Debut Review Challenge with Katelyn Aronson

Join me in welcoming Katelyn Aronson to the blog! Her debut, Piglette, is a charming story of self-discovery with the feel of a classic.

Originally from California, Katelyn worked as an independent bookseller for several years before moving abroad to Europe at the age of twenty-five. Today, she lives between France and Switzerland, perpetually deprived of adequate sunshine and Mexican food (but that’s her own fault, eh?)
Piglette doesn’t fit in on the family farm in France. She prefers the finer things in life, and happens to have a snout for sniffing them out. Her pastime is memorizing the scent of every flower in the pasture. In search of her place in life, she hitches a ride to Paris one day and stumbles upon a very special perfumery, where she thinks she’s found paradise. (Viking/Penguin Random House, 2020)

DEBUT-BY-THE-NUMBERS

Number of years writing: 5

Number of years from contract to published book: 1

Date your book was released: 5/26/20

Number of pages: 40

Number of launch events: 2 events in Paris, oui oui! (But sadly, things are up in the air now due to Covid…)

Number of days per week that writing takes a backseat to marketing & publicity: 2-3

Number of critique partners: 5

Number of books you hope to publish over the next ten years: 20

Number of times you’ve pinched yourself that you really have a book out: Several times a day!

A FEW QUESTIONS…

Why do you write for children?  

I write for children because I loved my own childhood and I never grew out of the literature associated with it. I adore the sheer fun of it, the poetry of it, the beauty of it. There is a kind of magic created in the telling of a story, and children’s literature lends itself so well to the oral tradition of story-sharing.

Who/what are your greatest inspirations?

My travels throughout Europe—all the encounters with its landscapes, languages, and traditions—have been a profound inspiration to me.

Without giving anything away, tell us about your work-in-progress. What do you love about it so far? Where are you stuck?

What I love about my current work in progress is its lyricism. I’ve written a prose version, and now I’m re-writing the same story in verse in order to compare the two. My struggle right now is deciding which of the two versions is a more beautiful, powerful rendering. 

What does your work space look like? Tell us about a typical work session.

I write wherever I feel I can concentrate best at a given moment. That might be my classic workspace (desk/lamp/chair/etc.)…or not! I’m creating a writing nook for myself this summer, though, so that’s a project I look forward to.

During the week, I try to fit writing in as a reward whenever I’ve gotten my “day job” work out of the way. When that fails, I set aside a couple of hours on Sunday as my sacred writing time. When I get stuck, I go on a run or a walk. Staying active and being out in nature always help to clear new pathways.

When you need to take a creative break, do you have another activity or hobby that recharges you?

Quiet activities like cooking or reading or an art project recharge me. I also love Irish dance.

REVIEW TIME

Leave an honest review on Amazon, Goodreads, or other online site. Every time you write five reviews for debut Kidlit creators between May 1 – June 30, 2020, you can fill out this ENTRY FORM for a chance to win prizes. Katelyn has generously donated a signed book. Thank you, Katelyn!

For a chance to win SWAG from Katelyn, enter the Rafflecopter giveaway. ***This week only***

You can find the complete rules for the Debut Review Challenge and a downloadable record sheet to keep track of your reviews HERE.

2 thoughts on “Debut Review Challenge with Katelyn Aronson”

  1. i like to take creative breaks – like knitting so spend time knitting and doing video call with mom. love your blog and your books

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