Today, Mummum has the pleasure of having the 1st conversation of the year with author Julie Hedlund. Julie founded the very successful 12×12 Picture Book Challenge (which pulled in a 500-strong crowd of new and experienced authors last year), is Leader of the Writer’s Renaissance in Florence Italy, Author of A Troop is a Group of Monkeys and A Shiver of Sharks and most recently, crowdfunded her latest picture book My Love for You is The Sun, amongst other accomplishments.
So, without further ado, let’s hear it from Julie!
1. Share 3 nuggets about yourself /your writing journey that led to your first published book/app.
Julie:
1. The first children’s book I ever wrote to completion was also my first published book — A TROOP IS A GROUP OF MONKEYS — first as an app and then as a print book. I just kept plodding away at it and realized, once apps came along, that it would be the perfect medium for making that story come alive.
2. I spent 10+ years working in the electronic banking and payments industry, which is about as far away from children’s writing as one could get. I’m grateful for the experience though, because it taught me a great deal about tenacity, overcoming challenges, and how to think like a business/business person.
3. I met my publisher, Little Bahalia, at an SCBWI conference. I had paid to have a consultation with the art director about my app proposal. She decided that day that she wanted to publish it. Moral of the story: It IS important to invest in your career (attend conferences, get professional critiques, join writing communities, etc.) if you want to accelerate your learning and progress.
2. How has the founding of 12×12 helped you as an author?
Julie: The biggest way 12 x 12 has helped me as an author is by giving me a community of immensely talented, gracious, generous, smart, and diverse authors and illustrators to learn from and share triumphs and tragedies with. NOTHING beats having a community of people who “get” you and genuinely want you to succeed. When my own faith in myself falters, they are always there to help me find it again.
12×12 has an incredibly sophisticated forum – how did you even know where to begin to get it set up and where did you get all your cheery elves?!
Julie: I had no idea how to begin or set it up when I started. Luckily, I offered the program for free the first year, so people were very patient as I learned the ropes of my own challenge and adjusted as it evolved. The “elves” (12 x 12 helpers) are all volunteers from first-year participants. They’ve helped keep me sane! 🙂
3) Which book from childhood had the greatest impact on you?
Julie: Wow that is SUCH a tough question! But I think I’d have to go with Eloise.
Why?
First of all because it was one of the few books I actually owned (most came from the library). But mostly because, as a child growing up in the woods of Northern Michigan in a tight family, Eloise seemed so exotic. Here was a girl living in a fancy hotel in New York City with just a harried nanny to look after her. I both envied and pitied her. I think it helped me understand just how different people could be and yet still remain so much the same. I mean, who HASN’T played the game of repeating everything someone says back to them? It’s a childhood rite of passage. 🙂
4) Your recent CrowdFundraising project for your latest picture book has been a resounding success. What next?
Julie: Well, the book that was crowdfunded, MY LOVE FOR YOU IS THE SUN is in production now and will be published in Fall 2014. So exciting! But my main focus for writing in 2014 will be less entrepreneurial and more traditional than the past couple of years. I want to get at least two picture books to “submission-ready” according to my agent, so that she will shop them to publishers.
5) What’s the first word that comes to mind in describing yourself?
Julie: Grateful!
Mummum: Julie, thanks for taking time out for this interview even though you currently have lots on your plate including the launch of 12×12 2014 which I know will only get bigger and better! I have benefitted so much from my participation in 12×12 last year, both in my writing and being part of a supportive picture book crowd that you have pulled together so well!
Registration for 12×12 Challenge (12 Picture Books in 12 Months) starts today (6th Jan 2014 U.S. time) over here. I’m looking forward to it!
Read more about 12×12 and Julie at the links below:
Julie Hedlund – December 12×12 Featured Author
12×12 Picture Book Challenge – 12 Reasons Why
Thank you so much for hosting me Emily! I’m looking forward to another great year in 12 x 12!
Julie, thanks for doing the interview and being such an inspiration to the 12×12 crowd. I’m looking forward to this year’s 12×12!
Nice interview. I’m always inspired by reading about Julie’s successes, entrepreneurial and authorial. Looking forward to another great year with both of you.
Sylvia, thanks! Yes, I thoroughly enjoyed 12×12 and Julie’s journey. Looking forward to seeing you over at 12×12 and trading critiques again this year!
Love No. 3 and the answer.
Stacy, thanks! I’m always curious about what people read in their childhood and how that impacts them! See you over at 12×12!
Great interview Emily and Julie. Looking forward to 12×12 in 2014!
Hi Val, thanks! See you over at 12×12 soon!