Poop Spelled Backwards is Poop (The Story Behind the Story)

You read it right. Poop Spelled Backwards is Poop!!!  Why would you make such a statement, Backwards Jeff?  Good question.  I'm glad you asked.
Flashback to 1979 where a young Backwards Jeff and his classmates were tasked with conceptualizing a story/poem about a random picture.  Whether the picture was selected for us or self chosen I can not say.  I also can not say why some of this is written in third person.  But that's not important to this post.
As for the time of year, it must have been fall.  My reason for saying this is that my inspiration was a small card with a witch flying on a broom.  Almost like a Valentine with a Halloween flavor.
Although not entirely certain of the exact wording, I remember the poem posing the question to the witch as to "why she cried when she would fly so high in the sky?" That short verse won an award....my first award for anything as I recall.  More importantly the first award for anything I wrote.
Through the grade school years memories of creative writing assignments are scattered about.  A personal favorite was to add captions to photographs.
Third or fourth grade was when local radio station Q102 aired a holiday song providing a theme for my second notable writing sample.  The song: Frosty the Hit Man. My version of the poem, by the same name, added a few humorous lines in the best way a grade school boy could.  Interestingly, even as a nine year old, I remember being afraid that I might be sued for copyright infringement.  Surprisingly, it was a hit with my fellow students, along with my favorite teacher of all time, Ms. Kathleen "Kat" Handley.
Dreams of becoming a motocross superstar when I grew up went away over the years.  Mostly because my parents would NEVER have let me own a motorcycle (which is a good thing considering my bad luck). A more realistic dream, that has remained constant through the years, took it's place. That was writing professionally.   Poems, horror stories, funny articles, whatever took shape on paper.
Writing is an escape from reality.  Writing is a way for me, the socially awkward man that I am, to move people with genuine emotion.  Sometimes it's laughter, sometimes it's tears, others it's a call to action.  Most of the time it's all of the above and more.
Eight years after starting college at Northern Kentucky University I received my Bachelor of Arts Degree in Journalism.  The Hope was to use my love for writing to make an honest living.  Probably around year five or 6 of that eight year journey it became apparent that I had built up an irrevocable disdain for the profession I was attempting to join. Gone were the days of carrying the pencil and notepad...replaced by the blood lust for being FIRST to report....even if some of the details were missed or inaccurate.
Imagine my disappointment when the realization set in that writing was not going to pay my bills.  Reluctantly I joined the work force and put aside any dreams of writing professionally.
That dream never completely died though.  It was still very much alive inside of me, but merely sleeping.  Over the years I would periodically pen funny stories for my closest friends and relatives.  Mostly for my own amusement and not anything I'd share with the masses. They'd usually tell me that I'd missed my calling, but I blew this off as some sort of obligation so as not to hurt my feelings.  I never thought much of it until recently. 
Some of the hardest days I have ever lived have come in the last three years.  Things I had never expected to deal with, or thought I'd deal with much later in life, began to surface all at once.  Life altering events....some good some not so good.  To say it was overwhelming doesn't begin to describe how painful it was or how lonely it felt.  Suffocation, drowning, helpless, nightmarish are close, but are still not strong enough descriptive words.
While wallowing in my own self-pity it suddenly occurred to me that, although not ideal, the conditions presented to me would be much less frightening if I slowed down and looked around.  In this moment it became clear that: a) there were people who had it much worse than me and b) I was surrounded by an AWESOME support group of friends and family.  Slowly the lights around me became brighter.  The air I breathed suddenly smelled and tasted cleaner. The negativity started melting away.
It was also in this moment that a note written by my youngest niece rekindled the fire to become a published author.  In that note she wrote to her mom about how she wanted to spend more time together.  She also joked that her dad smelled like poop....and that Poop Spelled Backwards is Poop.
Poop Spelled Backwards is Poop? (light bulb).....a book idea was born.  I spent about a year, off and on, scribbling rhyming verse into a spiral bound three subject notebook.  Originally what was intended to be humorous, became an emotion packed story about the relationship between a young girl and her grandmother.  It even took me by surprise, but I loved it.
It never occurred to me that I would write a "children's story."  Those who know me know I am very cynical and a hard core smart ass.  My normal writing style tends to follow those personality traits. But, in that story, I uncovered a passion for something new.....children's literature.
On Christmas Eve 2011 a letter arrived in the mail.  A letter from the Copyright Office within the Library of Congress.  Poop Spelled Backwards is Poop became the first copyrighted work by Jeff C. Gardiner.  It still gives me chills.
In the few months that have ensued I've begun the process of seeking representation for my work.  The process has proven to be much more daunting than anticipated.  I've also begun to research the industry and reading as many picture books as the library will allow me to check out.  It has become a full time job....one that doesn't pay, but is more enjoyable than the one that does.
You might think it's easy to write for children. Let me tell you that it most certainly is not. Honestly, I think it might be less stressful to enter into the adult fiction world. Agents representing this type of work tend to be few and far between and rarely take on new clients.  Plus there are some VERY talented authors such as; Doreen Cronin (my current favorite), Mo Willems, and Karma Wilson, who occupy the attention of much of the market.  Weird Al has a book or two and even Jamie Lee Curtis enters the market with some regularity. : )
Much of the thanks must go to my parents. My dad is a man that cares very deeply and is very funny, but doesn't want anyone to know how great he is. My mom is overly modest and one of the nicest people you'll ever know.  She's also responsible for my love of writing.  Mixing the two personalities makes for an interesting view point on life that I hope translates into honest, heart-felt literary context. With any luck, and with the grace of God, an agent and/or publisher will agree.
I do not anticipate becoming millionaire, or even a thousandaire.  I also don't expect to be a Caldecott Honor Award winner or a New York Times Best Seller.  Seeing my last name on the spine of my own creation in a library or book store would be awarding enough.
I've heard that this is a very long and lonely road I am walking down.  Wish me luck as I begin my travels.


Copyright J.C. Gardiner 2/19/2012
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