Interview with Author, Illustrator, and Inventor Vicky Fang…and a Book Giveaway!

I consider myself super-duper lucky, as a Writers’ Rumpus blogger, to be able to meet and interview so many talented kidlit authors. I learn new things, make valuable connections with other creatives, and then get to share it with all of you. Sometimes these folks reach out to me or the blog (which makes us very happy), and sometimes I simply read about, or hear them speak somewhere, and must, must, must have them on. Today’s guest, Vicky Fang, falls into this latter “have-to-get-them-on-the-blog” category and you will soon see why. I caught a webinar she gave earlier this year on Julie Hedlund’s 12X12 Picture Book Writing Challenge that simply blew me away!

Vicky is a product designer (that means she gets paid to invent and create cool things), author, and illustrator, who, in the past eight or so years, has written and illustrated over twenty books for children. These include novelty/board books, picture books, early readers, and early chapter books, many of which have become series, and which focus on STEAM concepts and thinking outside of the box.

Her latest book, The Boo Crew Needs You! is an interactive spooky story released last month by Sourcebooks Jabberwocky. It takes the young reader on an adventure through Monster Town on Halloween night to help Luna, Bones, and Fang (aka, the Boo Crew) fix all sorts of mishaps and potential disasters.

With a page tap here, a book shake there, and more, all is made right in time for the Monster Ball at Spooky Hall. Irresistible rhyming text and lively illustrations by Saoirse Lou make this a wonderful read aloud that comes just in time for Halloween shenanigans!

Hilary Margitich: Vicky, welcome to Writers’ Rumpus! I am so thrilled to have you here today. I just love your approach to writing books that help kids think, and also, your approach to spanning different genres of children’s books.

Vicky Fang: Thank you so much for having me! I appreciate the kind words, and I remember being on here for my debut picture book in 2020, Invent-a-Pet. It’s so nice to be back!

HM: I’d love to start by talking about your new book, The Boo Crew Needs You! This is a Halloween story for young children that really takes their reading to another level. Can you tell me how you came up with the idea for this, and what your creative process looked like?

VF: The story was kind of a mash-up of two different ideas, which is how many of my books start. First, I had a phrase floating around with no story attached to it: ‘It’s a glitch! There’s a hitch! Something’s screwy with this switch!‘ Years later, when I started work on this story about a team working together to save Halloween, I thought that phrase was a perfect fit!

The book always included interactivity, though my first pass only had one, big interactive moment. When I shared it with my agent, she suggested I weave interactivity throughout. Ouf, I put it away for two years after that, because the thought was so daunting! But eventually, I pulled it back out again and tackled it bit by bit!

HM: It’s amazing to me how you’ve branched out from writing picture books to all of these other early age genres, including early readers and chapter books. I think it’s something all of us picture book writers think about from time to time. What are the most important things to know in attempting this, and how did this evolve for you?

VF: It’s all about studying mentor texts for me! I get so inspired by the great books out there, and I often think about how certain ideas I have make sense for different categories. It all started when my agent suggested I try writing a chapter book, and then shortly after that, my critique partner suggested one of my ideas should be a board book, and off I went!

HM: I read on your website that you were a children’s author first, who then decided to become an author/illustrator. This is a brave undertaking, and one that you seem to have bridged seamlessly. Your beautiful illustrations are a testament to that. Can you tell us, brave one, how all of that came about?

VF: Aw, thank you! Even though I started as author only, I always drew sketches to help me write my stories. Eventually I started adding a little concept sketch when my manuscripts went out on submission. My intention was to set the tone for the editor, not to pitch myself as the illustrator. But eventually, the sketches turned into full dummies, and my agent began submitting me as illustrator-optional on some of my projects. One of my submitted dummies became a revise and resubmit from Andrew Arnold, my eventual “Friendbots” editor. He saw potential in the dummy I had sent and worked with me to polish my style and made me an offer. I was slightly terrified, but I took the leap and I’m so glad that I did.

HM: That’s a great story and I’m so glad you did, too! I love how you compare writing to inventing. Are there many parallels between your writing life and the work you do as a product designer?

VF:  Yes! I really approach writing the same way I approach product design. I start with research (mentor texts!), and then brainstorm ideas, draft a story, and then revise, revise, revise. I’m so grateful for all of my past lives; I think they all inform my writing and my process!

HM: You mentioned in your awesome 12×12 webinar the importance of using mentor texts, and a certain book on creativity that inspired you to do so. I can’t remember the title, but I’ve been wanting to get it. Would you mind sharing that with me/us and the philosophy behind that?

VF: Oh gosh, maybe I was talking about Steal Like an Artist by Austin Kleon? There are lots of great nuggets in that book. I was probably talking about the idea that you don’t have to be afraid of being inspired by other people’s ideas, because the inspiration that you find becomes something else when you take it and add your heart, your twist, your mix of ideas to it.

HM: That’s the one! I do plan to read it soon because it sounds fantastic. Vicky, can you tell us what you are working on next?

VF: This fall, I am launching a new early reader series with Scholastic Acorn, called “Best Buddies” about two friends, a dog named Sniff and a cat named Scratch. And then I’m working on a new chapter book series that launches in June 2024, called “Ava Lin”, about a six-year-old Chinese American girl with a knack for getting herself into—and out of—trouble. I am so, so excited for both of these new series, because they’re both full of heart and humor.

HM: I can’t wait for those! I love your website. It is full of activities for kids, all based on your amazing books, but it also has so many resources and tips for writers. Where else can our readers follow you online or on social media?

VF: Aw, thank you! I am also on Instagram/Facebook/Threads as @fangmousbooks and on X as @fangmous.

HM: Vicky, it’s been such a pleasure talking with you today! I really love your work and can’t wait to read more of it.

VF: Thank you so much! It’s been a pleasure chatting with you!

Vicky is offering a copy of her brand new picture book The Boo Crew Needs You! to a lucky reader. To enter, comment on this post! If you share on Facebook or Twitter, mention that in your comment and you’ll get another entry. Giveaway closes in one week. US and Canada only.

Vicky Fang is a product designer who spent five years designing kids’ technology experiences for both Google and Intel. She started writing to support the growing need for early coding education, particularly for girls and kids of color. She now writes a wide range of books to inspire kids in STEAM, creativity, and SEL. She is the author, and sometimes illustrator, of twenty-two new and upcoming books for kids, including the “Layla and the Bots” series, INVENT-A-PET, “I Can Code” board books, “Friendbots” series, and the forthcoming “Ava Lin” series, “Best Buddies” series, ALPHABOT, and THE BOO CREW NEEDS YOU!. You can visit Vicky at vickyfang.com.