Best Day Ever: Interview with New Picture Book Author Michael J. Armstrong
I recently interviewed new picture book author Michael J. Armstrong about his first book - Best Day Ever - which just hit the shelves this week. We were lucky enough to get an early look at the final product, and we fell in love with the focus on imagination and childlike wonder - themes you know we’re quite fond of on Dad Suggests.
If nurturing your child’s imagination is something that’s important to you, and you appreciate a good story about the magic of childhood - I’m confident you’ll enjoy learning more about Best Day Ever from the creator himself.
There is some grade-A imaginative play in this one, and I was very excited to share it with our kids. And, for that matter, I hope you also enjoy the behind-the-scenes look at how the author being a devoted stay-at-home dad actually made the whole project come to life.
And if you happen to be one of the many people out there toying with the idea of writing your own picture book - I think you’ll find our conversation about changing careers, crafting a book, and breaking into the picture book industry especially entertaining and informative.
I was on a secret mission to inspire all of you out there that might have a children’s story knocking around in your head. It’s never too late to share your story with the world, and create a new piece of art to share with kids everywhere. And we’re certainly very happy that Best Day Ever had the opportunity to be brought to life.
First of all, thanks very much for participating in this interview. We’re excited about the launch of your first picture book, and to learn more about how you broke into the world of children’s book publishing. What can you tell us about your first picture book, Best Day Ever? What’s your best elevator pitch?
Best Day Ever author Michael J. Armstrong
Hi Ryan! Thanks for having me.
So, here’s my elevator pitch - but it could probably use a little work: It’s the last day of summer vacation and William has one thing left to accomplish: have the BEST DAY EVER. Unfortunately, his meticulous efforts keep getting sidetracked by Anna’s outlandish interruptions. After dismissing each one, William is finally ready to have the best day ever. If only he knew how.
What inspired you to tell this story about William and Anna in particular? Did you have any real-life inspirations for their personalities and this friendship?
Absolutely. William is based on me and Anna is based on my daughter. Write what you know, right? Anyway, when she was born I became a stay-at-home dad, and I took it VERY seriously. Every moment felt important, and I wanted to make the most of each one. Like William, my approach was very businesslike. And she is this wild, free-wheeling kid.
Childlike wonder, creativity, and imagination have always been beloved themes here on Dad Suggests. What made you choose imaginative play as the main theme of your first picture book?
One day I was watching my daughter play in the backyard. There were all these educational toys lying around – because, you know, serious business dad - and she was playing with a stick. She had created this whole world in which she was completely absorbed, and was having the best time ever. And that’s when the light bulb flickered on. I mean, I had read the research. I knew imaginative play was important. But that moment really drove it home for me.
I have to tip my cap to you for the spectacular creativity of Anna’s imagination and play ideas. My son and I are particularly fond of the Intergalactic Space Toe that’s captured the baby penguins. Did you recruit any children to help you with her ideas? Have you ever acted out any of those scenes as a dad?
I’m glad you like it. And yes, I run every part of every story past my daughter. She is the first editor and critic of my writing. She loves storytelling, so we talk about it all the time. And we do act out some wild ideas, but ours are probably way too weird for a children’s book. And dark. She’s a dark kid, which I love. But she definitely inspires me.
You got a relatively late start in writing because of an entirely different career path – could you tell us a little bit more about what sparked that life change and that journey?
Sure. For most of my career I ran non-profit organizations. Then when my daughter was born, I resigned to be a stay-at-home dad. And as I mentioned before, I took it very seriously. But when you’re around kids all the time - and you pay attention - they will show you the best parts of life. And that’s what happened with me. My daughter helped me to rediscover silliness, playfulness and creativity – you know, all the good stuff.
You say that you started writing children’s books shortly after becoming a father and a stay-at-home dad. Did you ever write for fun before that? Have you always wanted to do this, and this was just a coincidence of timing, or did something about becoming a father specifically spark this life change?
I wrote a couple of screenplays, some satire and other essays. But I never took it seriously. And I never really studied the craft. Then, when I became a parent, I found myself reading boatloads of picture books. Eventually, I decided to give it a shot myself. I mean, what’s so hard about writing 500 words, right? So, I did. And it was terrible. Then I wrote another. And it was terrible, too.
