Laurie Carmody

Laurie is a member of the Mid-Atlantic Region SCBWI. I met her at my Save the Trees Book Launch Read Aloud Zoom Party. She was so gracious to join me and others in April to celebrate. That’s what it’s all about—authors helping authors! Thank you! 

Bio: Laurie Carmody created “Lady Laurlox’s Lovely Library” in her Upstate NY home when she was ten and after giving out her copies of Nancy Drew to the neighbors she decided that sharing and celebrating stories was her great passion. She now writes picture books with themes of finding inner strength, embracing uniqueness, and building empathy. She also loves a good pun and seeks to find humorous wordplay in many of her stories. 

Laurie lives in Maryland with her husband and two children. When she isn’t writing, she’s playing piano, driving her kids to sports, or attempting to do pushups in bootcamp. She holds degrees from Ithaca College and Indiana University in Instructional Design.

Where are you from? I am originally from Central New York, but now I live in Maryland.

How long have you been writing? Did you do anything before stepping into the kidlit world? I wrote (and illustrated!) my first picture book, Andy the Armadillo, when I was in 6th grade. I always loved writing assignments in school and turned to technical writing and instructional design during and after college. I came full circle and began working on picture books again in 2019 when my children were young. 

Tell us about your book.

I like writing humorous, heartfelt, character-driven stories about connection. My debut, Big Truck Playdate (Beaming Books, 2023), is about a boy named Corey who is passionate about trucks and has trouble connecting with his classmates. When a big truck comes to school and is swarmed by kids, he has to figure out how to advocate for himself in his own unique way before missing a chance to touch the truck.

Corey is neurodiverse and is inspired mostly by my sister-in-law, Ashley, who has autism. She is passionate about stuffed bears in the same way that Corey loves trucks. And I love how my kids and I connect with her through her bears. Our worlds come together at that intersection.

Where do you get your ideas from? A lot of ideas come from listening to my kids or getting curious about the world around me. When I first started writing, I remember hearing that authors should “write the story that only they can tell.” So, when I come up with an idea I try to dig deep and figure out why I am the person to put it onto the page. 

What has your publishing experience been like? The publisher that I worked with for Big Truck Playdate, Beaming Books, was wonderful. My editor, as well as the entire team, were helpful, kind, and encouraged me to push myself creatively. The best part of the entire process was definitely seeing the illustrator’s (Jennica Lounsbury’s) work along the way. 

What has been the most challenging for you as a writer? The rejections! They honestly never end, and it’s really important to surround yourself with a group of creatives who understand the journey and can provide feedback and encouragement. It’s challenging to work through discouragement, but it’s so empowering to create work and to be part of such a supportive and talented community. 

Describe your process of writing a children’s book? Do you already know the story line? Or do you write it as you go? I never know the storyline! I wish I did. Instead, I usually have an idea – a concept, or a character, or a vibe. Then I work from there with critique partners to create many, many drafts. 

I like to think of it like a sandbox. First I need to create the space for my sandbox (getting my butt in the chair). Then, I need to gather the sand (ideas). Usually there are a lot of twigs, leaves, and general “junk” in the sand, so I have to sort that out. Then, I have sand to build a castle. And I build, and rebuild, and build again, until it looks right. It’s a whole process, indeed! 

What is one piece of advice you’d give to an aspiring writer? I have a few things, actually. 1) Read widely (all genres, diverse voices). 2) If you especially loved a book (picture book), type out the text and study the pacing, the language, the tension, etc. 3) Get a critique group of creatives who want to learn and grow. Then work with them honestly and with an open mind. 4) Don’t be afraid to rewrite! Try it all out, play with your stories. 

Who inspires you? My critique partners inspire me every day. The one who cried over Zoom because getting a biographical character’s story right meant everything to her. The one who balances kid life with writing life and is honest about how hard it can be. The one who joyfully writes drafts and revises them the very same day she gets a critique because she loves it so much. The one who gets tons of offers. The one who gets none. I am so inspired by them, and only hope I can do the same for them.  

What is next for you? I’m out on sub with a few projects. Fingers crossed!

You can read more about Laurie by visiting her website. www.lauriecarmody.com.

Laurie, thank you for the interview and best wishes in your author journey! 

My August Book Giveway Winner is Carolyn Clarke from Williamsburg, Virginia.