Sharing Gail Wilkinson's interview with author/illustrator Jerry Barrett.

I'm fortunate to belong to a writers group filled with amazing authors and illustrators. The SCBWI-IL Springfield Scribes meet once a month at the Chatham, IL library. There we critique each others' work and present programs on writing. Author Gail Wilkinson interviewed a member of our group, Jerry Barrett, and I'd like to share it on this blog. Here it is:

Gail Wilkinson's Interview with Jerry Barrett

1. You have a new book coming out, Wide-Mouth Frog Starts Kindergarten. I know you have quite a few published works – tell us how many and when you got started?

I have three other picture books in print: Wide Mouth Frog Goes to the Zoo; Wide Mouth Frog Goes on Vacation; and Wide Mouth Frog’s Big Birthday. All have won INDIE (Independent Book Publishing Professionals Group) awards in the Children’s Picture Book—0-6 Years category. The two earlier ones received a Silver Medal each, while the “Birthday” book won the Gold Medal. In addition I have one activity book that is a companion piece to the first two books. All are available through Amazon.com.

The first book, Wide Mouth Frog Goes to the Zoo, was published in 2013. It’s a retold story based on an old joke, which goes back to the mid-1800’s. However, I first heard the joke from my wife, Nancy when we were dating. She could tell the story of the Wide Mouth Frog with just the right facial expressions and verbal inflections. It sort of became our family thing. So, it seemed a natural candidate for a book. I did my research and found that there was no copyright and decided to retell an updated version of the story.

2. Why is your main character a frog? Did you consider other animals?

The frog was intrinsic to the first book, so that pretty much decided that he would be the main character. I then decided to go on and write a series of books with the Frog as the main character. Although, I sometimes wonder if it wouldn’t have been better to have a brown, furry bunny than a cold, green amphibian.

3. How hard is it to assign emotions to an animal character vs. a real person?

People are much easier because of the expressiveness of the human face. Basically my animals are cartoons. I give the animals human characteristics by bringing the eyes forward; manipulating the mouth to contort; and working in expressive eyebrows. No rabbit or bird in nature smiles like a human—but mine do.

4. Is there one particular page, illustration or dialog that’s your favorite in this book?

Probably my favorite illustration in the book is on the last page showing the classroom with all the little animals at their desks having a great time doing projects. Not only are his old friends there but there are also new animals. It suggests that he now has both old and new friends in Kindergarten.

5. How did you get started on your writing journey and what’s the hardest part of sustaining it?

I got started rather late in the game. I did cartooning as part of my graphic designer job at the University of Illinois Extension for 25 years. Usually done for the Illinois State 4-H, these were for a target audience aged 5 to 16. It was after state budget cuts left me on my own as a freelancer, that I decided to branch into writing and illustrating children’s books. I joined SCBWI, bought a copy of Ann Whitford Paul’s book, Writing Picture Books, and started writing.

The hardest part about sustaining it is just getting the discipline to sit down and work on the book. I am a terrible procrastinator and find all kinds of little things to distract me.

6. So total time you spend on a book, what percentage is writing vs. editing?

Good Question. I would guess I spend about 60% of the time writing the book and 40% of the rest of the time editing. This varies; my last book I revised over and over again until I was satisfied with the wording. Fortunately, my wife, Nancy, is a good editor also and helps me with my grammar and spelling.

7. End of a long day, and you settle into a chair – what’s your go-to read?

I like a mix of genres, mostly nonfiction and biographies. Having said that, I just finished the Toni Morrison novel, Beloved, and really enjoyed it. I also like pour over award winning children’s books.

8. What’s one thing you’d like to ask your favorite writer?

I would ask them what makes their characters so relatable. And how do they ever find the time to work.

9. Jerry, you and I belong to the same SCBWI writing group – how has participation in the group affected your writing?

Our SCBWI has been invaluable for the input and support they’ve given me as an author. They are a great sounding board, helping me see things in my writing that I am too close to notice on my own. Also writing is such a lone profession that it is really a mental and ego booster to meet like minded authors going through the same experiences.

10. And anything else you’d like to tell me!!!

Don’t forget to mention Lady Bug and Grasshopper, who appear in all my books. They are the Greek chorus of the story, reflecting on what’s happening on that page. They also provide comic relief to entertain the parent who is reading the book for maybe the hundredth time. Usually they are found at the bottom of the page, pulling some shenanigan.

Thanks for doing this.

Jerry Barrett's contact info:

jerry@jerrybarrettdesigns.com