Loading summary
Transcript57 lines
- [00:01]
A
Hey everyone, it's Zivi. I am so excited to tell you about something I've created just for you, the Zip Membership program. ZIP stands for Zivi's Important People. It's for anyone who loves books, stories and wants a little peek behind the scenes at what I'm up to and what's on my mind as a Zip member. You'll get exclusive essays, a new podcast called Zivvy's Voice Notes. No interviews, just usually discounts at Zibby's Bookshop, a free ebook, and more perks. I wanted to create a space to connect authentically and deeply, and I'd love for you to be part of it. If that sounds like your kind of thing, become a Zip today. You're already important to me. Now let's make it official. Go to zibioens.com and click subscribe. And if you already subscribe, you can upgrade to the membership program. And now onto today's episode of Totally Booked with Zibvie. Thanks for listening.
- [00:56]
B
With no fees or minimums on checking accounts, it's no wonder the Capital One bank guy is so passionate about banking with Capital One. If he were here, he wouldn't just tell you about no fees or minimums. He'd also talk about how most Capital One cafes are open seven days a week to assist with your banking needs. Yep, even on weekends, it's pretty much all he talks about. In a good way. What's in your wallet? Terms apply. See capitalone.com bank capital1na member FDIC.
- [01:26]
A
Better Help Online Therapy bought this 30 second ad to remind you right now, wherever you are, to unclench your jaw, relax your shoulders, take a deep breath in and out. Feels better, right? That's 15 seconds of self care. Imagine what you could do with more. Visit betterhelp.com randompodcast for 10% off your first month of therapy. No pressure, just help. But for now, just relax. Hi, I'm Debbie Millman and I host a podcast called Design Matters from the TED Audio Collective. Every episode, I have conversations with designers, writers, artists and other luminaries of contemporary thought. People like Roman Mars, AI Weiwei, Ethan Hawke, and Ashley Ford. We not only talk about their crafts, but how they design the arc of their lives. What they've learned, what what obstacles they've overcome and how they've done it, and how they see the world. Join us for an inquiry into the broader world of creative culture. Find and follow Design Matters with Debbie Millman wherever you're listening to this. Hi, this is Zibby Owens and You're listening to Totally Booked with Zibby, formerly Moms don't have time to read Books. In my daily show, I interview today's latest, best selling, buzziest or underrate authors and story creators whose work I think is worth your time. As a bookstore owner, publisher, author, and obviously podcaster, I get a comprehensive look at everything that's coming out and spend my time curating the best books so you don't have to stay in the know, get insider insights and connect with guests like I do every single day. For more information, go to zibbymedia.com and follow me on Instagram ibbeowens. Suzy Altman's books are all over my house. She is a master illustrator and her collection of new children's books, board books, really tiny little board books with fabulous illustrations are amazing. This one that we're talking about today is how do you A Celebration of Jews around the World. And there are several others in this series about chutzpah and Shabbat Shalom. And taken as a set, they are just delightful. This is a perfect new baby gift. And actually, now that I'm saying that I should order this for my cousin, which I will do once I finish recording this bio anyway. Susie Altman has been creating toys and books for family and friends since childhood. A born storyteller, Suzy is an illustrator, product designer, toy creator, and bookmaker of sophisticated and simple objects that inspire and delight Suzy's signature products and her connection, community, and finding your place within our global family. When she isn't in her studio folding paper, designing textiles, or creating toys, she can be found strolling through antique shops, finding treasures at flea markets, and communing with nature. She's nested with her family and three sons in their cozy home in Ohio, and we had a really interesting conversation about what it means to be Jewish and how to create art that really resonates. Welcome Susie. Thank you so much for coming on. Totally booked. I am holding a stack of four of your amazing illustrated board books which you can discuss and which, as I've told you, have decorated my own home and which I absolutely love. Your most recent, how do you Jew? A Celebration of Jews around the World? Also Shabbat Shalom. I like your chutzpah and other Yiddish words you'll like. And it's a mitzvah. Small deeds with big heart. Well, I should have. Yeah, okay. I was like, I think I missed a subtitle. Anyway, congratulations. Congratulations on all the books.
