Five Questions Anita

By Cashmere

Is there another author/illustrator you’d love to collaborate with in the future? Why? 4

Gosh. That’s a great question. I was so fortunate to be paired with Carolina Farias, who did the illustrations for The Topsy-Turvy Bus. Since this was my debut picture book, the publishing company paired me with an experienced illustrator. We’ve never actually met. She’s from Argentina, which is so cool. As for working with other illustrators or writers—there are so many I admire. I could give you a list, but that would fill your entire publication. So many of my favorite authors and illustrators work and live locally. I’ve been in an Ann Arbor critique group for many, many years. We have an incredible community of writers and artists in Michigan, many of whom belong to The Society of Children’s Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI-MI).

What’s next for you? 5

Several of my picture book manuscripts I wrote during pandemic are being considered for publication. And one, in particular, is now a non-fiction, middlegrade novel in verse and is scheduled to be released in 2025. It’s my heart book, and it has a social justice theme. I desperately wanted to write about Colin Kaepernick or the 1968 Olympians, and their silent protests, but those are not my stories to tell. I’m also back to working daily on the novels I started in Vermont. I’m really excited to be back working on a science-based manuscript. It’s upper-middle grade and there is a card game based on the book. The game is scheduled to go into production relatively soon.

Anita Pazner earned an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from the Vermont College of Fine Arts (VCFA) and a Master Gardening degree from Michigan State University. She’s created picture-book workshops for kids of all ages, ranging from second graders to high school students. She’s presented lectures for the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI), VCFA, and The Association of Writers & Writing Programs (AWP). Pazner continues to volunteer her time to several non-profit organizations including Hazon, dedicated to making the world a better, cleaner, kinder place for us all. Pazner spends her free time training a rascally dog, named Finn, and playing in the dirt. Connect with Pazner at anitapazner.com, on Instagram @anitapazner, and on Pinterest @apaznerwrites.