Interview: Carrie Karnes-Fannin

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When she was nine and living in Arkansas, Carrie read The Call of the Wild, leading to a failed attempt to turn her dachshund and beagle into sled dogs. But author Jack London did succeed in inspiring her to create stories and share them. When procrastinating from writing, you'll find Carrie collecting fun words such as "collywobbles" and "conundrum" in notebooks while doodling in the margins.

Carrie’s poems, “Once A House,” “The Trash Bandit,” and “The Moth,” are part of Little Thoughts Press Issue Two: Natural Wonder.

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Little Thoughts Press: You used to be a professional photographer. Between light, composition, and focus, there's a lot of careful crafting taking place in photography. In what ways do you think your photography background has influenced your approach to writing?

Carrie Karnes-Fannin:  What a great question! I could talk all day on this topic, but I'll try to keep my answer short. LOL.

Photography taught me to play with arrangements and find joy in editing. 

When framing a picture, you compose a line for the eye to follow, leading the viewer to see the story of each image. Rick Sammon often says, "Composition is the strongest way of seeing." The choices you make as you press the shutter—where to stand, what to include in the frame, what to leave out—are all in service of creating the best story.

I've learned it's much the same in writing. 

We might say, "composition is the strongest way of telling." There are many ways we could write any story. But which point of view we choose and how close it will be, what we tell the reader, what we leave out—we use these choices to compose the most compelling story we can.

Little Thoughts Press: Your poem, "Once A House," is a beautiful reflection on the relationship between people and the natural world. What inspired you to write this piece and what message do you hope young readers take away from it? 

Carrie Karnes-Fannin: Natalie Goldberg, the author of Writing Down the Bones, talks about drawing from our "compost," as it were while writing. While the initial spark was a photo of a centuries-old house (the writing prompt for a contest), this poem mainly grew from my childhood memories. 

As a free-range kid of the 70s and 80s, my dog and I wandered the woods frequently. We'd come across the ruins of old fallen-down houses from time to time. Even when I was a kid, I've always been fascinated by time and our place in its stream. Exploring the lonely chimneys and crumbling foundations broken apart by tree roots, I imagined who'd once lived there and the lives they'd led.

In some small way, I'd love for the poem to spark a young reader's curiosity about our connections to all the lives—human and otherwise—who came before and will come after our own. 

Little Thoughts Press: Issue 2: Natural Wonder is all about celebrating nature. Do you have a favorite spot in nature or a place you have visited where the wonder of nature was on full display?

Carrie Karnes-Fannin:  A year into the pandemic, we moved to the foothills of the Appalachians in northern Georgia. Beavers, flocks of geese and ducks, more turtles and fish than you can count, and one lone Great Blue Heron live on and in the small lake at the edge of our backyard. So right now, my favorite nature spot is the view out my kitchen window. It's pretty cool.

Little Thoughts Press: What initially drew you to writing kid-lit and what do you find most challenging and rewarding about writing for a young audience?

Carrie Karnes-Fannin: Until four or five years ago, my writing consisted of funny posts on social media, essays about family stories, and the awkward and terrible start of a historical novel. I didn't pursue writing kid-lit until an ice storm.

Trapped at home, I scrolled online, admiring pictures of my niece's new puppy. The words, "Spike the Dog-Dog was born on a cool fall day…" came and wouldn't leave. I had to get the story down to get it out of my head. 

After writing and creating cut-paper illustrations and having it all bound, picture books hooked me into writing kid-lit. I had no idea how hard picture books were back then, but I fell in love with the storytelling synergy between art and words. 

A few weeks later, I signed up for my first kid-lit writing class, led by the amazing Laurel Snyder, and I haven't stopped working on my craft since. We kid-lit creatives have the great privilege of being a part of a child's introduction to the world of stories. It's heady stuff. 

There's a real challenge in working to reenter a child's mindset and see from their perspective. But seeing through a kid's fresh eyes—that's also the reward.

Little Thoughts Press: Which kid-lit authors and books were your favorites growing up? 

Carrie Karnes-Fannin: S.E. Hinton's The Outsiders, Scott Odell's Island of the Blue Dolphins, and Katherine Patterson's Jacob I Have Loved are three titles that immediately spring to mind. I read each multiple times!

Looking at that list now, I see a theme of longing and searching for one's place in the world running through these stories. It's incredible how such a universal experience can feel so lonely. Thank goodness we have books to help us find the way.

Little Thoughts Press: What advice would you give to young writers?

Carrie Karnes-Fannin: In addition to reading widely and writing like no one's watching, my advice would be to make a lot of compost. 

Get out and create as many experiences as you can. Explore other people's lives and memories by asking questions and listening to the answers. Read, write, see, do—make your life's compost pile huge. Your memories may take a few years to become rich soil for imagination, but trust they will. 

Little Thoughts Press: Is there anything else you wish I had asked? Any upcoming projects, publications, or other news you'd like to share? 

Carrie Karnes-Fannin: I'm currently working on several projects. One is an early middle-grade novel influenced by the absurd humor of one of my favorite books, Douglas Adams' masterpiece The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. 

Another is a humorous picture book about a fairytale superfan frog. Gort hops off on a quixotic quest inspired by the stories he's read. Everything goes terribly wrong in all the right ways for him. I'm not sure what sort of happy ending our froggy hero might find, but I'm having fun on the journey. 

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Find Carrie and more of her work on Twitter, or via her website.