- [05:27]
C
Thank you, thank you. It's so exciting to see all four of them together because we. I knew it was going to be a collection of four. So to be at this point and just all the love that went into each one along the way, it's just very exciting to see them all together.
- [05:43]
A
And it's only four. This is it. Like, the set is complete.
- [05:46]
C
Well, there are going to be more. We're kind of. We're doing more. It's going to be a new series, but inspired by this series, so that's exciting. Yeah, it's really exciting.
- [05:57]
A
Okay, explain the board books. What makes them unique? Because they are unique, and it's not just your style of illustration, but why don't you take a stab at explaining. At explaining board books, actually, your board books. Like, what makes these special? Yeah.
- [06:14]
C
Oh, I think that, you know, the process in which I got here, which is my formal training, is in graphic design. So I have this very, like, problem solving brandy kind of education in my brain. And then I've been doing the illustration for about 17 years. And when I started doing illustration, I realized, like, a lot of my graphic design skills came in handy, like understanding color and branding and presentation and talking to clients. And then it allowed me to really express myself, because with graphic design, you're a little bit more like, behind the scenes doing what you're doing. It's not for you to really say, like, this is Susie Altman's graphic design. It's more for the client. So as I started getting into illustration, I got to really express myself and learn the ropes in the illustration world and find my voice. And then at a certain point, I brought some visual. A visual aid I had been contemplating. It was during COVID I was contemplating. I'm always thinking about what can I do for parents and families. And I had a lot of time to contemplate over Covid. And I was just recognizing that it would be really helpful for several different reasons, for me to tell a story that was really close to me, which was my Jewish stories, and that it would kind of help support other people feeling confident to tell their stories. It would help support the Jewish community. So it felt like a. Like a really important place for me to start exploring. And then my mom sent me this card.
- [07:42]
A
So it's a. It's a postcard of honey and apples and Rosh Hashanah.
- [07:46]
C
For Rosh Hashanah. And it's a photograph, and it's. It's very plain. And we've probably, like, if. If you're in the Jewish community, probably received a card like this, and I got it, and I'm like, we can do so much better, like, in the creative community, like, the contemporary Jewish community deserves so much better than this. So I'd already been thinking about the books and what I could do for families and for the author community. And then I got this card from my mom, and I really started putting into place, like, some ideas and working on that pitch. So I think what makes it me is like the. The coming to it as a really from inside of me and my story. I started there, like, what. What can I bring to the table? And then, like, I go really broad. So I like to tell a big story. So even though they're small books, I like to look at big picture. And I really wanted to do a series. So I found an agent, and she was super excited about what we were going to do, and she helped guide me through the pitching process. I'd done board books before. I'd done books before. I author illustrated. I had illustrated illustrated with authors. But for this series, I really wanted to. To pitch the entire series and land the entire series. And it was really great having my agent because I needed a cheerleader there to help guide me along that process because it wasn't easy, and it was at the end of the day. So, like, it wasn't easy walking away from publishers that wanted to do one or two. But then when we found my editor at Penguin at the Rise imprint, it just all made sense. So I think that makes it special, too, is that we knew that we had this series to explore these ideas. And my editor, who's also Jewish, like, right out of the gate, was like, yeah, let's start with chutzpah. So we're like, we're not going to do Hanukkah. We're not going to do Passover. We really want to make this a Jewish culture series. And this is actually the first series for this age group that has been done in this way that is. That's culturally Jewish for the 0 to 5. And my editor and I are both very passionate about that age group. So I think that's what makes it special, too, because it builds. Each book builds on the other one and gives families just something that they haven't for that 0 to 5 age group, haven't had before. And what I love about working with this age group is that parents are reading to kids. So you have the adults in the room with the kids getting the story and getting the representation. And if they're not, if it's somebody that's outside of the Jewish community, they can get excited about something new with their kids and they're learning together. So it's really that. That always excites me too, that you've got a parent and child or a teacher and kids reading through those stories together. That was a really long answer, but.
- [10:41]
A
No, it was great. It was great. Have you like pitched this collection to all the temples and JCCs? Cause I feel like this should live in all of those preschool schools and libraries as well.
