THE BACKSTORY WITH ANDREW HACKET

I’m so happy to welcome author Andrew Hacket to the blog today. Andrew is very active in the writing community and he’s the host of the wonderful blog The Backstory, which has featured many talented authors during the last years. You definitely have to check it out!

In addition to this, Andrew is an author himself and he will be publishing three books in 2024! Isn’t that amazing? For these reasons, I’m so glad to get this chance to chat with him. We’ll be talking about his blog first and then we’ll move on to his books.

About The Backstory blog:

The Backstory is the place to take a sneak peek into what inspires authors and their stories. In each post, a picture book author will dish on the inspiration behind their latest story, as well as clue us on how that spark of an idea transformed into the book it is today.

M. Andrew, I’m so glad to have this chance to chat with you about your blog, can you tell us how and when it started?

A. The Backstory began in January 2021. I was inspired by fellow creators such as Amanda Davis and Kalei Pew who I saw adding value to the kidlit community via their respective blogs. After having the privilege of being on both of them, my mind wandered to what I could offer this amazing community and this is how The Backstory was born.

M. Which are your favorite questions to ask? Do you tailor the questions for each book?

A. I always love to hear about the inspiration behind the book. I find it fascinating how varied the inspirations can be and I love having the creator connect the dots for us from idea to publication. On occasion I tailor specific questions for each creator, although I tend to have a standard lineup of questions. Each year I reevaluate these questions and make adjustments to strengthen the interviews.

M. What has been the most rewarding and the most challenging part of having this project?

A. The connections I have made with creators and the ability to shine a spotlight on their hard work has been the most rewarding by far. Being in this industry I know the hurdles each creator and manuscript have faced to make it to publication and each and every book deserves to be celebrated. I am fortunate that I get to offer a place to celebrate.

The most challenging part has been time. I am a full-time teacher, a husband, father of three young kids, and I also try to write some books here and there. Running the blog is an added responsibility on top of that and balancing the whole thing is not an easy task. Not to mention, I have such a terrible time saying no that I often book myself past my self-imposed limitations. Oops!

M. Lovely to hear about the most rewarding side of your project and to hear you talk about the importance of finding balance. Can you share how you decide which authors to invite to your blog?

A. When I first started I reached out to the very few authors I knew, crossing my fingers that they would agree to this new blog from an unpublished author. To my surprise they said yes. Since that first year I will often put out a Google Form for creators to express their interest in being featured. I also have several past guest or author friends who are now getting published who reach out to me. I do my very best to feature as many authors as possible and typically only turn people away when I don’t have any openings available.

M. That’s wonderful! I’m sure being featured in your blog is a very special moment for the authors and a great way to let others know about their books. Do the interviews always include some prize?

A. The inclusion of a giveaway is always the creators choice. As you know this kidlit community is so kind and generous so it is no surprise that my guests almost always offer some type of prize. These range from book giveaways to critiques, AMAs, or school visits.

M.You’re so right about the kidlit community. It rocks! Now, can you share what plans do you have for The Backstory in the future?

A. This is a great question! I am fully booked for 2024! Beyond that, I have contemplated from time to time whether I need to call it quits at some point to focus on my writing, but I don’t think I have that in me. Most likely, I will be looking for a creator or two to join in with the fun and help run the blog and share the workload.

I really hope you’ll be able to find a way to keep on going. I think your blog is such an asset to shine light on authors and books, and to build community. I’ll cross my fingers that we’ll have more The Backstory for years to come.

Now, let’s talk about books…and in this case 3 soon to be released picture books! Wow!

A bit about Ollie, the Acorn, and the Mighty Idea (4/9/2024)

Ollie’s mighty idea to become a tree and confront his bully grows into reality with unexpected consequences in this whimsical yet relatable tale that shows there are many ways to be strong. Ollie Alexander Kandersteen, successful amateur gardener, longs to be a tree: Strong. Tall. And mighty enough to stand up to Everett, the bully next door. Ollie is rather short for his age, and when things are too heavy or too high to reach, Everett is sure to point it out. Ollie wilts, he withers. Inside and out, he feels small. But when Everett, feeling jealous of Ollie’s gardening skills, steals Ollie’s sapling, an idea takes root… “I couldn’t. I shouldn’t.” But he does! Ollie SWALLOWS an acorn. He waits, wonders, and rumbles … Burp! With a little care and cultivation, a tree-mendous transformation begins! Ollie’s feet root, his arms branch, his locks leaf, and his limbs stretch to the clouds. He’s finally strong and tall enough to confront Everett. But when he does, he finds out that being the biggest doesn’t always mean you’re the mightiest and getting even with a bully might just make you feel smaller than ever. Readers of all ages will root for and relate to Ollie in this whimsical story about working together despite differences, the power of kindness, and what it truly means to be mighty.

A bit about Curlilocks and the Three Hares (5/1/2024)

Everyone far and wide loves Curlilocks’ hair. Everyone except for Curlilocks, who is ready to quit her curls and discover her “just right” ‘do with picture day fast approaching. When she finds the three Hares of the local salon have hopped out, Curlilocks chooses to take her hair into her own hands. Dripping dye, sizzling styles, and excess accessories lead to ‘hair’larious results that leave Curlilocks in a tangle. She will need a curltastic idea to reclaim her mane and her confidence before picture day.

About Hope and the Sea (5/28/2024)

As Hope huddles on the shore, feeling big feelings of sadness, Sea approaches. First a gentle wave, then a misty spray, followed by the toss of a seashell, and a race along the shoreline. With each overture from Sea, Hope’s heart opens just a bit more, until finally a burst of laughter escapes and her loneliness recedes along with the waves. With its gentle and poetic language, this uplifting story looks at the importance of friendship and encourages children to open their hearts to the world around them.