Trip To The Nature (by Saket Pattnaik )

by @isaacquesada via unsplash

Trip To The Nature

BY Saket Pattnaik

The poet’s friend did not know about nature because he lived in the dry deserts. 

What is nature? Poet’s friend asked him in a letter one day.

Nature is very beautiful. In our nature, there are flowers, snow, hills, gardens, jungles, the poet said.

Wow! I want to go there too! Can I come there? When can we go to the jungle? The poet’s friend had many questions.

Oh, I’ll wait for you. Please come and we can go see the nature, said the poet.

Then, the next morning, he went to the poet’s house and he went to his room. But the poet was sleeping.

Wake up! Wake up!

But he did not wake up.  

Then, he said, Have you forgotten that we go to see the nature?

Then, like magic, the poet woke up.

He said, We will go to see the nature. Let’s eat breakfast, then we will pack our things and go.

Let’s go! 

They started walking to the jungle.

What’s this?

Haaaaaa!

What’s this? Shouted the poet’s friend.

That was a lion. Don’t be afraid, said the poet.

After walking for some time through a thick line of trees, in sun and shadows, the poet’s friend said, I want water.

There is no water in this forest, the poet said.

Really? I don’t believe this!

Of course! That is true!

Did you not bring any water?

Hmmm…I think, no. 

How did you forget such an important thing?

Look water! The poet’s friend exclaimed.

You had a mirage. 

No! I did not have a mirage. Let’s go and drink!

The poet said, Oh, I can also see there’s water over there! Let’s go!

But at that spot, an animal was enjoying the water. It was a hippopotamus. They had not seen it before. 

The poet and his friend went near and drank some water. But the puddle was soon dry.

The two friends were happy but the animal wasn’t happy, he was angry.

The animal began following the two, the poet’s friend and the poet. 

The poet said, Look, run fast.

Then it is funny, the animal did not catch the two people. Because suddenly, he felt thirsty and could not run. The two people were safe.

In the end, the poet’s friend said, nature is so good, it gives air, and beautiful trees, so green everywhere. I am so happy coming here.

The End

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Saket Pattnaik reads books, loves to travel and plays the piano.

Stepping in a Mud-Puddle (by Sabel Joseph-Etheridge)

by @sarti46 via unsplash

Stepping in a Mud-Puddle

By Sabel Joseph-Etheridge

In quarantine, we were allowed to walk outside for two hours, from 4-6 P.M. My mom, my sister, and I were taking a walk when I stepped in a mud puddle. 

Since I didn't want to be bored on the walk, I had brought my headphones and MP3 player along. My headphones kept getting tangled and my socks were too big. I had all these quirky squirms and small problems, but my biggest problem was yet to come. 

It had rained earlier that day and we were expecting more. Our dog, Sandy, kept stopping, wanting to investigate small shrubs and broken pieces in the sidewalk and know what was happening all around her. 

Mom had just helped me fix my headphones and she asked me to hold the bag with water and the closed umbrella. I was not watching where I was going and stepped right into the middle of a giant, round mud puddle. The sidewalk pavement had been dug up or something else that it had a small hole out of nowhere. The rain probably collected mud and water in the hole. 

When I stepped in it my shoes and socks and even my feet sank up to my knees. My shoe filled with dirt and mud water. I was so angry yet sad. I wanted to scream but knew I couldn’t.

When mom stopped to check what happened she saw that I was jaw dropped and struck dead by the drench of water and dirt in my feet. I got out and didn’t know what to do. I started crying. Mom made me look her in the eyes and calmed me down.

 
I realized muddy feet suck but I don’t have to freak out. After that, Mom suggested I sit by the road and remove my shoes and socks before putting my dirty shoes back on. I started walking towards the road but my feet squished. So I needed to fix this. I found a spot to sit but meanwhile, a man was walking towards his car next to where I was going to sit, and since I didn't really want to sit on the road, I looked around and I spotted a big rock, big enough for me to sit on but with ants all around. Nonetheless, I went back, sat on the rock, and took off my shoes and socks then I poured water over them and said I needed something to wipe them with. Mom gave me her mask. I took it and wiped my feet. After that, I put on two plastic bags we brought in case Sandy pooped, and limped back home. When I got home, I washed off my feet and changed into my PJs.
 
It was one of the: 
Easiest yet hardest  
Weirdest   
Adventurous 
Walks I had ever taken. 
 

That night was a blessing in disguise. 

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Sabel Joseph-Etheridge is a fifth grader who grew up in Kuwait and recently returned to the United States. She loves to cook and always tries to work really hard and enter her assignments early. Sabel loves her parents, her sister Safyre, her dog Sandy, and books.

Interview: Keira Legge

Keira Legge is 9 years old and in 5th grade. She loves reading. Her favorite books are the Justin Case Series and Case Closed Series. In school, her favorite subject is Social Studies. When she is not in school, she plays softball and karate. Keira loves to travel with her family. They went to Hawaii. That was amazing! Her goal is to go to Australia someday.

Keira’s story, “Christmas Countdown,” is part of Little Thoughts Press Issue One: Magical Winter.

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Little Thoughts Press: “Christmas Countdown" has a unique structure where the story is told in small snippets for each day leading up to Christmas. It kind of reminds me of diary entries. Can you tell me about how you decided on this structure for your story? Was there anything specific that inspired you?

Keira Legge: I read a book series called Justin Case by Rachel Vail and it was written in a diary style and I loved reading it so I thought I would write my story in that same style. When I heard the 12 days of Christmas song, the idea of writing a story about the days leading up to Christmas came to me.