- [10:52]
C
Yeah, I think it's getting out there. It's been. I've got a really great team at Penguin who, you know, I'll send like lists of places that I'd like them to send the books. And so they're, they're definitely finding their way into those libraries. And the Jewish librarians out there associate, the Jewish Librarian association is, you know, getting the book out there as well. So we do, we do have some support. It's just, it's been wonderful seeing the support just from everybody, like the kids, book community, the Jewish community, especially with, with coming out with chutzpah. So many people. The intention of the book was to say, like, for me was to kind of remind people that Yiddish is still around and used and that also it's like so widely used in our country. And part of that came from my husband, who's not Jewish and very much. He's a writer and a word guy. And he would say something, I'd say, that's a Yiddish word. And he's like, oh, I actually didn't know that. So it registered with me that I'm so. You know, sometimes when you're so deep in your own story, you don't realize what it's doing outside of. Outside of you. I was like, oh, that's really, that's really interesting that it's used by other people and they don't realize it. So chutzpah really bridged a lot of different communities and families and been really exciting to watch that happen.
- [12:10]
A
This is quite a different story from what many other Jewish authors are reporting in the context of the world today, where there has been a lot of sort of gatekeeping and difficulty getting Jewish books out or finding that support. Have you encountered any resistance at all or it's been a full on positive path?
- [12:31]
C
Well, I will. So, you know, it's definitely been. I'll walk it back a little bit. I did a lot of my own work before I did the, the books. So probably like about seven years ago when I decided I was going to like really focus on Jewish product, I went to my Therapist. And I was like, hey, I'm doing this thing. And I still carry a lot of fear around it. My grandparents survived the Holocaust. I mean, it's like the. The story of. For a lot of us. And I grew up every weekend I went to their house for Friday night dinner. So we had a very close relationship. But I understand at a young age that things could change at any time and what kind of antisemitism was out there. And I'd been carrying that baggage with me because I'd had it since I was very little. And I knew if I went into this space that I needed to, like, understand, it was okay to put it down and figure out, like, what the intention was behind the books and how I was going to move through everything. So before I even started going out there with my Jewish work, I kind of. I knew that this was something that I was going to be up against within myself. So I needed to deal with myself first. So then when I went out into the world, I could do what I wanted to do. So then fast forward to the books coming out. And I was really lucky because my editor at Penguin is Jewish. And Penguin has been just amazing. I think they're very. They're very much activists in their own right in terms of supporting their authors and their books. So I think I was very lucky in that sense. And then the rise in print itself is for author voices, it's for marginalized groups. So I was within a community of kids book authors and illustrators that were all being supported under this, in this environment, and Penguin was ready to support that group. So in that way, it wasn't a problem getting them published and out there, but the, you know, the questions and the kind of figuring out the social media aspect of things and community members that I gained and community members that I lost strictly because I was doing Jewish content was a very real thing. And there were times that it felt very personal, and there were times when I had to, like, I stepped away, probably, like a lot of people, you know, just sort of regrouped and realigned myself with the reason that I was doing this and just kept, you know, putting one one foot in front of the other. So I think in terms of, like, some of the backlash I saw with other authors where they were, like, disinvited to speak or not part of the. Not even part of the conversation or the books were not being shown at bookstores, I did not experience that specifically, but I did experience a lot of, like, shift in community and expectations people had of me. One way or the other because I was simply doing Jewish book and the release of these books was just totally coincidental that it happened at this time, but also not because as a Jewish community, we've all been having this conversation about Israel for since we were little. So it's not, it's that part's not new for us. And being in, you know, getting backlash for whatever's happening over there isn't really new for me. I experienced it as a teenager when things happened in Israel. There was definitely I saw the backlash here in the US against the Jewish community. So I guess the long story is I think emotionally I was sort of prepared for what I needed to do to deal with whatever I was going to come up against. It happened to be a much more expected journey than I thought it would be, but generally I think accepted. And maybe it was because of Chutzpah was the first book that came out. So it's something that people really could wrap their heads around, generally speaking.
