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Spotlight image: Author Kari Lavelle signing copies of Ode to Grapefruit at the NCTE conference.
I’m very excited to welcome fellow Austin author Kari Lavelle to Cynsations. I interviewed her about her debut picture book, We Move the World, illustrated by Nabi H. Ali (HarperCollins), in 2021, and later shared many laughs with my granddaughter over her sophomore Butt or Face series.
Her newest book, Ode to Grapefruit: How James Earl Jones Found His Voice, illustrated by Bryan Collier (Alfred A. Knopf, 2024) is also nonfiction, but differs in tone and focus from her previous work. It received an Orbis Pictus Honor Award from NCTE. From the publisher’s website:
Before legendary actor James Earl Jones was recognized for his memorable, smooth voice, he was just James–a stutterer who stopped speaking for eight years as a child…and ultimately found his voice through poetry.
Before there was Mufasa…Before there was Darth Vader… There was a young boy names James Earl Jones, who spoke with a stutter and dreaded having to talk in class.
Whenever James tried to voice his thoughts, his words got stuck in his throat. But James figured out a solution for his shame: if he didn’t speak, he wouldn’t stutter.
And so he was silent…until he wrote his own poem, Ode to Grapefruit, and found a love for poetry.
Lyrical text, stunning art, and compelling backmatter about stuttering pair together for a remarkable picture book about how a boy who refused to speak for eight years learned to manage his stutter through poetry–and grew up to become an EGOT-winning performer with a voice few could forget.
What inspired you to write Ode to Grapefruit: How James Earl Jones Found His Voice? Do you have a personal connection to this story?
As a speech pathologist, I frequently shared the story of James Earl Jones with my young clients who stutter for many years before I put pen to paper (or rather fingers to keyboard). It can be really powerful to share the stories of celebrities who also stuttered with these kids – a way to show that their stutter won’t hold them back from their dreams.
The more I learned about James Earl Jones, the more I knew that his story needed to be shared with young readers.
Did you ever consider reaching out to James Earl Jones about the book?
I actually reached out to James Earl Jones several times throughout this journey! I would have loved to interview him but the response was always that he was busy (understandably). Mr. Jones worked his entire life and always seemed to have a new project.
Around the time of publication, I reached out to his agent to ask if we could send copies of Ode To Grapefruit. We don’t know if he read them before he passed but I’d like to imagine he did. I hope he was honored by my words and Bryan’s illustrations.
You’ve written several nonfiction picture books, but this is your first biography focusing on one individual. How did your research process differ from your other books?
How much time do we have? (I love talking about research!) In general, there were so many sources about James Earl Jones’s career and achievements, but there wasn’t a tremendous amount of information about his childhood. I mostly relied on his autobiography, Voices & Silences (Scribner, 1993).
I did not have a good system set up for documenting research when We Move The World sold (in 2018). When I was asked to write backmatter, I basically had to start my research from the beginning. I learned a lot from that process! Now I use spreadsheets, save PDFs and utilize Pinterest boards.
When I’m researching animals for the Butt Or Face? series, I could get lost in over-researching and have had to find a way to be more efficient during the process. Learning about animals is one of my favorite things to do and I love spiraling into the rabbit hole of research! With this series, I have to use more web pages than with my other projects because I’m often researching obscure species (sometimes even newly discovered species).
I’m especially grateful to the team of experts that help me fact check the content and give me ideas for interesting animals to include.
What was the timeline of this project like, from spark of inspiration through publication?
I started this manuscript in 2016 after attending an SCBWI meeting with Lindsay Lane and Cynthia Levinson. Something Cynthia said lit the nonfiction fire in me and it’s burned ever since (though I still have fictional projects I’m working on as well).
I knew some of James Earl Jones’s story but I loved learning more about his incredible life. I wrote draft after draft and started querying a year after I originally started the project. I received many rejections, but kept revising it (I’ve lost count on the number of revisions). In April 2018, I received two R&Rs from editors, including Alvina Ling at an Austin SCBWI conference.
