Meet Our September Guest Guru: Roxanne Troup
- rateyourstoryweb
- 18 hours ago
- 7 min read
We are very excited to feature our September Guest Guru (Roxanne Troup) who brings a wealth of knowledge and information as a multi-published non-fiction AND fiction picture book author to us. She will give a rating and feedback to four lucky Rate Your Story Members this month. Members can request Roxanne as a Guru from Judy, our in-box coordinator (RateYourStory@gmail.com), and if there are available spots and your manuscript seems like a good fit, you will receive this benefit.
Q: What did you love about being a child?
A: Childhood was a carefree time for me, full of books and imaginative, outdoor play. Though we didn’t have a lot, I felt secure, loved, and free to explore.
Q: What brought you to children’s books?
A: I’ve always loved to read, but as an early reader with older siblings and a MG teacher in the house, I didn’t have a lot of picture books. I first discovered PBs in college during my degree coursework. And really began collecting them when my kiddos came along. But I didn’t realize writing for kids could be a career. I sort-of stumbled into that after a conversation with my sister and a series of Internet deep dives.
Q: What do you love about children’s books?
A: I love that children’s books enable me to relive the magic of childhood, the joy of discovery. Even books that address hard things end on a hopeful note. And I love being part of an industry that honors children’s intelligence while also striving to protect their innate sense of wonder and hope.
Q: Share a little bit about your most recently-published book. How long was its path to publication? What did you learn from this experience? What is your favorite thing about this book?
A: I still do quite a bit of WFH (work for hire), so I have new books coming out all the time, which is fun. But since those books originate with the publisher, their publication path is really straight forward. So for this question, I’ll focus on my most recent trade book, REACHING FOR THE STARS.
I first drafted REACHING FOR THE STARS in late 2019, shortly after learning about NASA’s new Artemis program. I thought it would be fun to celebrate all we’ve learned about space, commemorate a woman landing on the moon, and “countdown” along with NASA’s launch. It took me about a year to find the right structure, but after that it sold quickly to Schiffer Kids. Unfortunately, the acquiring editor left the company before our story finished its journey. We didn’t know when or if it would get picked back up. When it finally did, our new editor had a different vision for the book. She asked for sweeping changes to its structure and storyline, but Amanda was heading into maternity leave; she couldn’t redo the art. Which meant I had to rethink the text using the existing artwork. (Which felt more than a little overwhelming!) But thanks to an author pal who talked me off the cliff, I was able to come up with something that our editor loved and we could be happy with, and our book back on track for a 2024 launch. So five years from first draft to published book, and a lesson in flexibility, and REACHING FOR THE STARS was born.
I love the artwork Amanda created for this story. She combined NASA photos with whimsical illustrations to echo the informational fiction vibe of the story and provide a fun look-and-find element for kids.
Q: Share a little bit about another book you wrote and how you drew upon your interests or experience to research / write it.
A: My debut picture book, MY GRANDPA, MY TREE, AND ME, is an intergenerational family story about pecan farming. It weaves nonfiction information into a fictional narrative using lyrical language and a compare/contrast structure. (I mention its structure, because I think authors often leave out the importance of structure and/or finding the right structure for your work when talking about picture book craft.) I grew up in a small midwestern town whose economy relied on agriculture, so the subject of this book was familiar to me. But it wasn’t until I found the right structure that it actually came to life.
Q: What do you love about the genre of books you write in (please be specific)?
A: For the trade market, I focus on picture books and early chapter books. I love how words and images combine in these stories to create meaning; it’s simply magical. I love how this format allows for all sorts of stories to be told—from humor to quietly lyrical, nonfiction to sci-fi. I love how inclusive the structure is, providing scaffolding to understand abstract concepts or different life experiences; that it can tackle hard subjects and engage all ages and reading abilities.
For the education market, I write everything from decodable early readers to leveled middle grade nonfiction. I love how diverse this market is and that it keeps my writing muscles sharp. I enjoy working with a variety of editors and trying new things. For example, this past year I wrote short, fiction stories for kiddos just learning to read (decodables) using a list of 20 sight words and 10-15 decodable “vocab” words. Talk about stretching your creativity!
Q: What does a story need to make it a favorite for you?
A: An engaging premise (but don’t let that trip you up; anything can be engaging if
approached correctly, even chores)
A solid structure (sensing a theme here?)
Lovely language (though not at the expense of your story)
A kid-friendly topic/character
Q: Share a story that you love and why.
