Melissa Trempe and Dr. Natalia Ojeda Collaborate- PLUS A GIVEAWAY!

Hello world!!

Welcome to my blog, Blissfully Bookish. Today is a special day because I get to interview two authors who collaborated on a book; Melissa Trempe along with Dr. Natalia Ojeda. They’re here to chat about her their nonfiction picture book, LADYBUG LAUNCH: INSPIRED BY A TRUE STORY OF CHINITAS IN SPACE. It’s illustrated by Manuela Montoya and published by Margaret K. McElderry (S&S).

BUT first- YAY! Melissa is generously giving away a FREE picture book critique or copy of LADYBUG LAUNCH to one lucky winner! To be eligible to win, please enter the Rafflecopter contest by clicking HERE. Contest ends May 24, 2024, USA only for the book, critiques for anywhere.

Please describe the journey to publication and inspiration for this LADYBUG LAUNCH: INSPIRED BY A TRUE STORY OF CHINITAS IN SPACE.

This book started out as a completely different manuscript. It was not co-written with Natalia, and it was not based on her experience working with NASA. While doing a personal retreat at The Highlight’s Foundation in 2020, I read that NASA had sent ladybugs to space. I knew that was a great idea for a picture book, and I wrote a humorous STEM story about a ladybug engineer building a rocket for space travel.

I wanted to include back matter about the real ladybugs in space, and I learned that the scientists behind the experiment were kids! Girls, no less, from a modest school in Chile. A gentle breeze could have knocked me over!

A Chilean newspaper had just featured the 20th anniversary of the project and interviewed the women involved to see where life had taken them after high school. Thanks to Google translate, I discovered one thing was clear—the ladybug project changed their lives.

Many of the girls grew up with few resources, including Natalia Ojeda, my eventual co-author. Her father was a waiter, her mother cleaned homes, and Natalia helped look after her brothers. She dreamed of becoming a doctor but doubted she could. After working with NASA, Natalia realized she was capable of anything. She and her classmates became determined women who wanted more for their lives. (The word ‘more’—más—became a word Natalia and I wanted to repeat through the story for this reason.)

After reading the 20th anniversary article, I scoured Facebook searching for the names and faces of any of the women. A bit of ladybug luck led me to Natalia. We started working together, and only two months later, I had a critique with an agent who felt she could sell our manuscript. Deep down I worried that the story wasn’t quite “there” yet. It was still so new! But I was excited someone had faith in it and we moved forward. For eight months the rejections from round one trickled in. For eight months, I kept writing and sending revisions to Natalia for feedback. My poor critique partners read versions of LADYBUG LAUNCH every month that year!

At the end of round one, we had a new, stronger version of our story. Our agent sent it out and within 24 hours we had interest, and within a week we had two offers! It sold to Margaret K. McElderry, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, and we couldn’t be happier!

What message would you like the book to impart to children?

The message Natalia and I would like to send to children is that they are capable of anything they put their minds to! We also want children to know that if they don’t see people that look like them doing what they want to do, that doesn’t mean it isn’t possible. YOU could be the first. And anything is possible if you try.

What is your research process and does it vary depending on the project?

My research started on-line, reading all the news articles I could find. NASA’s website didn’t have any information about the girls, which was surprising. Honestly, I couldn’t find much information in English at all! Connecting with Natalia was critical in telling this story. Being able to co-author the book with her and have her firsthand experience has been amazing. Plus, she was able to send me numerous on-line resources that I could easily translate into English.

The book is coauthored with Dr. Natalia Ojeda, how does that type of collaboration work?

Thanks to email, Zoom, and What’s App, Natalia and I have been able to easily meet and share ideas. Natalia is a busy mom of four and has a demanding job as a doctor in a large Santiago hospital. However, she always made time to give feedback on story revisions.

Please paste a short and compelling excerpt from your book.

This is a text heavy spread, but it does a lot of heavy lifting! 1) It shows the dual narrative we had to use in the beginning when Luna and Natalia have yet to meet. 2) It sets up each of their goals and leads to the idea that it’s difficult to pursue your dreams when you don’t see anyone like you in that role… though you can still do it! 3) It explains that aphids can destroy a garden and that ladybugs have the important job of eating these pests. It took a lot of revision to get it as brief as possible!

Excerpt:

Yet as Luna grew older, she never saw a chinita astronauta.
“I could be the first!” she told the others.
“Unlikely,” said an amigo. “Stop dreaming and eat your dinner.”
Luna eyed the swarm of tiny aphids. The pests could destroy a garden. Eating them was importante and delicioso—but in her heart, Luna wanted más.
Natalia grew older, never knowing anyone who attended a university.
Could I be the first in my familia? she wondered. While Papá and Mamá worked, she watched her little brothers. They were happy, but in her heart, Natalia wanted más.

Please share your favorite books that inspired you.

Both of these books are incredibly different from LADYBUG LAUNCH, but I’d like to give a shout out to each… I really love THE DIAMOND AND THE BOY by Hannah Holt and Jay Fleck. Analyzing this story’s structure and dual narrative was helpful. I also love FINDING WINNIE: THE TRUE STORY OF THE WORLD’S MOST FAMOUS BEAR by Lindsay Mattick and Sophie Blackall.

What is the best piece of advice you would give to other writers?

Craft Advice: Read picture books that have been published in the last five years and read them often. And please, please, please type out your favorite picture books word for word. You’ll get a better sense of pacing, tension, character development, dialogue, heart, word count, etc.

Industry Advice: Write because it brings you joy, not because you want to get published. It’s a hard industry to break into, but it is possible! Remember, you miss every shot you don’t take. Put yourself out there.  Be brave and write for the FUN of it!

And a bonus question just for kicks! What was your favorite book when you were a child?

As a kid I loved the LITTLE CRITTER series by Mercer Mayer and AMELIA BEDELIA by Peggy Parish.

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BIOS

Melissa Trempe is a picture book author of fiction and nonfiction in the Philadelphia area. As a former educator, she loves connecting with readers during school visits. Melissa provides a critique service for fellow authors and is represented by Amy Nielsen at The Purcell Agency. When she isn’t working, she loves camping, skiing, playing with her dog, and eating just about any flavor of ice cream. Learn more about her and connect by going to her website at http://www.melissatrempe.com. BONUS! Anyone who orders LADYBUG LAUNCH by May 27, 2024 can send a pic of their order confirmation or a pic of the book when it’s delivered to attend Melissa’s Zoom revision workshop for FREE happening May 29 at 8pm EST with a recording to follow. Send proof of purchase to melissatrempebooks@gmail.com.

Natalia Ojeda grew up in a simple home in the southernmost country of the world: Chile. Her family had few resources, yet her faith, determination, and experience in the ladybug project helped her to overcome the odds and achieve her dream of becoming a doctor. She is a doctor in the Palliative Care Unit of San Juan de Dios Hospital in Santiago, Chile. As a mother of four girls, she wants to share her story of strength and hope with children around the world.