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MEET JULIE MAMMANO
By Ann Stalcup

What did you most like to do when you were a child ?

Julie Mammano

Drawing, playing, and pretending were my favorite activities. I didn't like structured activities like team sports.

What books influenced you most when you were growing up ?

When I was growing up, PIPPY LONGSTOCKING, CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY, Dr. Suess books, and horse books by Margaret Henry influenced me most.

Did you write stories as a child ?

When I was a kid I never thought about being a writer when I grew up. It was the last thing on my mind. I wanted to be an astronaut, a race car driver, and a check-out clerk at the grocery store.

When you went to college what was your career goal ?

I was not pursuing a writing career, but was an art major intent on making art my career. At the time, writing was just a necessary task to write term papers. I didn't enjoy writing.

When did you start writing and what inspired you to start ?

I started writing when publishers didn't know what to do with my art, saying that my art wouldn't work for kids books. I never intended on writing books myself, but planned on illustrating for other writers. However when it became evident that illustration for children's picture books wasn't happening, I decided to write my own story and thus be the author that I would illustrate for. Writing my first book, Rhinos Who Surf was my first experience of really enjoying the writing process without it being a drudgery as in the past. I found doing the writing to be as fun as doing the artwork. That was a first.

What was your first job when you graduated from college ?

My first job was working as a staff artist for DaySpring Greeting Cards. My first book was published in 1996, 12 years later.

Was your first book accepted immediately or did you experience a number of rejections before being published ?

My first book was accepted immediately with the first publisher I contacted. However I've gotten a lot of rejections since then from various publishers for various book ideas.

What are the topics of some of your books ?

Rhinos and sports. I focus on fiction. I like whimsy and escaping reality. Adventure and fun inspire me to write. I get my ideas from many sources, among them places I've visited, my own experiences, or experiences I wish I had.

What gave you the idea for RHINOS WHO SURF?

I got my idea for RHINOS WHO SURF while I was surfing. I was sitting on my board in the Pacific, waiting for waves, when I came up with the idea.

Do you enjoy researching or do you prefer working totally from your imagination ?

I research besides working from my imagination. Sometimes research can be burdensome, but it gives the things of my buoyant imagination an anchor.

Do you work on more than one book at a time ?

I only work on one book at a time.

Which of your books did you most enjoy writing ?

I enjoyed writing Rhinos Who Surf the most because the writing process was fun for the first time in my life. It was a new discovery. And Rhinos Who Surf was the very first of all my books, and it opened up a whole lot of new experiences and opportunities.

Do you enjoy writing books in a series ?

Yes, I do, but I'd also like to do other books with other themes and characters and styles. When I submitted my first manuscript, I never intended it to be a series. I was grateful to have a published book. Writing a series of books in my particular case lends itself to many more possibilities since there are a lot of other sports the rhinos can do.

Do you feel that by only having done books about rhinos and sports, you have limited yourself in what people expect from you ?

Sometimes I feel like I am type cast as only doing books about rhinos and sports. But I am much more than that and have many ideas and experiences I'd like to express in book form.

How much freedom do you have in the way you do your illustrations ?

I have a lot of freedom, yet my editors know how to reign me in when it is necessary.

Have you illustrated any books for other authors ?

No, but that was my initial intent when I started pursuing kids books, but it never worked out. Now I like doing both the writing and illustrating because I can alter the text, if I am having problems fitting the illustrations with the story. With other people's manuscripts, I wouldn't have the luxury of doing that.

What are you working on now and when do you expect to start submitting the manuscript to publishers ?

I have several ideas I've been working on, but haven't found publishers for them yet. That's where the rejections come in.

Do you write every day and do you have set hours that you work ?

I don't write or draw every day. I am rather unstructured in my work style.

Do you include humor in your stories, or adventure, or mystery ?

I like to use humor in my stories with a sort of hip style. I love humor and adventure. I've never been much for mysteries or romance stories.

When you do school visits, what question do children ask you most ?

The question I get most when I visit schools is how old I am and what will be my next book.

What do you most want students to get out of your school visits ?

I want the students to know that they can achieve and excel, to give them a vision for what they are capable of in the future, that their education is important for their future, and to not give up when they fail in their pursuits, and that mistakes are OK as long as you learn from them. I also want them to know the writing and illustration process in creating a book.

What are your hobbies ?

My hobbies are surfing, swimming, hiking, travel (when I have the time and money!), and playing my old electric guitar.