Jan is Jan Fields, moderator of this interview/workshop, and Web Editor of the ICL Web Site. While red signals our guest speaker's responses. Green shows names or usernames of people and the questions they asked of our speaker.

Jan: Welcome, Lori, for coming to talk with us about "Writing Rhyming Nonfiction Picture Books" -- though I'm sure you'll have questions on all sorts of things! We drift that way.

Lori: Thanks for having me! I'm thrilled to be here. I can't wait to give you the buzz on rhyming nonfiction. Sweet! A honey of a topic! (Okay, I promise--no more puns!)

Jan: Awww, Lori, you know we love having a sweetie like you. Everyone's buzzing with excitement.

YAYA: I see that quite a bit of your writing is nonfiction. Can I presume that nonfiction is something of a favorite for you? Or, do you enjoy writing fiction just as much?

Lori: I do have a lot of nonfiction even though I enjoy writing both. Part of this has to do with the opportunities I've been given. Editors have asked me to write a lot of nonfiction and one assignment often leads to another so it was easy to build a nonfiction foundation. Lately, however, I've been concentrating on fiction which has been quite fun. Each requires different skills so it's always refreshing to switch from one to another.

TINA: Do Fiction picture books sell better then non-fiction picture books?

Lori: I don't think either one sells better, although I have heard recently that nonfiction is stronger in the market lately. Nonfiction appeals more to the educational market while fiction pbs tend to appeal to the larger trade market. Each has their own audience.

MMMGOOD: On the same "fiction vs non" theme, is non-fiction harder to write in rhyme than fiction? It seems like it would be a whole new challenge in itself.

Lori: : No, I don't think it's harder to write nonfiction in rhyme. Once you've done the research, it's just a matter of knowing where you're going and spending the time to make the rhyme work. Making the rhyme work is always the challenge! Although the finished product makes it look as if the author just jotted it all down, it's really the result of a lot time and polishing until the words read like glass.

YAYA: Did you always like to write verse or is that something that you developed a love for later?

Lori: Actually, it's something I developed later, although with my dance background I've always had a feel for rhythm and repeated patterns. One of the things I love about writing is the challenge of it. If there's a genre I want to write, I keep at it until I do it. When I decided to write in rhyme, I kept at it. Over time my rhyming improved until I eventually sold rhyming pieces too.

SALASLP: I've been working on a couple of rhyming nf pbs, and I was just wondering if you could share your process of deciding on which topics work best for it. How do you know if you want to make it rhyme or not rhyme? What are possible stoppers? I have a couple of topics--scientific/natural processes--that I want to explore as rhyming nf, but discovered they were too complex for me to tackle in rhyme for 5yos. So I chose other topics...but I'm wondering if you have any guidelines or rules of thumb you use to decide?

Lori: I don't think there are any rules when it comes to nonfiction and what to rhyme or not to rhyme. For my current book, I chose the subject because I'd learned A LOT about bees since my father-in-law was a beekeeper. At one point, he had 300 hives! As I began reading the picture books out there about honey bees, I realized most of them were straight forward. They told everything about honey bees with great photographs. Even though they presented a lot of great information, I thought it would be fascinating to share the honey bee's story within a day. What did bees do all day? What did they do at night? Did all bees do the same thing? I found out--they didn't! Since every child has seen a honey bee, writing a book about them with a new slant seemed like a great idea. Not only would the rhyme appeal to young readers, but the more complex text at the bottom of each page would appeal to slightly older readers too. It turned out to be a great fit. (The editor thought so too!)

MMMGOOD: I'm specifically interested in writing picture books in rhythm and rhyme. I've written several with a "let's pretend" theme. I think they are great fun, but they don't have a plot per se. They all involve a somewhat bossy big sister who makes up all sorts of fun things to fill the day with her little brother, using little or no toys. For instance, my "Let's Pretend We Own the Zoo," includes lots of fun, imaginative things the kids do together through their day of pretend, but does not include the typical story line of having a problem they work out. Is that necessarily always a road block to publication?

Lori: : Even though it may seem as if fun rhymes would be enough accompanied by great illustrations, even rhyming stories have a plot that will carry the reader from page to page. Ultimately, readers keep reading to find out what will happen. Will the main character succeed, or will they fail? This is true even for humorous stories. So think about your character. What could she want? What would get in her way? How will she solve or resolve the situation in the end? Often the best endings are the unexpected ones. What sort of twist at the end will be unexpected but inevitable?

