Interview with Gina Soldano-Herrle

I met Gina Soldano-Herrle shortly after I moved to Colorado, where we are both active members of the Rocky Mountain Chapter of the SCBWI. Gina’s energy and passion for all she does shines through in her writing. She’s released NIA’S RESCUE BOX recently, and I’ve invited her here to talk about it!

First, a synopsis of her story:

Young Nia’s tummy roars as she thinks about her empty refrigerator back home. Here at the food rescue, an organization devoted to “fighting back against food waste,” shelves are lined with donated items which would otherwise end up in a landfill. Nia picks up a box of graham crackers, but she’s too embarrassed to take it. Her cardboard box stays empty as she races past “the juicy peaches, past the giant sesame seed bagels, even past the chocolate cake with curling words, “Happy Birthday, Clara!” But Nia comes to realize that maybe this food needs to be rescued as much as she needs a good meal!

What was the inspiration behind Nia's Rescue Box?

Nia's story was inspired by my own. I visited my first food rescue at the end of summer 2021. I waited in line, walked through with my cheeks feeling aflame (much like Nia's) and hardly took anything they had to offer.

Later I came back as a volunteer and came to more deeply understand the purpose of the rescue, Vindeket Foods, and the role "shoppers" played in preventing food waste in our community. I grew up in a community that frowned upon "handouts." I still remember how I felt when one of my elementary school friends bullied me for wearing shoes I got from Goodwill. There are still similar attitudes out there, however, it is so heartening to see the rise of thrift stores, vintage, and understanding among today's youth.

And I truly believe NOBODY should ever have to go hungry. The United States has astronomical amounts of food waste. According to Feeding America it's around 119 billion pounds of food wasted in the U.S. annually. Last year, the food rescue where I gave my time as a service participant prevented 1 million pounds of food waste. Not only that, the food was given to those who experience food insecurity. They revalue people and food. It's a symbiotic relationship. So, based on that experience I had when I first visited, I wrote Nia's story hoping to spread the word about food rescues which differ greatly from food pantries and hopefully inspire some people out there to open more of them.

What did the publication process look like?

Publication was...harrowing. After writing the first draft in November 2022 and making many, many edits, I tried the traditional route and found some interest among agents and editors. But, in the end each one said they weren't passionate enough about the story to take it on.

Since the book itself is about so much more than the story, I decided to crowdfund and self publish it. Which looked a lot easier in my head than in reality.

Vindeket and I put out a contest to find the illustrator. Everyone who participated made a spread based on the logline for the book. That's how I found Abi Joy Eaton who did a phenomenal job using found materials to illustrate Nia's Rescue Box. By April 2023 I started the Kickstarter and we closed with full funding in May.

Over the summer Abi and I exchanged emails about the book. In August she sent me the first full draft with illustrations. We went back and forth a few more times and the final art was finished around the end of September. After that, I had to figure out digital formatting and I am so grateful Abi was kind enough to help when we ran into a couple technical glitches!! It was officially published October 26, 2023.

Who has been your biggest inspiration (as a writer or otherwise)?

I get inspired a lot by other writers and the things I read. One of the biggest sources is Rachael Herron. She has a podcast called "How Do You Write?" and listening to other writers talk through their process, stumbling blocks, and inspirations has often brought me out of a writing slump.

What role did the writing community play in the creation of Nia's Rescue Box?

A big one! I'd be nowhere without my friends in SCBWI and other writing groups that gave feedback on drafts and connected me with resources about publishing.

I'd like to mention my friend Parker Milgram, in particular, who more than once walked me through the self publishing process after having done it themself in September 2023 for their book I Live for The Sun. We met through an SCBWI virtual conference and they've been a friend ever since.

What are you working on now?

Now? Too many things! I have a handful of picture books in various stages of completion that I'm seeking representation for through the traditional publication route. There's also a middle grade fantasy rough draft I finished over the summer. A couple memoirs I've been working on throughout the past few years and...new ideas that pop into my head and join the endless "miscellaneous ideas" document in my Google drive. Haha!

Right now, I'm focusing on giving Nia's Rescue Box as much of my time as I can so the story gets in front of as many readers as possible. When I need a break, I switch it up with a different manuscript. I might self publish more of my books in the future, but for now I'm taking a beat to settle in, both writing-wise and literally because my family just moved cross country.

NIA’S RESCUE BOX, written by Gina Soldano-Herrle and illustrated by Abi Joy Eaton, is available at Barnes and Noble, Bookshop.org and on Amazon in print and ereader.

50% of all profits from the book are going back to Vindeket Foods in Fort Collins, CO to further fund their growth.

Gina Soldano-Herrle has been a professional ghostwriter and author since 2019. As a member of SCBWI and The 12x12 Picture Book Challenge, she's very active in the writing community. You can find her debut picture book, Nia's Rescue Box, at most online booksellers and read her interviews with other authors on her website.

To order a copy:
Bookshop.org
Barnes and Noble
Amazon