Meet the Talented #kidlit #debut author, Danna Zeiger, plus #giveaway

CAROL GORDON EKSTER: Danna is in my Andover, MA SCBWI critique group. Her debut book comes out this September, and I want to introduce you all to her as she’s so talented, intelligent and amazing!

Danna, can you tell us how you found your way into writing for children?

DANNA ZEIGER: Thank you so much for having me here, Carol! My path into children’s book writing was certainly less traditional. This is going to be a long answer!

I have been a writer and a bookworm my entire life. As a kid and a teen, I was always deeply engrossed in a book when I was at home. I have also written poems in multiple languages (I’m tri-lingual) as a kid and throughout my life. I had this carousel shaped tin, and I would squirrel away my poems written on various papers. I still have this tin, and it explodes open confetti-like with all those poems ranging my whole life.

My parents are from the former Soviet Union, so STEM was basically a prerequisite in our family. My dad admitted to me later on, may he rest in peace, that he regretted not embracing and supporting my writing. However, I enjoyed math (and became a math minor) and loved the brain and biology (and became a neuroscience major), so I found STEM to be exciting and enjoyed learning. I continued to write creatively throughout anyway and found outlets to express myself and fill this bucket.

After my Ph.D., I took a position at a college in Boston where I had the unique opportunity to create a new biology bachelor’s degree! I created the program and ran it for seven years, working with students who were first-in-the-family to attend college, from immigrant families (like mine), or from other challenging circumstances and persevering. I developed many different courses across the STEM spectrum, taught them, sat on and chaired the curriculum committee where I was also involved in developing other degree programs and courses, and created multiple partnerships and collaborations with local universities for research, teaching, internships, and speaker series. I felt fulfilled in my career and never ceased to be amazed by my students. My passion for making STEM accessible only continued to grow.

However, when Covid hit, I had a newborn, a toddler, and a sobbing older child, as well as several immunocompromised family members. Conditions were not amenable to a young working mother who needed infant care, and national policies were not conducive to working from home—I was the department head and in-person time with students was important. Looking around at my family, I honestly felt I had no choice (to my supportive partner and husband’s credit, he proposed each going part-time, but that made little financial sense) but to resign from my position, to my own shock, as well as to the shock of my colleagues.

I dove into homeschooling, reading countless books and trying to educate myself on a field I truly knew nothing about, and had never entertained for even a moment. It turned out to be an extremely positive time for my family, and as part of this venture, I was reading hundreds of childrens’ books to them per month, if not sometimes even per week!

One day, I read Chris Van Dusen’s If I Built a House and did a creative writing exercise with the kids. I thought of an idea for a book and shared it with my husband later that day, telling him someone should write that. He looked at me and said, “Yes, you should write that.” And with immense support from both him and my kids, I took courses, joined SCBWI, found critique groups and partners, and went all in. 😊

CGE: You come from a science background. How does that affect what you write? And do you only write nonfiction?

DZ: Great question! I will always be passionate about STEM. Like in my days as a college professor, I very much strive to make STEM accessible to all. I hope to infuse stories with both emotion and STEM, and I always want to make science topics interesting and inviting, even for those who tell me they are not science-minded or always felt that they were not good at science/math/etc. My heart breaks for their tough experiences, and I truly believe that everyone can learn science. Stories and books are one of the best ways to do it, and to inspire hope and love in kids—the next generation of scientists.

I certainly don’t only write about science or nonfiction, even though I love both! I have completed picture books and middle grade novels across both fiction (prose and verse!) and nonfiction. I also love to write about my Jewish and immigrant family experiences. One area I’m passionate about is bringing Bukharian awareness and representation to children’s literature. These are Jews from Central Asia who lived under Soviet rule for seventy years. My biological family is not from this area—they are from a different part of the former Soviet Union. However, I spent a significant portion of my childhood with an incredible Bukhari family who infused me with so many experiences and lifelong values.

CGE: Your debut picture book, Rewriting the Rules: How Dr. Kathleen Friel Created New Possibilities for Brain Research and Disability, illustrated by Josée Bisaillon,  Millbrook Press, comes into the world this Sept. 8^th. Can you tell us your inspiration for this book?

DZ: Kathleen herself is my inspiration! She was my mentor in my undergrad lab at Columbia Medical School, in Dr. Jack Martin’s lab. We researched corticospinal development and brain injury. Kathleen was the very first person with cerebral palsy I met in science, or even in academia. She is whip-smart, hilarious, and incredibly kind and ethical. However, the ableism she has had to fight against her whole life has been unbelievable. She is vocal about her experiences and is a fierce advocate. As I dove more into writing, I knew Kathleen’s story needed to be shared with kids! I’m eternally grateful to her for trusting me to share her story.

CGE: You’ve already gotten great reviews for this title. So impressive! Congrats! SJL gave you a starred review and wrote, “VERDICT A must-purchase for all libraries as it ­reflects the best that modern biographies for young readers have to offer. We want to hear about all the positive reviews!” How did you react when first saw this review?

DZ: Thank you so much! It’s an amazing review and truly beyond my wildest dreams.

I saw the news shortly after traveling overseas to visit my dad’s grave for the one-year memorial of his passing. At his memorial service, I spoke about how I didn’t share my new writing ventures with my parents for a while because I wasn’t sure how they would react, and how my dad actually showed super interest and immense support once I did. While I was speaking, I received an exciting bit of publishing news via text. And, shortly thereafter, I heard from my editor about this review! It felt in that very moment, to me, like my father had sent an amazing show of love and validation. I will never forget it!