Little Thoughts Press: "Christmas Countdown" features a lot of wonderful holiday traditions—decorating, family photos, notes to Santa. What are some of your favorite Christmas traditions?

Keira Legge: I love putting decorations around the house while listening to Christmas music. I also really enjoy driving around with my family looking at all the lights on houses and seeing different light shows. It makes it feel so magical.

Little Thoughts Press: One thing I love about writing stories is being able to imagine experiences that are different from my own, and one thing I find challenging is writing dialogue that sounds natural and realistic when spoken by kids.

What do you enjoy most about writing, and what do you find the most challenging?

Keira Legge: It is fun to create different stories, I love imagining ideas and then being able to bring them to life. It is the best. The most challenging is coming up with ideas and themes. I liked this because I was given the theme of winter which helped me figure out what to write about.

Little Thoughts Press: What are your favorite books, and/or what is the best book you've read recently?

Keira Legge: My favorite books are the Justin Case series by Rachel Vale and the Case Closed Series by Lauren Magaziner. Lauren Magaziner has inspired me to write. I have signed copies of her books and she even wrote me a letter. It was awesome!

I am currently reading The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins and am loving it.

Little Thoughts Press: What is your favorite thing about winter?

Keira Legge: Playing in the snow with my friends. We have had some big snow storms lately and it has been so much fun building snowmen and having snowball fights.

Little Thoughts Press: What inspired you to start writing and do you have any advice for other young writers?

Keira Legge: Other than Lauren Magaziner, my mom and my teachers have inspired me to write. My mom and I worked on a picture book called The Comfy Spot together, which was published recently. My advice is that anything can be a story, it can be big or small, it can really be anything you want. You just have to write it down.

Little Thoughts Press: Is there anything else you wish I had asked?

Keira Legge: For those that don’t like to write, I want to say that it doesn’t have to be boring. You can write about anything you want, it can be about your family, your favorite game, it can be magical or completely make-believe. There is no end to the possibilities in writing, so just let your imagination go and write it down.

And thank you for having my story be a part of this. It has been such a cool experience. It was awesome to see my story published and with such amazing illustrations.

Snow Up in the Sky (by Henry Austin-Fernald)

by chanphoto via Unsplash

Snow Up in the Sky

BY HENRY AUSTIN-FERNALD

Up in the sky

Sparkles everywhere

Everyone looks

Up at the sky

And the lights went off 

And the moon and the stars brightened up the whole town

And then that was the end

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Henry Austin- Fernald is 5 years old and lives in Maine with his little sister and parents. Henry loves when his mom or dad read to him, especially Magic Tree House books or other stories about magical adventure. He also loves playing dressing up, swimming in the ocean, and making backyard forts with his friends.

Henry’s poem “(Hanukkah) Candles” appears in Little Thoughts Press Issue One: Magical Winter.

Interview: Amy Neufeld

Amy Neufeld (she/her) has a degree in English and diploma in Theatre Arts. Amy is a contributor to Shameless Magazine and CBC Radio’s The Irrelevant Show. Amy has been published in Daily Drunk Magazine, Flash Fiction Magazine, Frazzled, and Little Old Lady Comedy, and is a member of Pat the Dog’s 2021 Women’s Room for playwrights. Amy is a knitter and a friend to animals.

Amy’s story, “Solstice” is part of Little Thoughts Press Issue One: Magical Winter.

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Little Thoughts Press: In your story, "Solstice," two kids witness a magical event in celebration of the winter solstice. You've told me that you wrote this story specifically for our Magical Winter theme. Can you talk a bit about what inspired you to connect the winter solstice to the theme of magic? Do you do anything special to celebrate the solstice?

Amy Neufeld: We used to live in Edmonton, Alberta, which is quite far north, and therefore gets a lot of darkness in the winter. I heard about people who celebrate that darkness rather than bemoan it, and would have "longest night of the year" parties. We moved back to Kitchener, Ontario shortly after I learned about these parties, but I really liked that idea of celebrating the long winters, since we can't avoid them. And the longest night of the year feels like a time not only when magic could happen, but when it should happen! That's probably why so many religions and cultures have celebrations around that time. So I thought a magical solstice world where night stretched out even longer and lights made all of your winter dreams come true sounded like a pretty great place to start a story.

Interestingly, our neighbourhood builds a Reindeer Runway every year on Christmas Eve, where candles in paper bags are placed along a street to welcome Santa and his reindeer, and this year we were able to go and actually see the candle pathway just as I imagined it in my story. Talk about magic!

We haven't been able to have a party for solstice these last few years, but I make sure we get out for an evening walk to look at all the lights on the longest night of the year.

Little Thoughts Press: You have a background in theater arts and playwriting. In what ways does your performance background inform your writing? Are there similarities to how you approach your fiction and playwriting? What do you think are the biggest differences between these forms of writing?

Amy Neufeld: I think my background in theatre has helped me when it comes to writing dialogue. For a lot of plays, you have to communicate most of what's going on through dialogue, and there's a subtlety to that so characters aren't just spouts of exposition. So I think reading and performing plays has helped tune my ear to dialogue.

I approach all of my writing in basically the same way, and the first part of that is deciding which container the story goes in. Is this a novel, a play, an essay, or a short story? In terms of reading plays, I can tell when I've found a script that I really like because I can start to see it play out on the stage, and I apply that to my other writing as well. When it really comes alive in my mind, when I can see it all like a play or a movie, then I feel like I've got something interesting to work with, and that I've found the right container for the story.