YAYA: Do you remember what your first acceptance was and when?

Lori: My first acceptance was actually at a local community college about twelve years ago when I was a stay-at-home mom of three little ones. I was taking a creative writing class and this particular college had a great writing department. Each year they produced an award winning creative writing publication full of student writing that competed with other college publications. As soon as I heard about it, I was determined to get my writing in that too! I wrote, revised and submitted many things. Finally, one of my poems was selected. I was thrilled!!

Lori: My first acceptance in the children's writing arena turned out to be my final assignment when I took the ICL course many years ago. I couldn't believe it when The Friend send me the letter with "Contract Enclosed" on the cover. I was jumping around for days! (I still have it!)

YAYA: What was the first thing you remember writing with hopes of being published? A story? A poem? A game?

Lori: The one I remember most was my last assignment for my ICL course. I wrote a little fiction story and The Friend bought it! Interestingly, it was never published--awww!! A few years after they bought it, they switched to strictly nonfiction, so even though they own it, they'll probably never publish it. (But it was so exciting when they bought it!) But no matter--by then I'd written lots of other stories.

YAYA: Do you have much contact with any of the people who illustrate your books? I see that there are several different illustrators.

Lori: Interestingly, I have not worked with any of the illustrators who have illustrated my books. Although it seems like authors would connect with illustrators, most of the time they don't. Instead, the editor handles the project and selects the illustrator they believe will best bring the text to life. Of course, sometimes the author is the illustrator too--but not in my case!

YAYA: You still have input, though, don't you?

Lori: Out of all my books, I've only been asked once about the illustrator, and even then it was more like confirming the selection the editor had already made. So, no--the writers and illustrators are very separate.

YAYA: What I meant was, do you have any input as to how the pictures are created or finalized?

Lori: Once I've finished the text, the editor hands it over to the illustrator. Then before they publish it, the editor will send me a pdf file which shows me electronically how the finished pages will look. I may have an opinion about the illustrations, but the editor is not obliged to listen to me whatsoever--and hasn't! Illustrators bring their own vision to the work and it's really between the illustrator and the editor.

YAYA: Wow. That's a lot different than I thought it would be. Thank you for the explanation.

Emac: I was wondering what you see out there with using rhyme in educational nonfiction. Is there a niche for that if it is well done?

Lori: I think there's always a niche for rhyme if it's done well and is targeted for the right age group and interests. Generally, rhyming nonfiction is going to appeal to the younger crowd, but as you can see with my latest book, when I coupled short rhyme with longer text for older readers, it broaden its appeal to an even larger audience.

YAYA: So personalizing and perfecting, basically, is the key?

Lori: Yes--and especially the polishing part. When I was a new writer, I couldn't wait to throw my manuscript in the mail and send it off. Over time, however, it became more important to me to hold back and polish until the manuscript was as good as I could make it. So, when you've finished something, put it aside and work on something else for a while. Then in a week or so, go back to your "finished" project. In an instant you'll see all of its flaws and be glad you still have it so you can revise it again.

YAYA: I've always wondered about the writing opportunities for educational purposes. Do you have any idea how a person could get into writing for the textbooks? That has been a lifelong dream of mine. Thank you.

Lori: I began by researching educational publishers and submitting what they requested. Some only wanted resumes, other wanted writing samples as well. Some contacted me and others haven't. When I'm particularly interested in an educational publishers, I'll send them updated resumes every six months or so--you never know when they'll have just the thing for me! Lol!

LouisaA: when one writes poetry stories, do they always have to be aimed for the 4-6 years-old group?

Lori: No, they don't although they often are. To me, rhyming is a great fit for the picture book crowd and picture books are written for children up to eight years old. Lisa Wheeler is one of my favorite rhymers. Even though the stories appeal to a young audience, her rhymes are clever, fresh, and innovative and tell a wonderful story.

MMMGOOD: Do you feel there is an age where the interest in reading a short, rhyming story would take a downward spiral? Specifically, I've not found anything out there for the junior high age group. Might that be because they would feel it is childish? Or is it that there is just nothing currently done in topics that would interest that age level? How about middle school age? Maybe there are published works that I'm just not aware of?

Lori: I wouldn't call it a downward spiral. Children up to age eight or so, love playing with language. That's why rhyming picture books are such a great fit for that age group. As children get older, however, their interests and needs change. Junior high readers and older want longer, deeper stories about their world. Of course, poetry appeals to all ages. While "romping" types of poetry appeals to younger readers, more complex poetry appeals to older readers.

