Lighthouses and Libraries! An interview with Jessica Iwanski, author of Stories by Sea

Please welcome Jessica Iwanski, author of Stories by Sea: A Lighthouse Library's Journey, who did a very special interview for us today!

I read Stories by Sea aloud to most of my kids, and they loved it so much I decided to do this interview a little differently, because they all had so many questions! So...welcome (virtually) to the crowded Hough kitchen, where six of my children have been gathered around the laptop to chat with Jessica.

From Lucy, 19 (my illustrator daughter): Can you tell us a little about what writing a picture book is like for you? What are the hardest parts of the process, and what is the most fun? 
How much input did you have over the illustrations, or communication with the illustrator?
Do you have a favorite lighthouse?

Jessica: I love these questions, Lucy! Writing a picture book, for me, is like putting together the most fun puzzle. I love playing with words, experimenting with different structures, and creating space for an illustrator to work their magic. When all the pieces click together, you know you’ve got a good story! 

The hardest part of writing STORIES BY SEA was definitely finding that perfect structure. I knew the story I wanted to tell, but it took me a little while to figure out how to tell it. I eventually settled on a circular structure, which allowed me to follow the library case as it journeys from lighthouse to lighthouse and back again. In a way, the case was my main character!

As for the most fun part, that’s a hard one. I loved seeing the Angela C. Hawkins’ illustrations for the first time, though. Such a surreal moment! 

Angela and I did collaborate quite a bit on this book. I had lots of detailed art notes because it was important that we got the historical aspects right, and Angela and I also emailed back and forth several times throughout the illustrative process. We even met once on a video call to swap research notes and questions. I had gathered a lot of extra information from several interviews with lighthouse professionals, so I made sure Angela had those details, too. I feel so lucky to have been part of such a collaborative project, as I know that’s not often the case!
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My favorite lighthouse in the book is probably the first one/last one because it looks so classic and cozy, and because the family who lives in it is based off a family I learned about when I was researching at Point Fermin Lighthouse, CA (my real-life favorite lighthouse!).

From Zoe, 17: Do you know if lighthouse families ever got to go to church? Were they religious?

Jessica: Great questions, Zoe! It really depended on how isolated the lighthouse was. Some were very far from civilization – on lonely islands, atop rocky cliffs, or only accessible by a temporary land bridge during low tide. 

Keepers were allowed to attend church (as long as someone was on duty to take care of the lighthouse) but more often, religious families held church at home in the lighthouse (which sounds so special!). Every library case came with a Bible and hymnal, so keepers and their families could spend time studying Scripture on their own.

From Maddie, 12: Were the children and lightkeepers able to ask for specific books or just books about certain topics? 
What is your favorite book out of all the ones mentioned or illustrated in the book?

Jessica: This was one of my big questions, too, Maddie! From what I found in my research and interviews, the lightkeepers and their families could certainly request specific books. However, it was never a guarantee that they’d receive them any time soon! Shipments came to lighthouses every 3-4 months and even then, it could take much longer for their request to be submitted, approved, and fulfilled. Luckily, the library cases were always well-stocked and a new case came every few months, so there was always something to read.
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My favorite book from the ones illustrated is “Jane Eyre.” It’s on the page with the lonely lightkeeper, tucked in the top of the library case. But I also love that “Treasure Island” and “A Child’s Garden of Verses” are seen on several pages because even though he never lived in a lighthouse, author Robert Louis Stevenson actually came from a family of lighthouse engineers! 

From Evie, 8: Were the families ever allowed to request what food they got on the shipments?
Did your own kids inspire anything in this book?

Jessica: Thank you for these wonderful and thoughtful questions, Evie! Yes, families could request food on their shipments. But like the books, they’d sometimes have to wait several months for it to arrive. Most of the foods they received were things that could last a long time in the lighthouse, like canned food, dried beans, and cornmeal.

As for your second question, my kids inspired the scene where the mother reads aloud to her six children. Lighthouse kids were often homeschooled, just like my kids are. So I included subjects that we love to study at home – pyramids and mummies, knights and kings, and one mischievous fairy (for us, that’s Puck from “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”).

From Leia, 6: Did the lighthouse families ever pass on their own books to other families?
What are your kids' favorite books?

Jessica: I had the same question, Leia! Lighthouse families were the only ones allowed to use the library case books. They took really special care to keep them in good condition and not lose a single one. The main lightkeeper at each station acted as the librarian and made sure all the books were returned to the case before they had to be sent off. And since the library cases were part of a government program, lighthouse families couldn’t add or remove books from them. But they were allowed to keep their own books at the lighthouse, if they wanted to!

My kids love all types of books! They especially love reading graphic novels, and we all love reading books as a family. I have a daughter (Claire) who is six like you and she loves “The Penderwicks” and “Flora and Ulysses,” which she listens to on audio. Her favorite picture book is “Bandage Buddies” by Kathryn Rammell. And she would like to know what your favorite books are, if you’d like to share!

Faith: (Claire, Leia says her favorite books to read herself are the Elephant and Piggie books, and her favorite books to listen to are the Ramona series, Gooney the Fabulous, by Lois Lowry, and The Penderwicks--just like you!)

From Abby, 3 (no questions, just praise!): I liked the part where the baby got the book from the box!

Jessica: I love that part too, Abby! I’m so glad you liked the book!

Thank you all for your smart, curious, and kind questions! I truly had so much fun answering them. Happy reading to you all!

Thank you for joining us today, Jessica! To all my readers, Stories by Sea: a Lighthouse Library's Journey is officially out on September 22, but my pre-ordered copy just arrived yesterday! Worth a shot trying to order it now if you're as eager to read it as we were! I know you'll love it.