UPDATE- Winners Announced! Creator Interview PLUS a 20-Book Giveaway: Jason Lefebvre

Author of the Upcoming Picture Book SO MUCH SLIME!

Giveaway winners announced below!

I'm delighted that as a part of Flashlight Press' 20th anniversary celebration, I had the opportunity to interview Jason Lefebvre and discuss his upcoming book SO MUCH SLIME, the companion to his award-winning picture book Too Much Glue.

Illustrated by Zac Retz, this creatively messy adventure is perfect for crafty kiddos who love to experiment with hands-on fun.

The book releases in September of 2024, and as part of the anniversary celebration, Flashlight Press is giving away 20 copies of the book! Read on to learn about the book and how to enter the giveaway!

"The best part about picture books is that words are at a real premium which makes ALL of them important.  One sentence or one word can change the entire path of the story and that’s exciting."

Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did your journey as a Kidlit creator begin? 

I was always into drawing (with varying degrees of success) when I was younger and liked writing as well.  I loved being read to and reading when, but through high school and college I kind of lost the idea of reading for pleasure.  When I graduated from college I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to do so I got a job at a summer camp working with Kindergarteners, then got a job as a teacher’s assistant at a daycare, and eventually as an aide in a preschool program.  Reading to the kids and being around their energy and imaginations made me want to write my own stories.  It started off as just a hobby, but then I got more into trying to get published which was when the real work began.

SO MUCH SLIME and its companion, TOO MUCH GLUE, encourage and celebrate creativity and the messes that come with it. What inspired you to write these stories?

Working in a preschool shows you just how quickly things can go haywire if you aren’t paying close attention.  Kids are WAY more creative than most adults because their brains are spongey and thirsty for things to discover.  I started keeping notes when particularly interesting things happened.  When we would do art projects, there were the kids that were precise in their work and everything had to be just so.  There were the kids that wanted to take the supplies and make something completely different, and then there were the kids that wanted to just squeeze an entire bottle of glue on a piece of paper the end.  It’s all valid!  I was always drawn to the kids who could sometimes get a little too energetic and too creative and I often would write stories about them.  We all would like to think that we walk to the beat of our own drummer, but only the bravest actually make it their life philosophy.

Can you share what the revision process was like for this book? How different was the final manuscript from the first draft?

Revising is fun.  Shari at Flashlight Press is an amazing editor.  She is great to work with.  She has many ideas as to where she sees the story going, but is collaborative in how that happens.  You can spend a week on just one word or phrase.  Should it be a lake of slime? Should it be a tidal wave of slime?  Should it be a slime Tsunami?  The best part about picture books is that words are at a real premium which makes ALL of them important.  One sentence or one word can change the entire path of the story and that’s exciting.  

What is your favorite thing about creating stories for children?

That ultimately there are little to no rules.  If you can dream it, you can create it.  The words and the pictures have to be in perfect harmony.  Explaining everything in words would be too long and boring, so you need to have illustrations that bridge the gap between the text and the action.  To say that I think Zac Retz is amazing at this is an understatement.  When everything is in sync, there isn’t anything much more fun than creating a picture book.

I couldn't agree more! Picture books are so fun to write because of the partnership between words and art. Who are some authors or illustrators that inspired your style as a creator?

I was always a huge fan of Tedd Arnold stories when I was working in preschool and when I was a children’s librarian.  His stories and illustrations are funky and fun.  Oliver Jeffers is a genius and Stuck is still a story time story good for all ages. Jan Thomas is amazing and when I first read Let’s Sing a Lullaby with the Brave Cowboy I spent a few days recovering from the fact that some people really ooze talent and make hard work and precise writing look easy (even though it isn’t).  Another story I was obsessed with (and maybe still am) was Monty’s Magnificent Mane by Gemma O’Neil.  No matter how many times I read it there is still a chance I might cry a little at the end.  There are a lot of talented people out there, but I’ll stop there.

What is a favorite craft tip you’d like to share with other creators?

Shaving cream is a really good way to clean a funky craft table.  You can let the kids play in it for a while and when you wipe it down it’s shiny and ready for more messes.  (Maybe everybody already knows this).

What advice do you have for someone considering starting their journey as a Kidlit creator?

Know what your goal is. There is a difference in my mind between being a writer and being an author.  If you want to be a writer, write away.  Share it with the people you love and the people that love you.  It’s a great hobby that can make you happy.  If you want to be an author, you have to be willing to share a part of yourself with EVERYONE and hear what EVERYONE has to say about it. And it won’t all be good.  When Kirkus was going to review Too Much Glue I told eeeeeeverybody to read it.  This was still when it came out in print to libraries etc. (maybe it still does).  I waited for the issue. I was so proud Kirkus was going to review something I wrote.  The reviewer concluded “great gobs of glue should be more fun than this.”  Haha! GREAT line.  The story wasn’t for that person and that’s totally alright.  If we all liked all the same stuff the world would be a boring place.  The next day the sun came up and life went on. Fortunately, since that time I have been lucky enough to visit thousands of kids in hundreds of classrooms and we have still managed to have a lot of fun with the book.

Such great advice and so important to remember! Is there anything else about you, your career, or the industry that you’d like to share?

Only that I continue to write.  With the help of my agent Alyssa Eisner Henkin I continue to submit. And I continue to hope to have other stories published.  I have many, some of which are actually good ☺.  I try to enjoy what I have and realistically hope for what I want.  I also just want to say thanks, Julie.  This has been a lot of fun!

Thank YOU, Jason! It's been such a treat getting to know you. Congratulations on your upcoming book birthday!

Speed Round: This or That!

Summer or Winter?	​Winter
Chocolate or Vanilla?	Both? Is that OK?
Cats or Dogs?	This might get me in trouble at home. Dogs, but I love my cat!
Playlists or Podcasts?	Somehow now podcasts. Does that make me old?
Text or Call?	Yikes! Text. Every day of the week and twice on Sunday.
Unicorn or Dragon?	Dragon. I have a story "There's a Dragon in Our Drainpipes". I don't know if it's on the good list or not.
Ice Cream or Cake?	I won't say both again but it's tough... cake.
Coffee or Tea?	Unsweetened iced tea. My doctor will like that answer (and that is definitely because I'm getting old).
Sunrise or Sunset?	Sunrise

Time for the Giveaway!

To celebrate their 20th anniversary, Flashlight Press is giving away 20 copies of SO MUCH SLIME! Here are the details:

To Enter:

COMMENT on this blog post to thank Jason & Flashlight Press!

LIKE, COMMENT, AND SHARE my post on Twitter/X OR Bluesky

Deadline to enter: Friday, August 23rd

Winners will be randomly selected on/around AUGUST 26th and announced in an update here as well as on Twitter/X. Books will only be shipped in the US, so winners must have a US address.

GIVEAWAY WINNERS: Please DM me via Twitter/X or Bluesky to claim your prize! Please reach out by Tuesday, 9/3 or I will draw another winner. Congratulations to:

1. Stephanie Henson

2. Katie Reinert

3. Gayle Krause

4. Danielle Hammelef

5. Stephanie Owen

6. Maria Powell

7. Lori Tecler

8. Ashley Congdon

9. Regina Coates

10. Karen Kovach

11. Jennifer Merrifield

12. Angel Gantnier

13. Jacqueline Lindsey

14. Ryann Jones

15. Tina Cho

16. Janet Sheets

17. Kim Colazzo

18. Miss Barr

19. Nicole Garnett

20. Bri Lawyer

Be sure to connect with Jason by heading over to his website, and stay tuned for a Haus-Hold Picture Book Review of SO MUCH SLIME on August 16th!