When I decided to start up my Whimsy Talks blog again, and had to decide who to interview first, the very talented Karen Kaufman Orloff was an obvious choice. Besides her talent, she is also a humble, caring lady who always supports struggling authors around her. She is an example of how to remain graceful while being such a big success in your field. It is refreshing.
I hope you enjoy this interview as much as I enjoyed asking the questions. We discussed her picture books (I Wanna Iguana, I Wanna New Room, I Wanna Go Home, If Mom had Three Arms, and Talk, Oscar, Please!), as well as her mysteries for young readers. We even got an idea of what she's doing next! So, sit back and enjoy the conversation, as Whimsy Talks to Karen Kaufman Orloff.
Q)- How old were you when you started writing?
A)- I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember. As a kid, I loved writing stories and always
Q)- In “I Wanna Iguana,” Alex wants a pet Iguana and debates it with his Mother. Did your
children ever do this with you, or did you ever do this over a pet with your own parents?
A)- I probably begged my parents for a dog, and we finally got one, a miniature schnauzer
named Scuffy, when I was about ten. My kids also wanted a pet and because of some allergy issues, we
weren’t sure about a dog or cat, so we ended up with two baby iguanas! We finally got a dog years later. That’s
Bailey, who we still have and love. She’s the sweetest dog.
Q)- In “I Wanna New Room,” Alex returns with a plea for his own room when his new sister
comes along—did you draw from you own life for this as well?
A)- When I was very young, we lived in the Bronx and I shared a room with my older sister. I’m
sure she wanted her own space, as I was probably the annoying little sister! Once, she actually made some
kind of line across the room and told me to stay on my side (which didn’t have the door). I definitely took that
experience and gave it to brothers Alex and Ethan!
Q)- Do you feel day-to-day issues that normally arise in families make for good storylines for
children’s books?
A)- Yes, ideas generally come from what we know and experience. We just have to fictionalize
them here and there to make them more interesting. Real life usually isn’t as funny as what we can imagine,
although, sometimes it is!
Q)- In your latest book, “I Wanna Go Home,” Alex feels as though he’s getting shortchanged
Q)- In your latest book, “I Wanna Go Home,” Alex feels as though he’s getting shortchanged
going to his Grandparents when his parents are going on vacation. How do you get in the mindset of a child his
age to write your characters so believably?
A)- Thanks,Michelle! I’m really not sure but I may be remembering my own childhood, or that of
my kid’s (they are 21 and 27 now). But somehow, Alex just speaks to me. I can hear his voice in my head. He
probably has a bit of my son, Max, in him, and maybe even some of my daughter, Emily.
Q)- How did you like working with David Catrow as your illustrator? What tips could you give
aspiring authors for their first time working with an illustrator?
A)- Honestly, although I love Dave’s illustrations and am thrilled that he is my illustrator for
these books, I had no real contact with him throughout the process. The publisher chose him for the books,
and we don’t work together. Once in a while, my editor will ask me for feedback on some of Dave’s illustrations,
but ultimately, it’s up to him, the editor and the art director to decide what direction to go. My best advice is –
let the illustrator do his or her job. They are professionals and chances are they will enhance your story in ways
you could not even imagine.
Q)- “If Mom Had Three Arms,” seems like something that would be ideal for most moms in real
life! Was this one inspired by the way so many moms have so much to juggle?
A)- Yes, absolutely! I was probably in the midst of juggling many things with my own kids when
I thought of that idea. I often have moms tell me how they can relate to that one!
Q)- Do you find it effective to teach concepts like counting in a whimsical way?
A)- I’m not a teacher, but I really do think it’s great to teach basic concepts in a fun way. I know
of teachers who make up songs, for instance, to have kids memorize basic facts. That’s a surefire way to
remember things.
Q)- Do you find it easier to write in rhyme? Is this common in picture books?
A)- Some of my stories just seem to come out in rhyme; others do not. But rhyme is very, very
hard, and although it’s fun to write that way, I probably would not recommend it to everyone. It can be really
frustrating because it’s so hard to get it right. Sometimes I wish certain stories wouldn’t come out in rhyme, but
the rhythm just seems to pound away in my head. I think, as far as picture books in general, there’s a good mix
of those in rhyme, and those without. It depends on the book. Rhyme doesn’t work for everything.
Q)- “Talk, Oscar, Please!” is a wonderful concept—after all, who wouldn’t want to carry on a
conversation with their pets?! Where did the idea for this one come from?
