#Kidlit Interview with the Effervescent Children’s Author Kelly Swemba

Friendship is a special, wondrous thing. Great thinkers and creatives throughout time have shared their thoughts about how special friendship is:

• There are no strangers here; Only friends you haven’t yet met. – William Butler Yeats
• Friends are the siblings God never gave us. – Mencius
• Friendship is magic – My Little Pony

Kelly Swemba and illustrator Adam Walker-Parker give us a new take on an evergreen topic – Friends Are Like Stars.

Kelly Swemba has been passionate about big feelings since she was little. She holds a master’s degree in psychiatric nursing and currently works in a palliative care and heart failure clinic. When not writing, Kelly can be found at the hockey rink cheering on her children and their teammates. She lives in Ohio with her husband Michael, her two children, and their fluffy goldendoodle.

Monica Acker (MA): Kelly, thank you for joining me on the blog today. Can you tell us a bit about Friends Are Like Stars?

Hi Monica, thank you for having me! 

Friends Are Like Stars, written by me, beautifully illustrated by Adam Walker-Parker, is a story about best friends Vera and Grace who find themselves in a difficult situation when Grace moves away. Every night Vera wishes on her favorite star for Grace to come back, until one night, her wishing star vanishes too! Her search for answers leads her to a discovery about new friends, keeping old friends, and how we are all connected through the stars.

MA: What triggered the connection in your brain between moving friends and the movement of the stars?

This is a great question! I’ve always been a fan of the starry sky with my favorite constellation being Orion. I find it’s very easy to locate because of the belt consisting of three stars. So whenever I’m outside, I look up and search for it. 

One night when I looked up, I couldn’t find it! I wondered where it went, which led to some research and the discovery that because of Earth’s rotation, the sun’s rays, the hemisphere you live in, can determine what stars become visible or “invisible”.

I realized even though I can’t see Orion, someone else might be able to. And thus, a new story idea sparkled from the realization of being connected through the stars.

MA:  Vera goes to the library for answers – yes! Did the library play a role in the story from the start or was that a development as you drafted?

I wanted to use the library as a source of information from the beginning. As a child, I loved going to the library to get a week’s worth of books. It felt like such a treat! I really wanted the library to be seen as a source of information, friendship, and welcoming to everyone. It’s my little way of encouraging children from a young age to visit their local library.

MA: The illustrations by Adam Walker-Parker are so child friendly and bright even though many take place at night. Do you have a favorite spread? (I do!) Any illustration surprises?

Isn’t his art just gorgeous!? I remember when my editor sent me the cover, and I was blown away!! It was just so beautiful! It’s hard to pick a favorite because I think there are so many spreads that are magical. Adam captures Vera’s emotions so well throughout the story. 

My favorites (I’m cheating i know 😊) are the cover, the spread with her looking out wishing her friend would come back, the following page of her consistent wish efforts, and when Vera and Malcolm share new experiences and yet she still misses Grace. 

I think that last page is still really important for anyone reading this story. Children can make new friends, but it doesn’t replace their old ones. They will still miss them, and that’s perfectly okay! I think the phrase about kids “being resilient and that they’ll be fine” glosses over the big emotions that they feel. As adults, we need to be aware of their feelings and that these situations can be difficult for them. By acknowledging their emotions and being there for conversations and questions, we can really help them and make a positive impact.

MA: The back matter says that Vera’s wishing star is part of the Orion constellation. Is there meaning behind that particular constellation?

Orion has been my favorite constellation since I was little! (So for me, the star was always part of Orion.) This gives the readers a real constellation in the sky as well as the knowledge that we can wish on stars that disappear for a while, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t still in the sky. This connects to the idea that even though we don’t get to see people often, we’re still connected to them and can still feel their love.

MA: Orion was my first and favorite constellation too! Ok, Kelly, time for some fill in the blank fun:

Critique partners are like beautiful shining stars – magical and priceless.

I’ve been blessed with amazing critique partners. Some I have met, and some I only know through emails or texts. I’m always amazed at how kind and wonderful and supportive the writing community is. My partners are people that I stumbled upon yet have enriched my life in so many ways outside of writing. This is why this book was dedicated to them. They know who they are 🩷

Editors are like long distant friends that help us find our way.

I was thrilled when I found out that I’d be working with Liz Patterson at Beaming Books. She’s kind, smart, and a very knowledgeable editor.  Working with her on this book felt collaborative, that I had a voice, and that my wishes and opinions mattered. She was a great guide through the publication journey. 

Thanks, Kelly!

To discover more about Kelly and her books visit https://kellyswemba.com/my-books/ and follow her on Instagram at @kellyswemba.