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• Lucy and the String Dial Books for Young Readers (New York, NY), 2018

• Vanessa Roeder Home Page - https://vanessaroeder.com/hello

  Hello, my name is...

  Vanessa Roeder, but people call me Nessa Dee. I'm an illustrator, a painter, and a crafty mess-maker. A former muralist, I now spend my time making art for magazines, children's books, and homes around the world. My work is created with layers of paper, acrylic paint, colored pencils, thread, and trinkets.
  In addition to making art, I love teaching art to imaginative children, writing stories, acting in plays, and hanging out with the awesome ladies from my critique group, The Girllustrators. I live in Austin, TX with my husband, three kids, and a scruffy dog who continually feed me ideas for my next story.
  My work has been seen in Highlights Magazine, and on Apartment Therapy, and my illustration portfolio received the grand prize at the 2016 Austin SCBWI Conference.
  I love hearing from you! For inquiries regarding illustration and art commissions, or just to say hi, you can email me at nessa@nessadeeart.com

• Read. Learn. Repeat. - https://readlearnrepeat.blog/2018/07/30/interview-with-vanessa-roeder/

  Interview with Vanessa Roeder!
  Margaret Langan July 30, 2018 One Comment
  Meet Vanessa Roeder! I’m delighted to participate in the blog tour for her author illustrated debut, Lucy and the String (Dial Books for Young Readers). Read my review on this fabulous book here.

  nessa dee lucy and the string
  Hello, my name is Vanessa Roeder, but people call me Nessa Dee. I’m an illustrator, a painter, and a crafty mess-maker. A former muralist, I now spend my time making art for magazines, children’s books, and homes around the world. My work is created with layers of paper, acrylic paint, colored pencils, thread, and trinkets.

  In addition to making art, I love teaching art to imaginative children, writing stories, acting in plays, and hanging out with the awesome ladies from my critique group, The Girllustrators. I live in Austin, TX with my husband, three kids, and a scruffy dog who continually feed me ideas for my next story.

  My work has been seen in Highlights Magazine, and on Apartment Therapy, and my illustration portfolio received the grand prize at the 2016 Austin SCBWI Conference.

  You can connect with Nessa Dee on her website, blog, Twitter, and Instagram. You can also contact her regarding illustration and art commissions via email at nessa@nessadeeart.com.
  vr8 vr10 vr18 vr14
  Thanks for joining me, Nessa Dee! First of all, I love your style. Your illustrations make me feel transported to my own childhood — soaking in all the details of a magical adventure and eager to learn more about the story. How did you develop your style? Are there any picture books from your childhood that influence your work? Any contemporary artists that you find inspiring?

  Thanks so much, Margaret! My style evolved as I was making artwork for childrens’ rooms. I had amassed quite a collection of patterned paper from my failed attempt at scrapbooking. I didn’t want to waste the paper, so I started incorporating it into my paintings. As I moved into children’s book illustration, I carried the collage style into my pieces. There was a lot of trial and error in figuring out how to mesh the heavily collaged backgrounds with the finer details needed in the characters to convey a narrative, but then a friend suggested I start painting my backgrounds and characters separately. That did the trick. Now I cut out my foreground elements and shift them around the page. I feel like a kid again, playing with paper dolls. It’s quite fun. For Lucy and the String, I planned to use my collage style, but found it actually took away from the narrative. So I stepped out of my comfort zone and simplified my style to fit the story. I love the limited palette and simplified lines so much that I’ve been trying to incorporate this technique into newer projects. That’s part of being an artist, though. As you grow and change, your style evolves along with you.

  vr19vr18

  I have very fond memories of my mom reading Beatrix Potter’s stories to my brother and I when we were kids. I spent so many hours pouring over the details of her illustrations. I wanted to live in the doll house that Tom Thumb and Hunca Munca moved into in The Tale of Two Bad Mice. As a teenager, I discovered Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith’s The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales which to this day is one of my all time favorite books. I was blown away by the absurdity of the stories and illustrations. While my work doesn’t mirror these books in the traditional sense, I draw inspiration from Beatrix Potter’s captivating worlds and Scieszka and Smith’s zany humor.

