Welcome Back, Booklovers! I was able to read The Quaken ahead of it's release and I can tell you my nieces loved it! I was was able to ask author Justin Colon all about The Quacken, Summer Camps, and what we can expect next from him.
What is The Quacken about?
Something strange is happening at Cucumonga Campground. From bicycles and canoes to socks and sneakers, things are vanishing without a trace. Even more foreboding is the many ‘Do Not Feed the Ducks’ signs posted everywhere in sight and the endless warnings from campers to avoid the ducks at all costs. Could all this be connected to the looming rumors? After all, legend has it that a creature lurks in the lake. A fearsome, ferocious, frightening creature. Some say it swallows canoes. Campers. Even whales. WHOLE! In spite of all this, new camper Hector feeds the unbearably cute (and hungry) waterfowl, inadvertently releasing a gigantic beast of legend . . . and it wants to eat him!
What was the process like pitching The Quacken?
Pitching The Quacken is what made the creation process both difficult and easy. That’s because I put the cart before the horse and pitched it to agents and editors as part of a Twitter pitch contest before even writing the story. The pitch immediately garnered requests, leaving me with the added challenge of having to produce a polished story that not only stayed true to the original pitch, but delivered the goods. Compounding that pressure, my soon-to-be agent, who was already reviewing additional materials she had requested from me, expressed strong interest in The Quacken during a Zoom chat. When I revealed the writer’s sin I committed, she asked me to send her the manuscript when it was ready. The call ended, and my offer of representation, partially contingent upon The Quacken, was on the line. In the end, I’m happy to say it all worked out.
What made you decide to become a picture book author?
I began reading picture books to my little brother, who my family adopted as a baby (he’s a pre-teen now). Every night, we read a handful of board books and picture books together (The Little Blue Truck by Alice Schertle was a shared favorite). Looking back, that was a really special time in our lives, especially mine.
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I quickly found that I enjoyed the picture book format. It’s filled with incredible imagination, humor, poignancy, language and visuals. But, as many [unfortunately] do, I incorrectly and unfairly judged and dismissed picture books as baby work—something I could produce easy-peasy almost overnight. My plan was to write and sell one book, check that accomplishment off my list, and call it a day.
I vastly underestimated the format, the immense skill it requires, and the many, many challenges of securing representation and publication. I’ve also since come to realize that often when something looks easy and/or effortless it’s because someone has invested lots of time and energy into perfecting a skill set. This is something I should have already known coming to publishing from the acting world.
Of course, picture books weren’t a ‘one and done’ deal for me. I fell in love with the format itself, the storytelling challenges and opportunities it afforded me, and the expanding and evolving skill set it required of me. Not to mention, the community of children’s book creators is super generous and supportive. I also love the impact these stories have on readers’ lives (as well as my own).
Picture books were a detour for me. I didn’t plan to make a career out of them. But life has an uncanny ability for redirecting us. I can’t imagine my life without children’s books, this community, and this newfound career.
Name 5 recent picture books you enjoyed.
Author: Beth Ferry
Illustrator: Brendan Wenzel
Author-Illustrator: Jess Hannigan
Author-Illustrator: Frank Weber
Author-Illustrator: Christy Mandin
Author-Illustrator: Lian Cho
Okay, you got me. I named six titles. Can you blame me? There’s a lot of great books out there! I think these books are definitely worth checking out.
Have you ever been to camp?
I was a Boy Scout, so camping came with the territory. In addition to the usual monthly camping trips my troop took, we embarked on an annual summer trip, venturing by car then ferry, to Camp Yawgoog, an 1800-acre camp in Rhode Island where Boy Scout troops from across the country came together to spend the week. It was divided into large sections, with each troop having their own campsite name. I was in Camp Sandy Beach and our troop’s site was called Back Woods.
