Interview by Anika Denise
Some of you may know that my other gig–besides being the blogger in residence and event planner for Barrington Books–is writing children’s books. My first two picture books (and one that’s coming out next year) were illustrated by my husband, Chris Denise. A question I hear often is: What’s it like working with your husband? I generally answer with a positive exclamation such as, “super-fun!” or, “it’s a blast!” And mostly, that’s true. (Except on the days he forgets to empty the dishwasher in the morning. On those days there’s just no talking to me.) Anyway, I was feeling pretty proud of our teamwork–until I met Zoë and R.W. Alley, another husband-and-wife picture book team who take the whole “perfect partnership” thing to a new level.
Besides making great books, the couple seems to always have fun together! They frequently compliment one another and laugh at each other’s jokes. It’s just terribly annoying how well they get along.
So, in an effort to find out if they are really this genuinely adorable–I sat down with them and asked them all sorts of nosy questions about their process and their books.
Ok, so who gets the credit for coming up with the idea for your picture books There’s a Princess in The Palace and There’s a Wolf at The Door? Did you brainstorm the concept together?
(Zoë) Well, it WAS sort of a mutual idea thing! Our editor for those 2 books–Neal Porter at Roaring Brook Press– noted a lack of graphic novel style books for the “picture book reading crowd.” Bob thought the illustration work in that genre would be fun–I agreed from an author perspective. Become published?…SURE!!!! So, we sat down and thought about what type of story lines might lend themselves to such a format. Thus were born the nursery tale/fairy tale concepts. The linkage of all of the five stories in each book, however, was mine (she said with some satisfaction!!).
I love how the stories link up! So, what comes first, words or pictures?
(Zoë) Generally speaking, it’s the words. Hard to know what to illustrate without their presence to guide, I would suppose! However, I will say that on these two books, Bob and I were able to each inherently know how to write or to illustrate, based on our relationship. We each know the other’s work so well, that we just had an understanding from the start as to how the finished books would read and look. Weird, huh?!
Bob, what was your inspiration for the artwork in There’s A Princess In The Palace and There’s A Wolf at the Door? (Besides your wife’s witty, wonderful text.)
(R.W.) Well, that “smartly hysterical” and sometimes “snarky” text (I quote here from reviews ) certainly set the general tone for the art. However, the niggly pen and ink line and circuitous page layouts were inspired by the gigantic full page newspaper cartoons from the first quarter of the 1900s. In particular I’m thinking of “Krazy Kat” by George Herriman were the lines were loose and the designs fluid, just like Zoë’s words.
Did you find the format challenging in any way?
(R.W.) For me, the two great challenges were (A.) keeping each double page spread fresh in character, animation and overall design and (II.) fitting in all those words! Early on, to make sure that the text was clearly legible and its flow across the page was obvious, we opted for type-setting the words. This drew some criticism from comic book purists stuck on the idea that handlettering was a defining feature of the graphic genre. Nuts to that. These were graphic “novels” for kids. Clarity had to be the benchmark.
Agreed, nuts to that! Did you have a favorite fairytale as a child?
(Zoë) Not one single one that I can recall. I do, however, recall being scared ****less by some Grimm’s stories read to me! I guess, therefore, I strove to be un-scary in my retellings! (A little therapy has helped me a lot!!!!)
(R.W.) I didn’t have a favorite fairytale. I grew up mostly on Golden books. While they offered a range of fairytale titles, I gravitated to the slice-of-life titles that described how a taxi rushed through the city or what goes on behind the scenes at a circus. Looking back on it, I seem to have been planning some sort of escape. Hmmm…
Ok, here comes the oft-asked question: What’s it like to work with your spouse? Do you talk about children’s books at the dinner table?
(Zoë) Well, you know how this one goes, Anika! For me, it is wonderful working with Bob! Really! He GETS me — that’s because we’ve been married since marriage was invented (32 years!)!!! He understands my intentions, my humor, and he is a fabulous illustrator, to boot! And, we would talk about our work over the dinner table if we ate dinner AT the dining room table! Since our children had the nerve to grow up and be in college and be married (aaaagggghhh!), we tend to eat at our coffee table. So YES, we discuss our work at the coffee table!!! (When the kids are around, we do use the dining room!)
(R.W.) That’s a really good answer. That’s why she’s the writer. It’s true, we do get each other’s view of the world and admire and respect each other’s talent. I love the characters that Zoë creates. Very easy to illustrate. In our daily working pattern, there’s not a lot of back and forth. The words come to my drawing board direct from Zoë’s legal pad and I have at it. Mostly, before the first dummy of the book goes off to our editor, she has to make sure I have transcribed properly all her text into the art. This has been an issue. Apparently, spelling counts, too. As for dinner conversation, if we’re on different projects, we might catch each other up on what we’re doing. Of course, office gossip is rather disappointing.
Perhaps a water-cooler in the studio might help? So, what are you guys working on now?
(Zoë) Well, now, I am working on editing (I HATE the editing phase!!!) Three stories that began as bedtime stories my dad told my sister and me. They are about — huh! — sisters! But, being superstitious, I cannot tell you any more about them! This way, if they never get published, I will not have to be asked “whatever happened to…?”!!! However, I will be sure and let you know if they DO get bought!!!
(R.W.) I’ve got seven picture book projects in the works. Four I’m writing. Two, Zoë and I are writing together. One has been authored by someone else. In keeping with my wife’s sage superstitions, I will add nothing more.
Ok, that settles it. You two really are that genuinely adorable–and busy! Thanks so much for chatting with me!
(Zoë) Anytime!
(R.W.) We aim to please.
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R.W. Alley has illustrated more than one hundred books for children, including the popular Paddington Bear books by Michael Bond. The newest are Paddington Goes for Gold, a picture book, and Paddington Races Ahead, a novel, both published to coincide with 2012 London Olympics. In 2010, he received a Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor Award for Pearl and Wagner One Funny Day by Kate McMullan. He is also the illustrator of two, large comic panel formatted books: There’s a Wolf at the Door, a Washington Post Best Book of the Year, and There’s a Princess in the Palace, written by his wife, the talented Zoë B. Alley.
Zoë Alley: Having grown-up in a family of “literary grammarians,” I have always been interested in words, recited and written. From an early age in Natick, Massachusetts, I participated in both theatre and music-related events, finishing up a whirlwind career in my early teens as a perpetual chorus member! I have, however, learned to deal with this fateful blow. I rallied, and am at long last thrilled to call myself an “Author” and see my words in print with the publication of “There’s a Wolf at the Door” and “There’s a Princess in the Palace”! I enjoy writing for being, among other things, a career that allows me to sit on the couch – my office! — in my pajamas and play with a pen and paper!
As the very proud wife of illustrator R. W. Alley, and the mother of two wonderful children – Cassandra and Max – I remain thrilled! School-wise, I received my B.A. from the University of New Hampshire, and my Ed.M. from Boston University. We live in Barrington, Rhode Island, and used to have a pretty fish named Yoshi, who liked to watch tv but, well, you know fish!
Zoë and R.W. Alley will be signing books at the 5th Annual Fall Festival of Children’s Book Authors and Illustrators this Saturday, November 9th at Barrington Books, 184 County Rd., in Barrington, from 12-3pm