Q.
Where were you born/How old are you?
A. I was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan in October, 1975.
Q. What were you like as a kid?
A. Well, my mother says she did not really like me until I was 10 (she laughs as she says this to people). So, at home I guess I was a handful, however, my report cards from school say I was a very quiet and shy kid. I was an average student and never dreamed I would be doing what I currently do. I always loved to draw. I loved jumping on our trampoline (until I broke my leg on it). I loved climbing in the big pile of trees in the backyard. I hung out with my grandparents - that kind of stuff.
Q. Did you go to college? If so, what did you major in?
A. Yes. I went to Grand Valley State University. I studied Film and Video Production and graduated in 1998.
Q. Why is your first book called The Tomato Collection?
A. Whenever I write I do a lot of brainstorming. For some reason, when writing The Tomato Collection, the first word that would often pop in my mind was the word "tomato." I have no idea why. I thought it would be fitting to call the book The Tomato Collection considering this began right at the start of this project. I liked having the word "collection" in the title since there are many various ideas in the book. At one point, the book was titled The Sun Will Always Float, based on a poem in the book with that title. I decided The Tomato Collection fit the idea of it all better.
Q. What inspired you to create The Tomato Collection – why did you make it?
A. I never sat down one day and said, "I think I'll write a book." Instead, one day I began writing in a journal my grandmother gave me for Christmas in 1994. I wrote thoughts, poems, stories, ideas, and drew some crazy pictures just for fun. Before I knew it, I had filled that journal and was in to the second. I then began to put together a small book of my favorite poems that I gave to some friends and family. From there, the project grew and grew. Eventually, after four years of work, I was ready to publish it. If anything inspired it, it was everyday life.
Q. How long did it take to make The Tomato Collection book and CD?
A. Just under six years. The book began in December of 1994 and was released in the spring of 1999. During that time, production began on the CD and we released the Little album in October of 1999. After one more year of work, we released the full-length album, the Big album, in October of 2000.
Note: The Little album is no longer available. I always wanted every poem as a song and the Little album was simply a step in that direction, helping to raise money in recording the complete project.
Q. What is your favorite poem in The Tomato Collection?
A. They all have some importance to me in their own way. I would say that The Sun Will Always Float, Natalie, Magooie and Achoogie, Sun and Moon, and Little Man Jay are some of my personal favorites.
Q. Where do you get your ideas?
A. Everywhere. Ideas come from every day life: things I wonder about, things I hear, things I’m happy or frustrated about, from friends, memories, and simply from daydreaming.
Q. Why does Jacob only have one tooth?
A. He didn't brush his teeth enough when he was little.
Q. What inspired you to write your second book, I Remember?
A. I was having a conversation with my grandmother one day and she was telling me about stories from her childhood. I went home that day and wrote them down in my journal so I wouldn’t forget them. From there, I began to write a list of some of my own memories. Over time, I began to write the details of those memories and put them into poems. Eventually it led to the book. I liked the idea of the format of the book being very simple and hopefully becoming a book that would inspire people to write down their own memories.
Q. What’s the story behind the third book (co-written with your wife, and co-illustrated with your friend Ryan), A Curious Glimpse of Michigan?
A. This book was an opportunity where EDCO Publishing asked me if I wanted to write poems about Michigan. I wasn’t sure what approach to take and spent over a year brainstorming ideas of what it could be. I asked my wife if she wanted to co-write the book and that’s when it really starting coming together. We spent a lot of time researching and reading about Michigan.
Q. What was the process of writing and illustrating with Stephanie and Ryan?
A. Stephanie and I would both come up with ideas and run them by each other. Sometimes one person would be the main writer of the poem and the other would help revise it. Sometimes we would lose track of who wrote what. Sometimes one of us would come up with an idea and the other person would finish it. The book really ended up being half her ideas and half mine. It was a lot of fun to be able to really work as a team. Illustrating the book with Ryan was similar. He and I would discuss various ideas for each poem and then decide who would do the illustration. Sometimes I would give him a sketch for an idea and vice versa. Sometimes we would both contribute to the same illustration. We would challenge each other do the best we could. As the book was finishing up, the three of us would all make suggestions on how we could continue to make the book the best we could.
Q. Were there people who helped you at the start your career?
A. Many people! My parents were a big help and many of my family and friends were supportive. My friend and former boss Bill Kenner was a key person. I had college professors who provided assistance and inspiration - Cynthia Simpson, Margaret Proctor, Connie Jones, Laurel Balkema, Deanna Morse to name a few. The list goes on…
Q. What are some of your favorite children’s books?
A. I have many favorites. As a kid, I loved books by Beverly Cleary and Judy Blume – Ramona, Henry Higgins, Ralph S. Mouse, Superfudge, Dear Mr. Henshaw, etc. I also loved the Sweet Pickle Series. These days, to name a couple, I really respect the books of Shel Silverstein, Roald Dahl, and Jon Scieszka/Lane Smith. I often go to bookstores, libraries, and web sites to check out new books. Anything unique or original is usually a hit with me.
