PICTURE BOOK: Blaine author, illustrator finishing 3rd book

New election laws take effect

very creative family. My dad had been an art teacher when I was young, and my mom was also highly creative, always crocheting, sewing, taking ceramics classes and more. At college, I found myself pulled in the direction of art, so I followed my heart. I majored in art and minored in creative writing. I then bounced around creatively. I worked as a freelance artist, costume designer, art store manager, and more before I found myself wanting to write again. So, I got an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults. I then spent ten years teaching creative writing, composition, and literature courses at the college level. I also own Red Bridge Editorial, an editing and ghostwriting service, and I have ten years of experience working at independent children’s bookstores. I have poetry, essays, reviews and illustrations published in books and magazines in the U.S.

A: (Sara Nintzel) Creativity and Art have always been a big part of my life. I’ve enjoyed drawing since I was a kid and always loved children’s books. My Mom and I would take many trips to the library, and I remember studying the illustrations in the new books. I went to school for Fashion Design and currently design kids clothing for a large retailer.

Q: What drew you to being an illustrator?

A: (Annie Kuhn) I have known since childhood that I wanted to make children’s books when I grew up. While I do not recall my specific age or the book which inspired it, I do know the exact moment the idea lodged itself in my soul. I was browsing through books in the elementary school library when I spied an old favorite. I pulled the book off the shelf and paged through, lovingly. Then I closed the cover and held the book tightly in my hands, feeling filled with emotion and gratitude toward the author. I said to myself, “Someday I’m going to make a book for kids that will touch someone’s life the way this book has touched mine.” I don’t know if I’ve achieved that yet, but that’s what motivates me.

Q: What inspired you during the creation of this book?

A: (Sara Nintzel) As a mom of two young boys, during the pandemic we spent much of our time at home and coming up with ways to stay busy. My artwork was inspired by them washing the dishes, this is something that would keep their attention for quite some time. They loved it! We also made a lot of window and chalk artwork as a way to spread some cheer which shows up in a couple of my illustrations.

Q: How long did it take? How was it working with 13 other artists?

A: (Annie Kuhn) This is a unique project. While picture books sometimes have writing or illustration “teams,” they are often pairs of friends or family members, such as Diane and Leo Dillon, a husband and wife illustration duo. Freeman’s vision was to capture the diverse experience of the pandemic by having a diverse array of illustration styles. I loved this idea! We had a global shared experience, but it looked a bit different in each home or region. So, he reached out to hundreds of illustrators, and I was one of the lucky few who got to sign onto this project. As I was one of the last to sign on, I created four illustrations for the book over a period of about six months. And I was amazed at how smoothly everything ran, thanks to Freeman’s awesome management skills! What message do you hope to leave with the people that read your book? That there were some positives during this incredibly challenging experience. So many people worked so hard to help make the best of a situation. Maybe gratitude is the message.

Q: Do you plan to participate in any future projects?

A: (Sara Nintzel) Yes, I’d like to. I recently attended the Society of Children’s Writers and Illustrators Conference in St. Paul and it was great meeting so many people passionate about writing and illustrating children’s books. Also, I’m finishing my third book, “Wonderful Being: Positive Affirmations for Kids,” with illustrated forest animals, to launch in fall 2023.

More information can be found about “A Pandemic Picture Book” on the website pandemicpb.com.