YAYA: I see that you have a mix of science and history that you have written about. Do you prefer one over the other?

Lori: I especially love biographies, but once I get into a subject, I can't help but get excited about that too!

LouisaA: Are you a member of SCBWI -- if so how has it benefitted you? What are the differences between a national conference and a regional?

Lori: : Yes! I've been a member of SCBWI for many years now. At first, I was skeptical too. It seemed like just another way to spend money I wasn't making. However, SCBWI is the professional organization for children's writers and the benefits are many. Each year I go to regional conferences held in my area. I not only get to network with other writers, but I'm privileged to hear from the best in the industry including editors, agents, authors and illustrators. The online support is great too, including networking, forming critique groups, and market literature especially provided for its members.

ROBERTA: I visited your website and really appreciate your writing tips. I guess I've shied away from attending a lot of classes and conferences, as my writing time is extremely limited already. I feel like if I go to classes and workshops I won't have time enough to do everything. You didn't find that to be true?

Lori: When I first began writing, classes were especially helpful. Since my writing wasn't salable at that point anyway, I felt my time was well spent. I not only met other writers, it helped develop a consistent writing schedule and helped me get accustomed to giving and receiving feedback.

Lori: Conferences are equally helpful for different reasons. When I go to conferences, I get to hear the best in the industry. When they share their experiences, skills, and strategies, I have new tools for improving my own writing and projects. Often, editors at conferences who are normally closed to unagented writers, will accept submissions from conference attendees--another great plus!

YAYA: Not only do you have quite a few books published, but I noticed that you have several different publishers, as well. Do you ever feel nervous about approaching a new publisher?

Lori: Not at all. In fact, the more I work with editors, the more confident I am that other editors will want to work with me too. Success nurtures more success!

YAYA: What would you say is the ideal book length for a rhyming picture book?

Lori: Personally, I like short picture books, rhyming or not. Definitely under 1000 words. Although I loved reading to my children before they went to bed, I had no patience for a ton of text. I wanted to hop, skip, and jump through the pages, just like my kids.

YAYA: Do you write a query letter for picture books of less than 1000 words? If so, how do you start?

Lori: I write cover letters for all of my cold submissions. In each one I try to grab the editor's attention in the first line or two. Then I segway into what the reader/editor will learn by the end of my piece. This one bit of information can be critical. In the past, when I've struggled at this point in the cover letter, I've realized that my story was so unfocused, I didn't know what someone would "get" by the end of the story--a bad sign! But it made me go back and revise until I knew what I wanted to say.

YAYA: I find that the most difficult part of writing is in the organization. Can you offer any suggestions that might make this daunting task more controllable?

Lori: Hmmm . . .organization! That's a good one! Over the years, I've developed a certain system that works well for me. For example, I have two metal file drawers. Each file in the drawers represents a specific manuscript by title. Next to my computer, I keep my green "go" file. It's a green file folder that contains pending cover letters that I'm waiting to hear back on. When I send out a manuscript, I put a copy of the cover letter in the green file. When I receive a reply, I find the letter in the "go" file, write the response and date on it, then file it back in the drawer. Whenever I want to see who I've sent a specific manuscript to, I pull the file from the drawer. Instantly, I can see who I've sent it to and what I told them in each cover letter. I know there are programs online that keep track of submissions, etc., but so far I haven't made much use of them--I like my own system just fine!

YAYA: Thank you, Lori. Now, let me reiterate to make sure I understand. In your green 'go' file, you file every cover letter pertaining to that story? Uuuummmmm, not to sound dumb, but if all of your files are green for all of the different things you are writing, doesn't that get a little confusing? Obviously, mine is not a mind that organizes easily.

Lori: Sorry, Joany--I guess I didn't explain my green "go" file very well. Let's say I've written five stories, each with their own cover letter. To keep track of what I've sent out, I'll put a copy of each letter into my green file. That way whenever I want to see what's still out there, I can open my file and there they are--all the submissions I have out at any one time. When I finally receive an answer one way or another, I pull the cover letter and file it with the story in the drawer file. By the same token, when I check any individual story file in my drawer, I can see which publishers I've sent it to and what I've said.

YAYA: It sounds as if you write everyday. Do you have a set number of words you aspire to or do you prefer a set amount of time? Or, do neither of those methods work out best for you and there's some other system that you follow?

