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| Mayra Calvani with Ramses Author, MAMA GRACIELA'S SECRET |
Mayra Calvani recently released her latest children’s book
MAMA GRACIELA’S SECRET for three-to-seven year olds about the efforts of Mama
to save her restaurant from being closed by an inspector due to her large
number of cats. Reviewers say it’s
“a picture book with character, voice and story.” Calvani, who also writes award-winning adult fiction and
non-fiction books, enjoys penning all types of books but appreciates the
“quicker gratification” she receives from children stories.
Wishing there were more hours in the day, Calvani is
currently doing final revisions on another picture book manuscript and is also
working on a YA mythological fantasy novel under pen name Zoe Kalo. She lives in Belgium with her husband, two
children, and her three pets.
Q You have written a
number of children’s books besides your newest, MAMA GRACIELA’S SECRET. What
started you to write children’s books?
Mayra Calvani: First
of all, thank you for having me on your blog, Joyce! I fell in love with
children’s books after I had children. Before then, I was writing only for
adults, but reading picture books to them every night made me fall in love with
the genre. I had many ideas for stories so I thought, why not give it a try?
Q: Your newest book,
MAMA GRACIELA’S SECRET, has a touch of mystery along with its whimsical side
of “TENDER, CRUNCHY, SPICY
bacalaitos fritos enjoyed by people and cats from all over the island.” Do you
find that a touch of mystery appeals to kids? Or is it all about the magic?
Mayra Calvani: You
must be referring to the scene when Mama Graciela gathers all of her cats to
help her find a solution so that her restaurant will not be shut down and all
the cats taken away. You’re right that there’s a touch of mystery there. It’s
kind of a mystical, otherworldly moment because there’s a communication between
Mama Graciela and her cats. Who wouldn’t want to communicate with their pet? I
suppose there’s also magic in that, not in a literal sense but in a figurative
way.
Q: What kind of
characters do children relate to? Is Mama Graciela someone that a kindergartner
will understand and care about?
Mayra Calvani: Children
relate best to children protagonists, but they can also relate to adult
characters who have childlike qualities and who have feelings that kids can
empathize with. Mama Graciela hasn’t just rescued a few cats. She has rescued
one thousand cats! And she will do whatever it takes to protect them. You know
what they say, when you save a life, you’re responsible for that life.
Q: You’ve said that
MAMA GRACIELA’S SECRET is for children ages kindergartner through SIX. Do you
write for different age groups? How do you adapt your story and characters for
different ages?
Mayra Calvani: I
write fiction and nonfiction for adults and I also write YA fiction under my
pen name Zoe Kalo (www.ZoeKalo.com). Language
and content set the difference between the various ages groups. The younger the
audience, the simpler the language. The older the reader, the more complex and
sophisticated the content.
Q: The illustrations
in MAMA GRACIELA’S SECRET are special and important for children. How did you
meet Sheila Fein? How did you impart to her what you wanted for illustrations?
Or do any of the illustrations come first?
Mayra Calvani: It
was my publisher, Tannya Derby from MacLaren-Cochrane Publishing, who provided
the illustrator, so I didn’t know Sheila before then. She was wonderful to work with and at all stages of the
illustrating process I was able to provide feedback. We went back and forth on
all the artwork until the completion of the book. At the beginning it took a
couple of tries to get the color palette right, one that would fit with the
tropical island setting. The same happened with Mama Graciela, but once we had those
the rest moved pretty quickly. It was more about the finishing touches than big
modifications.
Q: You also write
non-fiction and fiction for adults. Do you prefer children’s story over adult
fiction and non-fiction?
Mayra Calvani: I
love both! They’re so different from each other! The thing with children’s
stories, though, is that since they’re short you get quicker gratification
because you see the end result--meaning the completed manuscript—sooner. It may
take me a few weeks to write, edit and polish a children’s picture book, but it
may take me up to two years to finish a novel for adults.
Q: Do you include
villains and heroes in your children’s stories? If so, what characteristics do
villains have that you find effective?
Mayra Calvani: Yes,
I do. In Mama Graciela’s Secret, Mama
Graciela is the hero because she selflessly sacrifices her secret recipe to
save her cats. The Health Inspector is the villain because he is in the way of
Mama Graciela keeping her cats. He wants to shut the restaurant and take away
her cats. But he is also doing his job and preventing a health hazard. This is
important because successful villains must have a good quality, too.
Q: Do you embed
messages in your children’s stories to help teach values to children? Or are
your stories strictly for entertainment?
Mayra Calvani: Never
only for entertaining. My children’s stories always have a message, but I don’t
hit readers over the head with it. Mama Graciela’s story teaches about love for
animals, self-sacrifice, decision-making, and ethnicity.
Q: What’s next? What
else are you working on?
Mayra Calvani: I’m
doing final revisions on another picture book manuscript that I must send to my
agent. I’m also working on a YA mythological fantasy novel under my pen name
Zoe Kalo. I have many ideas for many more books. If only there were more hours
in the day! J
Q: Tell us about Mayra
Calvani. What do you like to do when you’re not writing?
Mayra Calvani: I
lead a quiet life. I like to think myself as a disciple of writing. But when
I’m not writing or revising, I love reading (duh!), journaling, dining and
going to the cinema with my hubby, and just spending time with my pets and
kids.
About Mayra Calvani
Mayra Calvani writes
fiction and nonfiction for children and adults and has authored over a dozen
books, some of which have won awards. Her children's picture book, Frederico the Mouse Violinist was a
finalist in the 2011 International Book Awards; her anthology Latina Authors and Their Muses was a
First Place winner at the 2016 International Latino Book Awards; her nonfiction
book, The Slippery Art of Book Reviewing,
was a Foreword Best Book of the Year winner. Her stories, reviews, interviews
and articles have appeared on numerous publications like The Writer, Writer's Journal, Multicultural Review, Bloomsbury Review,
and others.
She lives in Belgium
with her husband of 30+ years, two wonderful kids, and her three beloved pets.
When she's not writing, editing, reading or reviewing, she enjoys walking with
her dog, traveling, and spending time with her family. www.MayrasSecretBookcase.com
Born in Queens, New York and living in Los Angeles since 1987, Sheila Fein has always been
About MAMA GRACIELA’S SECRET
Mamá
Graciela’s TENDER, CRUNCHY, SPICY bacalaítos fritos are the best in town...
Local
customers (including stray cats!) come from all over the island to enjoy her
secret recipe. But when the Inspector discovers that Mamá secretly caters to so
many cats and he threatens to close her tiny restaurant, Mamá must come up with
a plan to save it—and all of the animals she loves.
Links
MacLaren-Cochrane Publishing Orders@maclaren-cochranepublishing.com
Publishing company Contact Info: MacLaren-Cochrane Publishing
1024 Iron Point Rd 100-1478 Folsom CA 95630 916-897-1670
Tannya@Maclaren-cochranepublishing.com
www.maclaren-cochranepublishing.com
MacLaren-Cochrane
Publishing 620 Buchanan Way, Folsom, CA 95630 916-897-1670 www.maclaren-cochranepublishing.com
**This
book also has version printed in the Dyslexic font, the typeface for people
with dyslexia. Go to www.dyslexiefont.com to
find out more about the typeface.
