Dark Cloud is a lyrical story about a young girl who visualizes a dark cloud representing her depression as a way of coping with her feelings. The imagery in the words and in the illustrations capture the reality of depression perfectly.
Author’s name: Anna Lazowski
Illustrator’s name: Penny Neville-Lee
Other book titles: T. Rexes Can’t Tie Their Shoes
What is your upcoming book title? Dark Cloud
Date of release: May 2, 2023
Preorder or Order link: Barnes & Noble https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dark-cloud-anna-lazowski/1142167889 and Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Dark-Cloud-Anna-Lazowski/dp/152530657X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=L5RJSKMS4F15&keywords=dark+cloud+anna&qid=1683508693&sprefix=dark+cloud+anna%2Caps%2C112&sr=8-1
Publisher: Kids Can Press
Agent: Jennifer Unter
Agency: The Unter Agency
Hometown: Winnipeg, MB
******Join Anna on May 11th at 7pm for the launch of Dark Cloud. It will be live and streamed on YouTube from McNally Robinson for Kids.********
What are 5 things you want people to know about your book?
1 It uses gentle, lyrical language and descriptive imagery to help kids understand how depression looks and feels.
2. I love writing in this style, where if you remove the images, the text looks like a poem.
3. Although it deals with big emotions, I wanted the book to take the readers on a journey that offers some hope.
4. I’m so happy Kids Can Press paired illustrator Penny Neville-Lee up for this book, I honestly can’t imagine it any other way.
5. The library spread is one of my favourite picture book spreads ever. The detail in it absolutely amazes me!
What are 5 helpful hints or tips you wish you had known before starting this publishing journey?
1. You will have to be patient. (I’m not).
2. Read, read, read. In all genres. Know what’s out there.
3. You will have to be patient. (Still not).
4. Publishing is a long game, celebrate every step.
5. Think it’s a longshot? Do it anyway.
What are 5 fun/quirky facts about yourself as an adult or child?
1. I can read upside down and backwards.
2. My dad was a foreign correspondent for CBC Radio and we lived in Moscow for several years in the early 1980s before the Iron Curtain fell.
3. I have two dogs, a miniature poodle and a Yorkie/Teacup poodle mix. Their combined total weight is 10.5 pounds.
4. I love cooking and creating recipes.
5. I read very quickly. If I start a novel, I like to finish it in one sitting. Though I do feel badly about this because I know how long they take to write.
Where are 5 places that everyone should visit?
This is so hard, I’ve traveled a lot, but at this moment, I’ll go with:
1. New Orleans, Louisiana
2. Victoria, British Columbia
3. Gibraltar
4. Rouen, France
5. Wherever your family is from, if you don’t already live there.
What are 5 book recommendations (any genre)?
1. The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson
2. Garbage Delight by Dennis Lee
3. The Cafe by the Sea by Jenny Colgan
4. She Made a Monster: How Mary Shelley Created Frankenstein By Lynn Fulton, Felicita Sala (Illustrator)
5. How to be a Domestic Goddess: Baking and the Art of Comfort Cooking by Nigella Lawson
Thank you, Anna for a fabulous interview! Dark Cloud is absolutely beautiful and such an important topic.
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Sounds like an amazing and important book! Love the illustrations too! Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for visiting, Steena! It’s an amazing book!