Update - Winner Announced! Celebrate Father's Day with Annette M. Clayton!

7/9: Congrats to Tatum Evans on winning Annettee's book giveaway! We'll be in touch soon with more details.

A special thanks to everyone who joined us to celebrate Father's Day!

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6/15

Happy Father's Day, readers, writers, and book lovers, too! Today we celebrate fathers everywhere and send love out to all of those who have taken that role in our lives, no matter how challenging or difficult it can be at times. What better way to celebrate the day than with author Annette Clayton and her sweet book, Papa and Pearl, A Tale About Divorce, New Beginnings, and Love That Never Changes. Pearl loves imagining she is a princess with Mama and Papa in their magical castle until Mama and Papa get a divorce, and Papa moves away. Pearl spends her first day at Papa's new place and finds it's the opposite of magical. But Pearl and Papa learn that different can be okay, and even special. Want to know more about Annette, her heartfelt book about a father's love, PLUS want a chance to win your own copy? Read on...

Q: Hi, Annette! Thanks so much for joining us today. We really enjoyed reading Papa and Pearl! How did you come up with the story idea? 

A: Someone close to me was going through a divorce. Though they were co-parenting well, the child was having a tough time coping, so was the father. He was trying so hard to make everything “perfect” and “normal” for their child but he felt like he was failing. I searched for picture books on divorce and was surprised how few there were, especially those from the single father POV. I decided to write my own based on my interactions with them. 

Q: If you haven’t touched upon this – Are there real-life experiences that you drew upon to create the action in the story? If you have – who did you write this book for as far as audience, or was that something that came later?

A: I wrote this book for kids, but also for single dads everywhere giving it their all. Now more than ever, single dads are very involved and sharing 50/50 custody. I don’t feel like this is talked about enough. Women are more likely to seek emotional support than men, and I wanted to shed light on the emotional journey of single dads as well as the child. 

Q: You cleverly combined both unique (split custody / fishing / navigating divorce / mermaids and more)! How / why did you come up with that problem and setting (if not answered already). Also, how do you feel that combination made the project more unique and helped it sell?

A: Divorce is a very heavy topic, but I didn’t want to write a sad book! I challenged myself to write a book about divorce that was heartfelt and humorous that dived into tough topics, like why is this happening? I also told myself I wouldn't use the word “divorce” in the book. It was a tall order, and there were times when I asked myself, can I really pull this off?

I knew I needed mentor texts, and a lot of them. I can’t recall all of them, but here are two books I relied on heavily. 

Dance Like a Leaf by AJ Irving

When challenging myself not to use the word “divorce” I sought out picture books that said something, without actually saying it. I was fortunate to find Dance Like a Leaf. In this book, the Grandmother’s health is failing and she passes at the end, but the author never uses the words, sick, death, or dying. It’s beautifully written and I cry every time I read it! 

The End of Something Wonderful, by Stephanie V. W. Lucianovic

How do you inject humor into something sad? The End of Something Wonderful is a hilarious book about how to say goodbye to a beloved pet. I actually laughed out loud when reading this. This book takes something so sad and injects the perfect amount of humor and heart into the story.  

Q: What inspired you to feature a fisherman?

A: Years ago, I was scribbling down picture book ideas and I had this vision of a rough-around-the-edges, fisherman dad trying to do his “princessy” daughter's hair the only way he knew how, nautical knots! The idea made me laugh, but it wasn't a story. I set it aside for years and almost forgot about it! When I began to jot down ideas for my divorce PB, the image of the fisherman sprang into my mind. I knew that was my dad and I could incorporate him braiding her hair in nautical knots!

Q:  The art is so sweet and imaginative! Did you have any say as to the illustrator and/or input in the art? 

A: Free Spirit Publishing was amazing to work with! They asked me to look over the list of illustrators they work with and pick out several styles that resonated with me. I also sent them my list of “dream” illustrators, which included Kim Barnes. I really didn't think much of it and was floored when they told me they had signed Kim onto the project! Once Kim was onboard I was asked about my overall vision and to provide information about the setting and characters appearance. My editor sent me initial sketches to review and asked for my feedback. I was blown away by Kim’s talent and only requested a few small changes. Kim really understood the message of the book and brought it to life. 

Q: How do you cope with rejection? 

A: I have 2 picture books published, 12 chapter books forthcoming, and many books written for the educational market. I still deal with rejection constantly. It comes with the territory. If you're going to be a writer you have to brush it off and keep going. Yes, it hurts a lot, but don’t let it stop you. And my number one rule is; don't compare yourself to other writers. I’ve had friends that started writing around the same time I did, and they have breezed past me selling multiple books to the big 5. I have friends who haven't sold anything. Focus on your own personal journey by celebrating wins, big and small and enjoy having a creative outlet. And most importantly, remember you have a community! Stay active in forums like this and create meaningful connections with other writers.

Q: Would you like to leave a tip or a treat for our readers?

A: Yes, I'd love to give away a copy of Papa and Pearl!

WOW! Thanks for such a sweet treat. And thanks so much for stopping by. We had a great time getting to know you more!

Giveaway Details: Readers, to enter to win Annette's amazing giveaway, 1) share this post on social media and 2) leave a comment below to thank her for stopping by! Father's Day GIFs are definitely appreciated, too.

Giveaway winners will be drawn and announced on or about 6/29!

Books will be shipped in the US only.

About Annette Clayton

Annette M. Clayton is the award-winning author of Papa and Pearl, Free Spirit Publishing and Hooray It’s Three Kings Day! Familius. Her debut chapter book series, JoJo, publishes with Lerner in 2025, followed by, The Magical Protection Agency in 2026. Annette holds a master’s degree in writing for children and young adults. When she’s not writing, you can find her hiking or planning her next Disney World vacation.

To learn more about her, visit her website at www.AnnetteMClayton.com or on IG at @AnnetteMClayton

To purchase a copy of Annette's books on Amazon, or to leave a review for them, click here.

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