It’s a busy time for New York Times best-selling children’s author Peggy Archer. She rang in the New Year with the January 2010 birth of her sixth grandchild. In February she and her husband celebrated their 40th anniversary and renewed their wedding vows. Right now she’s making last-minute plans for her daughter’s May wedding. At the same time, she’s helping to plan the upcoming Indiana SCBWI conference ‘Focus on the Novel’. She’s also conducting workshops for authors and school children. And working part-time as a pediatric nurse.

As if all that excitement weren’t enough, Peggy’s latest picture book, Name That Dog!, was just released on April 2 by Penguin’s Dial Books for Young Readers. She is preparing a presentation for the Book Launch to be held at the Valparaiso Library on April 24, 2010.

                                                       The Books

Name That Dog! is a collection of 26 rhyming poems that match lovable puppies with names from A to Z. Each dog is from a different breed, and each has a unique personality that becomes the inspiration for its name. A Field Spaniel who loves to chew on everything, “except her rawhide bone,” is called—you guessed it—“Chewy.”

Peggy and I chatted over tea in Chesterton. She is pleased with the way first-time illustrator Stephanie Buscema brings life to the irresistible canines. “And I really love the book’s cover,” she told me, “with its tiny paw prints!”

The seeds for Name That Dog! were planted more than ten years ago, when a puppy named Snickers joined the Archer family. “Snickers was so funny that I wanted to write about her,” Peggy told me.

The story for Peggy’s second book, Turkey Surprise, grew out of a snippet she heard on National Public Radio. The broadcast included a discussion about wild turkeys that fly. Although Peggy had lived in Indiana all her life, she had never seen a turkey fly. “At first I thought they were joking,” she said.

As it turned out, not only could the wild birds fly—they could even attain speeds of up to 55mph. Peggy found herself wondering about possible situations where a turkey might fly. Ideas began to take flight. Turkey Surprise was published as a hardcover picture book by Dial in 2005. A paperback version by Puffin followed in 2007. A turkey does indeed fly in Turkey Surprise. And the picture book flew onto the New York Times best seller list! It’s still selling well.

“And it’s been such fun!” Peggy said. She has always been drawn to the innocence and fun of early childhood. Though she has published articles—on writing— for adults, all four of her books are written for young children. Peggy’s first book, One of the Family (Western Publishing Co., 1983), is a ‘Little Golden Book’ that’s out of print, but available used on E-bay and Amazon.com. From Dawn to Dreams: Poems for Busy Babies (Candlewick Press, 2007), is a happy offering of poetry accompanied by sunny images from illustrator Hanako Wakiyam.

                                                        The Process

Currently Peggy is working on another collection of poems for toddlers.  Crafting short, “simple” poems is more complex than it may seem, she observed. “I work very hard on my poems. A poem to me is like a small story. It has a beginning, a middle, and an end. Maybe it has a twist. Or maybe it will make you laugh.”  

 When writing poetry, Peggy gets engrossed in a world of rhyme and rhythm. “I can spend ten days on one poem,” she told me. The process Peggy described for writing picture-book fiction is similarly exacting.  Character, story and setting must be developed using very few words. That’s a challenge.  “Every word has to count for something,” she asserts, in order for the story to come alive.

 Good characters are essential for a good story, she believes. And suspense and humor keep readers turning the pages. Children may have smaller vocabularies than do adults, but both groups resonate with a well-constructed narrative.  Peggy begins with a full first draft. “I have to finish with a satisfactory ending,” she said, “or I might not continue that project.”

 What’s on Peggy’s drawing board right now? A story about fish and another about pirates.  

The Future

Peggy will continue writing for young children. She will facilitate more workshops for writers and readers of all ages.

She’ll stay involved with writers’ groups and conferences, taking pleasure in community and the give-and-take of support. She will try to keep up with her website and with social networking.

 Her advice to aspiring authors?

             Read.

             Write. Edit. Repeat.

             Attend conferences. Check out the opportunities at SCBWI. Read writers’ blogs.

             Write what you are passionate about. Don’t be intimidated by rejection.

 Most of all, spend time with loved ones and others who support your muse.