A Life in Picture... Books!

Member Profile - Bonnie Ferrante

Meet Bonnie...

How long have you been a member of NOWW?  I've been in NOWW for 6 years.

What do you normally write? I write fiction for all ages, nonfiction for young children, and picture books.

And who is your favourite author? I love C. S. Lewis.



Let’s get to know you a bit better. Tell us a bit about yourself! My picture book illustrations are in a state of flux as I develop methods that cope with my increasing Parkinson's tremor. I am still working on 3 YA novels for which I have received OAC grants and am working on several picture books in various stages. I had four novels, various short stories, and three years of newspaper columns published traditionally but am now self-publishing. I've placed second and third in several NOWW short story contests. I have more ideas than I have time left to fulfill them.

Tell us about a couple of your upcoming books! I plan on publishing two books soon. One is a YA historical fantasy set in Tudor England titled Switch. I spent a year researching although I was familiar with that period from university classes and personal interest. I worked with Tradewind Books in Vancouver for four years on this book but we have parted amicably. I will be extensively revising it closer to my original vision. I haven't touched the work for a year, so I will be reading through and making notes, then devising a new outline, pulling up old files, and rewriting and revising. My plan is to use NaNoWriMo as the impetus for this rather daunting job.

The second is a picture book called If You See a Dragon which encourages children to examine the way people treat and use animals. I've tried two (hopefully) unique illustrative representations featuring the dragon and humans. For me, picture books are a true joy to create. However, since I can't control a pencil or paintbrush since Parkinson's symptoms have increased, I hope to develop new ways to use my computer drawing tablet and PhotoShop to continue illustrating my own books.

And where do your inspirations come from? What books have impacted your writing? Since I write a review blog, I am constantly discovering writers/illustrators that challenge my concept of a picture book. I frequently babysit my granddaughter (now three-years-old) and we read a great deal. One of our favourites is Jazz Baby, by Lisa Wheeler, with oddly drawn humans and a text you can't help but rap/sing. Writers who want reviews/interviews on my blog send me their books and I donate them to the library. Sometimes it's hard to let them go. Bossy Flossy by Paulette Bogan has become a reference point for behaviour. Herds of Birds Oh How Absurd by S.J. Bushue has challenged us to memorize all the beautiful collective nouns. Donations of children's books to the Little Free Library at 240 Humber are deeply appreciated. Readers are encouraged to keep the books circulating and seek out more of the author's works.

Can we see you at any upcoming NOWW events? I will be reading 2 selections for NOWW in December.

Where can we learn more about you and your writing?
Readers can connect with me:
Website - BonnieFerrante.ca, My Blog - http://bferrante.wordpress.com/,
Facebook - Bonnie Ferrante - Author https://www.facebook.com/FerranteAuthor?ref=hl ,
Bonnie Ferrante - Books for Children
https://www.facebook.com/FerranteBooksForChildren?ref=hl,
Youtube - http://www.youtube.com/user/Bonnie0904,
Twitter - @BonnieFerrante (Also Goodreads, linkedin, Pinterest,Tumblr).
All 17 published works are available here: Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/Bonnie-Ferrante/e/B007P7LFYG/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_2?qid=1382025411&sr=8-2

And to end things off, tell us something surprising about yourself!   I recently started a Little Free Library, with the major focus on children's books, on my front lawn.

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