I don't know that there are many differences, besides the structural ones, to writing plays versus stories for me. It's all about finding the characters' voices, making those true, honest, and specific, and letting them tell the story.

Little Thoughts Press: You also write for both adult and kid audiences. What initially drew you to writing kid lit and what do you find most challenging and rewarding about writing for a young audience compared to writing for adults?

Amy Neufeld: I started writing plays for young audiences because I formed a theatre company for that age group, and it was easier to write plays for us than to find them. I've always thought that high school is the most effortlessly dramatic time in anyone's life, and so I love it as a backdrop for a story. I'm working on a novel about seven teenagers who get lost in the woods, and their hormonal teenage state provides as much drama as their precarious situation!

You have to be sharp when writing for young audiences. They're the most honest group, and will be very blunt about what they like and don't like. With my playwriting, I learned quickly about pacing and engagement, and I think those factors are relevant in all my work. Whatever else it is, your writing has to be entertaining. There are lots of different ways that writing can be entertaining, but there has to be a payoff for the reader/audience. So that challenge of young audience's honesty is also what makes it really rewarding to write for that group.

I've also benefited from having young readers in my home. My daughters, 8 and 11, are my beta readers for my kid lit, and they let me know what they like and what they think I should change. Reading my stories to them, I can also (sneakily) watch their reactions, so I can see the parts where I lose them, and I know that's an area that needs some work.

Little Thoughts Press: Which kid lit authors and books were your favorites growing up?

Amy Neufeld: I loved, and still love, the author Gordon Korman. He writes incredible stories for and about teenagers, and uses humour so well. Read I Want To Go Home if you're looking for an introduction to his work.

I also really loved series like The Baby-Sitters Club and Sweet Valley High. It takes a lot of energy to invest in reading a book initially. You don't know the world or the characters, you're unfamiliar with the writing style, so I always find starting a new book to be a tentative experience before I get hooked. So I love a series because you get to start a new book but skip all that initial anxiety because you already know the world and the people in it.

Little Thoughts Press: What is your favorite thing about winter?

Amy Neufeld: I live in Canada, and we get a lot of snow and cold in the winter. I wish I was more interested in outdoor winter activities, and while I do enjoy tobogganing or taking a walk when it's snowing, if I'm honest, my favourite thing about winter is getting cozy under a blanket with a mug of hot tea and reading for an entire afternoon.

Little Thoughts Press: What advice would you give to young writers?

Amy Neufeld: Keep writing, and write what you like. Don't worry about what's popular or what your friends like reading - write the things that you want to read.

Get a library card, and read as much as you can by other writers. When you find a book that you really like, take a moment and think about what, specifically, you liked about it. Was the main character really relatable? Did the author use humour to navigate challenging subjects? Was there really amazing world-building that allowed you to see the landscape? These observations will start to inform and support your own writing as you get better and better through practice.

Little Thoughts Press: Is there anything else you wish I had asked? Any upcoming projects, publications, or other news you'd like to share?

Amy Neufeld: In addition to the YA novel I mentioned earlier which I'm currently revising (and looking for beta readers if anyone is interested!), I just received a grant to work on a middle grade nonfiction book about knitting, not a how-to guide, but a why-to guide, with essays from my own experience to discuss my favourite hobby.

My new play, Witches in the Woods, a re-telling of Hansel and Gretel, will be getting a staged reading in March, along with workshops. I'll post details about those events when I have them on my theatre company's Facebook page.

I'm building my website at www.amyneufeldwrites.com, and it should be live within the month. The best way to find out what I'm doing is on Twitter where I'm @AmyRNeufeld.

Interview: Melody Serra

Melody Serra is passionate about teaching and empowering others by sharing what she has learned. She started a JavaScript class at the Boys and Girls Club of Visitacion Valley and an arts and crafts program at a children's hospital. Melody hopes to inspire youth to explore and expand their creativity through web development, writing, and art.

Melody’s artwork is part of Little Thoughts Press Issue One: Magical Winter.

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Little Thoughts Press: You are both a writer and an artist. In what ways are these two forms of creative expression similar for you? How does your artistic expression inform your writing and vice versa?

Melody Serra: Both forms of expression ask me to pause and reflect. These forms of expression also encourage me to ask lots of questions, such as: How does something make me feel? What did that observation make me think of or reminisce on?

Being a visual artist helps me bring in sensory descriptions when I am writing, and being a writer encourages me to think about how something makes me feel when I am bringing a painting to life.

Little Thoughts Press: Can you tell us a little bit about how you created your illustration that appears in Magical Winter? What is the medium? What is your process for moving from an image in your mind to a completed work of art?

Melody Serra: The illustration that appears in Magical Winter was created digitally using Procreate. How I create really depends on if I know what I want to draw or if I am free drawing. I will walk you through my process if I know what I want to draw: when I want to create something visual whether it's on paper or on a screen, I spend some time reflecting. What are the emotions and feelings I want to capture in this piece? That question then leads me to conceptually think about what kind of imagery may depict that emotion or feeling. I then may do some sketching before actually jumping into the piece itself.

Little Thoughts Press: Which kid lit authors and books were your favorites growing up?

Melody Serra: Growing up I was a big fan of A.A. Milne's Winnie the Pooh series and poems. I also loved authors like Eric Carle who used visuals in powerful ways. If I had to choose one favorite book that I could read over and over again, it would have been The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister.

Once I was reading chapter books I also really enjoyed the Harry Potter series and anything by Beverly Cleary.