A: Oh gosh. There are so many . . .
THE FIRE OF STARS by Kirsten Larson and ONE DAY THIS TREE WILL FALL by Leslie Barnard Booth → both of these recent nonfiction titles make great use of language and structure to surprise the reader.
PAPA AND PEARL by Annette M Clayton and NIKKO DRAWS A FEELING by Bob Raczka → these sweet titles tackle sensitive subjects (divorce and feelings of isolation) from a kid’s perspective that is both relatable and unique.
SNAIL CROSSING and MEL FELL by Corey Tabor → again, these titles surprise the reader while maintaining a satisfying (and completely believable) storyline.
When publishers say they want something “fresh,” I think these are the types of stories they are looking for—something that still fits within the traditional picture book structure but adds to the kidlit conversation or delights readers in a unique way.
Q: What is a common issue you see in the manuscripts you critique?
A: They’re boring. Granted, a lot of the surprise and delight of picture books comes from the art, but our words still have to offer first readers (editors/illustrators/agents) something delightful to latch on to. That delight could come from a unique premise as in ONE DAY THIS TREE WILL FALL (who would have thought to write poetry about a decaying log?!), or an unusual structure as in MEL FELL (talk about interactivity! the book literally moves as you read). It could even be delight in the way an author wields their craft, as in NIKKO DRAWS A FEELING (the kid logic/perspective here is spot-on).
Q: Please share a Submission Tip with our Members.
A: If you’re writing picture books, remember that the way you format your manuscript affects how readers understand its pacing. Picture book manuscripts are (most often) formatted like poetry instead of prose. Imagine how the text of a picture book might look on the page and format your manuscript accordingly. Here’s a handy guide from author, Denise Vega: https://denisevega-write-on.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Manuscript-Formats-PB.pdf
Q: Please share a Revision Tip for our Members.
A: Find a mentor text for the story you are trying to tell. Type it out and read the story aloud without referring to the images. What do you notice about its craft? Structure? Word choice? Pacing? Analyze how it caught an editor’s attention/why it got plucked from submissions; then, read your story aloud. Do you see those same things in your story? If not, revise before submitting.
Q: Name subjects you would like to read about.
A: I’m game for just about anything, though I don’t love potty humor or overly punny stories. That type of “funny” feels forced, like the author is trying too hard. I also don’t particularly care for message-driven manuscripts. Too often, especially when those messages lack story, they feel heavy-handed and inauthentic. I love when authors experiment, especially when that experimentation grows out of a solid study of craft (structure, pacing, language use, etc).
Q: Share something you wish we had asked you about, but didn’t!
A: Everyone’s journey in kidlit is different. Some seek out the expertise of agents, others go it alone. Some find success in the education market, others go directly into trade. Some find success with small publishers, others pursue contracts with the Big Five. Some authors stick to writing one genre their entire career, others try lots of different things based on the market and their curiosity. But none of those things actually indicate “success.” True success is measured in the effect of your life, your work. Who did you touch and how did that touch affect those around you? Did you love your family? Did you encourage a friend? Did you help a neighbor? Did the person you met online walk away from your interaction uplifted? Did the child reading your work feel seen? Inspired? Curious? Safe? Did the agent/editor who read your email recognize a kindred spirit—someone who understands the power of words and uses them wisely?
There are a lot of things in publishing we can’t control. But the one thing we can always control is us. Our craft. Our attitude. Our words and interactions. Our success—not something built at the expense of others but built in such a way that it benefits both them and us.
Q: Share a fun fact about YOU!
A: I don’t like overly sweet things like candy, soda or ice cream. I don’t really like pie or cake or cookies. But I do love quality chocolate. (Maybe it’s more savory than sweet? I don’t know.)
Bio: Award-winning author, ghostwriter, and speaker, Roxanne Troup writes kid's books that inspire wonder and can be used in the classroom. She is the author of over three dozen books for kids, including My Grandpa, My Tree, and Me (which was named Book of the Year by the Ag Foundation) and Reaching for the Stars: A Mission to Space. When not writing, Roxanne loves hiking with her family in the mountains of Colorado, gazing at stars, and exploring our amazing world through stories. With a background in education, she often visits schools to water seeds of literacy and inspire the next generation of explorers, story-tellers, and scientists.
Website: www.roxannetroup.com
Twitter: https://x.com/RoxanneTroup
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/roxannetroup/
