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No. 20 Vol. 10
My Life Publications • 973-809-4784
October 2024
800-939-JUNK
Livingston Children’s Author and Illustrator Connects with the Community
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By Evan Wechman ivingston children’s author and illustrator Mike Marlbrough hails from Maryland where he spent his formative years directing and producing puppet shows. According to Marlbrough, this is where he learned his chops. It was his first major entry into the arts world where he learned how to build stories and create visually appealing productions for his audience. At the time, he didn’t know exactly where he was headed. But he credits those early years for the critically acclaimed books he has either written or illustrated. “I did not get formal training. My years early on doing puppet theater was sort of like my college time learning the ins and outs of performing. It’s actually an aspect of books. It’s an extension of them, in particular working with kids, to kind of harken back to the days of being in front of the audience and telling stories and narrating and performing,” Marlbrough says. For him, working in his early 20’s in puppet theater has paid off greatly. He has written and illustrated several great books such as Marigold Bakes a Cake which have been successfully published by literary giant, Penguin Random House. Marlbrough contends his passion for stories and his ability to pour his emotions onto the page are the key reasons his books have been so well received by both readers and critics, alike. “The best advice I can give is to give as much of yourself in everything that you write and try not to think too hard about what other people want. Ultimately, you have to come back to something you believe in,” Marlbrough says, In the process, he has also absorbed a great deal
of information about the sometimes-murky world of publishing. Currently, he is not only preparing his own books for publication, but helping any aspiring artists get their work out to the masses as well. Much of his professional life now consists of coaching others by sharing his passion and knowledge of this niche. Marlbrough says that the publishing process can be very daunting because not much of the process is widely known. He helps his mentees pitch their ideas to agents, prepare manuscripts for publications, and learn in general how to make worthwhile connections with editors. He learned how to navigate the children’s book world with the help of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, a large nationwide organization with chapters in almost every state. However, since these groups are not very visible, he tutors others on how to get involved with them or any other groups, depending on that writer’s genre. The Livingston author is proud of his decision to raise his family in such a culturally rich area. He has a deep appreciation of its history of being home to great writers and entertainers like Harlan Coben. He takes an active role in learning more about his neighbors while visiting libraries and holding instructional workshops there and in the various schools. However, he has also been heavily involved with a Livingston adult soccer league which he has found rewarding. “One of the things I love about Livingston where I planted my roots is my part in the Legends Soccer League. It’s a group of guys getting up in age from all around the community, pulling together and building a league, and it’s a lot of fun. Most of my connections to folks in the town are through that. I’ve met some really neat people who do all kinds of
Mike Marlbrough
things, and it’s actually led to some interesting connections,” Marlbough says. He does enjoy using his own talents to write and illustrate books, but his greatest pleasure is giving back to the community. Marlbrough finds he is spending more time these days fine-tuning his coaching profession and ensuring a great mentoring relationship for both parties. “I’ve always been passionate about giving as much guidance and information as I can to others who are interested. If there is anyone out there who wants to learn more about breaking in, feel free to reach out.” You can get in contact with him at https://www. mikemalbrough.com/