Cover Reveal for TED KOOSER: MORE THAN A LOCAL WONDER by Carla Ketner

We had the honor of speaking with author Carla Ketner about her writing journey, her new book, and the publication process! Carla Ketner’s Ted Kooser: More Than A Local Wonder is set to release in the Fall of 2023. Congratulations on such a beautiful book!

Pre-Order TED KOOSER: MORE THAN A LOCAL WONDER by Carla Ketner, Illustrated by Paula Wallace.

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First, we’d love for you to tell us about your new book!

Ted Kooser: More Than a Local Wonder is a biography of poet, picture book author and essayist Ted Kooser. Long before he won a Pulitzer Prize for Poetry, served as United States Poet Laureate, wrote award-winning picture books and became the perennial best-selling author in a small-town Nebraska bookstore, he was an unathletic child growing up in Iowa, yearning to fit in. Young Ted found solace in stories, and one specific book, Robert McCloskey’s Lentil, inspired him to become a writer. Ted’s life is an affirmation of pursuing one’s passions. Ted Kooser: More Than a Local Wonder celebrates the power of stories and of finding oneself through words.

Where did the seeds of the story come from?

One afternoon, I was researching famous Nebraskans, searching for a subject to write about in a picture book biography. My son walked through the room and said, matter-of-factly, as if it was obvious, “You should write a book about Ted.” He was referring to a man he’s known most of his life, our local celebrity Ted Kooser. When my son was eight years old, I opened an independent bookstore. Ted was the featured guest at our grand opening. At the time, he was the newly appointed United States Poet Laureate. He went on to win a Pulitzer Prize, write award-winning picture books and become a family friend, among other achievements.

My first thought when my son made his suggestion was, why didn’t I think of that? My second was, I can’t do that! Tackling such a project was intimidating. I worried that I wouldn’t do justice to Ted’s writings and his life story. Plus, I’d have to ask him if he planned to write his own autobiography, or if some famous author with skills beyond mine was already working on a biography, or if he minded if I attempted to write a book about him.

A few days later, while the idea was still percolating in my mind, a customer came into my store and asked for a picture book biography of Ted Kooser for her daughter’s school project. I told her there weren’t any—yet. I took that request as a sign, asked Ted for his blessing and an interview, and got to work. That was in 2016. Finally, after many revisions, a critique during a Writing Barn Write Submit Support picture book class, encouragement from Bethany and much angst, the University of Nebraska Press, which publishes many of Ted’s poetry collections, expressed interest in publishing the story in October of 2021. Two years later, it’s set for a November 1, 2023, release.

What’s your connection to The Writing Barn and Bethany Hegedus, Author/Founder of TWB?

In 2020, when the pandemic shut down many opportunities, it opened up the opportunity for me to take the Writing Barn’s Write Submit Support class for picture book authors. Ted Kooser: More Than a Local Wonder was one of the manuscripts I workshopped during the class. Later, as I considered my options for the story, Bethany provided encouragement and support. I don’t have an agent yet, so it was truly a lifeline to have the Courage to Create community and Bethany’s input throughout the process.

When and how did you see the cover? Did you see initial sketches or designs, or just the final version?

The amazing artist Paula Wallace sent watercolor drawings for the cover and illustrations nearly a year ago. When I saw them, I knew that her style and vision were perfect for Ted’s story. He’s a quiet presence, and her artwork perfectly captures his essence.

After a long wait I received an email with the final cover design. When I opened the email, and the cover appeared on my phone screen, my heart jumped. It was so beautiful, I cried. For the rest of the day, I spent more time looking at the photo on my phone than I did working.  And yes, as they say, seeing one’s name on the cover of a book, even if it’s just an image of the cover and not an actual book, truly is worth all the effort and waiting and angst.

Time for props to the team behind the cover!

It’s fitting that a Nebraska artist, Paula Wallace, is illustrating Ted Kooser: More Than a Local Wonder. Paula is an artist and illustrator and spends most of her days in her studio at the Hot Shops Art Center in Omaha, Nebraska. A graduate of the University of Iowa, she has illustrated for other authors, as well as writing and illustrating her own books, including Choose Your Days and Mr. Reginald and the Bunnies. Choose Your Days won the Nebraska Children’s Picture Book Award and represented Nebraska at the National Book Festival. Paula’s work as a fine artist has appeared in many gallery exhibits in the United States and Italy and is held in public and private collections internationally.

The design team at the University of Nebraska Press did an amazing job with the cover. I can’t wait to see the rest of the book and the page proofs!

Where and when can readers find your book?

Ted Kooser: More Than a Local Wonder officially releases November 1, 2023. Preorder signed copies through my bookstore Chapters Books & Gifts’ website, https://sewardchapters.indielite.org/, and I’ll be happy to personalize them. Or support your local independent bookstore by purchasing through their website or https://bookshop.org/.

Chapters Books & Gifts is also Ted Kooser’s hometown bookstore. We send signed copies of his book to fans around the country and world.

Where and how can we follow you and the Ted Kooser: More Than A Local Wonder illustrator Paula Wallace?

Find me at https://www.carlaketner.com/.

Find illustrator Paula Wallace at https://www.paulawallacefineart.com/.

About Author Carla Ketner:

A former elementary school teacher and instructor of college-level children’s literature courses, Carla Ketner now owns and manages an independent bookstore in Seward, Nebraska. When not reading, writing or connecting readers with books, she is likely to be walking her grand dog, looking up the names of local wildflowers, baking anything that lists chocolate as an ingredient, or traveling with friends and family. She and her husband live in eastern Nebraska and have two grown sons. Her debut picture book, Ted Kooser: More Than a Local Wonder, is forthcoming in fall 2023.