Ask the Author: Sarah Kurpiel

What would you like readers to know about you?

I’m a self-taught illustrator. I’ve always loved to draw, but for most of my life, I considered it just a hobby because I have a disability that significantly limits my arm strength. But my passion for drawing never stopped. A few years ago, I taught myself how to draw digitally and started posting my drawings online. That helped build my confidence and ultimately led me to my agents, who helped me get my first book deal.  

What is your book about for those who haven’t read it?  

Original Cat, Copy Cat is about cat named Pineapple whose life turns upside-down when new kitten Kiwi arrives. Pineapple’s sweet life turns sour—until he starts to see the world, quite literally, from a new point of view. It’s a classic new sibling story—but make it cats! Original Cat, Copy Cat was published by Greenwillow/HarperCollins on August 3.  

What has been your inspiration for writing it?  

My family’s cats, Comet and Cad, had a real-life Pineapple/Kiwi relationship. Their personalities couldn’t have been more different. Comet was sweet and easygoing and had the tiniest, squeakiest of meows. Cad, on the other hand, was daring and always on the go. His meows echoed through the entire house. Their antics certainly inspired the story.  

What was your favorite scene or part of your book to write?  

Cats are naturally funny. They make me laugh every day. So, my favorite spread to make is the one filled with spot illustrations showing Kiwi copying Pineapple—usually with a funny twist that sets Pineapple on edge. I wanted to squeeze in a few more spot illustrations on those pages—but I couldn’t fit them all! I love the early stages of the picture making process: designing the characters, imagining them in interesting page layouts, doodling them doing whatever feels right at the time. As the story takes shape, some of those doodles make it into the story, others don’t, but all that doodling feels worth it because it’s such a fun, creative time in the process.  

What books or authors inspired you to become a writer?  

A Sick Day for Amos McGee by Philip Stead and illustrated by Erin Stead rekindled my love of picture books. I was working as a cataloging librarian at the time. When the book crossed my desk, Erin’s beautiful, gentle illustrations stopped me in my tracks. I read the book right there and then. To this day, it remains my favorite picture book and continues to inspire me. Long before that, my childhood favorites included The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka and illustrated by Lane Smith, Arnold Lobel’s Frog and Toad books, Strega Nona by Tomie dePaola, and everything by Virginia Lee Burton.  

What advice would you give to aspiring authors who want to write a book?  

Read contemporary picture books. Read a lot of them. Read your favorites again and again until you know what it is that makes you love them so much. Then try to do those things you love—but in your own, unique way. At the same time, try not to compare yourself to others, which is something I have to remind myself every so often.   

Website: https://sarahkurpiel.com/  

Twitter: @SarahKurpiel  

Instagram: @sarah.kurpiel  

Original Cat, Copy Cat is available for purchase now:   

• IndieBound: https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780062943835  
• Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/books/original-cat-copy-cat/9780062943835  
• Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/original-cat-copy-cat-sarah-kurpiel/1138011507  
• Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Original-Cat-Copy-Sarah-Kurpiel/dp/0062943839 

Publisher: Greenwillow/HarperCollins  

Publication Date: August 3, 2021  

Synopsis: Pineapple’s entire routine is turned upside-down when new kitten Kiwi copies everything Pineapple does. But eventually Pineapple learns that having a friend makes everything better.