Birth Stories for Books: A SEARCH FOR NORTHERN LIGHTS (and more!) by Elizabeth Rusch

Elizabeth and Izzi Rusch
(Image provided by Elizabeth Rusch)

Today's blog post is a trifecta for book-reading, book-creating, and book-loving folks. I recently had the pleasure of interviewing fellow author, Elizabeth Rusch, about three new books that just launched into the world (yep, THREE book launches in the midst of a global pandemic).

And all three books are great reading for right now, so let's get right to it:

Dawn Prochovnic: Thank you for stopping by the blog, Liz. If I remember correctly, we first met at a writing conference in the early stages of our publishing careers. Since that time, we’ve attended each other’s writing workshops and book launch events and even collaborated on some projects and events. It’s been exciting to watch your career flourish— and it’s been enjoyable to share many of your books with the young readers in my life. I’ve also greatly appreciated the doors you’ve opened for me that have led to some of my own publishing credits. It is privilege to have an opportunity to shine a light on some of your latest books.

Speaking of light, let’s start by talking about your book, A SEARCH FOR THE NORTHERN LIGHTS, which just came out in April by a publisher we both work with, West Margin Press (co-written by Izzi Rusch and illustrated by Cedar Lee). Can you tell us a little bit about your path to publication for this particular story? For example, I’d love to hear about the process and timeframe between your initial idea and the story that was formulated fully enough to submit to an editor.

By Elizabeth Rusch, Izzi Rusch, and Cedar Lee

Elizabeth Rusch: My teenager Izzi homeschooled for 8th grade and after witnessing the total solar eclipse we talked about other natural wonders we would like to see. We started talking about and researching the northern lights and decided to take a trip to Alaska to see if we could spot them, as well as do some hiking and exploring there. We found a few days when a magnetic storm was expected and planned our trip around that. It was raining when we landed and overcast much of time. But we had fun trying and experiencing all that Alaska had to offer while we were there. Then, while on the phone with an editor at West Margin, I told her about the experience and that we were committed to trying until we saw the northern lights. She thought it was a great idea for a book, so I wrote a proposal and she signed it. We had the year of homeschooling to search.

DP: What a great backstory, Liz. And what a fantastic goal for you and Izzi to set your sights on, together.

When you compare one of your earliest drafts of this story to the version in the published book, what stands out for you in terms of what is most different?

ER: Well, Izzi and I traveled to Iceland to see the northern lights but didn’t see more that a slight glow and green arc there (there were blizzards shutting down the country most of the time we were there). We included that experience in the first draft, but the narrative of it was so similar to the Alaska trip (and we thought most readers would not get to travel to Iceland) so we all agreed it needed to be cut (except for an extensive thank you to the wonderful family that hosted us there.)

DP: Wow, you really took this quest seriously. That's really inspiring. 

I'd also be interested to know if there is anything in particular that stands out that was included in your earliest drafts and survived the revision process?

ER: We were glad that though the story is about a search for the northern lights, it captures many of the other amazing outdoor experiences we had while searching. You can only search for the northern lights at night so we had many daylight hours to do other things. We were glad that we got to keep that part of the story in because they were such an important, and unexpected, part of the experience.

DP: That's great that you were able to experience so many adventures with Izzi and that you were able to keep that element of your experience in the story. 

What was it like collaborating with your teenager on this book?

ER: Izzi and I learned a ton about each other by writing this book together. We learned that it worked best to divide the book into sections and work separately on drafting different sections. That worked better than sitting down and trying to write together because we are both pretty opinionated. We made notes to each other on the first draft and each did some revisions on our parts. Only then did we merge our pieces together. We each read separately and made more notes and then sat down together in front of the computer and edited. These discussions were lively, passionate and full of humor. Even though I was a well-published author, I had to take her ideas and reactions seriously and address them. It was challenging but I really believe it helped us make a better book.

DP: It sounds like a memorable experience all around, Liz. 

You have another picture book that also launched in April: GIDGET THE SURFING DOG (Little Bigfoot). When you compare the path to publication for these two books,  what are some of the key similarities and differences in terms of the publication journeys for each?

By Elizabeth Rusch

ER: Well, the Gidget book is a follow-up of sorts to a book that published last year with Little Bigfoot called Avalanche Dog Heroes: Piper and Friends Learn to Search the Snow. With the northern lights book Izzi and I had to create something from scratch. With the Gidget book I had a really great model to build on. I wanted a gripping story about a real dog learning and striving to develop a skill accompanied by lively photos and lots of science diagrams. So I knew while reporting the book what elements I wanted and could identify immediately when I found them.

(Images provided by Elizabeth Rusch)

DP: Wow, Liz, if those photos don't hook a reader, I don't know what will!

You also have a very timely book for teens and young adults that came out in March: YOU CALL THIS DEMOCRACY?: HOW TO FIX OUR GOVERNMENT AND DELIVER POWER TO THE PEOPLE (HMH). Not only is this book for a different age range and audience, but it’s with a different publisher. Have there been notable differences in the publication processes for this book as compared to the others?

By Elizabeth Rusch

ER: In some ways, I’ve been writing the democracy book for more than 20 years. In the mid-1990s I got a masters in public policy and then spent a year working as a fellow in the U.S. Senate. Then I turned back to writing. My husband used to tease me that I wasn’t using my masters, and I used to joke back that I use it every day when I read the news! And that was really true. Over two decades I was reading and filing away in my mind all the ways that our democracy falls short of the promise of one person, one vote. Americans have become increasingly discontent with how our government functions, and I wanted to pull all this together into a book. And I wanted to aim it at young adults and new adults because I believe deeply in their power to change the world.

