The Idea Behind The Story - Clara Bowman-Jahn Author Of Annie's Special Day

Happy Monday Everyone!

One quick thing before we get to our post: for anyone who participates in Perfect Picture Books on Friday, I know this is a busy week and lots of people (including me) will be busy with family Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.  PLEASE don't feel like you have to participate this week if you're too busy!  I have a feeling a lot of us are going to be in that boat, so have fun, enjoy your families, and don't feel like you have to show up if you're having a little time deliciously free of the internet! :)  We'll all still be here next week :)

Okay!  That's the business.  Now for the fun :)

Today we have a special guest post from Clara Bowman-Jahn.

Author Clara Bowman-Jahn

She is doing a mini blog tour, posting on different aspects of the writing and production of her debut picture book, Annie's Special Day.

Annie's Special Day is available at eTreasures and Amazon

And she's going to share with us where she got the idea for the story!

So without further ado, here's Clara!

How I got my idea: from idea to story.

I was lying in bed one day in May with a terrible fever, but the sounds of the birds were ones of beauty and magnificence.  From about four AM to Seven AM the birds just blew my mind. It seemed like every hour some different bird sang their song. Singing back and forth while courting their mates is so melodious and awe-inspiring I still get up and don both my hearing aids just so I can hear it.  And it was in all around sound. One further away would sing to one closer in and back again.

I wanted to record them somehow. I didn’t have a tape recorder. I thought of the character Annie and how a little girl heard something beautiful every hour like I did with the birds. First the crows then the more musical birds come, like chickadees and warblers, the smaller ones. They were right next door in the trees near my bed. I could hear them through the open window.

I figure it was one of the harder things I’ve done in my life to write down what I heard every hour that morning while sick and feverish, but it turned into a children’s book. And that is something pretty terrific.

The specific words “Annie heard (something) every hour” has been edited out of the book. The editor thought it slowed down the action and that it was passive writing so now there is just an activity, an adventure, every hour that Annie sees and does. “Annie’s Special Day” is a basic concept book about time and clocks with Annie having a birthday slumber party and staying up all night. It’s about family and friends. "Annie's Special Day" is a cheerful read without much plot but a book of recorded enthusiastic activities and fun.

That fall I took a writing project class and finished my book. But the main person I can say supported me and taught me how to revise and rework my book was my kindergarten teacher sister.  She read over more rewrites than I can remember and showed me how to make something out of the book. Then the next person who made the book a beauty was my illustrator, Claudia Wolf. She really took the character of Annie and made a little girl from her. She brought the book to life.

Then the whole other story of what came after I got that contract was my husband who finished what the publisher couldn’t. Because when you are the first children’s book in a small press the story doesn’t end there. The entire format, the text embedding, and the size of the book have to be done for them.

My husband, my hero, did all that. He enlisted the help of a writer friend, who also holds a print shop, Sue Walls, to show him what needed to be done and which computer tools he needed, and he did it. He transcribed my e book to a print one. If anyone is interested I’ll send his written explanation of all he did to you. To me what he did is no small miracle.

And along with being my biggest support he does the grunt work for me. Without his effort there would not be a print book. And when he asks if it were worth it? He easily says yes. And so do I. I love my book and am having fun marketing it.

What has your process been? From idea to story? I would love to hear in the comments.

Thanks so much, Susanna for inviting me to be a guest on your blog. This post marks the end of my blog tour hosted by my blogging buddies. 

And I know you won't want to miss any of the other posts, so... :)

At Pat Tilton's Children's Books Heal: a book review and Q&A with Clara about “Annie’s Special Day” on November 12^th

At Joanna Marple's Miss Marple's Musings: the illustrator story from Clara’s side on November 14^th

At Stacy Jensen's Writing My Way Through Life: author Clara Bowman-Jahn’s publishing story on November 15^th

And finishing up on Clar's Blog: a post from “Annie’s Special Day”  illustrator, Claudia Wolf on November 20^th 

Annie's Special Day is available at eTreasures Publishing and Amazon.

Thank you so much, Clar, for joining us and sharing your inspiration.  Readers, if you have questions or comments, I know Clara will be checking in and will be sure to respond!

Author Clara Bowman-Jahn

Clara Bowman-Jahn worked as a registered nurse for thirty two years finally trading that job for her true love, writing. Clara’s short  stories have been published in the anthology of the “Campaigner’s Challenges 2011” Book.

When Clara is not writing, she does volunteer  work for a local elementary school and her church. She also likes taking long walks with her husband, blogging, and reading books. She is a member of the Society for Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, Pennwriters, Bethesda Writer’s Center and Round Hill Writer’s Group. She lives in rural Loudoun County, Virginia with her brilliant husband, and two cats. She is the proud mother of two wonderful grown sons and a grandmother to a delightful grandson.