Imagination is one of those things I like to encourage in children. I always liked to use books to inspire that spark to get a story going in a child’s mind, especially books that had fantastic artwork. I think I’ve found a book that would make a great way to introduce children to a classic story with inspirational illustrations. It’s called: “Jabberwocky: Spooky Stories for Kids.” This is a newly illustrated version of the great, classic poem by Lewis Carroll and is part of the Spooky Stories for Kids series.

The illustrator of the book is Carolyn Watson Dubisch. She has an impressive background in comic books, working in independent films and music videos. She has written seventeen children’s books and four comic book series. Her illustrations have appeared in children’s magazines such as “Hopscotch” and “Highlights for Children”. I had the chance to ask her about inspirations in her childhood, about her favorite author, writing and the illustration process, and what future projects are in the works.

What is your favorite memory from reading as a child?
Carolyn Watson Dubisch: I very much enjoyed reading outside. Perhaps it was because it was harder for my parents to find me and make me do chores. I would climb as high as I could  and sit in the huge blue spruce tree in the front yard of our house on Long Island in New York. My other favorite spot was on the dock at our cabin in central Maine. I liked how the waves would make it shift under me while I read.

Who was your favorite author and how did they influence you?

Carolyn Watson Dubisch: My favorite author growing up and one of my favorite authors still today is Stephen King. I liked monster movies and the things that lurked in the dark. Things like ghost stories and vampires were always fascinating for me, also much safer than the real horrors of the world. It definitely influences what I’m doing with this series “Scary Stories for Kids”.

This book, Jabberwocky, was a poem by Lewis Carroll that I interpreted with my art. It’s a nonsense poem that I added dimension and story to with my visuals. With the first book in the series, I created an alien abduction book called “Alien Farm”. Also, the story is told through the art. These tales are mildly scary for younger kids and the response when I bring these books into schools is incredible. Kids love to be scared in literature.

Do you have a writing routine? Share what works for you.

Carolyn Watson Dubisch: I don’t have a consistent writing routine, but I do try to start all my writing in the morning. For some reason I find it almost impossible to write at nighttime and when I do, I rewrite everything.

The other thing I often do is write in long hand in notebooks and later transcribe (which is the first rewrite). I do this because I have had a lot of writing get lost or deleted from old computers or broken storage devices. I have been able to salvage many stories through what I’ve found in my old notebooks. Notebooks last longer than computer hard drives and storage devices, and things like the cloud or dropbox are newer, but will, at some point, be replaced by a new system. I’m afraid those things won’t last either. I don’t trust anything but analogue anymore

What subjects would you like to write about in future projects?

Carolyn Watson Dubisch: Current projects include my book “The Lighthouse Cats of Mazatlán”. This is a children’s book about the cats that live on the Lighthouse trail in Mazatlán, Mexico (where I live). I wrote two comic book series for kids “After The Robots Died”- a scifi fantasy about children who traveled as embryos to a distant planet and were born artificially and raised by a robot. The story begins as the robots are breaking down and the children are slowly getting isolated and must survive without them.

I also write a kids comic called “The Dragon in The Closet” about a cursed boy plagued by monsters when he discovers a dragon living in the closet in the basement and befriends him. This series has just been nominated for the Outstanding Creator Awards of 2023

What is writing to you in one sentence?

Carolyn Watson Dubisch: Writing is one of the most important ways I express myself and my inner world.

Book Blurb:

Carolyn Watson Dubisch brings to life the classic tale by the well-beloved author, Lewis Carroll. Her whimsical illustrations bring us into the world of the Jabberwocky. A young boy sets off on a quest through the Tulgey Woods to slay the mystical Jabberwocky. Enchanting and strange creatures join him as he pursues the monster. Enjoy a new look on an old classic while introducing your child to a children’s literature masterpiece.

“Jabberwocky: Scary Stories for Kids” is available on Amazon.com in ebook and print editions.

For more information on Carolyn Watson Dubisch and her other books, please visit her website here.