Lori: My best system is just showing up! lol! I get as much done as I can. Sometimes I get an idea and run with it. Other times I struggle all day and only get a stanza or two if I'm working on a rhyming pb manuscript for example. Sometimes I'm not happy with anything that I write, but it's all part of the process. When I get over that hump, whatever I come up with will be better for having expended the mental energy.

YAYA: Other than the obvious sick and emergency situations, are there some situations that you accept as 'non-writing' circumstances if you have the time available?

Lori: I think writers are always writing--if not on the computer, then toying with ideas in their minds LOL! However, finding a balance between writing and family is important, so I do most of my writing while my teens are at school. Quiet time is invaluable! By the time the afternoon rolls around, my house is jumping with teens and their friends, so knowing the house is going to get noisy later, makes me more determined to get as much as I can done during the morning.

YAYA: Do you come from a writing family?

Lori: No, I don't. My father was a research chemist and my mother was a secretary/bookkeeper. I learned how to type when I was 10 years old and that's been very helpful.

YAYA: Do any of your children aspire to be writers? Or, artists?

Lori: Of my three children, my daughter enjoys reading and writing poetry. My sons, not so much, although one son is interested in pursuing an education in computer game design. (I'm just happy when they read books!) lol!

YAYA: know that you didn't start writing until you were a stay-at-home mom, but do you remember anything specific that started you thinking you might like to write? For instance, did your kids say or do something or were you just looking for a way to earn money from home? Maybe, you were doodling one day and realized that rhyme was just something that came naturally to you? I'd love to hear the why.

Lori: Ah . . what got me writing? Actually, at the time I was looking for something to sink my teeth into. I was home with three little ones and was looking for something that was just "mine" if you know what I mean. One of my outlets from mommydom was taking a variety of courses at my local community college. I took sewing, interior design, horticulture, etc. but when I took a writing class, a light bulb went on. I wanted to do this! I had to do it! I wanted to do it more than anything else.

Lori: Although I got my degree in professional dance, when I look back, I see that I was regularly drawn to the children's section of the campus bookstore even though I wasn't married or had any children. Strange, huh? I've always loved reading and becoming a writer--or believing I could become a writer--was a dream come true

YAYA: Have your always enjoyed reading children's books, then? Do you still?

Lori: Yes, I do love children's book. They're like little masterpieces--the perfect combination of text and imagery that tells a wonderful story that everyone can relate to.

YAYA: Did you have an agent to get your first book sold? Do you work with an agent, as a rule?

Lori: No, I didn't have an agent when I sold my first book. But once they sent me a contract, I did have an attorney familiar with children's literature contracts look it over. Very helpful! An agent in the future? Maybe! In the meantime, I'll keep writing!

YAYA: How did you know how to find a lawyer who was familiar with children's literature contracts? Somehow, I don't ever recall seeing that particular description on a wall in any of the lawyers' offices where I have visited.

Lori: A writing friend of mine suggested her. That's where networking at conferences and at online writing listservs proves invaluable. So many wonderful connections for information, support, and friendship.

YAYA: *Whew* The more I learn about those conferences, the more I want to take part.

LOUISEA: Have you ever worked with an agent on any of your sales?

Lori: No, I don't have an agent so whatever I've sold, I've sold on my own. I did have an agent a few years ago who handled two of my manuscripts. But when they didn't sell in a year, we parted ways. One of those manuscripts happened to be the one I eventually sold to Clarion last year. Agents are great, but you can sell manuscripts without them.

LOUISA: Did you, or do you, submit by yearly writing samples or by book proposal package or do you write your books as a picture book, submitting them individually?

Lori: To receive assignments from educational publishers, I send writing samples and my resume. When I work on my own projects, I send them individually to publishers I hope will be interested.

LOUISA: Have you gotten any rejections on your work? Any? I have only begun submitting recently. December 26th was my first submission. Since then I have submitted eight items and have only heard back on two of them. Both were rejections. Both had something handwritten on a form letter, but still, a rejection is a rejection. I have heard some authors say they sold the first thing they wrote and others say that they had hundreds before they sold anything. Where do you stand? and Do you keep your rejections?

Lori: Rejections are hard at first, especially when your own writing production is rolling forward slowly. Then after waiting forever--it's rejected! Sometimes you don't hear back at all. However, since you said that an editor wrote a personal note on it, that's actually an encouraging sign! They're giving you encouragement even though they have turned down that specific submission.

