www.angelbea.com

Our Featured SCBWI members are Kat Shehata and Jo McElwee, a mother-daughter illustrator-author team who have written and self-published two books, San Francisco's Famous Sea Lions and Seabiscuit vs War Animal: The Greatest Horse Race in History.

Kat and Jo recently shared their thoughts with Northern Ohio SCBWI members on self-publishing, writing and illustrating and some tidbits of advice!

Kat is a former zookeeper who lives in Cincinnati with her husband and three children. Her mom, Jo, lives in Cincinnati and besides Kat, has a son in California.

Kat and Jo welcome comments and conversation with Ohio SCBWI members. Contact them through their website at www.angelbea.com.

SCBWI: What are your backgrounds and what led you to writing about animals?

Kat Shehata: I'm a former zookeeper who went to school with a bunch of animals … literally! I spent my junior and senior years of high school as a student at the Cincinnati Zoo's Animal Conservation and Care Program. I earned a bachelors degree from Wilmington College and a professional writing certificate from the University of Cincinnati. I am the writing part of the team of San Francisco's Famous Sea Lions and Seabiscuit vs. War Admiral: The Greatest Horse Race in History (Fall, 2003).

Jo McElwee: I am a Society of Illustrators award winning artist who graduated from the Art Academy of Cincinnati with a BFA in illustration and hold a graduate certificate from the University of Cincinnati. I have worked as an artist for over twenty-five years. My work has been featured at the Cincinnati Zoo and on greeting cards, gift bags and gift wrap. I am the illustrator part of the team of San Francisco's Famous Sea Lions and Seabiscuit vs. War Admiral: The Greatest Horse Race in History (Fall, 2003). SCBWI: How did a writer/illustrator team from Cincinnati end up doing a book about San Francisco Sea Lions?

JMc: My son lives in Livermore, California which is just outside San Francisco. Kat and I went to visit him in 1992 and that is when we saw the sea lions for the first time. Some of the pictures we have taken over the years are on our website. They show the changes that have taken place at Pier 39. I also used our pictures as reference material for the illustrations.

KS: My husband flies to San Francisco frequently on business. I have traveled with him on several occasions over the years. I always enjoyed visiting Pier 39 and the sea lions when I was in town. I told my girls all about the sea lions, and while I was browsing through the gift shops I asked a store owner if there were any books about the sea lions at Pier 39. When I found out there were not any books about them, I decided to write one.

SCBWI: Your books are self-published. What are some of the pros and cons of this route to publication?

KS: The first thing everyone who is considering self-publishing should know is "Publishing is a business." Just like starting any other business you have to write a business plan, find investors, outsource editors, find writers and / or illustrators that will work on commission, and put an incredible amount of work into launching your business. Pros of self-publishing are: You get to keep the profits, you are in control of production, and a quicker turn-a-round per title. Cons are: You have to invest all the money, you have to be responsible for every aspect of creation, production, sales, marketing and distribution.

SCBWI: What advice would you give to SCBWI members considering self-publishing?

KS: Look at self-publishing as a business NOT a means of getting published.

JMc: Be patient and consider your options. It can be rewarding and profitable if you know what you are getting into and you are ready to commit a lot of time and energy. Don't expect to do it in a hurry. It really would have been nearly impossible for one of us to do it alone. It is important to set goals and definite dates for getting things done and then keep each other on track.

SCBWI: As a writer/illustrator team, how do you go about choosing subjects for your books?

KS: Jo and are both animal lovers. We decided to stick with a theme of writing "true stories about real animals." There are a lot of incredible animals in the world that need to be written about. We try to pick themes that are marketable to all three big markets: Bookstores, schools / libraries and gift shops.

SCBWI: What words of wisdom do you have for writers and illustrators?

KS: It may seem like you could wallpaper your house with rejection letters- and many of us probably could- but donšt be discouraged. Keep writing and always send multiple submissions. The worst case scenario would be two publishers fighting over your manuscript!

JMc: Illustrators should go to the library and bookstores to find publishers of books that you like. Notice how many different styles there are even from the same publisher. Think about how what you like to do would fit with that publisher. You can find lots of advice from SCBWI and other sources. The most important thing to do is focus. Set goals. Don't just think about what you can do or what someone might want. Assign yourself a project. Try a new style. Have fun.

SCBWI: What's next for the team of Shehata and McElwee?

KS: Our next title, Seabiscuit vs. War Admiral: The Greatest Horse Race in History, will be available in September, 2003. We are very excited about this one. Our distributor, Independent Publishers Group, has already ordered 5,000 copies for distribution to bookstores, it has been selected for an equine book-of-the-month club, and we have partnered with the National Thoroughbred Racing Association. They will be giving our book as a gift to all the Thoroughbred owners, jockeys, trainers and VIPšs at this yearšs Breeders Cup. We are also trying to work out a deal with Universal Pictures to get copies to the press and movie stars for the July premier of Seabiscuit starring Toby McGuire.

JMc: Kat is always working on promotion for our business. All of the things she has mentioned here have happened because she works very hard researching and contacting people. She doesn't just think in terms of getting a book in a bookstore.

Previously Featured Members