10 Questions with Lisa Deresti Betik
For all that is problematic about social media, sometimes it really is a wonderful place where meaningful connections are made! Case in point: I was thrilled recently when Lisa Deresti Betik, author of In the Dark: The Science of What Happens at Night (Kids Can Press, 2020), reached out after a reference I made to my local indie bookstore alerted her to the fun fact that we live in the same city! We quickly discovered that we had much else in common; not only do we both write picture books, but we are published by the same press, are both educators who do not currently teach in a classroom, and both write blogs that cover very similar territory (though Lisa’s is now retired).
Although I am looking forward to the day when it is safe for us to meet for coffee in person, I am thankful that Lisa generously agreed to speak with me about her work via email in the meantime.
In the Dark: The Science of What Happens at Night features lovely, bold illustrations by Josh Holinaty.
1. As a kid you spun fantastical tales about blanket-eating alligators and messy little monsters! Ultimately, though, it was non-fiction writing that called your name. What was it about this genre that felt like the right fit?
Non-fiction writing appealed to me because it fit so well with my personality, interests, and life experiences. I was a parent of two bright, curious boys -- we spent hours at the library together in their childhoods, reading non-fiction books about everything and anything! I was also a teacher, and while I majored in English in university, I loved science, too, and had a keen sense of wonder about the world. I really liked the idea of writing books that allowed me to share fascinating subjects with curious kids who wanted to learn about them. Even though I write about real things now, and my books don’t include imaginary alligators or monsters, I do try to sprinkle a bit of silliness into my science books, too. (And I haven’t ruled out writing a fantastical picture book some day!)
2. Night is such huge topic to tackle in just 48 pages! How did you go about narrowing your focus?
Night really is a giant topic! I had four main areas I knew I wanted to focus on in In the Dark: sleep and dreams, nocturnal animals, plants at night, and the night sky. But it was difficult to narrow down each one of those topics to what could reasonably fit in a few spreads. I had pages and pages filled with research notes about fascinating night-related things that I wanted to discuss in the book, and even though I didn’t include them all, my first draft was much longer than it should have been. I was thankful for a skilled editor who helped me figure out what to keep and what to let go to make the book just right for readers.
3. Do you feel that your background as an educator informs your work as a writer? As you write, are you thinking about curriculum connections, or how a text might be used inside a classroom?
I do think my experience as an educator influences my work as a writer. When I first come up with an idea for a book, I skim through the curriculum documents for various Canadian provinces and American states to see where, and in which grades, that subject matter might be covered. This helps me understand who my target audience will be, and what information will best complement readers’ school learning. I think less about curriculum connections while I’m actually writing a book, though, and more on making sure the text is interesting and fun, so that kids will be excited to read it.
I love the thought of my non-fiction books being used in classrooms – I can be a writer and still be a teacher in a way.
4. I am curious about how the process of actually drafting and editing a non-fiction book of this kind works. Do you think about the layout of each page early in the process, or is that something that the designer does after the text is drafted? Do you think about page breaks, or is the chapter the unit you are most focused on?
Drafting this kind of non-fiction book is a structured process, and I start with a clear outline. I divide the book first into chapters, and then determine how many two-page spreads each chapter will get. Next, I decide which topics I’ll include in each spread (keeping in mind that a spread has about a 300 – 400-word limit). A designer will eventually expertly arrange the layout of each page, but while I’m writing I’m always thinking about how the text will appear in the finished book. I write in manageable chunks of information, with catchy sub-headings, separate fun fact boxes, and captions for the charts, diagrams, comic panels, and illustrations that will come later.
5. I think that some people might be tempted to think that writing a book about science mostly involves finding and compiling facts. While it is clear that the information you present has been rigorously researched, the language you use also is so considered. Your writing is warm, fun, evocative, and accessible. How did you go about finding your voice and writing style?
Thank you for complimenting my writing voice. That’s something I’ve worked at, because it’s easy sometimes with science writing to slip into too much straight fact-spewing when you’re trying to explain difficult concepts clearly and in few words! When I’m writing about science for kids, I always want to write as if I’m in the room with them, having a great conversation about cool stuff. I try to imagine what questions they might ask, and which stories and familiar references might make the concepts come alive for them.
