Meet the faculty of the 2021 Austin SCBWI Writers & Illustrators Working Conference. We’ve asked all our faculty members to answer 4 quick questions so we can get to know them better.
Kari Lavelle, Author
As a writer and speech pathologist, Kari Lavelle loves words! Her debut picture book with illustrator Nabi H. Ali, We Move the World, published by HarperCollins, will be out in May 2021. She lives in Austin, Texas with her two children, two dogs, and one husband. Learn more about Kari and her books at karilavelle.com.
Author Kari Lavelle
What attracted you to children’s books?
I’ve always loved and read stories for children. My jobs have always related to children – before this, I worked with kids as a speech pathologist. It’s just part of who I am.
What’s the best part of your job?
We get paid to use our imagination!
What’s the most challenging part of your job?
It’s hard to deal with rejection on a regular basis. It seems to get easier though as I learn to ride the waves of this industry of ups and downs.
What’s the best piece of advice you were given that helped drive your career?
Butt In Chair! If I had to pick only one piece of advice, it’s always going to be BIC. Or SAYSD for “Stand At Your Standing Desk.” (still waiting for that to catch on though).
Come see Kari Lavelle at the 2021 Austin SCBWI conference, May 1-2, 2021.