There will always be room for great books. Even today, after 6,000 years of recorded history, fresh and unique ideas still exist and are brought into existence. They exist in the heart and soul of a writer. In the ink of an author. In the expression of an illustrator. There are books children need that haven’t been published…yet. There are concepts families yearn to have to process their personal experiences. To help us see this first hand is author and long-time kids product creator, Megan Lacera. Megan shares how her family worked together to create Zombies Don’t Eat Veggies!, how other authors can do the same, and what her journey has been like. You’ll want to carve out some time for this one because we got all the details. After reading this interview, you will feel empowered, motivated, and challenged to take a step towards writing the book you wish was written.

When you buy through my links, I may earn money from my affiliate partners. Learn more.

Megan Lacera was a Cleveland, Ohio suburbs kid with a penchant for books. Megan’s literary love landed her at companies like American Greetings, Hasbro, and Goldiblox until finally leading her to start her own creative company, Studio Lacera, where she creates and consults on marketing, social media, and strategic direction for start-ups and large corporations with her husband, Jorge.

After many nights reading stories to her son, Kai, she noticed very few books reflected a diverse family like theirs. Zombies Don’t Eat Veggies! (Children’s Book Press, an imprint of Lee and Low Books – 2019) was born and an impact on the global literary industry was made. Megan and Jorge are represented by John Cusick of Folio Jr.

Megan, it’s really great having you by for this behind-the-scenes look at your #writerslife in the literary spotlight. All of us grow up knowing authors, illustrators, and the entire book publishing team as just words at the beginning or end of our favorite books. But then, we get opportunities like this, where the names of authors or illustrators on the page, people like you, become real connections. We experience books and the publishing industry in a whole new way. A way that sheds a little light on such a public yet clandestine industry. An industry you and your talented illustrator husband Jorge have dived into.

Before we get into stories, ideas and publishing life, would you share how your life has transformed from being a content consumer to a content creator? You’ve written before about the catalyst that inspired you to create books, how you felt the need to create books for families like yours that you weren’t finding on store shelves. But what has that felt like for you, not only continuing to read and love books, but to know that now you are adding books to stores, libraries, and home shelves?

Rhys, thank you so much for the opportunity to chat with you! You do so much to lift up the writing community–so this is an honor.

Creating books and stories is one of the most deeply fulfilling things in my life in so many different ways. The publishing journey is neither easy nor straightforward, so to see an actual, real-life, hard-cover book materialize from the many hard-fought steps along the way is very motivating to me. It’s been a big hill to climb and I’m glad I never quit, though I did have some days when I strongly considered it.

Even more motivating is connecting with people who find something relatable, funny, illuminating or whatever it is they find in my work, even if it’s critical. Librarians, parents, caregivers, teachers and of course, the kids. The kids are just amazing.

To see a kiddo reading my book, asking questions about a word or a theme, or quoting a line from a page, or pretending to be a character makes me feel like I’m doing something right.

Holding one’s own physical book is a satisfying reward for those who persevere! Many writers find themselves most inspired to create children’s books when they have young children at home and as the children grow, the writer parent’s taste often evolves into writing for bigger kids, young adults, and eventually adults. As with most things, there are many exceptions to this “non-rule” rule.

As a mother, wife, friend and active member of your community, have you already felt a sense of branching out and away from children’s books? Does the time it takes to publish a book cause you to be thinking 1-2 years ahead in what material your family may be looking to read at that time rather than interests of the moment? Or do you have a sense that your long-term passion involves producing books for little ones even as your own little one becomes not-so-little?

Very good question. I may be a bit different in that I’ve been creating and writing professionally for a wide scope of audiences and ages for a long time. My background is in toys, entertainment and gaming. I’ve created for baby brands, young kids, tweens, teens and adults.

Even though my first traditionally published book is a picture book, I’m interested in creating many different kinds of characters and stories. My husband Jorge and I are working on our second picture book with Lee and Low Books and we also wrote a film treatment for a family film that features Mo and the Romero family–the main characters from our book, Zombies Don’t Eat Veggies. I’m also working on two middle grade books and one adult novel. I thrive on variety!

I do think having my own son has had a very real influence on my work. I want him to have books and media that actually appeal to him. As a family, we talk a lot. We are lucky to have a child who speaks up and enjoys conversation. He’s very vocal about what he likes and doesn’t like. He knows when a book feels like it’s forcing a message on him and he doesn’t like it. Jorge and I very much include our son in our process. He has even joined us for school presentations from time to time.

My long-term passion is ever-evolving, but I thrive in creating stories that push boundaries (both the audience’s and my own creative abilities). I love empowering other creators to properly value their work (emotionally, intellectually, spiritually and yes, financially) and better understand their role in creative businesses.

What a special experience you and Jorge have been creating for your son. He’ll have so much literary industry experience that most only dream of! Speaking of involving family in the book creating process, let’s talk about how you (the author) and Jorge (the illustrator) work together. We recently heard from the talented duo, Amy and Greg Newbold, on how to create picture books as a team. They shared many insights behind an author and illustrator marriage. What works for you and Jorge? Do you provide feedback on the art? Does he provide feedback on the words? Where is the happy medium between areas of responsibility and giving suggestions?

