Question:

Hi Mrs.McCloskey!

I have a few questions, if that’s okay. You spoke at our Young Georgia Authors ceremony recently in Habersham, GA, and I was lucky enough to be a part of it! You had said we could reach out if we were serious about writing and had questions, so here it is!

A friend and I are planning on writing and illustrating a children’s book, but we don’t know any publishers or how to find them. We don’t actually know how to get it published, either. We also wanted to ask about how to get our book copyrighted if and when we do end up publishing it.

Any other pointers or advice is welcome, and thank you so much for taking the time to read this!

-A.P. :)

Answer:

Hi A.P.,

Thanks for reaching out! It’s exciting to embark on a book project with a friend.

Your publishing opportunities are limited until you are 18, but I would encourage you to make the book anyway for joy and experience right now. Then, get it printed! It would not be officially “published” but it’s still super cool to see your work as a real book and it enables you to share your physical book with others, sell them, or give them as gifts. I like this company/product for printing a book for fun which I’ve done several times: https://www.socialprintstudio.com/softcover-photobook/

If you enjoy the process, do it again and again. You’ll improve big time, each time. And by the time you are 18, you’ll be more than ready to pursue the real deal and join SCBWI.org (Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators) which is how I learned everything I know about the business and craft of children’s books!

Keep in touch and let me know how your first book turns out :)

Your fellow author-illustrator friend,

Shanda McCloskey

Announcing my first graphic novel, PUNK ROCK!

I’m so pumped to announce my debut young graphic novel series, PUNK ROCK, co-written with my real-life punk rocker husband, Ben :)

This series will explore the question: What can we do with anger, disappointment, and other big emotions?

My first Junior Library Guild Book!

Smash, Crash, Topple, Roll!: The Inventive Rube Goldberg―A Life in Comics, Contraptions, and Six Simple Machines was awarded the Gold Standard by the Junior Library Guild. I couldn’t be happier about that because it means more libraries, more schools, and ultimately, more kids will have access to this really fun biography/STEM book.

Preorder here

Your class in conversation with real authors and illustrators!

I’ve joined up with some amazing kidlit creators to form Kids Meet Authors, offering a FREE online event each month for your classroom to help reinforce what you are already teaching about writing! We are open for registration and questions to answer live! Here are the first 3 sessions:

Sign your class up here!

In-person Events:

Exhibition- Art of the Picture Book: Illustrators are Your Neighbors

​Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, including artists Mark Braught, R. Gregory Christie, Laura Freeman, Ebony Glenn, Shamar Knight-Justice, Jime Wimmer, Mike Wimmer, Michael Allen Austin, Bill Mayer, Frank Morrison, Mike Lowery, Shanda McCloskey

• The exhibit will be on display from Oct. 2 – Nov. 20
• The Gallery Reception for the Exhibition, Alpharetta Arts Center Nov. 2, 5 – 7 pm  

More info

I’ll be doing two kids’ events at the Alpharetta Library! Books will be available for purchase/signing afterward.

• 11:00 am, I’m presenting about robots, reading my STEM-friendly picture book, DOLL-E 1.0, and teaching kids to draw the robot from the story!
• 2:00 pm, I’m presenting how words + pictures = MAGIC, reading my STEM-friendly picture book, DOLL-E 1.0, and teaching kids to draw like an illustrator!

What I’ve been up to lately…

• My favorite way to volunteer at my daughter’s elementary school is by helping to make the set of the school musical. This is my 5th year doing so, and I’m proud that the program now involves a group of students and parents. Many hands really do make light work :)
  
  The backdrop(s) for these productions are important to me, so that’s where I put most of my energy. My husband (and friends) built a wood frame to stretch a large printed “billboard” image onto. I painted the image on my iPad/Procreate at a very large dpi and then had it printed the size of 14′ x 24’ at Billboards, etc.. It comes folded so we laid it in the sun for 2 days, but we had to fold it again to transport it to the school. We stretched/smoothed it as much as possible when we installed it hoping gravity and time will take care of the rest.
  
  Here’s the backdrop for the 2025 production of “Finding Nemo Jr.” and my kiddo (in yellow) and her bestie. They both share the role of Dori :)

• For work, I’ve been reworking sketches for the upcoming book, Lilibet Makes A Friend, by Kersten Hamilton.
• Preparing the next issue of The Pencil Pusher (a kids’ creative newspaper) to hit mailboxes in late September / early October.
• Our family has been attending LOTS of football games. My oldest is on the high school Colorguard team, and my youngest is a cheerleader. Go Grizzlies!

This post was originally posted on Substack.