A)- I’m guessing it came from my own wish to better communicate with Bailey. Most of the
time, I know what she wants and what she’s thinking (and I think she understands me) but once in a while I’d
like to have a real conversation. I imagine she might tell me to stop babying her. She’s seven, after all, and I still
treat her like a puppy!
Q)- I’ve noticed there are a lot of animals in your stories—are you an animal lover?
Q)- I’ve noticed there are a lot of animals in your stories—are you an animal lover?
A)- Yes. I love dogs, especially, but I do like animals very much. I must admit, I wasn’t too sure
about the iguanas, but they are actually very nice animals, and I grew to love the ones we had.
Q)- Do you think children can relate to the children in your books?
A)- I hope so. When I do school visits, it’s interesting to see what the kids laugh at, what they
relate to, the parts they like best, etc. I think many of them relate to Alex.
Q)- I found it fascinating to see that besides your picture books, you also wrote two mysteries
for beginning readers, “Mystery at the Museum,” and “The Big Top Circus Mystery.” Would you ever write
mystery stories for this age group (or any other) again in future?
A)- Those mysteries, which are for young kids, were a “work-for-hire,” meaning I was
approached by Peter Pauper Press to come up with the story line for an interactive mystery. They already had
the concept for the paper “flashlight” and it was my job to come up with the rest. I had never done anything like
that before. It wasn’t easy, actually, but kind of fun. (There’s a third in the series, as well, called “Mystery at the
Aquarium.”) I actually have recently completed a middle-grade time travel mystery, plus a sequel, and would
love to have these published one day. Maybe I could write more in the series. Of course, middle grade takes a
lot more time than picture books,but it’s a fun genre.
Q)- I was crazy about the idea of finding clues in these books by means of a flashlight
underneath the pages! I would’ve loved that as a child. Did you think of that idea?
A)- No, as mentioned above, the publisher came up with the concept, but I thought it was a great
idea! I agree it would have been fun to have this sort of thing when I was that age.
Q)- How much say does the author have in making creative decisions like that?
A)- I think it depends on the publisher and your relationship with your editor. Sometimes an editor
will suggest an idea, and the writer comes up with a working storyline. The more you work with an editor, the
more chances there are to make creative decisions.
Q)- Are there any new books coming out in 2015?
A)- Not in 2015, but there is a new picture book coming out in the spring of 2016. It’s called “Miles
of Smiles,” and is a rhyming “pay it forward” type of story involving a baby’s smile that gets passed on to others.
It will be published by Sterling, who did “If Mom Had Three Arms” and “Talk, Oscar, Please.”
Q)- Can you give us a hint at some ideas you’re working on?
A)- I have another dog-type story, a middle-grade novel about a family visiting the moon, and
probably a few more unfinished stories that I should be working on!
Q)- Do you have any advice for aspiring writers on getting into children’s book publishing that
you’ve learned along the way?
A)- I always say they should take the time to learn their craft. Go to classes, workshops,
conferences, critique groups, etc. Keep writing, re-writing and submitting. Don’t worry about the rejections. I still
get them, and every writer I know still gets them. You have to develop a thick skin. It took me about ten years of
doing all of this before I finally got an acceptance from an editor, and that book was “I Wanna Iguana,” which is
still in print after ten years, and still used for persuasive writing in schools. Don’t give up! If you were meant to be
a writer, it will happen for you!
Q)- I know you once did classes locally on writing picture books. Do you still do these? Are there
any coming up in future? Do you go on book tours?
A)- I have given classes, along with friend and fellow author, Della Ross Ferreri, to adults interested
in writing for children. We took a break for a bit but I’d actually like to find time to do that again. Nothing in the
works yet, but I’ll let people know via facebook and emails if we start up again. We give these classes at Merritt
Bookstore in Millbrook, and also can do library presentations locally. I do signings,mostly locally, at various
bookstores, book fairs, and other events. I also am available for school visits. People can contact me at
orloff@bestweb.net if they are interested in booking me.
Q)- Any advice for children who want to be an author one day?
A)- Yes. Read, read, read, as much as you can. If you want to be a good writer, you need to be a
good reader. Then keep writing. Remember, it’s not going to be perfect the first time you write it, or the second,
or third, or sometimes even more. Take time to work on your story to make it right. You’ll be glad you did!
