Bedtime Lullabayou Synopsis

In the year 2000, when my sons were young and our home in Pittsburgh, Pa. was bursting with kid lit, my life-long love of journaling channeled into a desire to write books for children. I began my literary adventure by taking a class at the local community college, Writing for Children. It was there I discovered the Society for Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI). Soon after, I joined a children’s writers critique group and  began attending yearly SCBWI conferences. My writing career quickly took a turn to the children’s magazine market. Among other publications, I sold a couple stories to Highlight’s for Children, many pieces to Clubhouse/Clubhouse Jr., and was a regular contributor to Boys’ Life magazine for over a decade. All the while, I’d pen a few children’s book manuscripts here and there, but never caught the attention of an editor or agent.

In 2007, our family moved from Pennsylvania to Louisiana. Major culture shock! While overwhelmed, I was also enchanted with my new home and fascinated by all that was different and unique – the language, landscape, music, food, flora and fauna. In response, in 2008, I wrote a picture book story titled Bedtime Lullabayou.

Over the years, Bedtime Lullabayou has won numerous awards in various contests and at regional conferences. It was professionally edited several times and went through countless revisions. I never thought I would self-publish a book, but again, I was unable to garner notice in traditional publishing. And I very much wanted to see this book in print.

So to make a long story short, in 2023, I decided I would go the indie route. I hired local artist Stacy Bearden to create the illustrations and thoroughly enjoyed that collaborative process. After much research into companies, I chose hybrid-publisher Mascot Books for their services and reputation. They vetted and accepted my story, which gave it a sense of legitimacy, and sent me a contract. I sat on the decision for months, but in early 2024, I took a leap of faith and signed the contract. 

I’m definitely more comfortable with the newer hybrid publishers than the earlier vanity-type presses. What surprised me was how much I enjoyed taking an active role in the creative partnership. I had an idea of how I wanted the book to look and feel. In addition to my positive experience with the illustrator, working with Mascot during the editorial process was equally satisfying. They were open to my input, and I respected their ideas, as well. I’m pleased with the finished product and hope you enjoy Bedtime Lullabayou as much as I’ve enjoyed nurturing it forward all these years.

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Angie Kay Dilmore -- author