Our family is the most important part of our lives. We have worked very hard to learn and grow within the literary and media worlds…and we hope that the knowledge we’ve gained will serve our son one day, whether he goes into this field or not. Both Jorge and I credit our parents with centering their families and teaching us that caring for one another is most important.

I love working with Jorge. I respect his vision, ideas, and creative process more than anyone else I know. We collaborate very closely. For our joint projects, we work on the story together. We take long walks and navigate the characters, the stories, and themes. We argue about it all! Healthy, creative conflict is key. He asks me for feedback on the art and I request his thoughts on the writing. Some writing we do together.

We first met at American Greetings and worked together for awhile before we started dating. One weekend, we both had to go into the office to complete a major project that we were both leads on. We sat side by side, editing copy, making last minutes changes to art, arguing, and defending our positions on creative decisions until we were done. It was a fantastic day. We still often work like that on our own projects that come from our own hearts, minds, and spirits.

Sounds like you and Jorge have a wonderful way of working together on projects and it sounds like you have been involved in the creative lifestyle for a while. Where or when did your passion for creative pursuits blossom? Have you always been interested in story creation or artistic expression…or was there an “ah-ha!” moment? Did you grow up in an artistic household and were there any key creative supporters or experiences along the way that have helped you hone in on your current passion of book creating?

From 5th grade through my senior year of high school, I participated in Odyssey of the Mind, a creative problem-solving program where small teams of kids (usually 5-7) compete against one another at the local, regional, state, and world levels. Kids write and perform plays, often solving a technical problem (maybe building a robot that can perform specific tasks, or creating a vehicle or machine) that is used in the story. Costumes have to be crafted, songs sung, props imagined, painted and built. All on a very low-budget (say, less than $100 USD) so innovation is a must.

I loved Odyssey of the Mind and believe it played a huge part in my ability to think differently, develop ideas, and compete with others in healthy, positive ways. It also encourages you to be resourceful, which is something I feel you need for a successful career in publishing and other creative pursuits.

My mom was my team’s coach for many years–she dedicated so much of her time and energy ensuring we had space to create, room to make mistakes, and encouragement to try again. She’s a calm, patient, kind person who always believed in me and is still a voice of steady assurance, even when she doesn’t quite understand the path I’m taking.

My Dad is also very supportive. He’s not necessarily an “arts” person, but he is a big reader (so is my mom) and valuer of words and stories. When I was ten, he suggested that I write an article and submit to a magazine that we used to get a subscription to. This was not a kids’ magazine!

I remember telling him I was too young, but he said “No, just try.” So, I did. My piece wasn’t selected, but I still remember the experience and I can clearly see that my dad was encouraging me to believe in myself and try something challenging, outside of what’s expected. These lessons have stayed with me and helped in my book creating journey. It’s very challenging, competitive, and requires thinking differently over and over again!

You’ve described your son Kai as your “Chief of Research and Story Development.” No doubt, kids are brutally honest and we parents have a great opportunity being in such close proximity to our target audience. If we simply ask for feedback, we get it! If you’re like most people, Zombies Don’t Eat Veggies wasn’t your first manuscript idea. Would you share the roundabout way you arrived at this unique and successful book concept, named one of Kirkus Reviews BEST picture books of 2019? And further, how has your ability to spot strong ideas changed over the years?

From very early on, we’ve practiced critical feedback with Kai…meaning, we read a book together and then we all discuss what worked, what didn’t work, the strength of the characters, the way a book (or movie, game, play, etc.) made us feel. It’s a lot of fun and very humbling when your kid flexes those critical skills with your work! Kai is comfortable telling us clearly what he likes and doesn’t like.

Zombies Don’t Eat Veggies wasn’t our first idea by a long shot. We came to this story in layers…each revision (and there were many) pushed us to tap into another aspect of Mo and his family. It began simple enough. Jorge and I love zombie movies, shows, and books. So, I said I wanted to do a zombie story. Jorge said ‘Yes!” before I even got the words out. We both saw how even little kids were playing games like zombie apocalypse at the playground and how our own son really loved creepy things. As we deep-dived into Mo’s character and story, we realized this young zombie was much more than an undead being.

He was different than most zombies and knew that no matter what, he couldn’t change those differences. As we tapped into that aspect of him, both Jorge and I talked about how we both felt different from our families (even though we love our families and are very close with them). We talked about being a multi-racial couple with a multi-racial son and how our blend of cultures makes our family unique. We noticed there weren’t many books featuring multi-racial families, or zombie families, and how we all–Kai included–wished we would. So, we set off to change that and create the story we wish we had.

I’ve worked in the toy, game, and entertainment industries for many years. These industries do a TON of play testing with kids. I’ve seen thousands of kids play with many different things. It’s helped me anticipate what kids will respond to.

Sometimes, we all forget to think about what kids will actually like. There is so much competition for their attention. As book-makers, we must be especially thoughtful of how we attract and retain kids’ attention or else they will just “swipe” to something else.

