They are absolutely real people — not even borrowed from real world people. My characters are my great niece and her parents — although, if you were to ask Annalise, she might disagree.

Denise L Jenne – 24 December 2015

The Back Flap

This is the story of one day in the life of three-year-old Annalise. The winsome watercolor illustrations follow her through her daily activities, adventures and misadventures on one summer day, as she explores the meaning of “up” and “down” in her world.

About the book

What is the book about?

Annalise is three years old and ready for another summer day of fun, but, as her day progresses, she discovers that there are just as many misadventures as there are adventures in store for her.  Through the vibrant watercolor paintings by Julie Iannone, Annalise’s Up and Down Day follows along with the toddler as she explores the meaning of “up” and “down” in her world.

When did you start writing the book?

Actually, I began writing Annalise’s Up and Down Day about 3-4 years ago.

How long did it take you to write it?

Writing Annalise’s Day didn’t take long at all.  I had the first draft finished in one day, although it went through several revisions after that.  What did take a long time was finding the right illustrator.  Fortunately, from my years of teaching at a local university, I met Julie Iannone, who was an Art Education major at the time.  Although her true aspiration was — and still is — to teach, I was able to convince her that her painting style was exactly what Annalise’s Day needed and, perhaps more importantly, she was up to the task of illustrating an entire children’s picture book.

Where did you get the idea from?

The idea came from my great niece, Annalise.  One day, when she was three years old and we were visiting, I saw her look up at a hanging plant as she said, “Leaves up.”  She then looked around the room, and initially I thought she was looking for a way to climb up in order to reach them — especially when she looked down at her feet and said, “Annalise down.”  But, as the day progressed, I observed her repeat the opposites with different items.  Annalise’s grandmother, my sister, confirmed that she’ll often identify objects both by name and whether they are up or down.

Were there any parts of the book where you struggled?

I think the hardest part of writing the book was limiting its length.  It was relatively easy to come up with ups and downs in a toddler’s world, but, of course, I wanted the book to be short enough to keep the attention of preschoolers.  So, I had to choose what to keep and what to discard.  Since I can be rather verbose, this proved to be a bit difficult for me.

What came easily?

As I said, coming up with activities that could illustrate up and down.  I also wanted each set of pairs to be connected in some way and, at least occasionally, to provide an opportunity to discuss similarities and differences. Two such examples would be caterpillar and butterfly and strawberries and apples.

Are your characters entirely fictitious or have you borrowed from real world people you know?

They are absolutely real people — not even borrowed from real world people.  My characters are my great niece and her parents — although, if you were to ask Annalise, she might disagree.  When she saw the book for the very first time, at the age of seven, she responded, “That’s not me.  My hair isn’t red.”  (She’s a strawberry blonde.)  Upon seeing the page with her father in bed, she retorted, “My daddy wears glasses.”  (They are on the nightstand, because he’s sleeping.)  Finally, though, she approved, “My mommy does have auburn hair.”

We all know how important it is for writers to read. Are there any particular authors that have influenced how you write and, if so, how have they influenced you?

The person who has most influenced me as a writer of children’s books would be the late Barbara Cohen.  Barbara was an acclaimed author of children’s literature, earning her numerous awards for her work which ranged from picture books to young adult novels.  I was lucky enough to have her as one of my high school English teachers and later a friend.  She was always encouraging me to write, and I specifically remember one piece of advice she gave me about writing for children.  Barbara said don’t speak down to them, don’t use a simplified vocabulary.  Otherwise, the children will think you’re a fraud and your characters won’t read true.  And, besides, books shouldn’t just entertain; they should stimulate, challenge and educate.  Her words, her memory are always looking over my shoulder as I write.

Do you have a target reader?

Toddlers, early readers and their older sisters and brothers, not to mention parents, grandparents….  People have come up to me and told me how their six- or seven-year-old child is regularly reading Annalise’s Up and Down Day to their infant or as-yet-unborn sibling.

About Writing

Do you have a writing process? If so can you please describe it?

No, I get an idea and just start writing.  If I can’t seem to get started, I’ll start in the middle.  Eventually, the beginning comes to me.

Do you outline? If so, do you do so extensively or just chapter headings and a couple of sentences?

When I write a longer book, like the YA novel I’m currently working on, I do construct a general outline.  It’s not etched in stone, however.  As I actually do the writing, I will often revise the outline.

Do you edit as you go or wait until you’ve finished?

I do a lot of editing as I write, but I also edit again at the end of each section whether scenes, chapters, etc.

Did you hire a professional editor?

It depends upon the project.  For something like Annalise’s Day, I don’t use a professional editor.  But, for a lengthier, more complex work, I do.

Do you listen to music while you write? If yes, what gets the fingers tapping?

I listen to a lot of different genres of music, but, when I specifically put music on while I write, I’ll usually pick something with the right ambience.  It could be music of the time I’m writing about, or music that sets the mood I’m trying to create, or the music my characters might like, or what ever.  To use my current project again as an example, the novel takes place in the early 1970s, so I often play artists who were popular 45-50 years ago — Cat Stevens, Elton John, Led Zeppelin, James Taylor, Rolling Stones, Arlo Guthrie, Buffalo Springfield….

About Publishing

Did you submit your work to Agents?

No, I did not.

What made you decide to go Indie, whether self-publishing or with an indie publisher? Was it a particular event or a gradual process?

There were many factors involved in the decision process, but the deciding factor was the desire to maintain control over my work.  Even before I had an illustrator, I had a clear idea of how I wanted the book and Annalise to look.  I didn’t want to relinquish that control by having someone else determining those things for me.

Did you get your book cover professionally done or did you do it yourself?

No, I did not have the cover professionally done.  Julie Iannone, the illustrator, and I actually came up with the idea separately yet simultaneously.  We knew it was perfect.

Do you have a marketing plan for the book or are you just winging it?

Because Annalise’s Day is my first book, I am learning as I go.

Any advice that you would like to give to other newbies considering becoming Indie authors?

I think the only advice I would give is Go for it.  Write your book, edit it and edit it again. Don’t get discouraged, and don’t give up.  And prepare yourself, because, once you’ve done all the hard work of getting your manuscript just as you want it, you have to begin the even harder work of promoting it.

About You

Where did you grow up?

Until I was 3 years old, my family lived in Hoboken, NJ.  Then we moved to Hillsborough, NJ, about 47 miles away.  Hillsborough was predominantly rural, with working farms and a growing residential community.  It seemed more like worlds away from urban Hoboken.

Where do you live now?

Now, I live about 35 miles away from Hillsborough, near Morristown.

What are you working on now?

As I’ve mentioned, I’m currently working on a young adult novel set in the 1970s.

End if Interview:

For more from Denise, visit her website, follow her on Twitter, or like her page on Facebook.

Get your copy of Annalise’s Up and Down Day from Amazon US or Amazon UK.