- [16:30]
A
Today's episode is sponsored by Quince. Quince is all about elevated essentials that feel effortless. Designed for layering and mixing, each piece helps build a timeless wardrobe made to last with versatile silhouettes and thoughtful details. They're the kind of styles you wear again and again. I have not taken off my Quince parka this entire winter season. There's been a huge snowstorm lately. I wore it in and out of the snow every day. I mean, I just wear it every day. It's amazing. Quince has wardrobe staples with quality that is made to last like 100% organic cotton sweaters, premium denim with stretch for all day comfort luxe cotton cashmere which blends perfectly for changing seasons and basically everything you need for a wardrobe that last. Quince works directly with safe ethical factories and cuts out the middle mint so you're not paying for brand markup, just high quality clothing. Quince uses the highest quality materials like 100% European linen and organic cotton. Speaking of which, my podcast producer Chelsea, who is undoubtedly listening, got a new comforter off of Quince, which she also loves. We are both Quince fans, so refresh your wardrobe with quince. Go to quince.comzybee for free shipping on your order and 365 day returns. Now available in Canada too. That's quash I-N-C-E.com ZiVi to get free shipping and 365 day returns. Quince.com ZiVvy Today's episode is sponsored by Wayfair. The new year is here and it is time to get back into an at home routine you love and elevate your space with Wayfair. From bedding and mattresses to storage solutions for every room in your house, Wayfair is your one stop shop. I actually have used Wayfair so much because over the holidays I stayed with my mother in Arizona and told her it was definitely time to redo the guest room where she has my kids stay because she hasn't touched it in decades and it needed a refresh. And I said, you know what Wayfair? So we got beds, lamps, side tables, We've been doing the whole room. It looks amazing. Everything came within a few days in perfect shape. It has been so fun. Wayfair has everything like the most enormous selection of home decor items and exactly what we wanted for the space we had. And it's still a work in progress and I will share some pictures on Instagram. We're obsessed so you should get organized, refreshed and back on track this new year as well. For way less, head to Wayfarer.com right now to shop all things home. That's W-A-F-A-I-R.com Wayfair Every style, every home. We all prefer things a certain way. Like groceries. If you want groceries just how you like them, you gotta try Instacart. They have a new preference picker that lets you pick how ripe or unripe you want your bananas. Shoppers can see your preferences upfront, helping guide their choices. Because when it comes to groceries, the details matter. Instacart get groceries just how you like. How do you continue to navigate the fear? Do you have fear anymore or did you with the therapist?
- [20:00]
C
No, no, no. It's like, you know, it's that thing where you just embrace and you're like, okay, I like I see you and I know you're here and I know what you're, what you, what you're coming from. There's a couple of different things. I mean I did like I wrote, I have like my three, three reasons why I'm doing these books. Like the first reason is for me is for like little Susie who was afraid, love, love being Jewish but had that fear early on. Like I didn't know how I would be, how people would respond to me if I told them I was Jewish. And part of that was real and part of that was just the fear that I had because I knew my grandparents story. So part of it is for little Susie to be like, it's okay, like you're Just who you are. You have a lot of different things, sides to you. You're all these things, and you're Jewish, and you can be proud of all of them and feel joy in all of them and express all of them. And that is for her. So that's the one part. And the other part is for Jewish kids and families to see themselves reflected, not just during Hanukkah and not just in Holocaust stories, but like, across the board in all the fun, great things and everyday living to have. Like you said, like books you walk by every day and you're like, oh, that makes me happy. You know, it's for them. And then the third reason is just to bridge between communities, to start a conversation, to be able to answer questions. For. I was all. I grew up in a town where it was a very. It was a college town, small town. So I was one of five Jewish kids in a class of 500 people. So I was, most of the time the first Jewish person people had met. So I'm very used to that conversation of, like, people asking me questions and letting them, like, know what it is to be Jewish and that I'm, you know. And so that was very important to me. I'm also a middle child, so I'm very much like a bridge person. It's very much in my DNA to bring people together. And that was really, really important to me because I think the more conversations we can have, the better we all are. Like, very much love to connect with people. And if there's anything I can do to help connect, like, one person to an idea of what being Jewish is and help them understand it, then I feel like I've done my job. So those are the three things. So I just keep coming back to that. Every time I get nervous or afraid or I get a response for something that isn't so positive, I just come back to, like, well, that's. That's theirs. Like, that's something that they're working through. Like, what? You know, why you're doing this? And I just. Those are my three things. And if I go back to those, it helps kind of quiet the noise, and it allows me to be very, like, positive and engaged with the content. I love that.
