Interview with Laura Sassi and a GIVEAWAY of LITTLE EWE!

Hey everyone! I am thrilled to welcome best-selling author Laura Sassi to my blog today. She has so much creativity and talent…I just love all of her publications. Today I am featuring her newest realease, Little Ewe. And, thanks to Beaming Books, I am giving away a copy of Little Ewe (details at the bottom of this post).

I have to tell you Laura, in case you didn’t know, I am a huge fan of your writing, and I also consider it an honor to call you a friend! Thank you very much for joining me. I know everyone is excited to hear your answers to my questions!

Thank you so much for having me, Mindy. It is wonderful to be here.

First of all, where did the idea for Little Ewe originate? What inspired you to write Little Ewe?

The little lamb, who I have named Little Ewe in my story, is inspired by one of my favorite of Jesus’ parables. Known as the parable of the lost sheep, or the parable of the ninety-nine, Jesus’s story is about a shepherd who realizes one sheep is missing, so he leaves the flock to find that one and bring it safely home.

As a child I loved this beautiful reminder that, like the shepherd in the parable, Jesus came to find the lost and, oh my, how wonderful it feels to be found. My hope is that, like Little Ewe in my story, readers of all ages will sense the comfort and joy of knowing that our Shepherd, too, wants to find us and care for us when we are lost.

That is such a wonderful Bible story. I am so glad that the Savior cares for us and searches for us when we are lost. Let’s talk writing for a moment. I am curious about your writing process. How do you shape a manuscript into its final form?

I let ideas percolate for a long time before writing by making lists, playing with possible plot twists, settings, points-of view etc For Little Ewe I also wanted to honor the original setting of the parable – the hills where Jesus walked – so my percolating stage included investigating to make sure the wonders my protagonist discovers along the way would have indeed been native to that time and place. My list included sparrows, figs, frogs, spiders and more! 

Because of all this time spent pre-writing, once I was ready to write, I wrote the entire (early version) in one sitting. But, the story, at that point was far from publishable. For starters, the earliest versions were far too long, involving not just a numeric climb, but also a countdown, which caused issues with pacing. Resolving these issues and making sure the story was the best it could be took time, lots of it.

So, in addition to ample percolating, I would say the use of a time filter is a key part of my writing process. Once I have a draft I’m happy with, I set it aside for several days, or weeks, before taking a re-look. This way, I approach each revision with fresh eyes. I repeat this process again and again until every word and moment pushes the story forward in a fun, meaningful way. I also ask for feedback along the way from my critique buddies. This has been the process for each and every story. It works!

I love the word percolating. And that is very good advice. I know it is easy to rush things instead of making sure that the story is as top-notch as it can be. I am also curious, what is your favorite illustration from the book and why?

It’s hard to pick a favorite spread because I think they all work together so well to enhance the story’s mood. However, at school visits, I’ve noticed that littlest readers, who feel sad when Little Ewe gets lost, especially love that next-to-last spread where Shepherd finds her. You can almost feel preschoolers’ relief at the sight of Little Ewe so snug in Shepherd’s hug. I also love the tender way Tommy depicts that moment, which is glowingly enhanced by his choice of sunset hues to capture the warmth of their reunion.

That is a beautiful illustration. I can really feel the love of the shepherd for his sheep. Laura, you have been doing this for awhile and have published many titles. What is your favorite thing about being a picture book author?

Good question. My favorite part of being a picture book author is the opportunity it gives me to connect with others through the sharing of story. This answer, of course, is maybe cheating a little bit, because this sharing of story involves many stages.  First is the stage of joyful observation, where I get to look at the world through my writer’s glasses, writing down little sparks of inspiration that might lead to a story. 

The next stage, at least for this picture book writer, is playing with those ideas in my notebook. Then comes the stage of writing and polishing and sending the stories off to my agent who sends them to publishers.  Then, if I’m blessed to have a story published, I get to enjoy the final stage of sharing that story with the world – through events etc.  So, I guess I should really say that I love everything about being a picture book author!  It’s my joy and my jam!

I love these pictures of you sharing your stories with the world. Your events look so interesting! If you are interested in doing an event with Laura, you can contact her via her website. Finally, one more question, do you have any future news you would like to share with us?   

Yes! I have a new book coming out with Zonderkidz just in time for Easter 2022.  It’s called BUNNY FINDS EASTER and it’s a board book, perfect for Easter baskets. Stay tuned for the cover reveal…coming soon to a blog near you!

Ooh! Congratulations! That is wonderful news! I can hardly wait to see the cover and hear more about it. Laura, thank you so much for taking the time to join me and answer my questions today! I am sure all of my readers will really enjoy this interview! Best wishes!

About the author:

Laura Sassi has a passion for telling stories in prose and rhyme. She is the author of five picture books including the best-selling GOODNIGHT, ARK (Zonderkidz, 2014), which was a 2015 Christian Book Award Finalist; GOODNIGHT, MANGER (Zonderkidz, 2015); DIVA DELORES AND THE OPERA HOUSE MOUSE (Sterling Children’s Books, 2018), which won First Honor Book for the 2019 Best in Rhyme Award; LOVE IS KIND (Zonderkidz, 2018), which was a 2020 Anna Dewdney Read Together Award Honor Book; and LITTLE EWE: THE STORY OF ONE LOST SHEEP (Beaming Books, 2021). In addition to books, she’s published over one hundred poems, stories, crafts, and articles in various children’s publications. She lives in New Jersey with her husband, two children, and a black Cockapoo named Sophie.

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Buy Little Ewe

And now, drumroll please, details about the GIVE-AWAY!

Beaming Books has graciously provided one copy of Little Ewe to be awarded to someone who lives in the continental United States.

There are several ways to enter:

1. For 10 entries, follow this blog! (If you do, you will receive a free mini-magazine called “Make the Time!” It has loads of “togetherness” ideas for parents and caregivers of little ones.
2. For one entry, comment on this blog post!
3. For one entry, comment on any Instagram post this week that pertains to this contest.
4. After entering using one of the three methods above, an entry will be given if you follow both @mindybakerbooks and @Laurasassitales on Instagram. If you already follow both accounts, you will still receive the additional entry.
5. Tag a friend or friends on any Instagram post this week that pertains to this contest. One entry per friend tagged.

NOTE: No entries will be accepted after 6pm EST on Friday, May 21, 2021.

Winner announced on Saturday morning 5/22/21 on both this blog and my Instagram account! Happy entering!

Note: This contest is not sponsored by Instagram.