Interview with Maud Lavin, author of “Pushie, Jr.”

Photo by Lauren Shay Lavin

To launch our book series, I wanted to spend some time introducing our readers to our authors and illustrators. First up is Maud Lavin who has been with the press since about January 2, 2011, one day after we launched. Maud had just finished her latest book Push Comes to Shove: New Images of Aggressive Women. “Women need aggression and need to use it consciously, Lavin writes.” “With Push comes to Shove, she explores the crucial questions of how to manifest aggression, how it to represent it and how to keep open a cultural space for it.” -an excerpt from her book and review.

I have known Maud since 2001 where we met at SAIC, I was in grad school at the time and fell under her whimsical spell. She has taught me so much about work and life and over the years we have become great friends. She and I first worked together professionally on The Business of Holidays published in 2003, . We have supported each other though book release parties, tea parties, and with anything else that life throws our way. Maud was awarded the highly regarded “Outstanding Teacher of the Year” award last year at SAIC and will continue to inspire young writers to chase their passions. Her list of accomplishments is one to envy.

1. What inspired you to write (or illustrate) a children’s book?
–I’ve written 6 books for adults, either as author or co-author, but Pushie, Jr. is my first children’s book.  It came about when Alyson Beaton, publisher of Grow Books Press, invited me to write one.  I loved the idea and spent some time then reading different authors who were experienced children’s book writers on how to write a children’s book.  They had good suggestions like don’t be preachy with kids and tell them what to do, instead make a good story and show them.  It was a really fun writing challenge to write Pushie, Jr.  I liked adding in humor too.  I worked hard and I enjoyed it.
2. What was your favorite book as a kid?and why?
–I loved the Wizard of Oz series, the whole series, because it was so full of fantasy and adventure and friendship.  Also because it starred a little girl, Dorothy.
3. What do you love best about Chicago?
–I love all the friendly neighborhoods, the lakefront, and how there are trees everywhere.  OK, that’s three things.
4. When did other people start to notice that you were good at writing?
–My mom encouraged me when I was little.  As soon as I learned to read and write, I started writing little stories.  Later on I also wrote plays and made my three younger brothers act in them along with me.  Actually I think they had
fun too!  Then we would perform them for my parents.  We lived out in the country so we had to invent games and stories; it was pretty in the country but there wasn’t a lot to do.  So we made stuff up.
5. What kind of encouragement helped you along your road to doing what you do now? For instance was there a pivotal moment in your life that you think led you to doing what you do?
When I was in college, I sent in an article I wrote to a magazine in New York City, and they accepted it for publication!  I didn’t really expect it; I didn’t know anyone at the magazine and it was my first try (although I did write for the school paper so I had some experience).  It was very exciting when they accepted it, edited it, and paid me.  And great to see it appear in the magazine.

Thank you Maud!

Subscribe to our series

The exciting news we have this week is that we are officially launching our compostable book series as a subscription! The subscription starts with “Imagine Your World” shipping immediately, followed by brand new books in October, December, February, April, and June. This year our theme is broad but encapsulates “imagination”, starting with “Pushie Jr.” By Maud Lavin and illustrated by Rachel Coulter, takes you into the lives of Pushie, Shayla, and her older sister Bev, in dealing with a playground bully. Pushie, Jr. learns to channel her frustration in fun and productive ways but ultimately learns more about friendship and family.

Maud Lavin is a New York Times Notable author and has been celebrated for her work and writings about socially driven topics that flirt with design, feminism, and consumerism, also a Full Professor at The School of The Art Institute of Chicago. Rachel Coulter is a recent graduate of Columbia College Chicago who has an affinity for all things tiny. Rachel has committed her time and energy to kids of all ages from being the director of a summer camp to nannying, along with her creative pursuits.

Our release in December, just in time for the holidays, is “Blow Wind Blow”, by Bruce Ray and Illustrated by Alyson Beaton. This is an epically creative tale about an inquisitive boy who has to make a very big decision. Rufus Bishop V, lives in a house at the edge of the city with 4 generations of Bishop men. The story takes you into his life, living in a perfectly pristine house yet he never ventures outside. The tale is whimsically illustrated to show the life of the boy, his father, his grandfather, and great-grandfather as he seeks to understand the wonders of the world outside his window.

Bruce Ray is always surrounded by kids, maybe one of the most gentle people in the world who is a Pastor of an activist church in the Logan Square neighborhood and the director of a Lutheran Day care. He spends his time leading people in the charge for a more just community and housing for all! Alyson Beaton is always getting herself into new ways of working with kids and developing more and more materials that engage them creatively. She is also a mom and an Assistant Professor of Graphic Design at Columbia College Chicago.

Later this year will also include: February, “What is it Like?” by Alysia Kaplan exploring creative ways of seeing the world through the brilliant photographic/print making eye of Alysia who is a mom, Design Professor at SAIC and print making maven. Her work is inspired by her travels to the Netherlands where she spends time creating and installing her prints bringing to life her wonderfully illustrative style.  April will be a month of wonder with the release of “Ben and Zella” See the World By Sarah Mallin, a tale about a boy who “unplugs” for the weekend and is forced to find his inner imagination with a little help from his friend Zella. Sarah has been avidly writing children’s books for years along with balancing her professional career with baking pies that show her love of all things beautifully delicious.

Finally, in June we will launch summer with another activity book that is really a sketchbook called “An Architect’s Day” by Petra Probstner, where kids can learn to sketch and explore as an architect does. Petra is an Architect by trade and has the energy and imagination that we would all wish to possess. She is also an Assistant Professor of Interior Architecture at Columbia College Chicago and is originally from Hungry who did her Masters at The Glasgow School of Art, worked in London, Buffalo and now Chicago.

We are so excited about our series and know you will love all of the books. In the coming weeks we will be featuring all books, authors and illustrators here on the blog. If you would like to subscribe click here it is only $60 for the year of books delivered to your door, and includes a reusable hard cover.

Thank you for your support for our 100% independent publishing company, based in Chicago, IL with all books hand bound and produced in the windy city and are as green as can be.