Lori: I've been rejected so many times, I've lost count! And yes, I keep them--they're stuffed in my file drawer along with each item I've submitted. If I ever decide to revise a piece, I may look over any personal rejections and see if the editor has really made beneficial comments--they usually do!

Lori: At an SCBWI conference several years ago, I heard one of the most encouraging statements from a very prominent writer I've ever heard. She said, "If you only knew how many times I've been rejected."

Lori: That one statement contained so much!! To be rejected so many times meant that she'd been turning out numbers of manuscripts on a regular basis. She didn't write something, then wait to hear back on it before writing another one. To me this meant she was in a constant state of production. And since she was a terribly successful author, I knew that many things she'd written had been rejected, but she still sold enough to be incredibly successful.

Lori: It's never any fun to get rejections, but I'm usually so involved in my current projects, it's just something to check off. When I'm ready, I'll send out the manuscript again. Next time around it will be even better and when I'm confident about the quality of my work, that gives me confidence that an editor will eventually like it too!

Lori: The key word in all of this is persistence! People who want to sell must keep writing, writing, writing. Over time, their writing improves and their persistence pays off!

YAYA: How many times will you send a manuscript to different publishers and have it returned, before you decide it must not be publishable?

Lori: Once I finish a manuscript to my satisfaction, I'll send it out to five publishers. If all of them return it, then I look at the manuscript again. Usually, since I haven't read it in a long time, I can see its weaknesses and I'll revise it and send it out again.

Lori: Interestingly, at the end of last year, I sold a rhyming pb to Clarion. It happened to be one of those manuscripts that had many incarnations and had been sent to nearly everyone. Each time I got it back, I revised it. When it came once again, I gave it a hard look and realized I'd neglected to establish an interesting main character in the first stanza--a major flaw! When I fixed that, it sold!

YAYA: Have you ever felt comfortable having your work critiqued by someone outside of your own family, before submitting it to a publisher? The reason I ask is because until I found these boards, it wasn't something that ever presented itself. I was never around other writers and didn't realize there were boards such as the Writer's Retreat. Now, I feel a little like a fish out of water, if you'll pardon the cliche', and don't quite know how to break that barrier down or, even if I should. I would appreciate your feelings concerning this.

Lori: Critiques outside of one's family may seem scary at first, but writers embrace them. When I first began writing I was hesitant to share my work with others. What would they think? Would they just rip it to shreds after all the blood, sweat and tears I'd lavished on it?

Lori: I discovered my fears were unfounded. To make my writing as polished and professional as it could be, I needed to share my work with other writers who would give me their opinion about what was good and what could be improved. As writers, we get so involved in our own writing, we usually don't see the flaws that are obvious to others. I discovered that criticisms about my work were not a reflection on me. Whatever I submitted to my critique group was just one of many things I would write. Not only did I get great feedback about my work, reviewing their work sharpened my editorial senses as well. Manuscript by manuscript, I learned why I liked certain stories and articles and why some left me flat. It's a wonderful, supportive, and educational process. Most writers belong to at least one critique group if not more, some online and some in person. (I belong to three!)

YAYA: I like the Rebus you did about two birds. Have you done many Rebus' in your writing career? How did you decide to turn your story into a Rebus?

Lori: Actually, I love rebuses! At one time, I belonged to a rebus critique group. We focused just on writing rebuses--and we got good at it! I've sold many rebuses. The shortness of rebuses makes them especially challenging since the author needs to tell a story within 200 words and include an unexpected twist at the end. I wrote the two bird rebus story because I thought the idea and the repeatable nature of the words would fit that genre especially well.

YAYA: There are critique groups for writing a rebus?!? The first one I did was a test to see if I could. It sold and I was thrilled. I didn't have any idea of what the rules were for writing them, though. You are a wealth of information. Thank you.

Lori: : Yes, we discovered each other online and since we all wanted to write rebuses, we formed our own email critique group. That's why the ICL website is so great. So easy to make connections with like-minded people (although my friends and I didn't happen to at the ICL website in this instance.)

YAYA: Who was your instructor when you took the ICL course? Did you take any of the extension courses?

Lori: My first instructor was Myra Johnson. (I couldn't wait to get her letter in the mail!) When I took the advanced course, my instructor was Veda Boyd Jones. I was thrilled when several years later each of us had an article published in the same issue of the now defunct KidTime magazine. (Imagine! Me sharing a magazine with my very own instructor!)

