Meet Annette Whipple!
Groundhog Day has come and gone and here we are on Valentine’s Day sharing some book love in our latest BALLER Profile! Every Wednesday you can look forward to reading interviews with authors, publishing professionals, library people, readers, and more.
This week it is my pleasure to introduce you to Annette Whipple!
Stacey: Thank you for joining us here at the Butterflies and Aliens Library, Annette! Could you please introduce yourself to our readers with a little bit about you and what kind of books you write?
Annette: Hi! I’m Annette Whipple a nonfiction kidlit writer, but I wasn’t always a writer. In fact, I didn’t like writing projects in school because I didn’t like writing fiction. However, I always liked writing letters to friends. I began blogging in 2009, which can be a lot like writing letters to friends. After a few years I began taking writing courses and wrote for a few magazines. Then in 2014 I had my first book idea. So, I began studying the publishing world and attending writing conferences. I think facts are fun, and I want to my readers’ curiosity and my own. I have books like The Laura Ingalls Wilder Companion: A Chapter-By-Chapter Guide and The Truth About Animals Series Including Whooo Knew? The Truth About Owls And Meow! The Truth About Cats. My newest book is Quirky Critter Devotions: 52 Wild Wonders For Kids.
Stacey: You have covered some ground with the books you have written. Can you share with us where you find your inspiration and how you decide what topics to write about?
Annette: The world around me amazes me. I love nature and understanding how things work. I also appreciate learning from others—including people from history. I love to write science and history. Getting hands-on with my research makes a big difference. I met this owl when I was researching for my owl book.
Stacey: I know that every author has their own style of working. What does an average day look like for you as an author?
Annette: Unfortunately, most days I feel like I don’t write very much! Today I shared an unboxing video for my upcoming book on social media, had a virtual author visit, and made some progress on a work-for-hire project for an educational publisher which I had already researched and outlined. I also answered bunches of emails. Most days feel a lot like that…working through a bunch of unrelated tasks with only a limited amount of writing.
Stacey: Is there anything that has really surprised you about the world of publishing children's books since your first publication?
Annette: The world of kidlit is so generous and kind. I greatly appreciate all the help and guidance I’ve received over the years. Meeting others at conferences is such an important part of moving forward with support (Those connections come in handy in so many other ways, too!). Now I love to support others by offering information and my own experiences through my website and writing workshops.
Stacey: You have a book called QUIRKY CRITTERS DEVOTIONS: 52 Wild Wonder for Kids that releases on March 5th. Though I am not a religious person myself, I really love how you put science and nature together with faith. Can you please tell us about it and how it is different from most devotional books available to children?
Annette: QUIRKY CRITTER DEVOTIONS was so much fun to write. It’s my first faith-based book, and I’m really excited for it. It includes 52 devotions focusing on the animals and each with a God-connection. There’s journaling and hands-on activities with each one. I think it stands out from other devotionals because of its focus on wild animals paired with multiple activities for each to help readers live in wonder while engaging in a personal faith. It’s also a very visual children’s devotional. It includes bold photographs as well as humorous illustrations.
Stacey: Thank you so much for sharing a window into your writing world as part of our BALLER Profile series, Annette! I love the passion you have for animals and nature and look forward to seeing more of your books in the future.
And dear reader, if some of what Annette has shared today resonates with you, please check out her books for the young readers in your life.
Join us again next Wednesday for another BALLER Profile featuring a very cool bookish person and I hope you read something awesome in the meanwhile!
— Stacey
Purchase or pre-order Annette's books from your local indie bookseller!
And don't forget to check for Annette's other books too!