We bunked in groups of four in lean-tos (open cabins with three walls and no front). We ate as a troop at an assigned time within a large mess hall, and each day a different boy scout was responsible for being their table’s server. They lined up and retrieved the trays of food and drinks, brought them to their table, and stayed behind to clean up the mess after the rest of the troop had left. There was also the singing of many boy scout songs during meal time. The troops spelled the word “bananas” out letter by letter, repeating this faster and faster until a numerical countdown, which grew in volume and energy, ended with everyone shouting “GO BANANAS!” in unison. For someone who was introverted and pretty serious, it was an experience.
During the day we could go our separate ways and do different activities. I spent mine exploring the grounds and taking every class I could squeeze into my schedule with the hopes of racking up merit badges. I also practiced my marksmanship at the rifle range. I should mention that technology wasn’t huge at this time, so it was a time to disconnect from the outside world and be more present and in tune with nature and each other.
What inspires you? Do you have any tips for finding inspiration when it comes to writing?
I find inspiration through observation of the world around me, animated television shows and movies (especially cartoons), live-action television shows and movies, GIFS and memes, random images, other books, language (including puns and portmanteaus), art, random activities. Pretty much anything and everything.
Inspiration often strikes when I least expect it. However, I don’t wait for those moments, because they’re often few and far between. Instead, I actively scout for inspiration. I’ll write down any random thought or idea I have—sometimes on a piece of scrap paper, sometimes in my book of super-secret ideas (it’s mostly just a bunch of scribbles). I’ll even doodle random images. There are often times when the visuals come to me before the language. When that happens, I dummy out/draw up the spreads as I envision them. I also like to think of the story’s potential hook and takeaway as I develop it, allowing me to really hone in on the point of the story and what will hopefully make it stand out in a crowded market.
You founded The Kidlit Hive, what is its purpose and why is it important to you?
My goal through The Kidlit Hive is to assist children’s book creators on their publication journey via affordable and accessible online webinars, classes, and editorial services. I work with writers ranging from those who are brand new to publishing and want to draft their very first manuscript to those who are agented, award-winning, and multi-published. My goal is to use the information, insight, and skill set I’ve acquired along my journey to provide guidance, direction, momentum, motivation and inspiration, along with confidence and clarity, to the clients I work with.
Through my editorial services, I critique manuscripts, craft pitches for them, provide comp titles and mentor texts, assist with agent and editor list, brainstorm and rank ideas and manuscripts, and more. It’s exciting to see clients secure representation, publication, awards, and mentorships with manuscripts we worked on together. But most rewarding is when I see the emotional impact these services can have on clients, developing their skills and stories and re-invigorating their creative well and love of writing for children.
You’re also an actor! What drew you to acting?
I’ve always been a storyteller, and with acting I get to be a direct vessel through which part of the storytelling happens. It’s an incredible experience dissecting a script, developing a character, and diving deeper into my emotional life, experiences, and imagination to help bring a character, story, and world to life. It can be exhausting, and yet, it’s often energizing. When I’m on a set or stage, or even an audition room, I get an indescribable rush. The second the camera’s rolling or the show starts, something inside me changes. I’m making strong choices, acting on instincts, and surfing a wave of adrenaline.
I attended a rigorous conservatory-style program for acting, earned my way into SAG-AFTRA, and was starting to audition for exciting roles and projects. My career was just gaining momentum just as the pandemic hit. Unfortunately, things haven’t rebounded for me since (or many of us, I suspect). But I look forward to being back on sets on day (hopefully soon).
What can we expect next from you?
My sophomore picture book, Impossible Possums (illustrated by James Rey Sanchez) publishes on October 22nd through Disney Hyperion. The Zombees (illustrated by Kaly Quarles) publishes in 2025 through Simon and Schuster. Impossible Possum for Mayor (the sequel to Impossible Possums) also publishes that year. Vampurr (illustrated by Lenny Wen) publishes with FSG/Macmillan in 2026.
This was a very fun interview. The cover and title combo still make me giggle
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