Happy May!

Welcome to the first post of The Simpsonian Muse on Substack. I am your scribe, Martha Seif Simpson, Author and Children’s Librarian. I am just starting to figure out what to do on this platform, so please bear with me!

This new version is automatically going out to people who had subscribed to my previous newsletter, which was on my website. It ended last May because the website server stopped supporting newsletters. It’s taken me a year to get started again.

As before, I talk about my personal writing and library-related news in a monthly newsletter. There is also a new section, in which I interview some fellow kidlit authors. I end with a recommendation for another Substack or newsletter you may want to follow. I hope you like the new format!

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~ What’s New ~

So much has happened since my last newsletter in May 2025!

My most recent book, A Ring For a King: A Tale of King Solomon, was published by Wisdom Tales on April 1, 2025. Since then, I sold a manuscript to Apples & Honey Press.

I spent several months revising it with input from my editor, and it will be published this fall. My original title was Rusty Potato Mush, but it has since been changed to I Will NOT Eat Latkes! As you may be able to guess, it’s a Hanukkah story. I wrote it as an easy reader, and A&H decided they wanted to publish it in graphic novel (comic book) format. I had a lot of fun with that, and I think the illustrations by Lisa Hunt are adorable. Here’s the book blurb:

Nosh and Potchky are best of friends, but even good friends do not always agree. Nosh loves making latkes on Hanukkah. Potchky thinks the batter looks like rusty potato mush. Yuck! Will Potchky be brave and try a latke?

After much discussion, we decided that Nosh is a koala and Potchky is a ring-tailed lemur. I am really looking forward to its debut on October 20, 2026! A sneak preview and more to come in future Substacks.

~ Interview ~

I joined a group of Jewish picture book writers called The Jewish Joytellers. We all have books coming out this year and we will be helping to promote each other’s books. To do my part, I will be interviewing some of my author friends.

Barbara Kimmel agreed to be my first interviewee. Here’s what she has to say.

Barbara: Thanks so much for hosting me and sharing my work! My new book is Purim Possibilities, illustrated by Irina Avgustinovich (PJ Publishing, February 2026).

Barbara: Purim Possibilities is a joyful, rhyming board book for ages 3-7. It follows a child searching for a Purim costume that reflects the many parts of who they are. The book includes four sheets of reusable stickers that children can mix and match to create their own costumes, making the book a playful, interactive experience. Purim Possibilities was selected as one of only two Purim titles on the Association of Jewish Libraries’ Holiday Highlights list, which recognizes books that “exemplify the highest standards of authentic Jewish representation and holiday spirit.”

Barbara: Purim Possibilities began as a Halloween short story for a contest and evolved into a Purim story told in rhyme. I worked on it for about a year.

Because PJ Publishing (PJ Library’s publishing arm) accepts open submissions, I submitted it on my own, rather than through my agent. About three months later, I received an offer, which was so exciting. Even more exciting was PJ’s suggestion to add reusable costume stickers at the end of the book. I loved Colorforms as a kid, so I immediately connected with that idea. I knew I wanted to work with PJ on this project, so I didn’t submit it anywhere else. At that point, my agent, Eve Adler at Red Fox Literary, stepped in to handle contract negotiations.

From submission to publication took about three years. It’s a long process, but so worth the wait to see the finished product and to know that PJ sent Purim Possibilities to 39,000 three-year-olds. I love knowing that so many children are discovering Purim through reading and playing with my book.

Barbara: I’m so grateful to have a supportive group of writing partners who helped me get this manuscript in shape for submission, so by the time I submitted it, it didn’t require many changes.

The main revision from PJ was to add an opening stanza to introduce Purim. Adding Purim information in rhyme was challenging. I made a long list of Purim-related words—from megillah to hamantaschen—but very few were easy to rhyme! It took some trial and error, but I ultimately landed on an opening I’m really happy with.

I didn’t have direct contact with the illustrator, Irina Avgustinovich, during the process, but she did a wonderful job. I especially love the detailed costume stickers, which add so much to the interactive experience.

I hope readers come away seeing that this story is about more than choosing a costume. It’s about creativity and having the confidence to express who you are. This is PJ Publishing’s first book with stickers, and the response has been incredible. I’ve loved seeing photos of children fully immersed in creating their own costume combinations.

Barbara: I learned just how many people contribute to a board book or picture book. From PJ Library developing the sticker concept to the illustrator adding an adorable dog to every spread, it’s a very collaborative process.

I also have a deeper appreciation for how challenging rhyme can be. It’s not as simple as finding two words that rhyme at the end of a line! I took online classes, watched videos (I highly recommend Renee La Tulippe’s resources), and read stacks of rhyming picture books to strengthen my skills.

Another fun part of the process was researching what costumes kids love most. I discovered that capes and tutus are especially popular, and I also looked into Barbie’s most popular careers (such as astronaut and baker) and included many of these in the book.

Barbara: Purim Possibilities is available on Amazon and in the PJ Library Shop.

A bit about me: I write children’s books and plays. My debut board book, Hanukkah Hippity-Hop (Kar-Ben, 2024), is a playful rhyming board book that gets kids marching like Maccabees and spinning like dreidels. The illustrations by Ana Zurita are adorable (including a mischievous cat she added to each page.) I’ve loved sharing it at storytime events and watching kids laugh, jump, and spin. I live in Atlanta, and last December, I did 20 events in our area, including at three Barnes & Noble stores, five libraries, and even a delicatessen.

My play Reconstruction is debuting at Theatre Three’s 27^th Annual Festival of One-Act Plays in Port Jefferson, Long Island, from April 18^th through May 9^th. If any of your readers are in the area, I’d love for you to check it out.

You can find out more about me and my books (including future titles!) by clicking on these links: Website Instagram Facebook Bluesky X (Twitter)

Thanks, Barbara. And best of luck with your books and play!

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~ Preview ~

My husband and I explored this unusual building when we visited Rotterdam in 2024.

Subscribers of the previous version of the Simpsonian Muse will recall that I always included a section with photos of my travels. Unfortunately, I had to cut it because it made my Substack email too long. I’m thinking of writing a separate travel column, which would perhaps be posted monthly on alternate weeks. Please let me know if you would be interested in that. I would write about Rotterdam in my first travel Substack post!

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~ Review ~

Do you want to kickstart your writing? Take a look at Sarah’s Monday Motivation by Sarah Aronson. This weekly newsletter, based on her experience of writing for kids, is full of enthusiastic advice about the craft of writing. Her motto is “Embrace the Power of Play!” If you subscribe, please let Sarah know that you learned about her Substack from reading The Simpsonian Muse. Here’s the link: https://saraharonson.substack.com/

Thanks for reading. If you aren’t already subscribed, please do so and recommend this Substack to a friend.

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And don’t forget to amuse your Muse!

~ Martha

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