Styling Librarian Special Feature: Tara Lazar Author Interview

Tara Lazar

I’ve appreciated learning from Tara Lazar for a number of years. Appreciate her sharing of energy and ideas with fellow writers. It has been exciting to watch her books get published one by one. Wonderful. Enjoyed Tara’s first book, The Monstore… and now she has two new wonderful books, I highly recommend both! I Thought This was a Bear Book was a riot… Little Red Gliding Hood is wonderful as well. I was very honored to be able to interview Tara recently, enjoy!

What was your favorite childhood book memory?

I remember being fascinated by CDB! By William Steig, that just a few letters could make a complete sentence. CDB! D B S A B-Z B.

I really love that book as well!

Have you read any children’s literature books recently?

I tend to read more adult novels than ones for children, but I recently read The Greenglass House and loved it. The thing in children’s books that appeals to me is an unusual place, a place that holds secrets.

Are you in a writers group? If so, has it helped you?

My first group eight years ago was comprised of writers who were new to kidlit. We didn’t know anything. There were comments like, “But I want to see what your character looks like. Describe her.” (No! Not in a picture book! That’s the illustrator’s job!) I didn’t realize I was getting (and giving) terrible advice.
What helped was switching to a group of writers who knew more than I did!

I thought this was a Bear Book

Do you have a key writing tips for kids? Or adults?

My tips are always simple: read and write. Rinse. Repeat.

Little Red Gliding Hood

Do you have a new book being released in the next year?

I THOUGHT THIS WAS A BEAR BOOK just came out in August. In October, LITTLE RED GLIDING HOOD hits the ice. Then in March, NORMAL NORMAN makes his debut.

Normal Norman

*Do you have any favorite topping you like on your pizza?

I love a piled-high-with-veggies pizza. Peppers, onions, broccoli, mushrooms, spinach, tomatoes, black olives…load it up!

The best advice I’ve received for my profession was…. it’s not necessarily about the writing. It’s about the concept.

The habit I never break for my writing practice is… having my story critiqued.

If someone had told me… getting my first contract didn’t mean the end of rejection and disappointment in this business, I would have been better prepared for the roller-coaster ride.

Why do people always assume… I know what the heck I’m doing.

Debbie, you forgot to ask me… Why do you write for children?

Because I can’t stop writing for children. It’s the most fun job in the world.

*Pictures all from Tara Lazar’s website: http://taralazar.com/

Want more book ideas and reviews? – Yes, I’m quite brief, but a prolific reader!  Please visit me at Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1941055-the-styling-librarian Also, please follow this blog through email updates – (do so to the right of this blog post), my Facebook page, comment, or meet up with me on Twitter. I appreciate all of the support, makes my day! Honored by all the wonderful followers.

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© 2013 by Debbie Alvarez of The Styling Librarian. All rights reserved. You can also follow me @stylinlibrarian or at my Styling Librarian Page on Facebook.