Natasha Tripplett lives in Northern California, where she writes from a tree house perched in a sycamore tree. Natasha is a Jamaican Jewish American author who is passionate about cultural representation in children's literature. She bubbles with excitement over antiques, chocolate, coffee on the front porch, and cozy movie nights in front of the fireplace with her husband and four children. Visit Natasha's website to learn more about her and her work.
1. What one piece of advice would you like to give to aspiring kidlit authors?
I love talking with kids about becoming an author or illustrator. I tell them that I started out by playing basketball, dancing, riding bike, playing hide-and-seek, climbing trees, making necklaces, drawing pictures, racing and playing with my dog. When I ask the kids that I talk to if they do any of those things, every hand in the room shoots up. I tell them that some of them may be future authors or illustrators. The key to being a great author is to play! They need to get active and use their imagination.
2. To what extent is your writing inspired by your own experience, or by watching your children’s experiences?
I think that every author puts a piece of themselves in everything they write. Sometimes it is simply a memory about roller skating that turns into a story from the roller skate’s point of view. Other times an entire part of one’s childhood ends up as the premise for a story. Personally, I like to take different parts of my own experiences and meld them into one story. It makes me feel like I am rewriting my own history. With that being said, I also like adding pieces of things I observe. I currently work in a third-grade classroom, and I get to witness a lot of kid antics. Children interpret life with such innocence. Every day, I get a front-row seat to great material that should be included in a book.
3. What kind of student were you? What were your favorite subjects?
When I was in school, I was very creative and very social. I always got the note on my report cards that said, “a bit of a chatterbox.” I loved art, music, and writing. I did not do as well in math and science. As an adult, I love teaching math. I would have never thought that was possible, but math finally makes sense to me. I like to encourage kids by telling them “Never give up on yourself. You don’t know how your story ends.” I believe that school should be a tool for kids to learn the confidence it takes to push themselves and recognize their strengths.
4. Where did you get the idea for this new book? What was your inspiration?
As an adoptee and a child who was formerly in foster care, I wrote Planted With Love for children who need to see their own story reflected in a book. There are very few picture books from and adoptee’s perspective and even fewer about foster care. I used to be an adoption social worker. I counseled many families and children who were adopted and in the foster care system. I often used picture books in therapy sessions because they were a good way to start conversations about big feelings that children often did not have words to describe. The foster mother in my picture book responds to the child’s needs versus their behavior. I would have loved to have this resource for parents who needed to see beyond their child’s outbursts and behaviors. I also wrote this book to honor my own foster sister. Growing up, I had a foster sister who lived with our family for 8 years. She became my best friend. Some of the details in my book reflect her experiences. I hope she feels seen and loved through my words.
5. If you could tell readers one secret about this book, what would it be?
In the book, Planted With Love, the main character (Lamar), is seen carrying a blue pen around with him. You see the pen on his nightstand, as he moves from home to home, and in his own hand. This pen is special to him because it was a gift from his biological dad. When I was a little girl, I had a pen collection. My father used to travel a lot and every time he came home, he brought me a new pen. I had a fancy baseball pen, a few flower pens, a pen with the Statue of Liberty and many more. The pen symbolizes a connection to a part of who Lamar used to be. I used my pens to write my future, and I hope that Lamar finds a way to use his to write his as well.
6. Did you have a lot of collaboration with the book's illustrator?
I am so blessed to share this book with Adriana Predoi. She is such a dedicated and talented artist. Her illustrations brought this story to life. After she agreed to illustrate the book, WaterBrook (publisher) set up a creative call with my editor, agent, illustrator and art director. We all talked through every page. I was able to add my thoughts about what I envisioned, and I was able to hear from the art experts as to how they saw the book. This type of collaboration does not usually happen between author and illustrator. The end product is so much greater than I could have ever imagined. I literally want the wardrobe of the foster mother in the book. One of the suggestions that I had was that I wanted to garden to feel like a third character in the book. Adriana did a masterful job in making that happen. The flowers appear to be listening to conversations. It was an absolute delight to work with Adriana.
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