Q. Are you a grown up? (I have been asked this.)
A. Nobody knows for sure.
Q. Do you know my uncle? (I have been asked this too.)
A. Probably not, but maybe.
Q. Are you married?
A. I am married to a fantastic woman named Stephanie.
Q. Do you have children?
A. Two wonderful kids, Carlos and Maria.
Q. How long did it take to build Norwood? (page 17 of The Tomato Collection)
A. About two days.
Q. Who are the photos of the children in The Tomato Collection?
A. My sisters, Kristi and Lori, and myself.
Q. What was the first poem written out of all the poems in The Tomato Collection?
A. Up and Down Frowns.
Q. What was the first song made for The Tomato Collection CD?
A. Magooie and Achoogie. However, my cousin Sapphire made the first demo recording. We put together the poems Wholly See, Stuck with a Frown, and Better to make one song. It was recorded on a video camera at her apartment in the spring of 1997 I believe. Then, a year later it was re-recorded by my friend Viet on the GVSU campus. Finally, yet another year later, it was changed to become what is now on the album as Wholly See. I decided I wanted each poem to have it’s own song. (Except for Page 30 Poems.) So, Magooie and Achoogie was the first completed song, but Wholly See was the first song “in progress.”
Q. Are there things that you would like to change in The Tomato Collection?
A. Yes. There are little things I would do differently. There are also a couple poems I wouldn’t mind taking of out the book. Which ones you may ask? Send me an e-mail with the ones you think they could be and I’ll let you know if you’re correct.
Q. What suggestions do you have for beginning writers and artists?
A. Write what's on your mind. Start with something that you're happy, sad, frustrated or excited about, etc. and find a way to "capture it" in words or pictures. Don't make it more complicated than it needs to be. Keep it simple. Share your work with others and listen to their opinions. Any idea is worth writing (it may not turn out, but maybe it will). "Put yourself into your work." Keep working, ambition is greater than natural talent. Make it fun.
Q. Any final thoughts for us to end the Question and Answer page?
A. Have fun in life, respect each other, and eat lots of spinach dip!
A. I was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan in October, 1975.
Q. What were you like as a kid?
A. Well, my mother says she did not really like me until I was 10 (she laughs as she says this to people). So, at home I guess I was a handful, however, my report cards from school say I was a very quiet and shy kid. I was an average student and never dreamed I would be doing what I currently do. I always loved to draw. I loved jumping on our trampoline (until I broke my leg on it). I loved climbing in the big pile of trees in the backyard. I hung out with my grandparents - that kind of stuff.
Q. Did you go to college? If so, what did you major in?
A. Yes. I went to Grand Valley State University. I studied Film and Video Production and graduated in 1998.
Q. Why is your first book called The Tomato Collection?
A. Whenever I write I do a lot of brainstorming. For some reason, when writing The Tomato Collection, the first word that would often pop in my mind was the word "tomato." I have no idea why. I thought it would be fitting to call the book The Tomato Collection considering this began right at the start of this project. I liked having the word "collection" in the title since there are many various ideas in the book. At one point, the book was titled The Sun Will Always Float, based on a poem in the book with that title. I decided The Tomato Collection fit the idea of it all better.
Q. What inspired you to create The Tomato Collection – why did you make it?
A. I never sat down one day and said, "I think I'll write a book." Instead, one day I began writing in a journal my grandmother gave me for Christmas in 1994. I wrote thoughts, poems, stories, ideas, and drew some crazy pictures just for fun. Before I knew it, I had filled that journal and was in to the second. I then began to put together a small book of my favorite poems that I gave to some friends and family. From there, the project grew and grew. Eventually, after four years of work, I was ready to publish it. If anything inspired it, it was everyday life.
Q. How long did it take to make The Tomato Collection book and CD?
A. Just under six years. The book began in December of 1994 and was released in the spring of 1999. During that time, production began on the CD and we released the Little album in October of 1999. After one more year of work, we released the full-length album, the Big album, in October of 2000.
Note: The Little album is no longer available. I always wanted every poem as a song and the Little album was simply a step in that direction, helping to raise money in recording the complete project.
Q. What is your favorite poem in The Tomato Collection?
A. They all have some importance to me in their own way. I would say that The Sun Will Always Float, Natalie, Magooie and Achoogie, Sun and Moon, and Little Man Jay are some of my personal favorites.
