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I'm absolutely THRILLED to kick off a new week with a double interview today. And what incredible guests I have too. This is so much fun! Here we go...  Regional Emmy Award-winning Mike Erskine-Kellie and Susan McLennan are writers and producers who have written television shows for PBS, Disney XD, BBC, TVO, and CBC including Pucca, Ranger Rob, 1001 Nights, Turbo Dogs, Endangered Species, Zoboomafoo, Opie’s Home, and Franny’s Feet. Their first children’s book, I Got You A Present! was published by Kids Can Press on April 7, 2020. They co-created and developed the 2015 regional Emmy award winning, Scientastic for American Public Television. They also co-created, story edited and wrote TVO’s Spellz, winner of the US International Film and Video Festival in Children’s Programming and a Silver Remi at the Worldfest-Houston International Film Festival.  I Got You a Present! follows Duckie on an epic quest to get you, the reader, the best birthday present. Ever!!!! But nothing goes right, and poor Duckie ends up in a race against time to show you how much he cares. While the book might be about birthdays, it’s actually about so much more. It helps kids navigate the difficulties of setbacks and failures while inspiring them to understand what’s really important: friendship. The Interview... Who are you and what do you write? We’re Mike Erskine-Kellie and Susan McLennan, creators, writers and producers of children’s content that has aired on broadcasters around the world. We’ve also made our first foray into the world of publishing books for kids. And we couldn’t be happier about it. Where and when and how did the writing life begin for you? MIKE In my parent’s basement as a 12-year-old. I HAD to do it. I told myself no amount of failure would stop me. Fun Fact: In 1984 I submitted my first book to Kids Can Press and received my first-ever rejection letter ... There would be many more to come. It took 36 years but Kids Can Press finally came around. SUSAN In Grade 3, I wrote a poem called, “Help Me Find a Door That Will Lead Us Out of War!” Heavy. But I was chosen to read it at a college studying children’s literature. Standing in front of a group of my, ahem, “peers”, I decided that writing for children was probably the fastest way to fame and fortune. How has the journey to this point been? Can you give us a basic rundown? MIKE There were lots of years of struggling and less than glamorous day jobs. But it all changed when we met each other. SUSAN We met at a 45-minute meeting which turned into a 7-hour date, where we bonded over our mutual love of the alphabet. Within weeks, we had begun building a business, a writing partnership and a super-happy life together. What's been the hardest part of your writing/publishing experience so far? And the most enjoyable? MIKE The hardest part is figuring out how to stand out in an arena filled with so many amazing and talented people. Getting published was, um, challenging. Taking it to the next level and selling a lot of books is daunting, especially if you’re an unknow writer in the world of children’s books. The other hard thing is learning to live with rejection and failure, because it’s constant in the creative world. It’s one of the reasons we wrote I Got You a Present! We want kids to understand just how often it is a part of life, especially when you’re doing something meaningful or that you love. SUSAN The most enjoyable part is engaging with kids, whether its reading our book to kids or talking to them when they’ve watched on of our shows. Of course, given the current circumstances, we can’t do that in person anymore, but, like so many writers, we are doing online readings and even birthday parties through Planet Birthday Party! (https://planetbirthdayparty.com/)  Mike and Susan as Spike and Toody! Would you go back and change anything?
MIKE I’d like to go back in time and build a time traveling library. For future reference. SUSAN He’s been waiting a long time to say that. What are your plans for the future? MIKE I’m thinking about making a salad niçoise for dinner and maybe opening a bottle of Chardon – SUSAN Okay, I’ll field this one. We want to write more books, of course. And we’re currently writing and starring in a series of animated videos (as our alter egos, Spike and Toody ), funded in part by the Government of Canada, to give kids (age 3-7) what they need to know and do to help keep their families safe and healthy during the Coronavirus outbreak. We know families are tiring of the restrictions and might be tempted to engage in risky behaviours, but if kids understand the importance of what they need to do, they will help the adults around them do the right things too. Our hope is to eventually parlay this into a full series featuring marvellous and aspirational guests who are doing great things in the world of STEM, arts, social justice, community service, etc. AND who are inspiring kids to make a difference. What's one piece of advice you'd give to new writers just starting out? MIKE Don’t give up. Rejection is part of it. Doubt is part of it. Learn, grow, take every setback as a chance to get better. SUSAN Don’t give up. Rejection is part of it. Doubt is part of it. Learn, grow, take every setback as a chance to get better. And most importantly... Ketchup or Mayo?... MIKE (to SUSAN) Hey, you got ketchup in my mayo. SUSAN (to MIKE) No, you got mayo in my ketchup. MIKE & SUSAN Delicious! Night or Day?... MIKE & SUSAN (with much enthusiasm) NIGHT!!!!! Inside or Outside?... SUSAN Mostly inside. And all the time recently. So let’s go with outside – when it’s safe to do so. Dogs or Cats?... MIKE Uh oh. Controversial question. I once had a cat named Pushkin that followed me everywhere that I went, just like a dog. What a great cat-dog. SUSAN Good job dodging that hot potato, sweetie! MIKE Thanks, pal! Twitter or Facebook?... SUSAN Myspace! No! Bandcamp! No! eBay! Wait, what was the question again? Facebook. Ebook or Paperback?... MIKE Paperback for always and evermore. Keyboard or Pencil & Notebook?... MIKE & SUSAN BOTH!!!! Chips or Chocolate?... MIKE (to SUSAN) Hey, you got chips in my chocolate. SUSAN (to MIKE) No, you got chocolate in my chips…
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