At some point, I realized I needed to learn the craft. I read a ton of books – Cheryl Klein’s Magic Words being the most influential - joined SCBWI, and started going to seminars and conferences. After a while my stories began to improve, and I got lucky and met an editor who liked one. But I’ve still got a lot to learn.
After making this choice, how long were you writing children’s books before you took that first official step and reached out to somebody – whether that be an agent, an editor, or a publisher? And what was your first step? How many people did you reach out to?
Boy, I really jumped the gun there. I wasn’t shy. Not one bit. I started sending out my stories the first year I was writing. And these stories were bad. I sent them to a long list of agents and publishers that I had compiled. Fortunately, the publishing world doesn’t have a universal crackpot watchlist, because I would’ve been on it.
And what happened from there? For everybody who might be interested in breaking into children’s publishing, could you walk us through the various important stages of Best Day Ever coming to life?
Nothing happened. My stories simply weren’t ready yet. A few years later, I was at an SCBWI writing conference where I got to sit down with an editor for 15 minutes. I had planned to show him one story, but I had butchered it in an open mic reading the night before. Instead, I showed him a work–in-progress and he liked it. After the conference, we went back and forth for about six months until he finally acquired it. Once I had the offer in hand, I quickly began shopping it to agents, and I got lucky. Really lucky.
Could you talk a little bit about your story being illustrated by the talented Églantine Ceulemans. Did Sterling pair the two of you together? It’s a beautiful looking book and the style seems to fit the story remarkably well. But I’ve always been curious what it’s like to see your words brought to life and interpreted by someone else. I imagine it might be something like reading a book and then watching the movie. What was that like for you?
Sterling presented me with three illustrators – which I understand is not typical – and it was immediately clear that Eglantine could capture the tone of the manuscript. We collectively agreed that she was the right choice.
Seeing her illustrations was shocking at first. And maybe that’s true with every writer when they first see an illustrator’s interpretation of their story. But the more I looked at them, it became clear to me that they were perfect. Eglantine created funny, playful spreads that are full of life which not only embody the tone and content of the story, but added new elements that had never occurred to me. That’s true of every single spread. I feel very lucky to have her as my collaborator on this book.
Let’s try to inspire everyone out there who has an idea kicking around in their head for a picture book but is scared or unsure about how to take the plunge. You just made it happen and your first picture book is hitting shelves this week. Now let’s imagine someone out there reading this is motivated to make the same life change as you – and maybe they’ve already even written a few stories. But that’s as far as they’ve gotten. From your experience, what should their next few steps be to chase that dream?
Study the craft. Write as much as you can. Read your writing to everyone who will listen, and then find a core group of people who give you honest, productive feedback. Listen to their feedback – and that doesn’t mean you should accept it. But listen dispassionately. It will give you a different perspective on your story, which helps you to get to know it better.
Do you have any future books in the works to announce? And how can people best follow you and keep an eye on your career?
I have a second Anna and Will book which is in Sterling’s hands right now. I honestly think it’s a better book than Best Day Ever. They have an option on it, which they will exercise or not once they see how Best Day Ever sells. I’m also working on several other stories, some of which are still terrible. Writing is a process, and like I said before, I’ve still got a lot to learn.
If anyone is interested, they can follow me on Twitter @wrongarmstrong. But hopefully you will see me in bookstores in the years to come…assuming we still have bookstores.
Bonus Round:
Favorite picture book of all time? Where the Wild Things Are is simply undeniable.
Favorite board game of all time? As a kid: Risk. Now: Monopoly, because my daughter loves playing it. But she’s getting Risk for her birthday.
Muppet Christmas Carol or A Charlie Brown Christmas? Muppet Christmas Carol. Muppets rule.
A huge thanks again to Michael for taking the time to share his experience with Best Day Ever with us. We wish him the best of luck with the book launch, and we can’t wait to see what the future holds for Anna and Will as well. And make sure to check out Best Day Ever - available now on Amazon or you can shop local through IndieBound.
