a baby bunny sleeping in its bed and was titled, “Bedtime,” by J. Gallup. Now, I can’t say why exactly, maybe it was the picture’s peaceful feel or the colors used, but I was drawn to it and something inside of me began to stir. I began to think about my own artwork and all of the books I had been reading to my kids. I suddenly said to myself, “A picture book…I should write and illustrate my own book for children…it could be one that my kids will enjoy reading one day.” I remembered how I used to love to write and illustrate stories when I was little and it all suddenly made sense. You hear people talk about their “ah ha moment”…well, this was mine. The idea felt so right. That afternoon, when I got home, I set to work trying to learn all that I could about how to write books for children.

After answering this question, I decided to do some research on J. Gallup. I had no idea when I first saw the sleeping bunny picture on the wall that J. Gallup was Joan Gallup, a famous author and illustrator. When I read this, my mouth literally fell open and I felt like I now knew why I was so drawn to that picture. Was it fate or coincidence that “Bedtime,” by J. Gallup found its way to that bedroom wall for me to find? I think it was fate.

Sheila: As writers we are always affected and informed by personal experiences, but would you speak to how the birth of your fraternal twins impacted the direction of your writing and the creation of your Penelope and Priscilla book series.

Jennifer: When people ask what inspired me to write children’s books, I tell them it was my children and the books I read to them. I definitely developed a deeper appreciation for the world of children’s literature from reading to my children. But more than that, I learned what types of books I found fun and entertaining. One book in particular, “The Little Witch Sisters,” inspired me to write books about witches and magic. The idea to write about twins came, of course, from having twins, and my feeling that there weren’t enough books about twins on the market.

Sheila: You also illustrated the Penelope and Priscilla series. Why did you choose to illustrate your own stories?

Jennifer: I chose to illustrate my own series because I enjoy drawing and painting. As the author or creator of my stories, I am the one with the vision and I know just what I want to see in my illustrations. I have to say though, because I am self-published and wear many different hats, there were times when I wished I could just hand everything over to someone else to finish. Altogether, between the two books, I created 36 illustrations and two cover designs. No matter how hard it is getting all of the work done, in the end it’s an amazing feeling when you see your finished book for the first time. I also feel especially fulfilled because I know my books are almost entirely my creation.

Sheila: You are a mom to twins, writer, illustrator, and self-publisher. Why did you decide to self-publish, and what advise would you give to writers thinking about taking this path?

Jennifer: It has been seven years since I made the brave choice to self-publish. During that time I learned so much about writing and the book industry, and I would love to share some of the lessons I learned. Before I get to those, I’d like to tell anyone who is considering self-publishing their own book to please be aware that self-publishing is a business just like any other and requires lots of money, know-how, passion and hard work. It can also be a bumpy road, but if you believe in the potential for your book’s success like I do, and you prepare yourself by knowing the business and your audience, you have a good chance of breaking into the difficult market of children’s books.

Since you can go into any bookstore, library, or onto any self-publishing website and read everything you need to know about the business of making and selling your own books, I’m not going to give a “how to” lesson. Instead, I’d like to share some of the tips and lessons I wish someone had told me when I started out in the business.

• The most important advice I have to offer is to research and learn as much as you can about something before you act. This may sound like a no brainer, but in self-publishing there is so much to consider that one might be tempted to skip or gloss over some details like research, only to regret it later. For example, when I was looking to print my first book, I found a printer that provided the ISBN number as part of his printing services. Being overwhelmed with all of the jobs that went into bringing my first book to print and being short on cash, I was thrilled at the prospect of someone else taking care of one of the final details. Later, I would discover that by giving his clients ISBN numbers, the printer actually owned the rights to the books he printed. I only found this out after Barnes & Noble contacted me and told me that I was not the owner of the book I submitted to them. I was devastated at first, but soon learned that I could get ownership back by purchasing my own ISBN number from the Bowker Agency in blocks of ten for $250.00. Since the books were already printed, I then had to print stickers with the new ISBN numbers and cover up the old ones.
• Go to the bookstore and familiarize yourself with the other books in your genre. These are going to be your competition and if you want your book to sell, you need to make sure it is unique to the market. In this competitive market everyone from publisher to consumer is looking for writing that is fresh or has a new twist on a classic idea or theme.
• If you would like Barnes & Noble to carry your book, just go to their website, www.b&n.com and the publisher’s and author’s guidelines at the bottom of their homepage. It’s a surprisingly easy process. Please note: Borders stores seem to no longer accept unsolicited submissions for their stores, but you can still be considered for online sales. Check out their website, www.borders.com.
• When you are ready to promote, talk to the bookstore’s manager or Community Relations Manager. They handle store events. It helps if your book is for sale in their store, but it doesn’t have to be. They just need to be able to order it. This means you will need an account with a wholesaler such as Baker & Taylor. You can find their vendor submission information on their website www.btol.com.
• Make sure you are putting your best work into print. Join Children’s books organizations and a writing or critique group. I belong to SCBWI and NJCWG and have learned a lot about the book industry as a whole, improved my writing, made contacts and friends.
• Join an organization for self-publishers. I joined IBPA, Independent Book Publishers Association. They have so many resources including marketing programs.

Sheila: Tell us how you came up with the name “Twin Monkeys Press.”