6. Launching a book during Covid comes with its own challenges. What have you had to do differently to get your book out into the world during this strange and challenging time? What are you looking forward to being able to do once it is finally over?
I feel a bit sad about the fact that my first book was released during this pandemic, because a lot of the exciting experiences I’d been anticipating for years weren’t possible. I have yet to go and see a copy of my book in a bookstore, for example, and I would have enjoyed the opportunity to do an in-person book launch or school visits, where I could have interacted with young readers and seen their reactions to the book. But Kids Can Press had some great ideas for virtual ways to launch In the Dark – I had fun participating in their online Fall Reading Relay, and interacting with people on their social media pages and mine. And it’s been wonderful to get personal messages from people who have read the book, and to read positive reviews of it online.
I’m hopeful that by the time my second book is ready for release, I’ll be able to experience what a real book launch is like!
7. You previously wrote a blog called Pocketfuls, which chronicled your experiences of parenthood and your everyday life in such a lovely way. How does your reality and identity as a parent influence your writing life these days?
I think my reality and identity as a parent is what inspired me to actually become a writer. I started writing Pocketfuls as a personal creative project when I was home raising two young boys, and writing about parenthood there gave me the skills, the personal connections with other writers (who shared expertise and resources with me over the years), and the confidence to believe that I could write books. My boys are practically grown now – one is already well into university and one will finish high school next year – but my memories of their younger years are always front of mind when I’m writing books for children. I think about the books they loved then, their wonderful questions and energy, and in many ways, it feels like I’m writing for their younger selves. And today my boys are a great source of feedback for my writing projects – I love bouncing ideas off of them and showing them my work to see what they think.
8. What does a typical day look like for you? What do you hope a typical day will look like in five years?
Pre-pandemic, on a typical weekday morning I’d feed the cats, chat with my sons while they got ready for school, read the newspaper while eating breakfast, and take a long, brisk walk once everyone else in my family was at school or work. I’d then spend several hours deeply focused on researching and writing while the house was quiet. Late afternoons and evenings were filled with driving the boys to and from extra-curricular activities, running errands and taking care of things around the house, and making a good dinner for the four of us to eat together while we talked and laughed. I’d often bake, or do a puzzle, or read a book or magazine, and just generally hang out with my family. Oh, and I’d do laundry. Lots and lots of laundry!
These days, things feel much less structured. A typical day generally involves some mix of walking, cooking, baking, eating and hanging out together, housework, gardening, reading, and puzzling, but admittedly I’ve done much less writing. While I’ve really appreciated this extra time with my family all at home, I often feel distracted by all of the activity in the house and by what’s happening out in the world, and the quiet, focused time for writing has been hard to come by.
In five years, my husband and I will be empty-nesters, and I imagine sometimes the house will feel too quiet! I do look forward to having lots of time for thinking and writing. I hope a typical day then will include exploring new places and experiences, and more chances for my husband and me to spend time with friends and extended family. I’d also like to go back to volunteering in schools like I did when my boys were younger. Kids are awesome, and I find their energy and their curiosity inspiring.
9. You are currently at work on a second book. Has the process of pitching and writing this new project been different?
Yes, the second time around I’ve felt much more confident and competent while pitching and writing! I really had no idea how the whole publishing process worked when I sent Kids Can Press a proposal for In the Dark. It was a great experience to learn so much at each step as it went from an idea to an actual book. With this second project, I’ve comfortably known what to expect along the way, and all of the lessons I’d learned from writing the first book made the writing and revising feel easier this time.
10. You are also a Little Free Library steward! What is it about this idea that spoke to you?
I was really excited when I first read about Little Free Libraries, and I knew right away that I wanted to set one up on our front lawn. They’re such a great way to encourage reading and community. People of all ages regularly stop by to browse and choose a book or two to take home, or to drop off books they want to share with the neighbourhood, and I’ve had so many nice conversations with visitors about books and life in general. I love that Little Free Libraries give easy access to books for everyone, and an easy way for a single copy of a book to be enjoyed by many people.
