Meet Rosanne Kurstedt, Author of And I Thought About You...
What inspired you to become a children's author?
The short answer is picture books themselves and the authors who create them. The long answer is that I’ve always found writing to be an outlet. My college essays were excerpts from my journal, but during college and right after, I sort of just stopped writing. Then, when I was teaching writing to 4-6th graders, I started writing alongside them. I frequently used picture books to demonstrate craft strategies, voice and story elements. I became enthralled with the way some authors could say so much, so quickly, and so beautifully. I wrote a professional book for teachers, Teaching Writing with Picture Books as Models (Scholastic, 2000) and the more I read picture books the more enamored I became with the genre. I took some writing classes, joined a writing group affiliated with the Society of Children’s Books Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) and as they say, the rest is history.
How did you come up with the idea for And I Thought About You...?
And I Thought About You... was inspired by a bedtime routine my son and I created while we lived in Hong Kong. Every night, after reading books together, we would talk about what we had done that day. After sharing what we did, we’d say “and I thought about you.” Even though the events of our day would typically change the one constant was that we were in each other’s thoughts throughout the day.
Authors don't always get to choose their illustrators. Are you happy with how your illustrations turned out?
I am happy with the illustrations. I think they really capture the mood of the book. The images are playful and quiet which also supports the tone.
What was your favorite book as a child?
I didn’t really have a favorite book. I liked Dr. Seuss books and also liked Harry the Dirty Dog.
What do you think readers will remember most about your book?
I think readers will remember the honesty and trueness of the book, as well as the connection between the mother and son. I hope the book inspires readers to create their own traditions.
Are you currently working on other books?
I’m not working on any one book per se, but I’m always working on new stories and often going back to revise older ones.
You can find out more about Rosanne Kurstedt and her book by visiting www.rlkurstedt.com.
The short answer is picture books themselves and the authors who create them. The long answer is that I’ve always found writing to be an outlet. My college essays were excerpts from my journal, but during college and right after, I sort of just stopped writing. Then, when I was teaching writing to 4-6th graders, I started writing alongside them. I frequently used picture books to demonstrate craft strategies, voice and story elements. I became enthralled with the way some authors could say so much, so quickly, and so beautifully. I wrote a professional book for teachers, Teaching Writing with Picture Books as Models (Scholastic, 2000) and the more I read picture books the more enamored I became with the genre. I took some writing classes, joined a writing group affiliated with the Society of Children’s Books Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) and as they say, the rest is history.
How did you come up with the idea for And I Thought About You...?
And I Thought About You... was inspired by a bedtime routine my son and I created while we lived in Hong Kong. Every night, after reading books together, we would talk about what we had done that day. After sharing what we did, we’d say “and I thought about you.” Even though the events of our day would typically change the one constant was that we were in each other’s thoughts throughout the day.
Authors don't always get to choose their illustrators. Are you happy with how your illustrations turned out?
I am happy with the illustrations. I think they really capture the mood of the book. The images are playful and quiet which also supports the tone.
What was your favorite book as a child?
I didn’t really have a favorite book. I liked Dr. Seuss books and also liked Harry the Dirty Dog.
What do you think readers will remember most about your book?
I think readers will remember the honesty and trueness of the book, as well as the connection between the mother and son. I hope the book inspires readers to create their own traditions.
Are you currently working on other books?
I’m not working on any one book per se, but I’m always working on new stories and often going back to revise older ones.
You can find out more about Rosanne Kurstedt and her book by visiting www.rlkurstedt.com.
Stacie Theis / beachboundbooks@yahoo.com / copyright 2012
