Most of the authors and illustrators I’ve interviewed here are friends I’ve met in real life or connected with from groups like Julie Hedlund’s 12×12 Picture Book Challenge. Today I welcome Lisa Rogers who I met when I heard so much about her book, 16 WORDS: WILLIAM CARLOS AND “THE RED WHEELBARROW” (illustrated by Chuck Groenink) that wanted to learn more about the author. As you can see from her photo, her latest book, HOUND WON’T GO, illustrated by Meg Ishihara is about one of my favorite subjects. Lisa is generously offering a picture book critique of a non-rhyming manuscript, less than 700 words. Comment on the post to enter the giveaway.
What were you like at the age of your target audience?
I am the third of four sisters and was an extremely quiet, shy child. I loved to read fairytales and folktales and collections of poetry, and I spent a lot of time drawing and daydreaming. I wanted to be an artist since I was little, and later in my childhood hoped to become an author.
Drawing honed my observation skills and created a foundation for my writing career. Through drawing, I paid close attention to the smallest things, such as the parts of a flower or the way lines criss-crossed on my palm. I spent a lot of time listening. Listening, playing the piano, and even all the time I spent at the beach where I grew up tuned my ear for the rhythms of life and language.
My sister and I created a family newspaper, The Daily Blab, when I was about 10, and my first professional writing job was in newspaper reporting.
I loved to swim and observe the stars. I desperately wanted a dog. My favorite fiction books were about animals, and my dream was to have a farm where I would raise horses and grow blueberries. I would have loved reading HOUND WON’T GO as a small child and even though I have read it many, many times, it hits me in the heart every time.
HOUND WON’T GO is great for the littlest ones up to anyone who has ever loved a pet or has a stubborn child. I’ve seen videos of babies “petting” the dog in HOUND and this book made a whole group of moms cry after I read it. So here I am crying when I was “caught reading” at about a year and a half.
What inspires you?
I get excited when I learn something cool and quirky, some offbeat piece of information that makes me gasp and think, Wow! That would be a great story! Because I was a reporter for 10 years I am practiced at seeing stories everywhere. An idea has to connect with me in a deep way so that I know I have to tell it. I especially want to know what inspires people to create something wonderful. The nexus between who people are and what they are inspired to do is what I yearn to learn about.
What’s something you hope your readers take away from your books?
Respecting, caring, connecting with others, and taking time to understand them and be kind makes our world a better place.
What’s next for you?
I’m super excited to combine my love of creative inspiration and art into a new book! DISCOVER HER ART: WOMEN ARTISTS AND THEIR MASTERPIECES, for ages 10 and up, co-authored with painter Jean Wiecha, features the lives and artworks of two dozen women artists. It’s coming out from Chicago Review Press in 2022.
I have many, many projects in various stages. I just became a full-time writer after a 21-year career as an elementary school library teacher, so I am working on moving those manuscripts forward!
To connect with Lisa and learn more about her books:
Twitter: @LisaLJRogers Instagram: @lisaljrogers
Website: lisarogerswrites@gmail.com
Laura Roettiger Books 
I need to be more open to finding ideas. I know when I’m relaxed and walking through nature I have my best ideas. Thank you for the chance to win a critique to help boost my writing skills.
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Danielle, thank you for reading. It’s so interesting to hear about everyone’s inspiration. Good luck in the giveaway!
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Getting into nature is a perfect way to let your mind rest and be open to something new! Thanks for reading!
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It’s interesting that you wanted to be an artist before you wanted to be a writer. Perhaps there’s an author-illustrated book in your future! (And what a beautiful pup!)
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It’s all so interesting to see the behind the scenes and the inspiration. Thanks for reading and good luck in the giveaway.
PS, come back for another dog book on Saturday!
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Hi Janet! I wonder if it’s because I didn’t really know about authorship but I knew I liked to draw. And I absolutely loved imagining the world of whatever illustration I was poring over. Thanks for admiring my handsome boy!! Thank you so much for reading & commenting!
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I absolutely adore Hound Won’t Go and love 16 Words! Haven’t read Friends & Anemones yet, but I think that turning to picture book writing was a great career move, Lisa!
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Thanks for reading, Jilanne. I read 16 WORDS to my granddaughter and daughter on FaceTime. It’s lovely and I’m looking forward to HOUND WON’T GO. Good luck in the giveaway.
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Thank you, Jilanne!! Nothing like writing for children, for sure!! Much appreciated!!
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HOUND WON’T GO looks adorable! I love the cover so you already have me intrigued. Looking forward to reading it.
I love that you find inspiration with the ‘cool and quirky’. Now you are speaking my language!!!
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Hi Michelle, thank you for reading. I agree HOUND WON’T GO looks like fun. Good luck in the giveaway.
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Hi Michelle! Meg Ishihara really captured all of Hound’s emotions in such a clever and winning way–little ones love how she portrays him! Cool and quirky–isn’t it so fun to learn about something that just hits right there? Thanks for reading!
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I can so relate to seeing ideas everywhere but really having to connect with an idea in order to run with it. My daughter is my biggest source of inspiration right now. She’s so delightful and full of the joie de vivre.
This book looks and sounds wonderful =)
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Thanks for reading. Children are a never ending source of inspiration. My own children and my students have been a joy to watch. Good luck in the giveaway.
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Absolutely! The idea has to hit right in the heart–make you gasp, almost! I bet you do that all the time with your little one!! Thanks for your kind comments!
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Love the name ‘The Daily Blab’!! Thank you so much for that glimpse into your background.
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Rita, thank you so much for reading. Good luck in the giveaway.
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Hi Riya! We had a lot of silly fun with that newspaper!! Thanks for reading!
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Thank you for this interesting and inspiring interview! Hound Won’t Go is wonderful! So much fun and full of heart! Amazing how you portrayed so much with so few words. And Hound himself is adorable. 🙂
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Mia, thanks so much for reading! I’m really enjoying these interviews, too! Good luck in the giveaway.
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