I pitched the idea to my editor at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and she asked for a proposal. It was remarkably easy to write the proposal because these ideas had been floating around in my mind for two decades.

But, writing the book? Not so easy! I had to delve deeply into so many different issues – the electoral college, gerrymandering, the role of money in politics, etc. I had to be accurate and engaging, and I had less than a year to write it so that it would come out in time for the 2020 presidential election year.

DP: I'm so glad that young readers (and voters!) will have this book available to reference ahead of the 2020 election and many elections to come. Thanks so much for writing it! 

One of my favorite parts of being an author is connecting with young readers at schools, libraries, and bookstore visits, and I’m always looking for new pro tips. You maintain a very active schedule of book-related events. What advice or suggestions do you have for fellow author/presenters in terms of planning successful events? (Note: This question was asked and answered in a pre-Covid19 frame of mind.)

ER: For book store events, I believe we have to do more than just read from our books. We have to offer something more that will draw people to the store. That could be a visit from a celebrity surfing dog, hands-on science activities, or advice for writers or parents.

For school visits, I think that taking a storytelling approach is really fun and effective. After all, we writers are storytellers, so finding ways to say what you want to say through a series of stories can keep the audience – and you – engaged.

DP: Excellent advice, Liz. 

You have a lot of creative projects competing for your attention. How do you balance the time between your different projects and the different aspects of the publishing business?

ER: At the end of each year, I make a list of projects in the works and project ideas and try to sketch out a game plan. Sometimes I break it up by months, such as: This month I’ll work on research for this project, while writing a draft of that one, while revising a third.

Even though I am a full time writer, I actually find it difficult to find time to write. So I have to block out clusters of days when I will try to do nothing but write. I do some of my best writing at writing retreats with my critique group members. It works best if there is no internet to distract me!

DP: More excellent advice, Liz! 

You have great resources for readers and educators on your website, and you publish an occasional newsletter, which I’m sure also takes a fair amount of time to keep up with. For those of us who might be pondering if it’s worthwhile to create these types of supplementary materials, what are the pluses and minuses of these types of reader outreach, from your perspective?

ER: It’s funny, I know my website is supposed to be for the wider world but it also acts as a resource to me. If I need a good description of one of my books, I pull it from my website. When I win an award, I immediately add it to my website so that may be the only place where I have a complete list of my accolades.

The newsletter does take time, but what I love about it are the replies that I get when I send it out. With a website, you have no idea who is looking at it and how they respond. With a newsletter, I have a dialog with my readers and peers so it helps me feel more connected.

DP: That's a great point, Liz. I had not thought about the feedback loop aspect of a newsletter. 

If you could go back in time, what would you tell your pre-published self? Or, said another way, what do you know now, that you wished you would have known a bit earlier?

ER: A career in writing is a long-term proposition that requires an enormous amount of commitment and a willingness to roll with the punches.  There will be setbacks and it is healthier to expect them then to be caught by surprise.

DP: That is so true! 

Before we wrap up, is there something you wish someone would ask you about your path to publication for your latest books and/or one or more of your other books, that you haven’t had the opportunity to share yet?

ER: I think one key to sticking with it and staying sane it to try to love the process itself. I try to find joy in the generation of ideas, the development of ideas, the research and what I get to read and where I get to go and who I get to talk to, and the creativity of putting words and stories on the page. You don’t have control over the publishing process. Publishing can bring some disappointment and grief, so focus on loving what you do and being grateful that you get to do this amazing work.

DP: That's such an uplifting, encouraging, inspiring perspective, Liz. Thanks for that. 

Do you have anything you’d like to tell us about what you’re currently working on?

ER: I’m developing some new projects related to climate change and I have a really cool collaboration with illustrator Liz Goss called All about Nothing, about the role of nothingness in art and in our lives. Wish me luck!

DP: Good luck, indeed! I look forward to seeing those projects come to fruition. 

Thanks for sharing your Birth Story for Books (X3!) with us, Liz. I've learned so much from you. 

Fun Fact, Readers: Alice Brereton, the amazing illustrator for Liz’s book, GLACIER ON THE MOVE, is in the process of illustrating one of my next books, LUCY’S BLOOMS (due out in 2021). Stay tuned for more exciting news about this project!

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Photo Provided by Elizabeth Rusch

Elizabeth Rusch is the author of twenty books for young readers, as well as more than a hundred magazine articles. Liz’s works are frequently honored by the Junior Library Guild, have received multiple starred reviews from Publishers Weekly, Kirkus, The Horn Book, Booklist, School Library Journal, the BCCB, and have been named best book or notable book of the year by ALA, Bank Street, SLJ, Kirkus, the NSTA, CCBC, Nonfiction Detectives, and the New York Public Library, among others. New in March and April are: You Call THIS Democracy? How to fix our government and deliver power to the people; A Search for the Northern Lights; and Gidget the Surfing Pug. Learn more about Liz and her work at elizabethrusch.com and youcallthis.com. Connect with her on Facebook at authorelizabethrusch and on twitter at @elizabethrusch.

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Birth Stories for Books is an occasional feature of Dawn Babb Prochovnic's blog. Dawn is the author of multiple picture books including Where Does a Cowgirl Go Potty?, Where Does a Pirate Go Potty?, and 16 books in the Story Time With Signs & Rhymes series. Dawn is a contributing author to the award-winning book, Oregon Reads Aloud, and a frequent presenter at schools, libraries, and educational conferences. Contact Dawn using the form at the left, or learn more at www.dawnprochovnic.com.