Little Thoughts Press: And what about today? Any kid lit writers you love and want to shout out?

Melody Serra: A good friend of mine named Anna Doherty who is based in Cambridge, UK is a kid lit writer and illustrator. Her books are so clever, witty, fun, and beautiful.

Little Thoughts Press: What is your favorite thing about winter?

Melody Serra: I am new to New York City and my favorite thing so far about winter is the first snow of the season. There was something beautiful and magical about how the light made the snow look blue, and how families were out in Central Park with sleds.

Little Thoughts Press: What advice would you give to young writers?

Melody Serra: If you have a story to share, don't be afraid to put it out in the world. I am a firm believer that your audience will find you and that the story you're telling will have an impact on them.

Little Thoughts Press: Is there anything else you wish I had asked? Any upcoming projects, publications, or other news you'd like to share?

Melody Serra: I want to thank the young people I volunteer with through 826 National and Girls Write Now. They inspired me to start submitting my work and to put it out in the world. My work in Magical Winter is some of my first artwork ever published and that is such an honor.

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You can find Melody and follow her work on Twitter.

Interview: Luree Scott

Luree Scott is a writer and performer from San Diego, CA. She received a BA in Theatre Arts and English from the University of San Diego and is currently an MFA candidate in UCR Palm Desert's Low Residency MFA Program for Creative Writing, where she studies fiction and playwriting. Her previous works can be read in The Alcala Review and Poets' Choice.

Luree’s story, “The Sugar Plum Something,” is part of Little Thoughts Press Issue One: Magical Winter.

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Little Thoughts Press: Your story, "The Sugar Plum Something" deals with complex themes about family and place through the connection between a child and a magical creature she discovers while shopping for a Christmas tree. Can you talk a bit about how this story developed? What was your initial inspiration? And what message do you hope young readers will take away from this story?

Luree Scott: The initial idea for this story came about not long after my mother and I went Christmas tree shopping during the pandemic. It was back in 2020, so it was the first year where traditions were being challenged because of health risks and overall exhaustion, and that trip to the neighborhood Michael’s for decorations was overwhelming to say the least. My mother had decided to "downsize" our tree. The big green one we put up every year wasn't going to be taken out. Instead, we were picking out a lighter tree (both in weight and color). It was pencil thin, covered in white frost (not very green at all), and just didn't look like Christmas to me. I tried to look cheerful and excited, and in some ways I was because we still got to decorate, but that change struck me at my core. I started asking myself questions like: Why does our old tree mean so much to me? Why doesn't this feel like Christmas anymore? What am I missing? So then I started writing "The Sugarplum Something" to answer those questions; to find a deeper meaning within that small, craft store experience. And to make a little more holiday cheer for myself in the process. Through the writing of that story, I reminded myself that love and family are the things that make Christmas feel right, and that anyone can be that family for you. It doesn't have to be traditional to be good. It's the love that's the good part. That's what I'd like readers to take away from it.

Little Thoughts Press: You have a background in theater and are currently studying both fiction and playwriting. In what ways does your performance background inform your writing? Are there similarities to how you approach your fiction and playwriting? What do you think are the biggest differences between these forms of writing?

Luree Scott: What my theater experience has done for me in terms of writing is allowed me to fully embody characters. To become them and understand them, even if they are wildly different or opposite to who I am as a person. I know for a fact that has helped me create unique characters in my prose, poetry, and stage plays. It's been a great help with forming dialogue too. People often say things in their own special way. The way my mother talks is completely different from the mail lady, whose voice is completely different from the manager of the Starbucks down the road, and so on. The Wicked Witch of the West has different words and ideals than Mary Poppins (and I felt that very physically and emotionally when I played these characters on stage).

Fiction and playwriting are also both very character driven. Without a main character or characters who the audience is connected to, there's not much of a story to experience. But here's the main difference I've found: In fiction, you get to describe the setting, the thoughts and feelings of the characters, and the actions to the very finest detail. In playwriting, as we've studied in my MFA program, most of what you can use is dialogue. You get a little bit of time to describe action and setting, but you're mostly focused on what your characters say. Writing in both mediums has helped me learn how action and dialogue can work together; how much or how little can be used to create different tones and plotlines. I definitely recommend writing in multiple forms and genres (especially the ones that seem the hardest for you), because that allows you to gain techniques that help all aspects of your writing.

Little Thoughts Press: What initially drew you to writing kid lit and what do you find most challenging and rewarding about writing for a young audience?

Luree Scott: This is a very interesting question for me, because I don't usually write with an audience in mind. I just write the story and trust that the audience for it will find it someday. And "The Sugar Plum Something" did find its way eventually, but in an even more fantastic way. I originally sent this to another magazine, where you, Claire, were a reader who read various submissions. I wasn't accepted into that magazine, but you told them to mention the submissions for Little Thoughts Press as a potential home for my story. So, I submitted it again to you this time, and my story found its audience in kid lit in a way I had never expected, which is in itself a true kind of magic! I feel this is important to mention for the writers who are just starting out. This experience let me know that rejection is not the end of the world, and even if some readers don't understand your story, or have a place for it yet, there is always someone out there who will.

What was challenging about writing for a young audience was how I used language. I often write with long sentences and descriptions. I can't help it sometimes. I’ve got a lot to say! So going back to make it more accessible for younger audiences involved a lot of revision, cutting, rearranging here and there, and finding ways to rephrase some ideas so they were simpler. But I loved it! Getting that awesome feedback about where to trim up my story helped me realize that I could still accomplish quite a lot with fewer words. The rewards for writing for a younger audience are many, but I think my favorite is that it can inspire their imagination, and encourage them to see the world in different, even impossible ways. Reading when I was young inspired me to become a writer myself and make up my own stories.