YAYA: Do you or have you ever entered lots of contests to get more writing exposure?

Lori: No, I haven't entered a lot of contests for the exposure. When I first began writing, I chose a few contests here and there for the challenge and experience. However, once I won a contest, it was great to be able to put that in a cover letter and on my web site. More than anything, however, I studied specific magazines such as Highlights, Ladybug, etc. and kept submitting and submitting. The more I understood what they wanted, the more my chances increased that they'd buy what I wrote. Every time I sold something, I'd include their treasured name in my next cover letter. Little by little, my resume grew . . . and so did my opportunities.

YAYA: I guess I don't quite understand how to mention past submissions in a cover letter. Could you please explain that? Also, do you list all of your published works in each of your cover letters for articles, as well as when submitting a book idea? And do you submit book ideas in queries or do you submit the finished book?

Lori: I shape my cover letters to fit whatever editor or publisher I want to appeal to. At first, I included any publishing credits whatsoever, but as my credits grew I included fiction credits to support a fiction submission and nonfiction credits to support nonfiction submissions.

Lori: One of my earlier cover letter paragraphs looked like this:

An active member of SCBWI, I've sold ___ (amount) of stories and articles to many publications including ____, ____, and ____. (names of publications).

Thank you for your consideration. I look forward to hearing from you.

Lori: These days, I don't list all of my credits, but simply summarize them, then break out two or three titles that would be especially applicable to the editor I'm submitting to.

YAYA: Do you feel that writing competitions pay off as compared to the time and effort they take to enter them? Or, do you feel that a writer's time is better spent creating more individual work?

Lori: That's a great question! And my answer is--it depends! Entering contests is a great way to build motivation and experience. The rules, themes and word counts give entrants a precise measuring stick--which I like. When everything in the world is an option to write about, it's easy to flounder. However, if a contest says, hey, we're looking for a 500-word article about holidays, that peaks my interest. Suddenly, the field is much narrower and I'm forced--if I decide to enter that is --to find that fresh angle to write about holidays. I'm also choosy about the contests I enter. For example, when I read about the Advice for Beginning Writers Contest in Byline several years ago, I was instantly drawn to the subject because I knew I had something to say. I wrote it in a couple of days and sent it off the last day before the deadline. If money is an issue, I'd only enter contests with no fee or a low fee. I have one writing friend who enters a lot of contests--and she wins quite often. Just like everything else, the more you do it, the better you get at it.

YAYA: Would you say, then, that $50 and $100 entry fees, when starting out, are prob'y not wise investments?

Lori: That's right. I'd stick to contests with fee of $10 or under. Even better--no fee at all!

YAYA: Do you know if contest fees can be deducted at tax time?

Lori: I'm not qualified to give tax advice, but I do have my own writing business--and yes, anything I spent on writing is deducted at tax time.

YAYA: Have you ever had any of your work accepted, but not published? If so, how did you deal with it, if you don't mind my asking?

Lori: Yes, I've had many manuscripts sell which still haven't been published. It's a little disappointing, but I just keep moving. There are so many other things to write about that I soon forget about it and look forward to the next one that is being published.

YAYA: Have you ever tried to buy any of them back so you could publish them somewhere else?

Lori: No . . . the stories were really geared towards that specific market. Although one of the strategies in the magazine market is changing up a manuscript so it could be sold to other markets--change the names, tweak the plot, so in this case, for example, it could sell to another religious market.

YAYA: Do you maintain your own website or do you work with someone else to keep it up to date?

Lori: Because I'm interested in pinching pennies, I've done all the work on my website myself--and boy, was it an education! I've revamped it several times over the last three years, and each time it gets better. The first time, I used Printshop15 which is now outdated. I used Kompozer for my latest version. (It's a free online web design software that even has free tutorials available online.) I could probably spend as much time tweaking my web site as I do writing . . . lol!

YAYA: Do you ever get ideas from family?

Lori: Yes, I have been known to yell across the house, "Hey ____ (fill in name of child) what do you think of this . . ?" I also like to bounce ideas off my husband. Sometimes he comes up with the best ideas! Probably because he's not emotionally vested in the answer. Since it's not computer engineer oriented--his daily work--he's free to give me a fun, off-the-cuff answer.

YAYA: Have you written books with other people? And have you ever done any work with your children?

