Meet Troupe 21’s Debra Kempf Shumaker

Meet Troupe member Debra Kempf Shumaker! A lifelong reader turned picture book author, Debra has two (you read that right!) picture books coming out in her debut year! FREAKY, FUNKY FISH: ODD FACTS ABOUT FASCINATING FISH, illustrated by Claire Powell (Running Press Kids), publishes May 4, 2021. And you can expect her second picture book TELL SOMEONE, illustrated by Tristan Yuvienco (Albert Whitman), in Fall 2021.

Co-host of the Twitter event #PBPitch, Debra is an engaged and incredibly supportive voice in the picture book community. She revealed the cover of FREAKY, FUNKY FISH on children’s book hub KIDLIT411. Here’s the colorful, character-filled cover!

Want to learn more about Debra and her journey to publication? Check out the Q&A below!

Get to know Debra!

What is your earliest picture book memory?

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My earliest book memory is from when I was 4 years old. I didn’t grow up in a house where parents read to their kids, as at that time, I had 3 older sisters and one younger one and we lived on a dairy farm. Mom and Dad were busy. And tired, LOL. Yet, we had a bookshelf full of books. One day I sat on the couch with a “Dick and Jane” book while Mom was in the other room sewing. I started reading the book out loud. Mom asked what I was doing and I said, “Reading.” She didn’t believe me so I went over to her and read her the entire book. And I haven’t stopped reading since.

Where do you typically write?

Most of the time you’ll find me in my “Writing Nook” in the corner of my bedroom with a window that overlooks two large trees in my front yard. It’s a very cozy and comfy space and I love watching the nature activity around those trees. As the weather gets colder you can also find me in the recliner by the fire with my laptop. But when my kids were little I wrote anywhere and everywhere—the kitchen island, the car, waiting rooms, etc. I always had some sort of writing bag with me so I could pull out a project whenever I had a few minutes.

How do you approach revision?

Sometimes with excitement and sometimes with dread, LOL. It depends on where in the revision process I am. Initially, I love revision since I always start with that “vomit first draft” and I’m excited to mold it into a real story. But then my revisions slow and I get stuck. I let it sit, drag it out and force something, let it sit again, etc. Sometimes that process takes months to get it from a “decent” story to one I can get excited about again. So, excitement, dread, excitement. Repeat. Until it’s as shiny as I can make it.

What themes and ideas will readers find in your stories?

While my stories vary a lot, I think readers will find a sense of awe and wonderment in most of my books. I write both nonfiction and fiction and most of my stories start with some idea, emotion, or fact that makes me sit up and take note. And I try to convey that awe and wonder through my words.

What advice can you share with pre-published authors?

Don’t pin all your hopes and dreams on one story. Once you send your story off to an agent or editor, start a new one. Writing a new story makes the wait easier—and increases your chance of finding success. My 11th subbed story caught my first agent’s eye. But it was my 15th story that actually sold. So keep writing.

Want to support Debra and her debt picture book?

Let us count the ways…