Little Thoughts Press: Which kid lit authors and books were your favorites growing up?

Luree Scott: I had so many authors and books when I was young that truly ignited my passion for a good story. Some of my favorites are The Chronicles of Narnia series by C.S. Lewis, Coraline by Neil Gaiman, the Avalon: Web of Magic series by Rachel Roberts, and Dragon Slippers by Jessica Day George.

Little Thoughts Press: What is your favorite thing about winter?

Luree Scott: That's so tough! The long sweaters and blankets, and hot tea, and Christmas movies are all so much fun and comforting. But I have to say, I really do love wrapping and gifting presents. It feels like making little reminders for everyone in your life of how much they mean to you. The smiles and laughter when you exchange them can't be beat. And you get some reminders yourself of how much you mean to others in return. Yeah, gift giving is pretty special.

Little Thoughts Press: What advice would you give to young writers?

Luree Scott: To all the young writers out there, I give you permission to write what you want to write, not what other people want you to write. You may look at your story and think it's too silly, too weird, too fantastical, too realistic, too anything. It's not. Like I've said before in this interview, there is going to be someone out there that loves your story and believes in it, just like there are people who love and believe in you. Take it from someone who has a published story about a tree-elf-gremlin-creature in a fake Christmas tree. No story is off limits. What matters is that it makes you happy and means something special to you.

Little Thoughts Press: Is there anything else you wish I had asked? Any upcoming projects, publications, or other news you'd like to share?

Luree Scott: These questions were so thoughtful and well said. I can't possibly think of another that could have been asked. Thank you for the opportunity to talk about my work and process! I'm just back in school now and hope to graduate from UCR Palm Desert's Low Residency MFA program in the Fall of 2022! I also usually share updates on my publications on Twitter when they come out, so if anyone is interested, I'm over there at @luree_s.

Interview: Sheila Schmotzer

Sheila Schmotzer is a former dance studio owner and has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Dance. Currently, she works as a flight attendant with a major US airline. She resides in South Carolina and is based out of Orlando, Florida. Sheila is a member of the World Animal Foundation. She enjoys volunteering at her local wildlife refuge center and traveling. An IMDb member, Sheila has appeared in Netflix’s The Do Over, as well as in the feature films Magic Mike XXL and Baywatch.

Sheila’s story, “The Snow Ballet,” is part of Little Thoughts Press Issue One: Magical Winter.

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Little Thoughts Press: You are a former dancer and dance instructor, and this background is on full display in your story, "The Snow Ballet." I think of both dance/movement and writing as forms of creative expression. What similarities have you found between these modes of expression, and how does your dance background inform your writing and your approach to storytelling?

Sheila Schmotzer: You are right, they are very similar expressions. I loved teaching ballet and I loved making up dances. Choreography is setting every move up to where it fits with the music, feels good, paints a visual picture onstage, and moves the audience in some way. Writing is exactly the same. Every word, phrase, and line must be sequenced in the best way possible to engage the reader. To me, writing is the choreography of words.

Little Thoughts Press: What initially drew you to writing kid lit and what do you find most challenging and rewarding about writing for a young audience?

Sheila Schmotzer: Around 5 years ago, I changed careers and went from owning a dance studio to becoming a flight attendant. So I went from the nonstop creativity of choreography, music editing, designing costumes and websites, and putting together recitals… to a new nonstop life revolving around a company schedule, commuting across the country to go to work, weather, following protocols, learning every part of a plane, hustling through airports, and unpredictable rest/sleep stages. My creative side was ready to explode. I found writing (especially on red-eyes) to be engrossing and a FUN way to let it out.

Little Thoughts Press: Which kid lit authors and books were your favorites growing up?

Sheila Schmotzer: P. D. Eastman

Little Thoughts Press: And what about today? Any kid lit writers you love and want to shout-out?

Sheila Schmotzer: I wish I could write like Mo Willems. His simple style gives his audience humor and impact. His stories get away with absurd and funny things while in reality, giving kids little tools to deal with situations without them knowing it.

Little Thoughts Press: What is your favorite thing about winter?

Sheila Schmotzer: SNOW. I have an interesting story from the moment I knew I must write a picture book. It was in the snow outside an airport at 2 in the morning. The temperature was 8 degrees and snow completely covered the sidewalk. It was then I spied a tiny little mouse, scurrying about in the thick heaps of snow. I was totally fascinated and intrigued by this little creature and his plight. A year and a half later, driving into the same lot, I mentioned the little mouse and someone said to me that he sneaks into the doors and hides in a vending machine. That’s when I knew I had my first story. That magical meeting with that little mouse in the snow is what inspired me to become a writer.

Little Thoughts Press: What advice would you give to young writers?

Sheila Schmotzer: Surround yourself with people that you can bounce ideas off of frequently. Enjoy the ride.

You can follow Sheila’s work on Twitter, Instagram, or on her website.

A Magical Winter (by Issy Mooney)

by @aaronburden via Unsplash

A Magical Winter

by Issy Mooney

I woke up, the sound of crackling logs making me smile. The buzz of my family arguing about  whether we should have bacon and egg or sausage sandwiches made me laugh a little. I got up,  pulled on my jeans and checked shirt and went into the kitchen. My family seemed to have reached  a decision to have sausage because there were sausages sizzling in a pan in the corner and Lilly (my little sister) was watching the TV over by the sofa. I went over and sat with her and saw that (to no one’s surprise) she was watching Malory Towers, a show that she had become addicted to a few weeks ago.

