Happy Thursday Critters! Today we have an interview with author, Ratha Tep, whose debut book, WALLY THE WORLD’S GREATEST PIANO-PLAYING WOMBAT, illustrated by Camilla Pintonato, published with Princeton Architectural Press last year. I’m thrilled to have her with us today to talk about her road to publication, process, and debut book!
So without further ado, please welcome Ratha Tep!
Where do you live?
After spending many years in New York City, and a four-year jaunt in Switzerland, I now live in Dublin, in a 180-year-old house by the sea.
When did you know you wanted to write picture books?
I’ve never wanted to be anything but a writer. My parents only read me a handful of picture books when I was a child, though, so I never thought about the genre until I was pregnant with my first child, and was gifted Where the Wild Things Are. That was my first time reading it, in my 30s, and I was blown away. It really opened up a new world, and showed me the extraordinary possibilities of the picture book. The artwork is, of course, phenomenal, but what I love even more is the layered text and its gorgeous rhythm. The book does so much with so few words, and really gets to the heart of a universal experience in a novel way. I’ve wanted to write my own picture books ever since.
Tell us about your road to publication, what did that involve for you?
While I had dabbled with the thought of writing picture books for a few years, life sort of got in the way. My children were still very young, and I was also contributing to the New York Times, and other newspapers and magazines. I would say I first seriously thought about picture book writing in 2019, when I went to London to take a Guardian Masterclass on the subject. I had written one story at that point. But it wasn’t until a year later that I really hunkered down and went “all-in.” I joined SCBWI, and a critique group, and showed my stories to friends for feedback. I got very lucky in that my wonderful agent, Debbie Bibo, saw promise in Wally. She paired me up with the super talented illustrator, Camilla Pintonato, who really brought the manuscript to life. She infused the book with so much energy and humor. Having Wally poke out from the page? Brilliant!
Can you share a bit about your process?
I don’t think I have much of a process. But I have come to learn that for every great story, there are probably a dozen if not more stories that have led up to it. In the Guardian Masterclass I took, I think it was the writer, Alex Milway, who said that your first story probably won’t be accepted, but maybe your twelfth might be. What I do now is have several different stories going on at once. And whenever I have a kernel of an idea, say, if I’m out doing something with my kids, I’ll email it to myself as a note. Sometimes a spark is all it takes!
What do you do to shake the rust off or get new ideas?
Listen to my kids! Wally literally came from my older daughter’s first experience with playing the piano at age 6. She started claiming—without seeing anyone else play—that she was the world’s greatest piano player. I thought it was both hilarious and exactly the kind of hyperbolic statement only a kid could make.
Anything you can’t live without while you write?
Make coffee. Emphasis on the making—not drinking. I literally make about five cups of coffee a day because I remember to only drink about a third of each cup before it gets cold.
Any authors and/or illustrators who inspire you?
I run a picture book recommendation site called Max’s Boat where I ask other writers and illustrators this very question, and am always learning about new (and old) books to dig into. There are so many authors that inspire me for different reasons that I don’t even know where to begin! So perhaps I’ll leave it at Maurice Sendak.
Dream project to work on?
My next book!
Tell us about your debut book.
Wally LOVES playing the piano, and starts claiming—without seeing anyone else play— that he’s the world’s greatest piano-playing wombat. So imagine his surprise when he realizes that there’s another piano-playing wombat who can play better than he can! Wally adds tap-dancing to his routine, then ball-twirling—just to be able to call himself the world’s greatest anything. But this other wombat outdoes him each and every time! Wally deals with the big and complicated feelings of envy and the all too human (or wombat-esque) desire to be the best—in a fun, madcap kind of way.
Interior art from WALLY THE WORLD’S GREATEST PIANO-PLAYING WOMBAT by Ratha Tep, illustrated by Camilla Pintonato, published by Princeton Architectural Press
Interior art from WALLY THE WORLD’S GREATEST PIANO-PLAYING WOMBAT by Ratha Tep, illustrated by Camilla Pintonato, published by Princeton Architectural Press
Interior art from WALLY THE WORLD’S GREATEST PIANO-PLAYING WOMBAT by Ratha Tep, illustrated by Camilla Pintonato, published by Princeton Architectural Press
What’s up next for you?
While Wally came out in North America in October, it’s only coming out in Ireland and the UK in April. I’ve never actually seen it in a bookstore yet, so seeing it on a shelf will be a thrilling sight! I also have a bunch of school and library visits lined up, and I’m really excited to finally get to share Wally in person!
And last, but not least, who is your favorite children’s book character?
Amos McGee. I normally love humorous picture books but A Sick Day for Amos McGee is just quietly perfect. And for their cameo roles, the stick insect in Mina by Matthew Forsythe and the family of beetles in The Little Wooden Robot and the Log Princess by Tom Gauld.
Huge thank you to Ratha for stopping by CritterLit today! Congrats on your debut!
RATHA TEP was born in Cambodia and grew up in New York City, where her childhood consisted of, among other things, walking her rabbit on a leash on the concrete sidewalks, and weekly visits to the Children’s Reading Room at the Donnell Library. She went on to get degrees in English and in Economics at the University of Pennsylvania, and has also taken writing workshops and classes at Brown University and the New School.
Ratha is a frequent contributor to The New York Times. Her work has also appeared in print and online for publications such as The Wall Street Journal, T: The New York Times Style Magazine, Travel + Leisure, Afar, and Food & Wine, where she was an editor for seven years. Ratha has reported from New York, Paris, Milan, London, Zurich and Basel. She is now looking to create new worlds of her own, in which animal characters navigate their foibles and frailties with humor and spirit.
Ratha is happily settled in a 180-year-old house in Dublin filled with books and creaky floorboards. She loves, in no particular order, Sunday roasts with her family, curling up to read with her girls in the evening (and morning), and weeping willow trees. She recently started Max’s Boat, a picture book recommendation site where writers and illustrators share their favorite titles.
Her first picture book is about a wombat named Wally, who was the World’s Greatest Piano-Playing Wombat, until he realized he wasn’t.
FOR MORE INFORMATION about Ratha or her book, visit her online or follow her on social media:
Instagram:
@rathatepbooks
@maxsboat
Twitter:
@sailingwithmax
BUY THIS BOOK To purchase a copy of WALLY THE WORLD’S GREATEST PIANO-PLAYING WOMBAT, click here.
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