What wonderful insight on the inner-workings of beloved zombie kid, Mo. There’s a battle that’s been waging a very long time and likely to be waged longer still. This battle captures authors and book creators perhaps more so than other industries.

It’s the battle of purpose fueling the creation of a thing. It’s the allure that springs forth within us a desire not to create what we think is good or fun but a thing that might sell. It’s a tearing toil authors have between living in a world of “I think this is wonderful” versus “other people will pay for this.”

As someone who has seen all sides of the coin, while working for others and for yourself, what do you do with stories you don’t think will sell? What do you do with ideas you love that don’t carry within them inherent traction with the marketplace? How and when do you decide to let a story, an idea, or mere words in a journal slip quietly into fragments of your own memory, buried beneath newer, fresher ideas that have just a glimmer of more hope to become a thing that can sell or, at the very least, be shared sensibly?

This is a really complicated and wonderful question, Rhys. As you said, book creators must face this and it’s ridiculously hard sometimes. I’m working on a book that has been swimming in my soul for a very long time. No matter what I do, or how many years go by, I can’t quite quit it. For me, and I know this sounds dramatic, but it’s true: it’s a calling. I have to write it. There’s something about this story that is important to my own growth as a human being, and maybe it’s important to others as well.

I am terrified that this puppy will never sell. It’s not an easy piece for me to write emotionally, structurally, or mentally. Every time I spend energy thinking about finishing and publishing this particular project, I feel frustrated. I’m a professional…I WANT to sell my work. I want to earn a living from it. I want it to be valued, materially. There is simply no way to ensure that this will happen. None. And this is something all creators must come to terms with.

The only way I know to let ideas go is to gauge how much I care about them. If I can forget about an idea for awhile, then I can probably forget about it forever. It’s meaning level is low. But if a story sticks with me, keeps calling me…no matter what the commercial appeal, or what other people might think, I have to answer the call.

What do you recommend creators do with ideas, stories, or products that ultimately don’t sell either on the shelf or in the earlier stages such as literary agent representation or publisher acquisition? Or more pointedly, what would you do for a passion project that isn’t gaining traction in the marketplace? Should we fight for it to live in some form or fashion, or take the hint that perhaps it was never meant to be?

I don’t think there is a one size fits all answer, unfortunately. If you have a passion project that hasn’t sold, here are a few things to think about:

> Have you truly done everything you can to make it the best it can be? If not, get back to work! Get a professional critique, take a course in craft, look at your work in a kind, critical eye.

> Have you queried multiple sources? Don’t stop at 1 or 2 passes. If you’ve been querying for awhile and have yet to get any bites (PS a revise and resubmit (R&R) is a positive sign…take it as such!), go back and look at your work and see if you can make it better.

> Are multiple sources telling you that something isn’t working? They may not be right about WHAT isn’t working, but they are probably right that SOMETHING isn’t working. Take a deep breath and evaluate what they’re saying.

> Can you put the project away for awhile? Let yourself work on something new. Maybe your craft needs to develop in new and different ways. Later, when you return to that passion project, you may have a whole new way of approaching it that releases that silver bullet.

Finally, it is possible that you’re ahead of the market. Especially under-represented voices and truly innovative ideas and stories can have a hard time finding someone who “gets it.” [See how long it took for Dr. Seuss to change the world!]

You can wait a bit for the market to catch up to you and try again…or, if you have the resources (money, time, marketing know-how) to self-publish, go for it. But before you choose self-publishing, I highly recommend you go through the other questions and know for sure that you’re going out with work that is the very best it can be and on par with other professionals.

Useful and encouraging tips, Megan! Thank you. Catch us up with the latest from Studio Lacera. You’ve got quite a bit going on. What projects are in development or where is your focus currently? What can we hope to see from you over the next 1-2 years? How can people keep informed of your upcoming projects and activities and what’s the best way to connect with you?

We definitely do have a lot on our plates. Variety keeps things fun and exciting, right? We’re hoping to announce more about our second book together with Lee and Low very soon–it’s a whole new story that we’re looking forward to sharing.

Related to Zombies Don’t Eat Veggies–we collaborated with the fabulous Annie Lynn to create an original theme song to go along with our book. Annie is the master of the music and performance, I wrote the lyrics, Jorge raps and even Kai has a few lines at the end of the piece. Enjoy a listen here: Zombies Don’t Eat Veggies Official Theme Song

There are several other book projects coming up too. Another fun project that I helped with is called HAPPY THE BIRTHDAY BIRD. Founded by a lovely family (Monica, Zippy and their awesome kid CEO, Mylen), this company created a plush + book product to help kids celebrate birthdays and make their big day even more special. You can find out more at Happy the Birthday Bird.

We also have a super exciting non-book deal that we anticipate being able to share next year. You can find out our latest on our website Studio Lacera and by following us on Twitter @MeganLacera

Did you enjoy this interview with author Megan Lacera?

We would love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.

Be the first to know about new content just like this by subscribing via email.

If you found this behind-the-book interview helpful, encouraging, and insightful, your friends will too! Give it a share on social media using the buttons below and floating on the side.

As always, it means the world that you’re here.

Love it? Share it!