Monday Crunchies

These days, I've been lucky to be working on several projects that are books in series. I am working on a sequel to Underpants, Thunderpants! for Parragon UK, and the Mouse Math series for Kane Press.

Here are a few characters you will see later next year in a Penguin Level 1 Reader, which is part of the Puppy Diaries series that I am working on, written by Jill Abramson and Jane O'Connor. Ready or Not, Here Comes Scout! released a couple of months ago, is a picture book Jill wrote about her puppy, Scout, and companion book to her adult book Puppy Diaries. You can read about it here. She and her sister, Jane, are continuing on with Scout's adventures in this adorable reader, with another one to follow. Can't wait to share them with you!

Ready or Not!

I worked on a book last January for Viking that was written by Jill Abramson and Jane O'Connor. Jill is the Executive Editor of the New York Times and her sister is the author of many children's books, including the Fancy Nancy Books. Ready or Not, Here Comes Scout! is about Jill's puppy, a goofy and over-eager, cream-colored Golden Retriever and her adventures at the dog park.

I go to the dog park every day. I have my own goofy, over-eager Airedale Terrier named Mack, who demands time with his dog buddies, so the book seemed like a perfect fit for me. The hard part was that it was on a fast track to get published and ride the coat-tails of Jill's adult book called Puppy Diaries, that had just been released. 

Now that the book is out and on the book shelves, I have forgotten all the late nights and panic to make the publisher's deadlines. But, I have not forgotten Scout. I am currently working on two new books about Scout. Written by Jill and Jane, they are Level Two readers for Penguin. 

©Deborah Melmon

It's fun to work on books that are a series. Obvisously, because the character is already worked out, it is much easier and quicker to get started. And a second book gives you a chance to get better. I feel like we're just hitting our stride!