Mother said “Sausage ok for breakfast? I’ve got some sausages on but I can do bacon if  you want.”  

“Sausage is perfect Mum,” I called back across the kitchen.

I looked out the window and a glorious day was out the window. The snow was coming down in gentle flakes that rested on the lawn and the trees in the forest outside the log cabin we were staying in. I couldn’t wait to get out in the snow and go exploring.  

“Mum,” I called across the kitchen, “Can I text Mollie and see if she wants to go to explore the  woods?”

Mollie is my best friend from school and she had come away on holiday. She was staying in the next cabin along from us. She was there with her little brother and parents. I knew she was just as excited as I was about seeing the woods that surrounded the cabins we were staying in. 

“Sure,” called back Mum. “Just don’t be late back for tea because your father will kill you if you are!” 

I ran back to my room and grabbed my phone. Mollie replied within seconds and soon we both had our boots and coats on and were by the edge of the trees we were about to enter. 

The snow glistened on the trees like powder, the frosty path calling to us as we ran into the woods. 

“It looks magical,” said Mollie “I can’t wait to see what’s there!”.

For some reason the trees seemed  to whisper in a language that I didn’t understand.  

“Can you hear that? The trees seem to be calling to us!” I said to Mollie.  

“ I can hear it too!” replied Mollie, turning back to me. We walked further into the forest, marveling at what we were seeing. It felt like something amazing was going to happen. We walked for what felt like forever when I thought I saw something silver whip out of sight.  

“What was that?” I asked Mollie.  

“I think it was an animal,” replied Mollie, “Let’s see what it is!” 

We walked on, looking around for what we had seen. We only had to search for a few minutes before we found what we had seen before. It was so bright we had to wait for a second for our eyes to adjust. When they did, I saw something I never thought I would see: A unicorn, its silver mane swishing down its neck. Its glossy coat shining in the dancing light of the snow. 

“It’s so beautiful,” I said to Mollie. “I never thought I would see one!”.  

“No one will believe us if we tell them though,” replied Mollie. We both wished we had our phones with us, but we had both left them at the cabins. We approached the unicorn and touched its mane. We both exclaimed in delight. We wished we could take it back to our cabins but we knew that we would have to leave it back in the woods.  

I looked back down at my watch, which I had put on earlier. “We should be getting back to the  cabins! It’s nearly time for tea!” I called over to Mollie.  

“Oh yes we had better be off!” she called back. We stroked the unicorn’s mane in farewell and said  we would return tomorrow (or as soon as we could) and left. We walked back through the forest,  but we didn’t notice where we we going because all we could think about was the glorious sight we had just seen. 

When we got back to our cabins, I saw that my father was putting the dinner on the table.  “You’re just in time,” he said to Mollie and me. “Mollie, your parents have just got here with your  brother.”  

We rushed inside and took off our coats and boots and put on our jumpers and sneakers. The smell  of the cooking tickled our nostrils. We all sat at the table and ate, eating until we felt like we would pop. After we had all finished our food, we (me and Mollie) made hot chocolates and we curled up by the fire for the rest of the evening. We were so cosy that we even forgot to try to convince  everyone that we really had seen a unicorn, but we knew that we would tell everyone in the  morning. All cosy by the fire, everything started to blur and I fell asleep, warm and dry by the fire of our log cabin. 

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Isobel Mooney is 12 years old. She has been inspired to start writing by her Aunty Ree, who is writing poetry again after a break. She loves the Harry Potter series of books and anything that has a magical twist to it. Isobel’s poem, “A Christmas Fair,” appears in Little Thoughts Press Issue One: Magical Winter.

The Winter Gosling (by Elijah Pierrou)

by Diana Parkhouse via unsplash

The Winter Gosling

By Elijah Pierrou

They were coming. Cracking. Breaking. Opening up to reveal the gosling inside. But then there was a chit-chit…human chatter, advancing, getting closer to mother goose - she ran toward the human. Just then, the first egg opened. The newborn watched as the first living thing she saw was at battle. There was a loud hammer  hitting the primer, and mother did not return. The echo of the gun caused no other eggs to hatch. 

Daydreaming…but it was real. Her mother and siblings were no more.  Her poor little baby eyes and head couldn’t understand. And the only thing she knew how to do was swim and eat berries. This was all life was. Right?  

The tree shapes and the ground were her only landmarks. Exploration was a good thing right? Either way, this goose was to have a bigger map. About an hour later, the little gosling heard a familiar Squawk!  Honk! Quack!

“Run to the pond!,” she thought, but it was another way. The little goose waddled on over to a river she had never seen before. On this particular river, everything was moving: the birds, the  fish, the clouds, and even the water, but the geese were in a big  flock heading in one direction. Last week, when the gosling hatched, the leaves and ground were a whole lot different. Now they were a  yellowish orange. There was a chilled breeze over the mountain forest.  

There were less and less animals in their habitats. She stayed at the river for a few weeks and hung out with the river animals. The owls slept, the stellar jay taught her how to get acorns, the hawk taught the gosling to fish, the mouse told her about winter, hibernation, migration, and the fox taught the young goose how to stay away from  predators - they’re all around. This was going to be a great winter! 

Three months later, December came, and the first snow was upon the forest. The fish were quiet. The acorns were all collected and the mouse’s stories came true. The predators were were gone and owls kept on sleeping.