Ultimately, both of them passed on the manuscript but those requests helped me find my agent, Elizabeth Bennett. When she sent it out on submission, an editor at Disney/Hyperion was interested and asked me to do several rounds of revision with her. She also passed on the manuscript (I actually received the email while I was in Disney World!).
When it went out on sub. again, another editor was interested. While I started the revisions for this edtior, Rotem Moscovich (who received my manuscript via another Penguin Random House editor) sent my agent an offer in early March 2020 (yes, quite the timing!). Rotem had previously worked at Disney/Hyperion and was familiar with all of the revisions I had completed. I’m so grateful that this manuscript found its way to Rotem!
When James Earl Jones died in September I noticed you had several televised interviews. What did you do to prepare for those?
My biggest obstacle was staying out of my head. I was so heartbroken when I heard the news of his loss but I also knew it was a great opportunity for me to share information as a tribute to his inspiring, beautiful life.
Based on how long it takes to finish a nonfiction picture book, I’m guessing you work on multiple stories at the same time. What tips do you have for managing research and shifting between projects?
I really work to stay organized. I have a composition notebook for every project I’m working on to help me keep up with ideas, to-do list items, etc. I have spreadsheets and paper lists too! I’m a big fan of using Pomodoro timers. Right now, I’m enjoying themed work sessions (Fall, Christmas, Harry Potter, etc.) on YouTube. I like moving the needle forward on projects, even if it’s just 15-20 minutes at a time.
You’re part of an active critique group with several other Austin authors. Can you tell us more about your group and how it’s evolved as participants have moved from pre-published to published?
Lindsay Leslie and I started writing together before we were published. It’s been really exciting to be there for each other as we watch ideas turn into real books and hit these special milestones. Later Lindsay and I connected with Meghan Browne and Robyn McGrath – and eventually Anne Wynter and Melissa Coffey joined later.
Getting together with these incredible women and reading their brilliant work is the highlight of my week. I feel so lucky to be surrounded by so much talent, in our critique group as well as our amazing Austin community!
Any news on what we can look forward to next?
More butts! The third Butt Or Face? book: Super Gross Butts will be out on September 2, 2025. It’s my favorite one so far. I’m currently working on the fourth and fifth in the series too.
Thank you so much for the opportunity to share about my work!
Cynsational Notes
Kari Lavelle is the award-winning author of We Move The World, illustrated by Nabi H. Ali (HarperCollins), the Butt or Face? series (Sourcebooks), and Ode to Grapefruit: How James Earl Jones Found His Voice, illustrated by the award-winning Bryan Collier (Knopf). Kari has always had a love for words: as a kid reading books, as a speech pathologist helping children communicate, and now as a writer creating stories for younger readers.
We Move The World was honored with the Writers’ League of Texas Best Picture Book award in 2022. The first of the Butt or Face? series has received multiple honors including the ALA Notable Children’s Book, 2023 Nerdies Nonfiction Books, 2023 Eureka! Nonfiction Children’s Book Awards Silver Honor Book and is on eight state lists including the Texas 2×2 and the Texas Topaz Nonfiction. Ode to Grapefruit is a Junior Library Guild Selection and has been featured in the New York Times, Rolling Stone and on Scripps’ “The Morning Rush.” Kari has presented at the Texas Book Festival, the Writing Barn, Texas Library Association, LITapalooza, NerdCampPA and SCBWI. She grew up in the Midwest but now lives in Austin, Texas with her husband, kids, and doggo, Dobby.
She is represented by Elizabeth Bennett (also the name of one of her favorite literary characters) at Transatlantic Literary Agency. Learn more about Kari and her books at karilavelle.com.
Gayleen Rabakukk holds an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts and an undergraduate degree in Journalism from the University of Central Oklahoma. She has published numerous newspaper and magazine articles, and two regional interest books for adults. She is represented by Terrie Wolf of AKA Literary Management.
She serves as board member for Lago Vista’s Friends of the Library and also leads a book club for young readers at the library. She’s active in Austin SCBWI and has taught creative writing workshops for the Austin Public Library Foundation. She loves inspiring curiosity in young readers through stories of hope and adventure. Follow her on Instagram and Bluesky.