  vr4 vr1
  I have a huge collection of picture books and artists that I turn to for inspiration. I love Melissa Sweet’s whimsical collages, Juana Martinez-Neal’s and Ofra Amit’s rich, textural illustrations, Christian Robinson’s fun, naive style, Zachariah O’Hora’s bold brush strokes and fresh color palettes, and the patterns and slightly skewed perspective in Rebecca Green’s illustrations. I could write a whole novel that lists the artists who inspire me, there are oh so many.

  How does your previous work as a muralist influence your picture book art?

  Most of my commissions as a muralist were to paint children’s rooms. I was able to explore many different styles of art based on the client’s needs, which helped me determine my own preferences. As a muralist, I wanted to create something magical that uniquely connected a child to their space. As an illustrator, I want to capture that same sense of magic, whimsy, and familiarity that I strived for in making murals.

  vr6 vr7
  I’ve read in a previous interview that your grandfather taught you how to work with several different media. Can you say a little about this experience for my readers? What are your current favorite media?

  My grandfather was not a trained artist, but he loved to learn new art techniques and would often set up projects that we tried together for us to try together when I would visit. We worked in watercolors, pastel chalks, charcoal, pencil, and acrylics, many times following a step-by-step guide he found at the library, or trying to copy a picture he tore out of a magazine. When I went off to college, he gave me a huge collection of newspaper clippings, church bulletins, and magazine pages he had saved as art references which now sits in my studio shelves. He continues to add to this collection to this day.

  My favorite media are cut and torn paper, acrylic paint, and Prismacolor pencils. I love the texture and depth that layers of paper and paint add to my illustrations. There’s something cathartic about the whole process of tearing and gluing paper, slapping on layers of paint, and seeing what surprises develop.

  vr10 vr8
  You’ve spoken in past about finding the workshops and classes at The Writing Barn very helpful. What did you find most unexpectedly useful about these experiences? Do you have any advice for aspiring picture book creators about how to get the most from the experience?

  writing barnThe classes I’ve taken at The Writing Barn have been instrumental to my journey as a picture book author. I was very intimidated to share my writing with others, but I found a very warm and welcoming group of people. It’s this sense of community that, to me, is one of the biggest benefits of taking a class. It didn’t matter at what stage we were in our writing career; everyone was there to learn, and we all had something to offer. These classes gave me more confidence as a writer and helped me overcome the daunting dread I felt when trying to revise a piece.

  For those aspiring picture book creators, my advice is to go into the class with an open mind, ready to learn. Don’t be afraid to try something wildly different with your writing and revising. Make connections with classmates and keep in touch beyond the class. This journey can be long and difficult, but having a good support system in fellow writers and illustrators can make all the difference.

  Two weeks after signing with Rebecca Sherman of Writers House, you sold two books to Dial Books for Young Readers! When you signed with an agent, how long had you been working on your manuscripts? Do you have any advice about finding an agent?

  I started writing picture books in 2011 and wrote my first version of Lucy and the String in 2014 as a part of an illustration assignment for a children’s book writers and illustrators conference. It started out as just a series of 20 little wordless scenes, which I taped together accordion-fold style. Over time I turned it into a wordless picture book and started sending it out to agents. Rebecca actually contacted me after seeing Lucy and Hank on my blog and asked if I could send her the book. We worked for about five or six months revising the book before she offered representation. It was a great experience in the sense that I got to know how we would work together as an agent/client team before I signed with Writers House.vr12vr11

  I’d advise those who are trying to find an agent to be patient. Take time to research the agents and agencies you plan to query to make sure they will be a good fit for your work. Don’t rush to submit your work as soon as you finish the last illustration for your dummy book (something I’m guilty of doing). Instead, make sure you’re putting your best foot forward. Something that helped me immensely in my search for an agent was to change my perspective on the process. It’s easy to get bogged down by multiple rejections, but look at each submission as a stepping stone getting you that much closer to your goals and see what you can glean from the experience that you can put in the next submission.

