Interview with Nancy Tafuri and Giveaway

I have had a hard time getting back in the swing of things after my vacation! But I think I am back to regular life and ready to start blogging again. I am really excited about this post today. I recently reviewed All Kinds of Kisses, and today I have an interview with the author Nancy Tafuri to share. And in conjunction with the interview, I am giving away one copy of All Kinds of Kisses! 

Nancy Tafuri has authored over 45 books, including 1985 Caldecott Honor book Have You Seen My Duckling?

Meet Nancy:

What books did you love as a child?

Every week my mother and I would go grocery shopping and a new picture book

would make this event a winner...

I am a product of the Classic Golden Book era:

The Pokey Little Puppy

The Little Red Hen

The Animals of Farmer Jones

and then there was:

The Little Engine That Could by Watty Piper

I-Think-I-Can, I-Think-I-Can!

Which has been my motto throughout my life!

What illustrators or artists have been influential to you?

Beatrix Potter, Maurice Sendak and the early twentieth century children’s book

illustrators like Mary Louise Spoor.

Describe your path to publication. 

My path was rocky. The illustrations I drew were for very young children and they were large and bold and picture book illustration in the late 1970’s was mostly aimed at five-, six-, and seven-year-olds. My images were considered “too graphic” for children that age. “The pictures are too big,” I was told over and over about the large, colorful shapes I drew. Finally, I was recognized at Greenwillow Books, Harper Collins Publishers.

What medium do you use most frequently? 

I’m happy the days of pre-separation are over, many of my first books had countless acetate overlays and and color percentages were involved in choosing the right shades. Now my favorite colors come from watercolors, inks, colored pencils and waterproof black pen lines.

Describe your work space. 

My studio is in an old converted chicken shed. It’s filled with bright light and looks out on an apple orchard and HAVE YOU SEEN MY DUCKLING?’s pond.

A lot of your work is in someway connected to nature, what draws you to illustrate nature? 

Since I’m surrounded by nature it’s always auditioning. Bluebirds, squirrels, ducks they all want to be in a book!

What do you like to do in your free time? 

I love to read, walk, antique, work in the garden, visit my daughter and eat my husbands fabulous food!

If you could visit anywhere in the world, where would it be? 

I have visited my special place – Hilltop Farm, Near Sawrey, England which was the home of Beatrix  Potter.

Thanks to Nancy for giving us a glimpse into her life as an artist.  I love the idea of an old chicken shed turned art studio - and looking over a pond, nonetheless!

Today, one lucky reader will receive a copy of Nancy Tafuri's latest book All Kinds of Kisses.  To enter the giveaway you must be a US resident.

You get one entry for commenting.
You can get an extra entry for posting about the giveaway on Facebook.
And a third for pinning it on Pinterest.

Make sure to leave a way for me to contact you if you are the winner!  The giveaway will close Saturday morning, the 18th.

And since only one of you can win, and Valentine's is tomorrow - I think this would be a very fun, non-Valentinesy, Valentine book to give to children!