- [22:37]
A
Did you end up designing a new Rosh Hashanah card?
- [22:40]
C
We don't have a Rosh Hashanah card yet.
- [22:42]
A
Come on, get on it.
- [22:43]
C
I know. I've got to. I do have. You know, I have. I've done a bunch of cards with Egg Press. They've been phenomenal, and they're really beautiful. We've done the Hanukkah cards and just some everyday fun cards. So the Rosh Hashanah card will. Will come. Yes, for sure. Because that's the biggest. You know, that's when we give all of our cards.
- [23:01]
A
Yeah, we gotta toss your mom's old card and really get to the.
- [23:05]
C
For sure.
- [23:06]
A
Solve the problem. Oh, my gosh, I love it. Well, I feel like they are so happy. The books, the color, the illustrations have this, you know, wink, nod, you know, happiness with the fonts. I can't even. I'm not a designer, so I can't articulate what I'm seeing and why it makes me so happy. But the shapes, the, like, all of it, and all four of these books taken together are just incredibly adorable. So this will now be my go to baby gift for Jewish babies in particular. But I also think this is great for non Jewish kids because these are things that especially, like, it's a mitzvah and I like your chutzpah. These are things that for everybody, everybody should know, everybody should do good and give back and how, and be strong and I don't know. I think that a lot of Jewish values are obviously just great values. And most kids can benefit, so they are.
- [24:03]
C
I look a lot to my Jewish upbringing. I feel like I had this really special. Even though it was a small town and we were a small population in the town because it was a university town with people from, like, all over the world and the country. So we had one synagogue and I had to serve all those different experiences. And so we had this, like, really great young hippie rabbi who played the guitar. And it was a reconstructionist synagogue, but there were also some, like, Reform bits. And my parents grew up. Both grew up Orthodox and were more Conservative, like in our. In our house, like, with the holidays. So while, like, when we went to services, like, we learned Hebrew and everything was in Hebrew, but, like, the guitar was great. And my rabbi's ideas about, like, connecting God with nature and mitzvot and like, that stuff very. As a kid, I just remember for me it was. It was really easy to engage with that, with the singing, with the, like, the idea of, like, nature and, like, going outside and, like, looking at trees and talking about that piece of things and very, like, playful approach to. To Judaism, along with my parents who, like, we did, like, Passover very traditionally and, you know, I couldn't, you know, set school with, like, the matzah sandwich crumbling all over the place. And while my friends had, like, their Easter Candy. And I'm like, drooling and I'm like, I can't have any of it because it's not kosher for Passover. So I'm glad I had that because I really got like, this kind of like, wide range of Jewish experiences, I think, in one. In one childhood.
- [25:43]
A
It's amazing. I just love it.
- [25:46]
C
So I think all of that is. All of that is in there, especially in the Shabbat. Shabbat Shalom. That's very much like what I felt Shabbat was growing up, like, the feeling of it.
- [25:56]
A
Is there one thing you can share from the upcoming books, like a little sneak peek from the next books?
- [26:03]
C
Oh, sure. So the new book, which the COVID is out so I can talk about it, is a pickle book. And I know it's been fascinating watching pickles kind of pick up because we've been talking about this for a long time. It's inspired by both sets of my grandparents. My mom's parents had a deli in Wilmington, Delaware, and she grew up in the deli. She'll still talk about how she, like, people asked if she could slice the locks because she was really good at slicing locks. So I'd been wanting to do a deli book for a really long time. And then my other grandparents were in Chicago before they moved to our hometown. And they would, when we would visit, they would take us to a place called the Pickle Barrel. And it was this amazing. I don't remember if it was a restaurant. I just remember going in and there were like, barrels and barrels and barrels of pickles. And we would get to pick out. We'd get to like, walk around and pick a pickle. So I'd wanted to really do a deli book to honor my mom's grandparents. And then I also like the Pickle Barrel in my head. And as I talked to my editor about it, we're like, let's like, let's just focus on the pickle thing. So we have the pickle book. And then today just on Instagram posted a book that I co authored called the Art of Jewish Joy, which is activities and crafts all based on, like, the spirit of Judaism and our holidays and traditions and whatnot.
- [27:24]
A
So, yeah, very exciting. I know. I feel pickles are definitely having a moment.
