Today we are very excited to share an interview with author Justin Colón!
Read on to learn more about the author, the book, and a giveaway!
Meet the Author: Justin Colón
Justin Colón is a children’s author and actor. A former boy scout, he spent many summers surrounded by wildlife and being snacked on by every insect imaginable, but he never encountered the illusive Quacken. He lives in Long Island, New York, not far from a lake filled with plenty of perfectly ordinary, well-behaved ducks. As far as he knows, they haven’t tried to eat any of the local children. You can visit him at JustinColonBooks.com.
About the Book: The Quacken
Fans of The Bad Seed and Creepy Carrots will flock to this hilarious, lightly spooky picture book about a boy who unwittingly unleashes a ferociously fuzzy beast on his campground!
Lurking in the lake at Cucumonga Campground is a fearsome and frightening creature. Legend says that it swallows kids, canoes, and even whales whole. But all Hector sees are cute, cuddly, quacking ducks. Until he breaks the campground’s most important rule—Don’t Feed the Ducks—and releases…the Quacken.
~Author Chat~
YABC: What gave you the inspiration to write The Quacken?
I often surf the internet for fun puns, memes, GIFS, random images, etc. Things that capture my interest but don’t yet have any sort of story behind them (but I see or sense might possess one within). Little nuggets that, for me, hold promise of a catchy premise, compelling characters, and/or strong visual potential. Something I can run with. Something that will maintain a certain level of excitement for me not just throughout the drafting and revision process, but throughout the entire publication process and beyond should that manuscript go on to sell. Sometimes it is something pretty obscure in terms of inspiration. Sometimes it’s even just a feeling something leaves me with, and I work off that feeling.
With this book, I saw a meme of hundreds of ducks crossing the road, with “Release the Quacken!” overlaid across it. I knew, somehow, someway, I wanted to write a picture book titled The Quacken.
YABC: Which came first, the concept, landscape, characters, or something else?
Well, Quacken is a portmanteau, a word I’ve been pronouncing wrong for the past year (many thanks to the person who emailed me after my Zoom presentation). *It’s pronounced port-man-toe.
Anyway, this word combining quack and kraken inspired images of a gigantic duck that somehow terrorizes people and/or animals. So, it was a blending of concept and character. Once I figured out the location (a summer campground, which would allow me to play into horror tropes), I was able to start drafting.
YABC: What research did you do to write The Quacken?
Authors often have search engine histories that would puzzle even the FBI. Just yesterday I was googling “Do honeybees sweat?” (for a nonfiction manuscript I’m working on). That’s probably one of the least head-turning things I’ve Googled. Even with picture books, research can lead you to the creepy and odd, or just plain weird or disgusting.
My research for this book was light and would probably put you to sleep. But I know illustrator Pablo Pino probably had more research on his end. He’s based in Argentina, and I remember him messaging me once about something related to trees where I’m located. He wanted to make sure he got the look right for this summer camp. And, as you’ll see in this book, trees are abundant and essential to the environment and authenticity of the setting.
Again, I’m not sure what his research process is like, but whatever he did was effective. I remember seeing sketches for the first time and emailing my editor that the campground, starting with the very first spread of the entrance scene, looked eerily identical to the week-long Boy Scout camp I attended each summer during my middle school and high school years. Hmm . . . Just what kind of FBI-level research is Pablo doing over there?
YABC: Which character gave you the most trouble when writing The Quacken?
Well, there are two main characters in The Quacken: Hector, our young protagonist who ignores campground rules (with good intentions), feeds the duck, and inadvertently releases the Quacken. And the Quacken, a gigantic duck terrorizing the campground.
WIth Hector, it was challenging figuring out why and how someone would release this beast. With the Quacken, it was tricky figuring out the logistics of how it grew to its gigantic dimensions, how it could go unnoticed until now, and how to resolve all the buildup leading to the climax of the story.
In the end, some things made it into the text, some I had to figure out purely for myself as a writer, and some were left to the imagination of the reader. A healthy balance I’d say, and a common challenge I suspect many writers and illustrators of this condensed format face.
