Writing and a Bicycle Built for Two

Most people who know me, know that I’m obsessed with vintage purple Schwinn tandem bikes.

Purple tandem in the 1965 Schwinn catalog

Some of you know me and some of you don’t. For those that have heard me go on and on about the vintage purple Schwinn tandem, please indulge me.

On my little piece of Internet real estate, I tell a story about a purple Schwinn tandem that lived in the garage of my neighbor’s house but belonged to every kid on the street. We all knew there was magic in that violet paint, those white gripped handlebars, those funky shaped seats.

Talk to any kid who spent their childhood on Sixth Street circa 1980s and say the words “purple tandem,” then stand back and watch what happens. We are transformed. We are transported.

No one knows what became of the mean purple machine that cruised up and down Sixth Street and beyond. But I’ve always known that if I couldn’t track down the exact purple tandem from my childhood, I wanted one find one just like it. I think having that tandem is a way to stay connected to my little kid glory days and a way to pass the magic of that shared neighborhood experience to my own kiddos.

In recent years, the purple tandem has taken on new meaning for me. It has become a symbol of my writing. On my little piece of Internet real estate, I say that writing for kids is like riding a tandem bike…you can do it alone, but it’s more fun when you have someone to share the ride. After several years of working on my writing craft and learning about publishing, I realize that sharing the ride isn’t just fun, it’s absolutely necessary to succeed.

This summer, two really spectacular things have happened. I found the elusive 1964 purple Schwinn tandem on Ebay. And I won it!

When that happened, I knew without a doubt that the stars were aligning for something big.

And I was right.

Because, as of last week, I accepted an offer of representation from Danielle Smith of Foreword Literary. So, I have a new purple tandem and a new partner to share the publishing ride!

There were many times I almost gave up my search for the purple tandem, or settled for something less than what I wanted because it would be easier (let’s just say finding vintage blue or green Schwinn tandem bikes is much easier than finding a purple…almost as difficult as finding an agent!). But I stuck to my vision and didn’t stop looking. The same goes for my agent search.

Despite this exciting news, I have work ahead of me. My vintage purple Schwinn tandem needs quite a bit of restoration before it’s ready to ride. And, with Danielle’s help, my picture book manuscripts need some fine tuning. Both should be ready to roll soon!

What’s your symbol that embodies your writing and your writing journey?

Kellie DuBay Gillis: Making an Entrance

Please excuse the glitter in my hair and the streamers stuck to my socks. I’m cleaning up from my daughter’s whirlwind birthday party weekend. She’s the one I alluded to in my lie for the Operation Awesome Mystery Blogger reveal. When I said that I single-handedly delivered a baby in less than 50 minutes in a bathroom, most of that was true. Five years ago, I did deliver my daughter in less than 50 minutes in our 2x3 powder room off the kitchen, but I had the help of five EMTs and one queasy husband. (The only thing I did single-handedly was dial 9-1-1.)

I always joke that the way my daughter burst onto the scene says a lot about how she approaches life. Her nature. Her character. And that got me thinking about our characters and how they make entrances and introductions in our stories. What does it say about them and how they approach their life on the page?

As a picture book writer, nothing makes me more giddy than having a dozen five year old girls come over for a party. These are the kids I write for and about. It’s a perfect opportunity to swim around in their kidness and absorb as much as possible. While I painted nails or led a party game, I watched and listened. You never know when something will spark a new idea or help spit-shine an old one.

But what I found really fascinating was how each girl made their entrance. Some bounded through the door oozing with confidence and excitement, ready to show off their party clothes and eat up whatever I was dishing out. Others were very reluctant to have the group flock to the door upon their arrival and wanted to slip into the party without a bunch of hoopla. Some didn’t want to see their parents leave and others ran in without saying good-bye. I thought I knew most of these girls pretty well, but how many of them made their entrance surprised me. And, like any good character, many of these girls had a transformation at the end of the two hour party. Some found their voice (literally on the karaoke machine), others helped put a new friend in the spotlight.

We are told that we should really know our characters and that they should have a life beyond the page. I’m taking this to heart as I strive to write interesting, multi-dimensional characters. So, if your main character was about to walk into a birthday party, what sort of entrance would he or she make? Consider this your MC’s formal party invitation and feel free to write a line or two from your MC’s POV in the comments about how they’d make their entrance. If you supply the guests, I’ll bring the cake. I have a lot left to share! Looking forward to posting every other Monday on the ups and downs of writing picture books and middle grade with the fans of Operation Awesome. Thanks for reading!

-- Kellie DuBay Gillis