Hello, readers! Today, I'm so happy to share an info-packed Birth Stories for Books interview with Jena Benton, author of the sweet picture book, KAUAI'S CALL (illustrated by Kristi Petosa-Sigel, Island Heritage, 2024).
Jena's inspiring path to publication involves lots of practice, professional development, perseverance, memory mining, good luck, and more! Let's get to it!
Dawn Prochovnic: Welcome to the blog, Jena. I've enjoyed getting to know you a bit through our shared involvement in 12x12 and your own blog, and I'm excited to dive in and learn about your path to publication for KAUAI'S CALL.
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? Likewise, is there anything in particular that stands out that was included in your earliest drafts and survived the revision process?
Jena Benton: Thank you so much for having me on your blog Dawn. I have to laugh at this question, as the very first draft looked nothing like the final product. This story went through SO many revisions and changes from initial idea to final published story. Most different? The main character was a girl based on a memory from my childhood, now it’s a rooster. I was never a rooster! What stayed the same is the problem at the heart of the story: both stories dealt with stage fright. More on that in a minute. ;)
Dawn: I love seeing responses like this. It helps us all to know that the magic is in the revision process!
Reflecting on the journey from idea to published book, are there any individuals, experiences, or opportunities that you credit with opening the door for you to bring this story to publication? (I'd be particularly interested in hearing how you connected with your publisher, as it seems as if they are the perfect fit for your book!)
Jena: I’m reminded of something I heard Kwame Alexander say at a writing conference: “It was good luck; but luck is what you make of it.” Or something similar. In the end, luck is what ultimately leads to publication, but it’s also right time, right place.
I was digging into picture books (reading them, writing them regularly, etc.) and networking (attending conferences, joining the writing community and making friends, etc.). ALL of this led to the final product. My book wouldn’t have been published if it wasn’t for everything I was doing and everyone I was meeting. It’s a tapestry of support that was woven together. What do I mean by that?
I joined SCBWI and 12x12 to learn more. I attended their conferences and really dug into the craft. I read picture books voraciously (they’re my passion), as well as attempting to write them. Through all of that, I discovered Tara Lazar’s StoryStorm (as it’s now called). One of her prompts led to my initial idea: think of a memorable childhood event and fictionalize it. I immediately thought of a talent contest I had entered, memorizing a poem for weeks, but when it was “show time” I couldn’t utter a single word because of stage fright. I wrote a crappy first draft and revised until I realized it wasn’t quite working as it was based on a faulty premise: someone winning a talent contest. There are no winners in today’s talent contests; it’s a showcase of talent!
I shelved the story and thought I was done with it, but then came back to it one day. I can’t remember why. I wondered if there as an animal that would be “on stage” and immediately thought of a rooster. That changed the problem of my story’s problem! I set the story in a barnyard with a rooster I called Chauncey. I loved the way his name sounded and was attached to that name for far too long. In fact, I was attached to many aspects for far too long. I had a friend critique it and she was brave enough to tell me it would never sell; there were too many stories of roosters struggling to crow set in a barnyard.
I knew there was part of the story though that really worked. It’s different than your average rooster story because I researched a TON of chicken facts for it. It’s very … chicken-y! Everyone who read it commented on that. So I thought about why I would even want to write a chicken story. WHY chickens? I didn’t own chickens, live on a farm, or collect them. Again, I instantly thought of my honeymoon on Kauai, Hawaii. There were roosters and chickens EVERYWHERE. Our car had been surrounded by them at a pullout by the beach. And I knew I had to change the setting to Hawaii.
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I knew of a Hawaiian publisher because of personal experience. I’d traveled to Hawaii numerous times. Little-known fact: Alaskans love to go there for vacation in winter. And every time I’d gone, I’d purchased Hawaiian picture books for my classroom. Another little-known fact: a lot of Pacific Islanders move to Alaska. I wanted my students to feel “seen” in the books I read to them. It was through that “luck” that I knew of (and dreamed about) this local Hawaiian publisher. I sent the story to them and a year and a half later, they accepted it. So you see, publication of my book was all because of a multitude of people, multiple drafts over several years, and a variety of lucks!
Dawn: Oh, Jena. What an inspiring backstory. I love everything about it. Your perseverance. The courage and honesty of your critique partner. The preparation via professional development opportunities. The memory mining. The letting go of your darlings. It's all there in this one story-behind-the story!
Who do you see as the ideal reader for this book and/or what would you love to hear a bookseller or librarian say as they hand-sell this book?
Jena: Honestly? There are a variety of audiences! It’s a father-son story so it appeals to the dads out there (one father told me thank you as there weren’t a lot of “dad books” out there). It’s about persistence, and patience which are huge needs in the SEL market. Chicken stories were nonexistent in Hawaii (as far as I could see in the fiction picture book market) so this appeals to the tourists who are amazed at all the chickens running wild in Hawaii (the “jungle fowl” are protected by law). Hawaiian kiddos adore this story because they can “see” themselves in it (the kids I’ve met at school events in Hawaii were thrilled: “I have chickens in my backyard!”). And kiddos in general love it because they totally understand Kauai’s frustration at not being able to do something he wants to do so deeply. I’ve heard so many positive comments that have warmed my heart, but I admit it’s a quiet book that slips under the radar. I’ve never heard a bookseller or librarian hand-sell it. I can’t begin to imagine what they might say.
