I first considered writing a middle grade biography of Ursula Nordstrom in August, 2022. I submitted a book proposal in April of 2023 and it was acquired a month later. Then, I had to write it!
I submitted the manuscript in January, 2024. A year or so of revisions followed.
This was the very first newsletter I sent out in August 2025. At that time, I had 86 subscribers. I thought I’d publish the newsletters in order, so you could see what the tail end of the process looked like–starting with the “cover reveal.” Perhaps at some point, I’ll go back and write about the research and writing process in more detail. But for now, this is how the publishing part started. Keep in mind that this is my debut book–so I was learning how this all worked as I went along, and as fast as I could.
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So excited to show you the cover of my debut book! And so grateful to artist (and author) Aura Lewis for her fun, playful cover. You’ll find hints to many of the books Ursula edited sprinkled throughout.
Book news Abrams announced the publication date for BOOKS GOOD ENOUGH FOR YOU: March 24, 2026. By the end of this week, it should be available for pre-order through all the usual online booksellers. You can also ask your local bookstore and public library to pre-order. I just completed a Q & A with Betsy Bird at School Library Journal. It’s scheduled to drop online on Wednesday, August 13. https://afuse8production.slj.com/. In the meantime, SLJ has already published its review, which starts “A fascinating biography.…” http://bit.ly/45e5XBu How cool is that? I did find Ursula fascinating–I hope you will, too. In these newsletters, I’m aspiring to recommend children’s books each time. Here are four books I love: Two picture book recommendations Fiction: ANIMALS IN PANTS, by Suzy Levinson, illus. by Kristen and Kevin Howdeshell. Laugh-out-loud poems. Fun art. It’s hilarious! Nonfiction: HONEYBEE, by Candace Fleming, illus. by Eric Rohmann. Biography. Amazing hero’s journey. Honeybees seen in an entirely new light. Two middle-grade recommendations Fiction: CITY SPIES, by James Ponti. A series of six books so far, about teenagers recruited by MI6; each has different strengths. Action-packed. Believable dialogue. Page-turners. Nonfiction: THE WOMAN WHO SPLIT THE ATOM, by Marissa Moss. A biography of Lise Meitner. Physics-made-easy. (Even for me.) Cool graphics. Gripping WWII story. OK! I promised not to overload you and to make these newsletters short. I’d love to hear what you think. See you next time! Nancy |
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