  What have you found to be most helpful about participating in a critique group? Are the other members of your group at the same stage in their career? How did you find your critique group?

  girllustratorsI am a part of the most amazing all female critique group called the Girllustrators. I was invited to be a part of the group in 2015 after getting to know many of the members through the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators meetings. We’re all at varying stages in our writing/illustrating careers. Some of our members have published numerous books, some are searching for agents, while others are taking time to build their portfolios. We meet once a month and do a collective promotional mailer together once a year, which is actually how my agent found me. While we do critique each others’ work, our main purpose is to be a solid support system for each other. We cheer each other on with each success, and hug each other through each struggle. The support and encouragement that these ladies give me not just as authors and illustrators, but as caretakers, mothers, daughters, sisters, and friends is invaluable.

  Is there anything else you’d like to share?

  Yes! Hold dear to the reason you fell in love with writing and illustrating in the first place. This industry takes perseverance and bravery, so have a constant reminder of why you’ve chosen this path to help you slog through any difficult and disheartening times. Also, surround yourself with a great support system of creatives who will inspire and encourage you at every step of your journey.

• Austin Monthly - http://www.austinmonthly.com/Austin-Amplified/August-2018/Vanessa-Roeder-Unravels-Lucy-and-the-String/

  VANESSA ROEDER UNRAVELS LUCY AND THE STRING
  THE AUSTIN ARTIST VENTURES INTO CHILDREN’S BOOKS.
  BY MADELYN REITER
  2

  Published: August 7, 2018

  With a passion for art and a love for kids, former muralist Vanessa Roeder decided to try something new: write and illustrate children’s books. The mother of three starts her new career path with her first picture book, Lucy and the String.

  The book, which comes out today, teaches children the values of curiosity and innovation through an entertaining (and adorable) storyline. The inquisitive Lucy finds a string and, like most kids would, she pulls it. Little does Lucy know her playful actions have a consequence—a rather hysterical one, too. The string, which is connected to Hank the bear, unravels his pants! Lucy must use her creativity and wit not only to solve the problem, but also to earn Hank’s friendship.

  “The thing that’s so great about Lucy is that she doesn’t give up,” Roeder says. “I really like her perseverance and I hope that kids can see that if they get into a little mess they can work to try to fix it.”

  A strong believer that books help kids connect with and understand their world, Roeder advises parents to find time to sit down and read to their children.

  “Books are very personal to kids,” she says. “Not only that, but it helps them to learn: learn language and learn qualities that you’ll need in life.”

  Even something as simple as a children’s picture book, she urges, can be very insightful. Reflecting on her own childhood memories, she recalls how special it was for her mother, who was a librarian, to read to her. Her favorite story growing up was Tales of Beatrix Potter. She fell in love with the world Beatrix would create and cherished these special moments with her mother.

  While in her teenage years, she began to read series like The Stinky Cheeseman, which Roeder admits, she still finds comical. “To this day they’re some of my all-time favorite books,” she says, laughing.

  While she’s always had a knack for crafts and was always quite a bookworm, she never thought of writing or illustrating a book until her mother encouraged her to break into the children’s book industry. (Her mother self-published five young adult novels.) Roeder was hesitant to take this step because she did not have a degree in illustration. However, after accompanying her mother at a children’s book convention, her gears started to turn.

  “From there, I went home and I wrote my first picture book, and said to myself, ‘This is what I want to do.’ And so I started committing more time to it,” Roeder says.