YABC: What can readers expect to find in your book?
Readers can expect to find light humor, some suspense, spoofing of classic horror tropes, dramatic page turns, and exciting alliteration and word play. The Quacken is a light-hearted, quick, snappy read. I think it’s somewhere around 370-400 words.
YABC: How do you keep your ‘voice’ true to the age category you are writing within?
As a voiceover and on-camera actor, I’m cognizant of the cadence and rhythm of my speech, which helps. I aim to bring this cadence and rhythm to my writing, because I’ve developed a specific style over the years. But I tailor it to my audience, making it more entertaining through the use of specific tools and techniques that help emphasize, exaggerate, and escalate my voice. I do this through specific punctuation, often breaking up and fragmenting sentences. Specific word choice and word play. And literary devices. Etc. This makes it more entertaining.
I also read a lot of books within the format I write, and watch a lot of cartoons. It helps to have a sense of humor like the audience you write for. And I do my best to ensure I’m never speaking down to my audience. That’s a contributing factor to my voice. However I write, I want to entertain readers and hold their attention. So, I read and act my manuscripts aloud to ensure they have strong energy.
YABC: If you could only write in only one format for the rest of your life, what would it be and why?
What kind of monster are you asking a writer this? Fine . . .
Picture books will always have my heart, as they are the format that introduced me to the world of publishing and children’s literature. The picture book is deceptively simple in appearance. But this tricky, yet rewarding, format presents numerous challenges, often due to how condensed it is.
I love writing for young children. I suppose you could say writing for them keeps my inner-child alive as well. I get to tap into this place of innocence, imagination, curiosity, and wonder each time I brainstorm, draft, and revise. And then there’s the entire visual aspect of them. Getting paired with an illustrator and seeing that skilled individual bring the story to life visually feels magical. It’s an exciting collaborative process. Not to mention, picture book creators in general are some of the kindest people out there.
I also enjoy middle grade novels a lot. My shelves are stocked with them, and I’ve been working on one of my own. This format allows me to really go all in with spookiness and epic adventures with characters who have a bit more agency. Given that it’s not nearly as condensed a format, there’s a lot more room for character development, world-building, scene development, and intricate plots. And, as someone who often has very complex plots, that’s especially appealing.
Ha! I tricked you. You didn’t really think I was going to pick just one format, did you?
YABC: What is your favorite writing space?
I like to switch up my location to aid my writing process. I’ve written from my bed, cramped computer desk, couch, shower, car, and sometimes the library. I’d say my favorite place to write, though, is my kitchen table. I’m able to set my laptop on it along with my caffeine of choice, some water, a notepad, and a towering pile of comp. titles and mentor texts. I also keep my illustration supplies near me, allowing me to dummy out my stories as I paginate them.
I would love to work outside during the spring and summer months. But the glare on my computer screen and alternating brightness levels don’t work for me.
YABC: What’s up next for you?
The Quacken publishes July 16, 2024 with Simon & Schuster BFYR. My sophomore picture book, Impossible Possums (illustrated by the brilliant James Rey Sanchez) publishes October 22nd, 2024 Disney-Hyperion. The ZomBees (illustrated by Kaly Quarles) publishes with Simon and Schuster BFYR in Summer of 2025. And Vampurr (illustrated by Lenny Wen) publishes with FSG/Macmillan summer of 2026.
YABC: Is there anything else you would like to add?
I offer freelance editorial services through my small business, The Kidlit Hive. I craft pitches, help locate comp. titles, and edit query letters for manuscripts of all genres and formats. I also critique picture book manuscripts and mentor and teach picture book writers as well. To learn more, please visit kidlithive.com.
Title: The Quacken
Authors: Justin Colón
ISBN-13: 9781665922487
ISBN-10: 1665922486
On-sale date: Tuesday, July 16, 2024
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Imprint: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Ages: 4-8; Grades P to 3
~ Giveaway Details ~
Three (3) winners will receive a copy of The Quacken (Justin Colón) ~US Only (No P.O. Boxes)!
*Click the Rafflecopter link below to enter the giveaway*
