April Pulley Sayre’s FULL OF FALL

Pour yourself a mug of cocoa and slip on your woolly socks. We’re celebrating the release of April Pulley Sayre’s latest picture book, Full of Fall (Beach Lane/Simon & Schuster)!

What’s your writing superpower?

My writing superpower is flexible thinking in terms of wordplay.  For some reason I’m unusually good at coming up with titles and poetic and alliterative language. I think it’s like a muscle, though, and improves with use. Despite my early signs of talent in this area, it also helps that I just goof around and have done this work for over twenty years.

What was it like watching the illustrations/cover come together?

I’ve now photo illustrated nine of my books with photos so I’m deeply involved in the illustrations from the start. It’s an exciting process and yet has an intense amount of struggle and stress at points, handling the competing demands of text and illustration. The advantage is that because I am responsible for both sides of the book, I can decide  to chuck words or illustrations at any point when the book is not flowing well. All this occurs without bothering another person. Only my writing ego or professional photographer ego is bruised. Still ouchy, though, to discard words and photos I love! But then, when you feel it all come together with better pacing, it is worth it.

So long summer, Fall is here . . .

Welcome, April Pulley Sayre!

What was the most difficult element to cut/change during the revision process and why?

Fall is such a beautiful season that it was very hard to choose which photos to use. As always with these books, there were many photos I loved as a photographer but which did not serve the trajectory of the book and design. As with writing, in photo illustration you have to set aside your ego and do what is best for the book.

Thanks so much for stopping by the Launchpad, April. Welcome to the world, Full of Fall!

Visit April Pulley Sayre online at www.aprilsayre.com and at her Simon & Schuster page.