Celebrating Women's History Month with L.A. Kefalos

March is Women's History Month; a time of the year when we celebrate the strong and amazing women who have made this world a better place. What began as a mere week of celebration in 1981 was soon extended to an entire month in 1987. Since then, the stories of thousands of women, from riveters and researchers to suffragettes and singers, have been brought to light and told, some, for the very first time.

Today, thanks to the hard work and dedication of centuries of those who came before them, women can, and do, work in nearly every field imaginable--including writing!

In celebration of Women's History Month, we decided to catch up with one our amazing women authors, L.A. Kefalos, to find out what women have inspired her and what she hopes to share with her young audience in her soon-to-be released picture book, A. Blob on a Bus.
​

Catching Up With L.A. Kefalos

1. Where are you living and working now? I am living in New York City and working in Westchester County for a company that works in the entertainment industry.  I am a lead Automation Engineer there. I write my children's stories on the weekends. I love both jobs and I adore NYC.

2. March is Women’s History Month! What women have inspired and encouraged you in your life?
Well, first and foremost, I must say my mother. She always offered me encouragement and supported me in whatever I wanted to do. She made me think I could accomplish anything. I studied electrical engineering in college. I guess I am always inspired when I meet any strong, independent, and intelligent women, especially those breaking down barriers. 

Beverly Cleary, ca. 1955

Toni Morrison Image via Christopher Drexel

Donna Tartt Image via Goodreads

3. Do you have any favorite women authors?
Oh yes. The first woman author I fell in love with was in the second grade when my teacher, Ms. Hixon, read us Henry Huggins by Beverly Cleary. I remember I couldn’t wait to go to our local library and find more books by her. I read every book they had of hers. I especially loved the Beezus and Ramona characters. Do you know Beverly Cleary is still alive? She is 102 years old. She brought a lot of joy to many kids in those 102 years!

The other woman author I love is Toni Morrison. I discovered her in high school. I can’t remember which I read first, Sula or Song of Solomon. Her unique writing style caught my attention. I don’t know how to describe it; the word 'poetic' springs to mind. She uses a lot of analogies and similes for her descriptions of situations and characters. Oh, and I loved all the nicknames the characters had. They were so creative and unusual--a word or two words you would never think of to use as a name. She also brought in historical facts to her stories that captivated my interest. I loved her writing, but also loved watching her in interviews. I remember thinking when I was watching one of her interviews that she must have lived multiple lives to have gained so much wisdom.

Before we leave this question, I just want to mention a book I recently finished, The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt. I was a little late to the game in reading it, but I am so glad I did. There are moments in life when art in whatever form moves you-- the last chapter of The Goldfinch was a moment for me. What beautiful writing.

​
​4. In your upcoming release, A. Blob on a Bus, we get a cameo from a character found in your animated short--Alexandra. What inspired you to bring her into the Blob universe?
Well, I have written a couple of stories with Alexandra and there are more stories in my head for her. In A. Blob on a Bus, I was looking for a character to stand up to a bully and I thought, “Who better than Alexandra?”. She is a confident little girl. I think confidence is key to standing up for yourself, and others. I know it is difficult, especially for young people to have such confidence. I hope Alexandra helps those who read this story to realize it is possible to say something when someone is being unfair.

The challenging part for the book was getting her to look more like the style of the illustrations in the Blob series. For one thing, she needed to age a few years. I wanted her to be a little bit older for her ride on the bus. Our illustrator, Jeff Burns, did a fabulous job in transforming Alexandra. I am really happy with the outcome.

Alexandra in Crocs, Pots, and Widebeests, by L.A. Kefalos (2009)

​5. Alexandra is definitely a strong female character. What do you hope children will learn from Alexandra both in this story and in previous stories including her? In my stories, there is always a lesson to be learned or some kind of message. In Crocs, Pots, and Wildebeests, I wanted to get kids excited about the library. When I was a kid, the library was a magical place for me. I remember going for the first time, and coming out with a stack of books and thinking, “I can bring these all home for free?”.  Kids who are not going to the library are missing out. As far as Alexandra in A. Blob on a Bus, there are many messages in the story, but I think the main message that I wanted to convey to children is that we all have a responsibility to watch out for one another and that we are stronger working as a team.

​6. Is Alexandra based off of anyone in your real life, or is she pure imagination? Hmmm, interesting question. I want to say pure imagination. If you watch Crocs, you will see Alexandra has quite the imagination herself, so maybe she takes a little after me. I didn’t have the imagination that Alex possesses as a child, I just have it now in my adult life. ; )

Alexandra stands strong in "A. Blob on a Bus", by L.A. Kefalos, coming this spring.

​7. One of the main themes of A. Blob on a Bus is standing up against bullies. Why did you choose this as the focus for the trilogy’s second installment? 
It is the natural progression when you have a problem, you have to figure out how to solve it. Standing up to a bully can be one solution, but you need the support of everyone around you, whether it be classmates, teachers, or parents.

​8. What are you most looking forward to when the weather turns warmer? 
​Taking my dog to the park without 6 layers of insulation on!

***

If you would like to learn more about National Women's History Month and explore the stories of the women that it celebrates, visit womenshistorymonth.gov/.

To learn more about L.A. Kefalos, visit our Author Page.

---

L.A. Kefalos's newest book, and the second in The Blob Trilogy, A. Blob on a Bus, will hit shelves this spring! Be sure to pick up your copy of the first book in the series, This is A. Blob, today! 

---

Catch up with The Blob Series! Before the launch of the second installment, check out the first book in the 3-book series, This is A. Blob.

Before it was on a bus, A. Blob was on the playground. This first installment of The Blob Series follows the antics of A. Blob, as it wreaks havoc on the elementary school playground with its bullying ways. As the story progresses, however, readers learn that A. Blob may have more than meets the eye.

Along with its powerful illustrations and rhymed verse for early readers, this story invites children to put themselves in the shoes of another and encourages readers to consider why bullies behave the way they do – and start to consider what can be done to help.