- [27:29]
C
They are. They are having a moment. Yeah.
- [27:32]
A
I'm glad you're jumping on that, even though, of course, it's been in the works for a long, long time. Well, one of my big takeaways from this is that great idea that you have of having your three reasons why whatever it is that you are doing in your life and for whatever reason may be coming up against challenges or whatever. Like literally having it written there so you can refer back and give yourself the recommitment to it anytime you look is so easy and doable and effective. And I love that tip. I just love it.
- [28:07]
C
Oh, thank you. Thanks. Yeah, it's been. It's been super helpful. I will say the other thing, too, is just having great cheerleaders in your corner. So I have some great cheerleaders who I know I can trust, and they'll tell me how it is and whether, you know, it's just telling me to keep doing what I'm doing or, you know, just listen. But I have some really great cheerleaders in my corner, and those are the people I really try to listen to.
- [28:35]
A
Well, I'm in your corner. I am a cheerleader now, too.
- [28:39]
C
So thank you so much.
- [28:40]
A
I really am. I love what you're doing, and thank you so much. I'm such a big fan. So. So thanks.
- [28:45]
C
Oh, thank you for what you're doing, too. Thank you for giving us all a platform.
- [28:50]
A
Oh, you're welcome. Okay, if I'm sending these as gifts, what is the best way to get the whole set at once?
- [28:56]
C
Oh, that's a really good question. So I am going to, like, say this here, and maybe my editor will hear this. We've been taught. We've been like, slowly talking about maybe doing, like, a gift series so you can gift all four. So maybe that will happen. But if you want to get all four, you can go to Barnes and Noble. You can go to your low. I would encourage you to go to your local bookstores. There are a lot of local bookstores that are carrying it. But anywhere bookstores are gone are you can get them. And they are really nice as a whole. As a whole series, because each one does offer something very different.
- [29:31]
A
Well, I'm gonna definitely make sure we are carrying them at Zibby's bookshop for sure so that other people can come in. I'm almost positive we have a few, but maybe not all. So I'm gonna make sure. Anyway, very exciting. And thank you, Susie. Thank you for all that you do. Thank you, Zibby, all the joy you bring.
- [29:46]
C
Aw.
- [29:47]
A
Thank you.
- [29:48]
C
Thank you. You as well.
- [29:49]
A
All right, Bye.
- [29:50]
C
Bye.
- [29:51]
A
Thank you for listening to Totally Booked with Zibby, formerly Moms don't have Time to Read Books. If you loved the show, tell a friend, leave a review. Follow me on instagram ippyowens and spread the word. Thanks so much. Oh, and buy the books.
- [30:12]
B
With no fees or minimums on checking accounts. It's no wonder the Capital One bank guy is so passionate about banking with Capital One. If he were here, he wouldn't just tell you about no fees or minimums. He'd also talk about how most Capital One cafes are open seven days a week to assist with your banking needs. Yep, even on weekends, it's pretty much all he talks about in a good way. What's in your wallet? Terms apply see capitalone.com bank capital1na member FDIC.
- [30:43]
A
Picture this me, Reese Witherspoon in London ordering fish and chips so often.
- [30:48]
C
They might start wrapping me in paper.
- [30:50]
A
I'm traveling with my Wells Fargo Autograph Journey card so I earn rewards wherever I book. Travel five times points with hotels, four times with airlines, three times on restaurants and other travel and one point on other purchases. Imagine getting rewarded for eating a toad in the hole.
- [31:06]
C
Wait, what is a toad in a hole?
- [31:07]
A
Visit Wells Fargo.com autographjourney Terms apply.
- [31:15]
C
ACAST powers the world's best podcasts. Here's a show that we recommend.
- [31:24]
A
La Brega is back.
- [31:25]
C
This season, we're spending time with the people and symbols that represent Puerto Rico. We're proud Boricuas. And what does that mean? And we are still in the fight. We're telling stories about champions from a place worth fighting for. Stories that will inspire you no matter where you're from. Wow. This this is La Brega Campeones. Listen early and ad free with Futudo plus.
- [31:54]
A
Acast helps creators launch, grow, and.
- [31:57]
C
Monetize their podcasts everywhere.
- [32:00]
A
Acast.com.