Lori: The closest I've come to writing something with someone else was a recent project for Trillium. They'd already published a book about elephants written by someone else. This time around, they wanted me to rewrite the book for a younger age group, so when it comes out, both of our names will be on it. And no, I haven't written anything with my children. Not so much that I wouldn't like to, but at this point they're not interested. Right now, they're more interested in cars, boys, girls, etc. than what Mom is doing.

EMAIL: Do you find it easier to publish animal characters in rhyming nonfiction, or do publishers prefer children characters for rhyming nonfiction? I would like to write both rhyming fiction and nonfiction using both types of characters, but I find it difficult nowadays submitting animal characters. I have had one nonrhyming animal fiction story I had written while still a student at ICL rejected a few times (even rewritten). It is a holiday story. The publishers do not seem interested in many animal stories. What is your feelings on this?

Lori: Before I answer it's important to understand the elements of fiction and nonfiction. In fiction, authors create characters that will face a problem, struggle to overcome it, then finally resolve it in the end. By the end of the story, the main character has changed or grown in some way whether the story is mysterious, humorous, or on the serious side. In straight nonfiction, however, there are no "main characters." Nonfiction writers research specific subjects such as people, animals, and yes--even honey bees . and share that information in new and exciting ways.

Lori: What I decide to write depends on the magazine I'm targeting. If the magazine publishes a lot of human character stories, then I'll write and submit that kind of story too. (Who can argue with success?) If the magazine publishes a lot of stories with animals as the main character, then I study what they've written and submit those types of stories.

Lori: For example, one day I was reading an issue of Highlights and happened to see an illustration of a wonderful goose in one of their stories. The goose looked so goofy, I immediately wanted to write a story about a goose too. I had a lot of fun playing around with ideas and finally settled on the idea of Mother Goose with a problem. What problem? I wondered. I know! She wanted to give Farmer Brown a birthday present. This story eventually became "Goose Feathers" that appeared in Highlight's August 2006 issue.

YAYA: You mention on your website that you have published reading software. I hope this isn't a dumb question, but what is reading software? Also, is that something that you needed to learn special computer skills for?

Lori: Several years ago, I connected with an editor in Canada that produced reading software, an interactive program that helped students read and comprehend a series of stories and articles based on different age groups and abilities. It was a great stepping stone and forced me to write and produce on a regular basis. And no, I didn't need special computer skills. Once I finished a story or article, I'd send it as an attachment to the editor and they did the rest.

EMAIL: What subject material do you find the most difficult for children these days to relate to? And is rhyming fiction/nonfiction stories/articles difficult to find markets with publishers willing to publish this type of material?

Lori: Rather than think about what children may have a difficult time relating to, I write about things that excite me. If I'm excited about a subject, then I know my excitement will flow into my writing and will stir children's interest as well. Is it difficult to find markets for rhyming fiction/nonfiction? I believe good rhyming fiction or nonfiction will always find a home. Although some book editors say they're not interested in rhyming manuscripts, what they really mean is that they're not interested in bad rhyming. Writing in rhyme takes more time. The text not only has to tell a great story without sounded forced, it also has to read smoothly and effortlessly. If I stumble over a line even once, I revise until it can only be read one way. One good way to find rhyming glitches is to put the manuscript away for a while. When you pull it out again, you'll get a fresh read that will magnify all the places that still need work.

MMMGOOD: Your tip about putting it away a while and then going back to it is so true! Sometimes I "see" what I think I wrote! Putting it away for a while and then returning to it can be a real eye-opener.

Lori: What age do you prefer to write for? Do you write for boys or girls or just generally for the forces?

Lori: I prefer to write for picture book age up through middle grade. For some reason, I really relate to these age groups--their insecurities, doubts, struggles and wonder. (Probably because I HAD a lot of insecurities, doubts, and struggles growing up!)

YAYA: You seem to like a lot of different subjects. Have you always been interested in a variety of subjects or only since you've been writing?

Lori: I do like a lot of subjects! There are sooo many interesting things out there. Sometimes when an editor has given me a subject to write about, I may not know anything about it. But as I do research and find out more and more, I can't help but get excited about all the wonderful things I'm going to tell my readers and how much I would have liked to know what I'm going to tell them when I was a child.

Jan: You were FANTASTIC Lori...thanks for buzzing around all the questions! This will be a fun transcript to put together with all the wonderful input you've given. Thanks a bizzzzzion.

Lori: I have enjoyed visiting and especially appreciate everyone's interest in my work and words here and on the page.