Courtesy of Ann Ingalls
Ann Ingalls is a former teacher and a prolific writer who has more than 30 children’s books in print or forthcoming. A resident of Kansas City, Ingalls will stop at Left Bank Books this Saturday, June 3 to read from and discuss her latest, St. Louis-centric book, Fairy Floss: The Sweet Story of Cotton Candy. It revolves around a fictional girl named Lily, her Aunt Mae, and their visit to the 1904 World’s Fair, where they learn about “Fairy Floss” and the many other inventions and innovations showcased at the St. Louis exposition. Below, Ingalls discusses her research, writing process, and advice for those who want to pursue a passion.
Courtesy of Ann Ingalls
What made you want to write about cotton candy, which made a big splash at the 1904 World’s Fair? Well, it was really not just the invention of cotton candy but the electric candy-making machine. Quite frankly, Sonali Fry, the editor at Little Bee Books, asked me if I would write a book about lollipops. Fry [who now holds the title of publisher] changed her mind and shifted to cotton candy. She said I could decide how to present the topic. I did some research and found out the candy machine was noted as the best invention of the fair or some similar title, so that's how I decided to write the story from that angle.
What made you fictionalize part of the story, and how did you research its factual aspects? I couldn't know who exactly would have visited the Fairy Floss or cotton candy booth, so I decided to go with something that allowed me to make up the dialogue. But all the other information is true. I went to the [University of Missouri-Kansas City] Dental Library. That's where I found a lot of the information about William Morrison [a dentist and one of the designers of the electric candy machine], and then I went through the Missouri Historical Society, the U.S. Patent Office, and a bunch of other places to get information.
The illustrations are also in keeping with the time. But you made some changes from earlier versions. How does that work? You have to do a lot of photo research to get an idea of what people looked like, what they wore. For instance, when I received [a draft] from the editor, I realized illustrator, Migy Blanco—a really capable and wonderful illustrator—had imagined the story beginning in a home, when the inventors actually made the cotton candy machine in a candy shop in Nashville. So the story had to begin there. Walt Disney attended the fair when he was five years old with his father and mother, and she recalled he said it looked like a magic kingdom. Today, you might note that parts of the Magic Kingdom look a lot like how he remembered the 1904 World’s Fair.
The book showcases many other aspects of the World’s Fair. Why did you decide on that approach? I really wanted to do that. I wanted it to be a work where, if someone was not particularly interested in cotton candy, they might really like the idea that there is an indoor skating rink or typewriters on display. I wanted to make it appealing to a broader audience, not just kids, but adults.
"I really want to say to children, especially, and everyone in general, not to let someone tell you you can't do something you want to do, or you can't be something you want to be, because you can. You just have to apply yourself and work at your craft."
What can people expect from your talk at Left Bank? I'm going to bring a few things from the World's Fair. I've got a little map and souvenir coin. I might bring a hat like a little girl would've worn at the World’s Fair. I imagine my talk will be between 30–40 minutes with questions. I'm also going to bring some cotton candy to give away, and I do have a cotton candy machine at many visits that I bring that so kids can smell cotton candy.
What kinds of questions do you field? Kids and parents want to know how a person gets into writing and a lot of parents ask questions about the research process. I also like to give credit for most interesting question. With this book, I've had very young people ask how string candy was made hundreds of years ago, so I described that. They also want to know if cotton candy came in colors or flavors when it was invented—it did not. They want to know the exact recipe, how much sugar, and what else you could substitute besides sugar. I’ve used things like Jolly Ranchers. So they ask a wide variety of questions.
What advice do you have for aspiring writers? When I started writing, even as a high school kid, I’d have people who discouraged me and said I really didn't have much talent for it. Although I'd already made up my mind to be a special education teacher, I still liked writing on the side, and it wasn't until I was in college that I had a professor who said, “You really do have some talent for this.”
I really want to say to children especially, but everyone in general, not to let someone tell you you can't do something you want to do, or you can't be something you want to be, because you can. You just have to apply yourself and work at your craft. Most of the time, you'll achieve that objective as long as you apply yourself. For me, that included joining critique groups and the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. I've now sold 32 books since 2010. So it's a matter of doing what you need to do, mostly just applying your bottom to the chair and doing it.
Ann Ingalls will be at Left Bank Books (399 N. Euclid) this Saturday, June 3 at 10:30 a.m. This event is free and open to the public, but proof of book purchase is required to enter the signing line.