Dawn: I especially love that you wrote a book that gives you an excellent excuse to return to Hawaii for author visits!
Speaking of which, one of my favorite parts of being an author is connecting with young readers at school, library, and bookstore visits, and I’m always looking for fresh tips. Do you have any pro tips or suggestions for fellow author/presenters in terms of planning successful (in-person and/or remote) book-related events?
Jena: Ha! Oh boy. I had a steep learning curve and learned a LOT doing school visits (and bookstore visits). Let’s see. I’ll pick a few things of the top of my head. First, know that if it’s not your thing to public speak, you absolutely don’t have to do it. No one is going to make you. Seriously, I know a lot of writers or illustrators who get stressed out about the thought of doing it because they’re terribly introverted (which is normal for us creatives). So don’t do it.
Second, know that it’s NOT the same thing as teaching (if you’re a teacher like me). It’s a different kind of presentation than the small intimate setting of a singular classroom (even if you’re presenting in a small classroom). These kids are strangers and don’t have a relationship with you. You won’t be able to “manage” them (like you might as a teacher), but you can come up with techniques that work like classroom management: a game (like a quiet panda we all help feel safe during a presentation), a reward (if you’re quiet for x amount of time, I promise we’ll do y), etc. Just know that the teachers should still be there with you too (you shouldn’t ever be alone) and they should manage the “audience” for you. BUT it helps to have tools for these kinds of things too.
Third, if you feel totally out of your element and don’t know how to even start: look for the webinars (I watched every one I could find and learned SO much in advance of my first school visits), communities (there’s a great Facebook group of authors and illustrators that tries to share advice), etc. Research and learn about the process, just like you did for writing and/or illustrating!
Finally, here’s a small tip I picked up along the way. If you’re bringing your presentations on a thumb drive, tie a giant garish ribbon to it. I got this from another author. She used a red ribbon. It stood out so she never forgot her thumb drive and the owner of the computer never wanted to keep it. I tried it with a special lanyard that clipped onto my thumb drive and it works!
Dawn: Brilliant tips, Jena! (And I especially love that even as a skilled educator, you had to prepare as an author for book events.) Thank you so much!
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?
Jena: Your day is coming. I volunteered with SCBWI, interviewed authors and illustrators on my website, and generally worked with a lot of writers and illustrators who were newbies like me. I saw a lot of them get published, but I didn’t. I know this hurts. I hear a lot of beginning writers and illustrators still struggle with this and I’ve known a few to give up. DON’T give up! If you keep working, you will succeed. We create our own luck, remember?
Dawn: Thank you for your positivity and encouragement, Jena. I think a lot of our readers will appreciate this and be bolstered by your words of encouragement.
Do you have anything you’d like to tell us about what you’re currently working on?
Jena: I have many stories I’m very excited about right now. I keep writing and revising and subbing. Some of them have nonfiction facts about things that fascinate me (including one dummy I keep subbing), one is a picture book “murder” mystery that makes me giggle hysterically (but I worry it’s too dark for the market), and there are some I have just written that I’m quite pleased with. I’m trying to conquer both the writing and the illustrating of some of them. We’ll see what happens. Time will tell.
Dawn: These projects sound very enticing! I look forward to hearing news about them some day in the future!
What is the best way for readers to stay abreast of your work, get in touch with you or learn more about your book(s)?
Jena: My website, jenabenton.com, leads to all the things (social media, portfolios, school visit info, shops, etc.). That’s the best place to find me. :)
Dawn: Fantastic. Thanks so much for sharing your Birth Story for KAUAI'S CALL with us, Jena! I know it will inspire others to keep working at their craft. I feel inspired myself!
And now, dear readers, you know what to do. The best way to thank an author whose insights have been helpful and/or inspiring to you is to support their work. Buy their books. Request them from your library. Read and share them with others. KAUAI'S CALL is a sweet and inspiring story that you won't want to miss. It would be an especially great story for a family to read together in preparation for a trip to Hawaii and/or a visit to a farm with chickens and roosters.
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Jena Benton is an educator and author who grew up on a small island in Southeast Alaska so she is drawn to island life. She also loves to travel and has visited the Hawaiian islands many times over the years. When she is not teaching or writing, you might just find her painting or enjoying the wildlife found in Anchorage, Alaska where she currently lives. You can learn more about her at her website
https://jenabenton.com/.
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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, Lucy's Blooms, Where Does a Cowgirl Go Potty?, Where Does a Pirate Go Potty?, 16 books in the Story Time With Signs & Rhymes series, and the forthcoming title, Mama's Home (and Baby Too!). 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. Subscribe to Dawn's newsletter and never miss an update.
