Debut You is an interview feature on Our Stories Matter blog. Debut authors, who have released or have upcoming releases in 2022, are given five questions to answer about themselves and their book. Currently, the questions are the same for all authors. We hope you enjoy getting to know Antwan Eady and can offer your support. Go here for past Debut You features.
(Photo Credit: Kareem McMichael)
Describe yourself in five words, then expound on one of them.
Whew! Five words to describe me…hmm.
Grateful, persistent, optimistic, thoughtful, and learning.
Not sure if learning fits here, but it describes me. In all areas, I want to always learn, especially about who I am at every stage of life. I want to learn as a writer, friend, brother, etc. I hope to learn forever.
Explain your book’s journey—how long did it take—from idea to publication?
Thank you for this question. So, Nigel and the Moon is my third book, but it’s my first to sell. My first book was rejected by every agent. The second book that landed me multiple agent offers was then rejected by every publisher. I was so new to picture books at the time, so I understand. But…I’m persistent, so I ate those rejections for breakfast and kept going. *Insert Denzel clip, “I’m leaving here with something!”
My journey: I wrote Nigel in 2019. Revisions were done around February 1, 2020. It went on submission around the 4th or 5th, and by the 7th, we had interest from three editors. So, those calls were scheduled. Then maybe one or two more editors expressed interest. It wasn’t submitted widely.
By the 20th, we’d gone to auction, and I was reviewing each offer. I’d signed on with Mabel Hsu at Katherine Tegen Books/HarperCollins. Yay! The world shut down around that time, too.
A few rounds of edits later, as well as waiting for my official contract, and Gracey Zhang signed on to illustrate by May 28 of that year.
Fast forward to now, and Nigel publishes February 15, 2022. Two years. Whew.
Belief in oneself is important; besides you, who has been your cheerleader(s) throughout this process?
My late parents, for sure. They saw this life for me before I could fully see it for myself. Also, my siblings, friends, and authors in the writing community. I count it all joy because I don’t take it for granted when people pour into me.
Often, I hold dreams so close to me. But I know there are people rooting for me. Nigel’s dedicated to my parents and siblings because none of this would be possible without them. They’d never let me fall or fail, and if I ever took a tumble, they would give me a cushion to land on. I love them dearly.
Understanding your audience is essential. What do you know for sure about the audience you are writing for?
Absolutely. What I know for sure about my audience is that it’s sometimes challenging for them to become what they’ve yet to see is possible. The benefit of being an adult and writing for children is the fact that I was a child—a child with dreams. And I know what it felt like the first time I saw someone who looked like me in certain spaces.
I also know they’re just here for a good time! So, I want to laugh with them. I want my presentations to entertain, to engage. If we need to cry, too, so be it! I’m going to meet them halfway.
Tell us about your book.
Nigel and the Moon is a story about a young boy who’s afraid to tell the world his dreams, so he tells them to the moon at night. It’s a journey of Nigel discovering his dreams and finding his voice.
Nigel is also Trayvon Martin. Nigel Shelby. Tamir Rice. Gigi Bryant. The many lives lost at Sandy Hook Elementary School and Marjory Stoneman Douglas High. All dreams. All dreamers. All halted.
But in Nigel’s world, I imagine their dreams living on. I took my grief and tried to make beauty from that pain.My intention for Nigel and the Moon is also to connect readers with narratives that they may not have seen in their daily lives—in television/film or in books due to literary deprivation. Can a Black boy be Superman? Can a Black boy dance ballet? Can he soar above the clouds? Above the stereotypes? Above the moon? Yes. Yes, to all the above.
YOU did it, congratulations! Your story is going to be read by children or teens, educators, parents, librarians, book bloggers, etc. How do you feel, and are there any other projects in the works—that you can discuss?
Overall, I don’t know how I feel or if I’ll ever have the words for it. I’m grateful for sure. But this feeling goes far beyond gratitude and joy…whatever that thing is in our lives where literal dreams come true, that’s where I’m at currently. I’m sitting in that space, pinching myself multiple times a day to make sure it’s real. I’m thankful that others are receiving Nigel into their hearts—one of the most sacred places on earth. I don’t take that for granted at all.
Regarding other projects, I have Micah’s Rise (Katherine Tegen Books/HarperCollins, illustrated by Ricardo Edwards) coming in 2023. I have The Last Stand (Knopf BFYR/Penguin Random House, illustrated by Jarrett and Jerome Pumphrey) in 2024. A second book with Penguin Random House and a few more unannounced projects are coming down the pipeline.
Nigel and the Moon
Antwan Eady | Gracey Zhang | Katherine Tegen Books | February 15, 2022 | PB | Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound
Antwan Eady grew up in Garnett, South Carolina, where he spent most of his days riding four-wheelers, fishing, and imagining a world without limitations. When he isn’t writing, he’s searching for the best Low Country boil in Savannah, Georgia, where he currently resides. Antwan is represented by Steven Malk of Writers House.
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