Our gosling was waddling along to go see what hawks did in the winter (a strange thing to see a winter hawk). She hadn’t been to Hawk’s perch in a few months, too much winter preparation. But then, almost past by the gosling in the snow was a barge of mouse footprints. Mouse was active! On her way to the mouse burrow, the  gosling’s feet were starting to feel the winter cold.  

When the gosling arrived at the mouse hole, she was surprised.  Mouse seemed to have multiplied! One of them, (probably the original  mouse) stepped up and said, “Welcome, young goose,” that was  Mouse’s name for Gosling. “Meet my brothers, my sisters, my first and second cousins, my nephew, my nieces (pant, pant), my Mum, my Dad, their mums and dads, and my great grandfather who goes by Pop.:

Goose blinked twice with her mouth open in awe. 

“Ummmm…” awkwardly croaked the goose, “Nice to meet all of  you!” 

The mice and the goose barely get along. Mouse’s brothers and  sisters were very connected to birds and pulled off stray feathers and put them on their heads as if to pretend to be Robin Hood. The wee ones (the nieces and nephews) made a slide out of the gosling’s neck and upper back and tried to jump the last part. They all needed an extra social skills class except for Pop. The young goose was observing so  she didn’t notice the cheese crumbles she was about to slip on.

Our gosling had always thought that owls just slept. Except for today (to the future, this is just a part of the story). Today the mission was to bravely wake the owls and wreck their sleep—only for today.    

She made her young, annoying, juvenile, immature loud honks directly toward the owls’ nest. The mission was a success! A little owl came out, and said, “Hooo woke us up?” 

“It was me. I woke you up,” said a squeaky voice on the ground. The owl hopped from branch to lower branch until she was face-to-face with the goose.

“Why have yooou woken us up?” said the little owl, gloomily again. 

“Why do owls have to sleep all day?” 

“We doooon’t. And I’ll show you!” The owl hobbled onto a dry  spot on the ground where there was a small twig. 

“Watch,” said the young owl with pride. She put one of her  talons lightly on one side of the twig, and with a violent down press, the stick went flying into the air. The owl caught it with her beak.     

“Tricks,” said the owl happily.

The goose tried a few times, and always missed because of the way her beak was shaped. By the time the goose completed the twig trick, the owl was in her perch.  “Tricks,” thought the gosling. 

The seller jay was trying to find squirrel’s nest to steal acorns - while  goose was at the moose party, the squirrel was blocking Jay’s food and stealing the final acorns for himself. So revenge was strongly believed in the stellar jay nest.  

Meanwhile, the gosling was looking for the stellar jay. She was  practicing flying for next winter. To hangout with the other geese and  fly over the pond, like the other birds. Like the hawk. 

The stellar jay saw Goose. Goose saw the stellar jay. Said the stellar  jay, “You must be cold on the snowy ground.”  

“Yes,” said the goose, “That is what I came here for. Would you be  able to teach me how to fly?” 

The jay was starting to hatch a plan. “Okay. I’ll teach you. We’ll team up  on the squirrel.” 

“Why?” asked the goose. 

“Cause he steals food. Even food he doesn’t eat! So we start now,” said the jay. Let’s go!”

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Elijah Pierrou is 11 years old and in the 6th grade. He is homeschooled and has a love for birds and the wild. He also enjoy designing cars, art, drumming, and a newfound hobby: taekwondo. He would definitely go to Italy as soon as the opportunity presented itself.

Snowman (by Ramona Lydic)

by Showkat Chowdhury via unsplash

Snowman

by Ramona Lydic

Once upon a time, there was a little snowman who lived in the woods with her mommy and daddy. They loved every winter, because every winter, they got to do snowball fights. 

Until, one day, there came a huge monster. It was called The Snow Monster. But, he was very friendly. He asked The Little Snowman and her friends to play!

The Little Snowman and friends said "Sure you can!" 

Then more friends came and asked to play, and the snowman and their friends said, "Sorry, we have too many players, but if you really want to play, solve my riddle. The riddle is 'What Makes the Loudest Sound?'"

The new friends said "A drum!"

The Little Snowman said "Correct! You can play with us!" 

They also met a princess named Rosabelle. Rosabelle wanted to know where the castle was and all the friends, even The Little Snowman, said "This is not a castle! This is Snowville!" 

"Snowville?" said the princess. "What's Snowville?" 

"Snowville," said the friends, "is the place where it snows all the time, never stops."

"Oh," said the princess. "Well, I didn't know about Snowville!"

The Little Snowman said, "To get to Castleville, all you have to do is go down the street, to the left, and you make it." 

"Ok," said the princess. "Gotta go, toodle-loo!" 

"Well, I guess it's just us," said The Little Snowman. "What do you want to do?" 

"The only thing I can think of is snowball fights," said The Snow Monster. 

"Too bad," said The Little Snowman, "because I don't really feel like playing snowball fights."

It got late, and it was starting to get to dinnertime. 

"Well," said The Little Snowman, "I guess I have to go. My dad is waiting for me. So is my mom."

"Well, goodbye," said The Snow Monster. "See you next year." 

"Why are you going to see me next year?" said The Little Snowman.

"Because,” The Snow Monster said, “I have to go to another house and play with some people." 

The  End

Ramona Lydic is seven years old. She is also in second grade. She likes to swim. She also likes to play at parks. She likes to go to Knott's Berry Farm. She likes 'Moana,' and her favorite books are princess books.