BEA, Bitty Baby and Me

About a year ago, I was invited to audition for a brand new line of picture books that American Girl was producing. I was intrigued -- though I am best known as a novel writer, I started my career writing picture books (and I have the drawerful of rejected manuscripts to prove it). I guess I was ready for a challenge and, coincidentally, I was also going to be a grandma for the first time. It seemed like a good time to take one of those crazy leaps I sometimes take.

To my surprise and delight, the powers that be at American Girl liked my audition piece and offered me the job. And had me sign a super-duper "keep the secret" clause. So I couldn't tell anyone -- not even my mother! -- what I was up to. And, what I was up to was writing seven picture books, in the span of about seven months. Whew. There's one more yet to write, but my editor decided I needed a tiny bit of a break. On top of other projects I was working on, it got a bit zooey around here at times. But I did it and had a blast channeling my inner four year old while working so collaboratively with my American Girl editor, Jennifer Hirsch. 

American Girl brought the extremely talented illustrator Sue Cornelison on board and I've been in awe watching her bring my words to pink and glittery-girly life.

Today, maybe at the very moment you are reading this post, I am signing the first Bitty Baby book in the School Library Journal lounge at BEA. After all the secrecy and waiting, it's so much fun to be able announce this new venture. Several of the books will be packaged with adorable plush animals. And all of them explore the joys and challenges of a 4-year-old girl and her best friend, Bitty Baby.

I can't wait to read these books to little Esme.