Q. Where do you get your ideas?
A. Everywhere. Ideas come from every day life: things I wonder about, things I hear, things I’m happy or frustrated about, from friends, memories, and simply from daydreaming.
Q. Why does Jacob only have one tooth?
A. He didn't brush his teeth enough when he was little.
Q. What inspired you to write your second book, I Remember?
A. I was having a conversation with my grandmother one day and she was telling me about stories from her childhood. I went home that day and wrote them down in my journal so I wouldn’t forget them. From there, I began to write a list of some of my own memories. Over time, I began to write the details of those memories and put them into poems. Eventually it led to the book. I liked the idea of the format of the book being very simple and hopefully becoming a book that would inspire people to write down their own memories.
Q. What’s the story behind the third book (co-written with your wife, and co-illustrated with your friend Ryan), A Curious Glimpse of Michigan?
A. This book was an opportunity where EDCO Publishing asked me if I wanted to write poems about Michigan. I wasn’t sure what approach to take and spent over a year brainstorming ideas of what it could be. I asked my wife if she wanted to co-write the book and that’s when it really starting coming together. We spent a lot of time researching and reading about Michigan.
Q. What was the process of writing and illustrating with Stephanie and Ryan?
A. Stephanie and I would both come up with ideas and run them by each other. Sometimes one person would be the main writer of the poem and the other would help revise it. Sometimes we would lose track of who wrote what. Sometimes one of us would come up with an idea and the other person would finish it. The book really ended up being half her ideas and half mine. It was a lot of fun to be able to really work as a team. Illustrating the book with Ryan was similar. He and I would discuss various ideas for each poem and then decide who would do the illustration. Sometimes I would give him a sketch for an idea and vice versa. Sometimes we would both contribute to the same illustration. We would challenge each other do the best we could. As the book was finishing up, the three of us would all make suggestions on how we could continue to make the book the best we could.
Q. Were there people who helped you at the start your career?
A. Many people! My parents were a big help and many of my family and friends were supportive. My friend and former boss Bill Kenner was a key person. I had college professors who provided assistance and inspiration - Cynthia Simpson, Margaret Proctor, Connie Jones, Laurel Balkema, Deanna Morse to name a few. The list goes on…
Q. What are some of your favorite children’s books?
A. I have many favorites. As a kid, I loved books by Beverly Cleary and Judy Blume – Ramona, Henry Higgins, Ralph S. Mouse, Superfudge, Dear Mr. Henshaw, etc. I also loved the Sweet Pickle Series. These days, to name a couple, I really respect the books of Shel Silverstein, Roald Dahl, and Jon Scieszka/Lane Smith. I often go to bookstores, libraries, and web sites to check out new books. Anything unique or original is usually a hit with me.
Q. Are you a grown up? (I have been asked this.)
A. Nobody knows for sure.
Q. Do you know my uncle? (I have been asked this too.)
A. Probably not, but maybe.
Q. Are you married?
A. I am married to a fantastic woman named Stephanie.
Q. Do you have children?
A. Two wonderful kids, Carlos and Maria.
Q. How long did it take to build Norwood? (page 17 of The Tomato Collection)
A. About two days.
Q. Who are the photos of the children in The Tomato Collection?
A. My sisters, Kristi and Lori, and myself.
Q. What was the first poem written out of all the poems in The Tomato Collection?
A. Up and Down Frowns.
Q. What was the first song made for The Tomato Collection CD?
A. Magooie and Achoogie. However, my cousin Sapphire made the first demo recording. We put together the poems Wholly See, Stuck with a Frown, and Better to make one song. It was recorded on a video camera at her apartment in the spring of 1997 I believe. Then, a year later it was re-recorded by my friend Viet on the GVSU campus. Finally, yet another year later, it was changed to become what is now on the album as Wholly See. I decided I wanted each poem to have it’s own song. (Except for Page 30 Poems.) So, Magooie and Achoogie was the first completed song, but Wholly See was the first song “in progress.”
Q. Are there things that you would like to change in The Tomato Collection?
A. Yes. There are little things I would do differently. There are also a couple poems I wouldn’t mind taking of out the book. Which ones you may ask? Send me an e-mail with the ones you think they could be and I’ll let you know if you’re correct.
Q. What suggestions do you have for beginning writers and artists?
A. Write what's on your mind. Start with something that you're happy, sad, frustrated or excited about, etc. and find a way to "capture it" in words or pictures. Don't make it more complicated than it needs to be. Keep it simple. Share your work with others and listen to their opinions. Any idea is worth writing (it may not turn out, but maybe it will). "Put yourself into your work." Keep working, ambition is greater than natural talent. Make it fun.
Q. Any final thoughts for us to end the Question and Answer page?
A. Have fun in life, respect each other, and eat lots of spinach dip!