Book Giveaway: Love, Triangle by Marcie Colleen

Marcie Colleen has agreed to give away a copy of her picture book LOVE, TRIANGLE to one lucky winner. All you have to do to get in the running is to leave a comment. Reblog, tweet, or talk about it on Facebook with a link and you will get additional chances to win. Just let me know the other things you did to share the good news, so I can put in the right amount of tickets in my basket for you. Check back to discover the winner.

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

A hilariously clever geometry-inspired picture book from acclaimed author Marcie Colleen and popular illustrator Bob Shea. Perfect for fans of Amy Krouse Rosenthal.

Ever since they were a dot and a speck, Circle and Square have been best friends…. Then someone new comes along: a cool, exciting Triangle. And three starts to feel like a crowd. . . .

With their friendship bent out of shape, can they put it back together again?

BOOK’S Journey:

Many have heard me tell this story of Love, Triangle’s journey before, but it’s kind of funny and worth repeating.

In February 2012, I attended my first ever writing conference—the Winter SCBWI conference in New York City. I had recently started writing picture books and was eager to learn all I could.

Young Adult author, Cassandra Clare took the podium for a keynote titled “Love Triangles and Forbidden Love: Creating and Maintaining Romantic Tension in YA Literature.” I pulled out my pen ready to take notes, but as she began my pen did not move. In fact, I hardly moved.

Booming through speakers of the ballroom came description after description of types of love triangles. I was completely enthralled, but it was so scandalous! I was a picture book writer! I spent my days writing a manuscript about a spunky penguin who wanted to fly to the moon!

I turned to my friend, picture book author, Jodi Moore, who was sitting next to me, and half-jokingly whispered, “Not sure how I will ever use this in a picture book!” Jodi coyly responded, “You never know.”

And that planted the seed. I started to wonder if I could possibly write a “love triangle” picture book.

After a year of thinking on it, the premise finally came to me: A circle and square are best friends until a more interesting triangle shows up! It would be a story of navigating friendship, layered with lots of fun geometry puns and wordplay.

Did you catch that? After a year of thinking on it. That’s how my writing process usually goes. 1. I get an idea. 2. I think on it, let it marinate, let it simmer and sauté for a time—sometimes years. 3. When I have gotten to a point where I can visualize the story from start to finish, it’s finally time to write.

Once written, Love, Triangle went through a few revisions with my critique group and my agent, Susan Hawk. I think it was about seven rounds.
One early November evening in 2014, Susan hit send and Love, Triangle went out on submission. By the next morning, we had an offer from a big publishing house. The rest of the day we were flooded with more offers. Eventually, Love, Triangle went to a five-house auction and in the end, found a home with Alessandra Balzer at Balzer+Bray/ HarperCollins.

Alessandra’s vision for the book included bringing on Bob Shea to illustrate. In his brilliant hands, Circle, Square, and Triangle popped into life. It was amazing to finally see my characters.
With our team together, Love, Triangle quickly took shape and made its debut on bookshelves everywhere October 3, 2014.

Oh, and to bring it full circle, we sent a copy to Cassandra Clare as a thank you.

MARCIE BIO:

I may have been named after the girl who called everyone “Sir” in the iconic comic strip, Peanuts, but I can relate more to Frieda who constantly reminded us that she had “naturally curly hair”.  After all, that is how I am most recognized.

In previous chapters I’ve been a teacher, an actress, and a nanny, but now I spend my days writing children’s books!

I enjoy reading, long distance running, watching baseball, and eating ice cream–not all at the same time!  Although I never turn down a challenge.

Although I will always be a Brooklynite at heart, I now live with my husband–LEGO artist, Jonathan Lopes–and our mischievous sock monkey in San Diego, California.

Represented by Susan Hawk at Upstart Crow Literary.

Marcie Colleen is a former classroom teacher turned children’s book author. She is the author of THE SUPER HAPPY PARTY BEARS chapter book series with Macmillan/Imprint, as well her debut picture book, LOVE, TRIANGLE, illustrated by Bob Shea (Balzer+Bray/HarperCollins), and PENGUINAUT!, illustrated by Emma Yarlett, to be published by Scholastic in 2018.  ​She lives with her husband and their mischievous sock monkey in San Diego, California. To learn more, please visit her at www.thisismarciecolleen.com.

You can visit Marcie at: http://www.thisismarciecolleen.com/.

Thank you Marcie for sharing your book and journey with us. It just proves that an idea can come from anywhere. 

Talk tomorrow,

Kathy