M. Wow, Andrew! How did you end up with 3 books releasing in the same year?

A. I still can’t fully comprehend the fact that I have one book being published so three within such a short amount of time is just mindblowing. A few factors were at play causing this trio of forthcoming releases to all coincide. For one, we happened to have been on submission with multiple manuscripts at the time that my debut, Ollie, the Acorn, and the Mighty Idea was acquired. Not terribly long after this, we got word from The Little Press that they were interested in Curlilocks and the Three Hares. And a bit after that we accepted an offer for Hope and the Sea. Originally the pub dates were going to be not so squished together, but as it happens in publishing, timelines needed adjusting and so here we are.

In terms of each books path to publication I can tell you that Ollie, the Acorn, and the Mighty Idea underwent an R&R with lots of back and forth with my incredible editor at PageStreet Kids, Kayla Tostevin, until we were able to get it perfect for the whole team.

Curlilocks & the Three Hares was subbed as a 32 page, 400 word picture book. Michele McAvoy at The Little Press loved the concept and saw a place for it in their new Modern Fairy-Tale series. The problem was that this series, was not a picture book series so Curlilocks had a bit of a makeover into a 56-page, 9 chapter, 1,000 word illustrated early reader chapter book.

Hope and the Sea was the easiest path of all and after being acquired by Peggy Scheafer at WorthyKids underwent very little revisions.

M. It’s really interesting to see how each book had a different path to publication. Thanks for sharing! What inspires you to write your stories? What sparked the ideas for your upcoming books?

A. I have always been a kid at heart with a healthy amount of Peter-Pan complex. I remember in my teens this feeling that everyone around me was excited to be growing up while I very much wanted to hold on to childhood and imagination. I didn’t realize at the time that you could do both. Yay for being a children’s authors!

I also realized at a young age that I relate to and understand children very well. So well in fact that the only jobs I have ever had have been with kids. These included daycares, summer camps, and now my career as an elementary school teacher. All of this time with kids and now having 3 children of my own have been a constant source or inspiration and regularly inform how I approach my manuscripts and where my ideas come from.

The quick rundown of inspiration for my forthcoming books is as follows: Ollie, the Acorn and the Mighty Idea came from a summer conversation with my children about the suspected consequences of swallowing a watermelon seed. My mind wandered to what would happen if you ate something else, say an acorn perhaps. This spark combined with an idea I had previously had for a skinny character named Twig, who would show everyone just how much he could do because of his size.

Curlilocks and the Three Hares is directly inspired by my daughter and the distaste she had for her curly hair when she was younger.

Hope and the Sea is a bit harder for me to pinpoint the inspiration. I grew up in Rhode Island spending my summer at the beach and I have always felt a strong connection to the ocean. At the time of drafting it I had recently written some contest pieces which played with setting as a character. I knew I wanted to explore this further while also using my lyrical language. This image of a young, lonely girl on the beach came to me and the rest was playing with how this relationship between Hope and Sea could come together, personifying Sea and using the natural movements and rhythm of the ocean as part of its personality.

M. I loved your answer and that picture of your girl is too cute! I’m sure she must be really excited to know that she inspired your story. What are the most important messages you want to promote through your books?

A. Despite how different my three upcoming releases are a common thread of accepting oneself can be found. The way in which this is relayed varies from absurd, to humorous, to heartfelt but it can be found throughout all three books and even across my unpublished manuscripts.

M. What’s your favorite part about being a writer? Did you always want to be one?

A. By far my favorite part of being a writer is getting lost in my own imagination. I am a very visual writer and can accidentally transport myself to faraway places from the comfort of my chair. I am not a writer who can say this was always my dream, but the notion had been flitting about my mind for a very long time and I always had a spark of creativity that just hadn’t found it’s outlet. I dabbled in writing off and on through my early adult life, but at the time lacked the knowledge of how to go any further with it. It wasn’t until 2020 and the pandemic when I found myself on a leave from work to care for our three children during remote learning. Being out of work during this time opened up the mental capacity for me to dive headfirst into the kidlit community, educating myself, building connections, and finding my path forward.

M. Finally, are there any new projects you’re currently working on? What comes next for you as an author?

A. While I have no new deals at this time I do have several projects ready-to-go. My favorite at the moment is an early reader series that focuses on book-loving Squirrel and a reluctant reader, Turtle. This series combines my 17 years of early elementary teaching experience and knowledge of language acquisition with my love for writing fun and entertaining books that will inspire kids to want to read. Each book focuses on a word family and contains decodable words and commonly used sight words. I am extremely hopeful that the right editor will scoop this up.

That sounds like so much fun! Andrew, I wish you the best with your projects and with the release of your three books. Congratulations again on this triple milestone and I’ll be happy to follow your journey and cheer you on in the months to come. Thanks for stopping by the blog!

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ANDREW’S BIO

Andrew Hacket is a writer, second-grade teacher, and father of three. He is also the author of the upcoming Ollie, the Acorn, and the Mighty Idea, Curlilocks and the Three Hares, and Hope and the Sea. Andrew recognizes that being a kid is hard and he writes to create ways for kids to see themselves in stories and characters, to accept and overcome their insecurities, or to escape for just a little while through the power of their imaginations.

Twitter/X: @AndrewCHacket

Instagram: @AndrewCHacket

Facebook: AndrewCHacket

Bluesky: andrewchacket.bsky.social

Website: https://www.andrewhacket.com

Thanks for reading!

M

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Cover photo by Anastasia Shuraeva.