Jennifer: I named my company Twin Monkeys Press after my twins, Justin and Samantha, who were five at the time and very active, like little monkeys.

Sheila: What have been the most challenging and rewarding aspects of publishing your own work?

Jennifer: There have been many challenges and rewards associated with being my own publisher. I would have to say that my biggest challenge is being a one-person business. I not only have to write my books, but I have to proof and edit them, illustrate them, find and pay for a printer, market and promote, and ship and store my books. Now, having said that, there are also many benefits to being my own boss, the most important being that I have total creative control, and I like that.

Sheila: How would you feel about a mainstream publisher publishing your series?

Jennifer: I have a lot of emotions regarding the possibility of a publisher taking over my series. It is something that I have always wanted. I feel that my series has so much potential, and I just don’t have the resources I know I need to compete with the bigger publishing houses. I am also a little uneasy about the idea of someone else being involved in my creative process. I’ve gone it alone for so long, I’m not sure how I would handle it. I hope I get the opportunity to find out.

Sheila: Your books are very magical, and I once told you that J.K. Rowling has nothing over you when it comes to imagination. What do you attribute your wonderful imagination to, and what advice would you give aspiring writers who might be struggling to find creative ideas for new stories?

Jennifer: I’m not sure what scientists have to say about the subject, but for me, I think my imagination comes from my sensitivity to the world around me, and the way I see life. It’s as if I feel things deeply, and I notice details that other people might not see. When it’s time to create, all of this sensory data that has been stored away comes to the forefront to be used in my stories.

My advice to anyone struggling to find creative ideas for new stories would be to try not to force ideas. Usually, my best thoughts come when I’m not thinking about my writing at all. Also, write what you know. When you write about something with which you are familiar, it gives an authenticity and strength to your writing.

Sheila: Many writers feel that writing is more than enough to be concerned about. Although most writers must also promote their own books, self-publishing means even greater responsibility to market your own work. How have you met this challenge?

Jennifer: Marketing is definitely one of the greatest challenges for a self-published author. Due to limited resources for marketing and promotion, I did a lot of self-selling and generated interest by handing out bookmarks and fliers, through newspaper interviews, independent and chain book store signings and events, school and library visits, library conferences, book fairs, and by obtaining book reviews.

Sheila: After your third Penelope and Priscilla book is finished will you continue the series? Do you intend to write outside the series in the future?

Jennifer: Yes, I plan to continue the series, but I also have other books in the works including another middle grade fantasy book titled, What About the Smiley’s? which I hope to start submitting to my critique group in the near future.

Sheila: You’ve done a lot of school presentations and workshops with children that promote creative writing skills. What do you enjoy the most about working with children, and what aspects of the presentations/workshops do you think that they enjoy the most?

Jennifer: I really enjoy my “Magic of Writing Workshop” because during this workshop I not only talk with children about the different creative writing tools I use in my writing, but I also bring my stories to life. I have dolls of the Penelope and Priscilla characters; Oswald, the rat; and Pumpkin, the cat. I also made an exact replica of the spell book from the series and fill a table with things Penelope and Priscilla would use to create their spells such as caldrons, cooking utensils and, of course, ingredients. I really enjoy talking with the children about my books and how I came to be an author, but my favorite part of my workshop is the part where the children get to examine the ingredients on the table and then write their own spells using the creative writing tools we discussed.

Sheila: You are working on your third book in the Penelope and Priscilla series entitled Penelope and Priscilla and The Moon Shadow Rose. Would you give us a hint as to its story line?

Jennifer: Sure. The third book in the Penelope and Priscilla series picks up where the second book left off and will focus on the time around Halloween. In the book, the girls will continue to grow and develop their powers, and, as with the other books, they will be faced with a conflict. In order to resolve the conflict, the girls will need to travel 200 years back in time. It’s going to be really cool because I will reveal what Dunville was like when the girls’ ancestors lived there and what Mrs. Maven and Grandma were like when they were Penelope and Priscilla’s age. I’m really
excited about this book.

Sheila: Traveling back in time 200 years and seeing one’s grandmother as a
teenager sounds like a lot of fun! And, maybe some surprises…

In closing, Jennifer, what advice would you give to aspiring writers and illustrators?

Jennifer: The best advice I could give to an aspiring writer or illustrator would be to always put forth your best work and don’t give up on your dream.

Sheila: Who are some of your favorite writers and illustrators?

Jennifer: Some of my favorite writers are Mary Higgins Clark, Stephen King and Natalie Babbitt. Some of my favorite illustrators are Mark Buehner, Michael Garland, Dar Hosta and Mark Teague.

Sheila: What are some of your favorite children’s books?

Jennifer: Goodnight Moon, Sweet Dream Pie, To Market, To Market, Corduroy, and Madeline.

Sheila: What is your favorite opening or closing line of a children’s book?

Jennifer: From Madeline: “In an old house in Paris that was covered with vines, lived twelve little girls in two straight lines.”

Sheila: Thank you, Jennifer, for being our guest on The Writer’s Journey. It’s been a pleasure.

Jennifer: You are so welcome. Thank you so much for having me as your guest.

Readers can visit Jennifer online at her web site, Twin Monkeys Press. You can purchase Jennifer’s books, The Enchanted House of Whispers and The City of The Banished, at Barnes & Noble, Amazon and Borders.