CGE: What have been some of your ups and downs in this business of publishing for children?

DZ: One day, I will give my Ted Talk on all of the surprising things I have learned from publishing! I like to joke that it is more of a black box than an NIH grant… except that I’m not really joking!! I’m not afraid of hard work, and I have worked incredibly hard to get to this point. Unlike graduate school or any other multi-year endeavor of blood, sweat, and tears … there is really no guarantee of success. There have been multiple points along the way where I just was not sure I was ever going to get a book deal. I clung onto my hopes anyway and persevered, with lots of tears and late-night talks with my hubby, chats with friends … and of course, I’m glad I did.

Along the way, I have always tried to look for signs from the universe that I wasn’t insane for thinking this was possible. And those signs did come!

The very first sign, and I will be forever grateful for it, was when I entered the very first writing competition in my life. This was Vivian Kirkfield’s writing contest of 50 Precious Words. There were 750 applicants, and I had no expectations! When I placed 5^th, I felt the validation I needed to keep going. Since then, I’ve received offers of representation, I’ve won other contests, and I was ultimately  accepted into PJ Library’s Emerging Picture Book Writer Camp (at the incredible Highlights Foundation’s Retreat Center in Milanville, PA). This was the first time an external organization awarded me something of monetary value for my creative writing, out of a pool of applicants. This was also the first time in years I was able to leave my kids and hubby (thanks, Covid) and focus on myself and my pursuits. I could cry (and I think I did) about how taken care of I felt—someone else was planning meals, cooking me delicious food, and investing in my soul. And finally, of course, getting my first book deal. When I received the offer, I think I screamed so loudly I scared the baby. 😊

CGE: What are you planning to do for promotion, and how do you feel about tackling that side of being an author?

DZ: Promotion is not something I was totally prepared for when I sat down to write my first manuscript! However, I couldn’t be more excited to introduce Kathleen to kids everywhere, so I’m incredibly motivated. Several schools are already considering this book for their anti-ableism curriculum, and I would love to try to get it into more schools. I’m part of several awesome promotion groups as well, and we are all supporting one another. I’ll be doing a number of bookstore and library events, book festivals, and also an NCTE panel. My events will include a book reading as well as science activities, which I’m really excited about! Kathleen and I have chatted about a bunch of possibilities, too. Depending on how she is feeling, since she is battling metastatic breast cancer, I would love to do some events together. Please check my website for all current events! I’m also grateful to my publisher, Lerner Publishing Group, because they have a myriad of promotion and marketing resources, and an amazing team.

CGE: What are your top tips for our #kidlit #amwriting audience?

DZ: My top tips are:

1. Write as much as you possibly can. Unfortunately, not all stories are equal. Not all stories will be publishable, marketable, hooky, or even, in my case, good! But there is some kind of organic evolution to the writing process where even the lousy stories are important practice runs for the stories that make it. I can see how stories I wrote initially, which I can now conclude are not up-to-par, have shaped my future writing for stories that did make it.
2. Find the joy in writing. Publishing can be really rough (worse than an NIH grant process!) so this journey must be about finding your joy. There’s no guarantee of publication, but for me, I do have a guarantee that writing is good for my soul, and this is my fuel.
3. Look for the signs from the universe. Positive feedback, signs you’re going in the right direction … and stay the course.
4. When you think your manuscript is ready, put it down. Seriously! This one is really, really hard for me. I am so eager to birth every story, and of course, I love all of my stories. However, time and distance do amazing things. I see my work in a new light after I haven’t read it for a while, and it helps me to more objectively find what I was missing when I was so close to it.
5. READ! And then read, and then read some more. Read as many books as you can get your hands on, especially in any genre you plan to write in. It’s so important to know what the market looks like and to see where your book will sit.

CGE: Great tips, Danna! What does the future hold for you?

DZ: Great question! More books … will share more soon. 😊

I used to have a thirty-year plan that looked like climbing academia, hoping to become dean, create awesome science degrees and programs, and keep teaching and working with students.

Covid threw a major wrench in those plans … but I wouldn’t have it any other way. The privilege (and it truly is one) to homeschool my kids has changed my life, and I think, theirs. The ability to dive into this dream I had tucked away for my later years has also been a tremendous gift.

It’s hard to predict life and its curveballs. But if I dare to dream, I’m truly hoping to make writing a long-term career. I would like to become a prolific children’s book author (and I do have some outlines for adult books saved for one day when I have longer chunks of time 😊) where I infuse as much STEM as possible, my Jewish values and loves, and hopefully inspire, educate, and connect with as many readers as I can.

CGE: How can readers connect with you?

DZ: Please do connect! My Instagram, Facebook, and BlueSky are @DrZatHome. You can find more info on my website: dannazeiger.com

I’m starting a newsletter, which you can sign up for on my website (dannazeiger.com). This newsletter will be geared towards parents, educators, and caretakers with awesome science activities and accessible explanations for why and how things work. I’ll throw in some writing advice and resources in there as well!

Happy to offer STEM support, too. 😊

Information about my #giveaway: I would also love to offer a raffle for a non-rhyming PB critique (fiction or nonfiction under 800 words). Sign up for my newsletter (dannazeiger.com) to enter, and share this interview and about my newsletter on social media.

CGE: Thanks for that #giveaway, Danna! And thank you for your inspiration. We can’t wait to get our hands on your books!