Author Interview: Megan Pighetti (Part 1 of 2)
‘I wish, I wish with all my might that I will be fairy-tailed tonight.’
It’s not just novelists I interview here on Penstricken, y’know. Young children love a good story just as much as the rest of us, and so I was delighted to be given the opportunity to read Fairy-Tailed Wish by Megan Pighetti.
I had the pleasure of chatting with Megan about her writing routine, working with illustrators and, of course, her wonderful new picture book, Fairy-Tailed Wish which is available to buy now.
This is part one of our interview. Be sure to check back next week for part two!
How did you get into writing picture books?
It all started with an idea that I just couldn’t shake. One that I enjoyed as a child, and I felt impacted my life in a positive way, even now as an adult. Finally, I decided, I wanted to bring the joy I felt as a child, and I saw on my children’s faces, to others in the world. Once I started writing more ideas flowed, and I realised that I had an oddly organised imagination.
What’s your writing routine like?
Picture books are meant to be short. The fewer words the better, many people may think that makes them easy to write… but it actually makes it quite tricky. Deciding what words to cut, because they can be shown in the pictures (which have not been created yet), or what expression the character can have on their faces instead of being said in words, is a difficult task. My writing routine begins with my thoughts. I do a lot of my ‘writing’ in my head. Then I jot some notes down and think some more. Once I have a story, I am happy with I go back through it again and really focus on the opening lines, then go page by page and see what I would picture as the illustration. Even though I am not the illustrator, if I cannot picture something with the text, I feel like there is not enough content there to move the story along for the reader or the illustrator on that page.
As well as being very well written, of course, Fairy-Tailed Wish is also beautifully illustrated by Tamara Piper. I’m curious, what is the process like of finding and working with an illustrator?
Great questions, I think when self-publishing everyone does it a little differently. I, personally, had a very specific vision in mind for the book. Tamara did an amazing job adding her twist to everything and bringing my vision to life. I sent her the manuscript along with my illustrative notes for each page. I tried to not be too specific so that I could give her some artistic flexibility as well. There are many different ways to find an illustrator for your picture book. I am part of lots of Facebook groups where very talented artists advertise. However, I use a site called Fiverr and I have been happy with that. That is where Tamara and I connected. She was a joy to work with and I can’t wait to collaborate with her again on my next book.
Tell us a bit more about ‘Fairy-Tailing.’ What is it and how did it come about?
I was blessed with wonderful and creative parents. I have two sisters (I’m in the middle). My Dad was in the Air Force and when we were young, we moved around a lot. My parents wanted to find ways to make each home feel similar and have traditions that followed us in each assignment. The Birthday Fairy was, by far, my favourite. I have such fond memories of how I felt waking up in the morning and seeing my room covered in toilet paper. I never had to wonder if it was my birthday, I knew the moment I opened my eyes. I wanted to share that joy with the rest of the world. Basically, the child makes a wish on their birthday eve for the Birthday Fairy to come visit during the night and they hang a homemade charm on the door. I love that a small craft is involved. It can be as simple as a few beads on a string, the magic comes from within the child after all. Then in the night the Birthday Fairy comes and Fairy-Tailes the room by decorating it with toilet paper. It is affordable and something everyone has, which is fantastic! You never have to run to the store or panic that you do not have the supplies the fairies need. When the special birthday child wakes up in the morning, they feel like they are in a magical wonderland, as they have been Fairy-Tailed. It also serves a second purpose, helping children with the concept of time. Many times, the first thing kids wake up and ask is: ‘Is today my birthday?’ The concept of time is a difficult one and it takes years to master. You want your little one to feel joy the second they wake up on their special day, and not wonder if it is today. This tradition solves that problem, which is the other reason it is one of my favourites.
COME BACK NEXT WEEK FOR PART 2
Click here to visit Megan Pighetti’s website
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ATTENTION AUTHORS:
Every Tuesday, I post a new edition of Spotlight: a short post which shines a proverbial spotlight on a published novel or collection of short fiction. If you would like to have your book considered for a future edition of Spotlight, drop us an e-mail including a short synopsis of your book and a link to where we can buy it. Better yet, send me a copy of your book and I can include a mini-review.
I’m still looking to interview fiction authors here on Penstricken, especially new or indie authors. Whether it’s books, plays, comics or any other kind of fiction, if you’ve got something written, I want to hear about it. If you’re interested in having your work featured on Penstricken, be to sure to drop us an e-mail or message us on Facebook/Twitter/Pinterest.
Please be advised that due to a recent surge in interest, I am presently committed to a significant number of reviews/interviews over the next couple of months. If you would like an interview or review, I would still love to hear from you, though it is unlikely that I will be able to begin work immediately.
You can check out our previous interviews here:
- Sharleen Nelson, author of The Time Tourists [2]
- D. Wallace Peach, author of the Shattered Sea duology [2]
- Jacob Klop, author of Crooked Souls
- H.L. Walsh, author of From Men and Angels [2]
- G.M. Nair, author of Duckett and Dyer: Dicks for Hire
- Georgia Springate, author of Beyond
- S.E. Morgan, author of From Waterloo to Water Street
Andrew Ferguson 