  After referring back to old sketchbooks, she finally zeroed in on a sketch she did years ago of a girl with pigtails wearing a flowy black-and-white stripped dress—a little girl loosely based on her daughter Audrie. Some of her biggest help along the way came from her kids. Whether they are critiquing her work or helping her come up with story ideas, Roeder says they are great sources of inspiration.

  “My 5-year-old loves to read my stories, and as I go through the process of revising and editing, he gets really mad if I changed the parts that he really likes,” she explains. “I feel like the fact that he gets excited when I read him my stories, maybe I have a little nugget there that gives me something to work with.”

  Seven years after Roeder first developed Hank’s character, she is releasing him for others to enjoy, and on Saturday, she will be appearing at BookPeople to celebrate her book's launch.

  “It’s such a passion of mine: my art and painting are something that makes kids happy, and writing something that makes people smile,” Roeder says. “Hopefully, even the parents will enjoy it.”

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Print Marked Items
Roeder, Vanessa: LUCY AND THE
STRING
Kirkus Reviews.
(June 15, 2018):
COPYRIGHT 2018 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Full Text:
Roeder, Vanessa LUCY AND THE STRING Dial (Children's Fiction) $17.99 8, 7 ISBN: 978-0-7352-3049-
1
A long red string becomes the tie that joyously binds.
With much effort, a girl pulls on a long red string, and the results are not what she expected, for at the other
end is Hank, a grouchy bear who has now lost his red knit pants. Lucy is an imaginative child and tries very
hard to cheer up the bear. She swirls, curls, designs, and dons a series of head ornaments from the red thread
but to no avail. Hank "just wanted pants." Lucy goes back to work and energetically strings a makeshift
coverup or two or three for the bear, who nevertheless remains "a bare bear." Neither is a tutu satisfactory.
Finally, Lucy pulls out her knitting needles and creates an oversized sweater for herself and gifts her own
black-and-white-striped skirt to a now happy and no longer bare bear. Unfortunately, snipping the yarn that
now connects them leads to great unhappiness for Hank, but Lucy is ever resourceful and concocts a perfect
solution for the now-good friends. Roeder uses pencils, watercolors, and "lots of digital string" in a palette
of red, black, and white to create an imaginative and entertaining tale of crafting and friendship. Lucy is
pale-skinned, with a gap-toothed and smiling face adorned with black spiky pigtails.
Dressing up and some cross-dressing result in a happy relationship for a girl and a bear. (Picture book. 4-7)
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"Roeder, Vanessa: LUCY AND THE STRING." Kirkus Reviews, 15 June 2018. General OneFile,
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A543008884/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=9024e4ff.
Accessed 29 Aug. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A543008884
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Lucy and the String
Publishers Weekly.
265.22 (May 28, 2018): p96.
COPYRIGHT 2018 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
Lucy and the String
Vanessa Roeder. Dial, $17.99 (40p) ISBN 9780-7352-3049-1
By the time Lucy realizes what's at the end of the piece of red yarn she's bee tugging, she's unraveled the
pants right off a large bear named Hank, who's covered in red knit. Lucy hams it up by way of apology,
shaping the yarn into funny hairstyles before realizing that Hank is not amused--he just wants his pants
back. When Lucy finally comes up with a satisfactory solution (she cuts the yarn that's joined them for so
long), the two discover that they've become essential to each other. Newcomer Roeder works in a grayblack-white
palette lit up by the yarn's brilliant scarlet, and she paces the story's panels and vignettes with
care while exploring the full range of the yarn's possibilities--dance partner, calligraphic script, building
material, and more. The transformation is Hank's as he lets go of his loss and becomes interested in Lucy's
humor and energy. Pants are expendable, he discovers, as he accepts Lucy's striped skirt as a substitute, but
friendship is forever. Ages 3-5. Agent'. Rebecca Sherman, Writers House. (Aug.)
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"Lucy and the String." Publishers Weekly, 28 May 2018, p. 96. General OneFile,
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A541638885/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=ab75f8bd.
Accessed 29 Aug. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A541638885