Writers have been known to scribble their sudden inspirations anywhere they can—cocktail napkins, receipts, parking tickets . . .
Andrea Davis Pinkney, struck by an idea midway through a swim workout several years ago, dashed out of the pool, grabbed a pen and got to work—using her flip-flop sandal as a notepad.
Andrea Davis Pinkney is not one to be held back by minor inconveniences.
The award-winning author and former Editorial Director of Hyperion Books for Children recently became Houghton Mifflin’s new Vice President and Publisher of children’s books. It’s not difficult to imagine why.
Davis Pinkney could undoubtedly run circles around the Energizer Bunny. She is gumption, tenacity and smarts rolled into one. She is a mom of two young children, wife of prominent children’s book artist Brian Pinkney, and still (ahem) manages to write every day.
Barb Odanaka caught up with Davis Pinkney by phone during her first week at Houghton Mifflin, hallowed home to Curious George, Mike Mulligan, Lyle the Crocodile, among others.
Odanaka: So, you’ve been on the job four days. How’s it going?
Andrea Davis Pinkney: So far, so good!
Odanaka: How did you feel when you learned you were the new Vice President and Publisher of Houghton Mifflin children’s books? [Davis Pinkney replaced Anita Silvey, who retired from the company in 2001.]
Davis Pinkney: I was thrilled. The main reason being that Houghton Mifflin has such an unparalleled publishing history. Houghton Mifflin is 170 years old, so the long-standing publishing tradition is something that really appealed to me. Few publishers are that old and have such a prestigious reputation. Also, [Houghton Mifflin] has a reputation for maintaining or retaining long-standing author relationships. In this day and age, when many publishing houses work hard to attract big-name authors with huge advances, it’s refreshing to me that at a house such as Houghton Mifflin publishing decisions are based on long-standing relationships.
Odanaka: How do you envision Houghton Mifflin children’s books in, say, five to ten years?
Davis Pinkney: With my experience and background [Davis Pinkney founded the widely-respected Jump At the Sun imprint at Hyperion] I hope to add more diversity to the publishing program.
Odanaka: How do you feel about writers who write about cultures different than their own?
Davis Pinkney: I feel that any author is free to write about any culture he or she wishes. I feel it should be “permitted” because I, myself, as an author don’t want to be told I can’t write about another person’s experience. As an editor and reader and a parent, I have a more sensitive radar, if you will. I’m always looking to make sure that those books are being done properly—whether the author is from that culture or not.
Odanaka: You’ve said it’s important for writers to write every single day. Do you think new writers underestimate the dues they’ll have to pay before getting published?
Davis Pinkney: I do. People call me every day asking how to get published. It’s like people saying, “I really want to be a professional ballet dancer. I don’t have time to do all the training, but I really think I want to be a ballet dancer.” To become a professional ballet dancer, one has to train for years. One has to learn the craft.
Odanaka: New authors are sometimes told that having an agent is not necessary early in the game. You disagree. Why?
Davis Pinkney: It’s just very hard to get published and an agent can open the door for you. You know, if I sing into a tape recorder and send the tape to a record company, I probably won’t get a record deal. The same is true in publishing. However, on occasion, authors do get “discovered” by sending their work in unsolicited.
One example is Linda Sue Park. [Park, who won the 2002 Newbery Medal for A Single Shard, had her first book, Seesaw Girl, published in 1999 by Clarion after editor Dinah Stevenson discovered the manuscript in the slush pile. Clarion is a Houghton Mifflin imprint.]
Odanaka: You’re an award-winning author, Vice President and Publisher of a major house, wife of a leading children’s book artist, and mother of two young children. How do you stay so balanced?
Davis Pinkney: That’s a good question. Well … I’m fairly disciplined. I have a routine. I write in the morning, very early. I also schedule times to write on the weekend. The other thing is, I have a husband who has a flexible schedule. I often negotiate with my husband to have a writing day. But my first priority is always my family.
Odanaka: With so much going on, you still continue to write nearly every day. Why?
Davis Pinkney: It makes me a better publisher. I understand authors because I am one. And I understand illustrators because I live with one—I’m married to one. I care. I understand. And because of that, I know I have to allow them to have their creative struggles, and maybe even reschedule the publication date of a book, if need be.
