Episode #92: Breaking Through Barriers in Children’s Book Publishing with Charles George Esperanza
Listen Now
Tap Play Below or Listen On iTunes | Spotify | Google Podcasts
Today’s episode is a treat for the senses toy people. My guest today is a published book author and illustrator with books released by Sky Pony Press, Abrams Books, and Harper Collins. Charles George Esperanza grew up in the south Bronx and found the mentor and structure he needed while studying Illustration at the Fashion Institute of Technology.
During our chat today Charles shares his come-up story, premiers a banger of a song, and of course, provides advice to all you aspiring book authors and illustrators out there. If you’ve ever considered illustrating a children’s book or writing one, then today’s episode is for you.
You’re guaranteed to walk away with a few valuable takeaways to inspire and guide you on your journey. To find out where to purchase Charles’ books, head over to thetoycoach.com/92 to grab all the links to purchase the books referenced in today’s episode.
-
Connect with Charles on Instagram and check out his website.
Grab your copy of Boogie Boogie, Y'all by clicking here.
The song, Boogie Boogie, Y'all (The Banger Remix) that you heard from today’s podcast episode is by C.G.Esperanza Featuring Eian. Recorded and mixed by Robert George. Produced by Apex the original and Mathias Tyner.
Want to read Red, Yellow, Blue, and a Dash of White Too? Get your copy here.
Purchase Soul Food Sunday written by Winsome Bingham, Illustrated by C. G. Esperanza here.
Rain Stomper written by Boswell Addie, Illustrated by Eric Velasquez can be purchased here.
-
[00:00:00] Azhelle Wade: You are listening to making it in the toy industry episode number 92. Hey there toy people, I am popping in before today's episode begins to give you a quick overview of our guests today. Today's conversation was beautiful and fluid and natural, but I didn't want you diving into it without context. Charles George Esperanza is a children's book author and illustrator who joins me on the show today to share how a poor kid from the south Bronx found a mentor and the structure he needed when he studied illustration at the fashion Institute of technology. A path, which eventually led him to where he is today. A published author with books released by Skypony Press and Harper Collins. Charles shares insights into his journey, into children's publishing and offers advice for aspiring book, illustrators and writers out there. So you don't want to miss a second of this.
[00:01:12] So before we kick off this interview, I actually have a world premier to share with you. This is the audio version of Charles's latest book, boogie boogie y'all with Harper Collins. The book for the song you were about to hear is already available. And the music video will be coming soon to Spotify. Charles told me when he sent me this audio that it actually hasn't been released anywhere else just yet. So you guys are gonna hear it first. Recorded and mixed by Robert George produced by apex the original and Matthias Tyner. This is boogie boogie y'all the banger remix by CG Esperanza, featuring Ian.
[00:01:56] Azhelle Wade: Hey there toy people, Azhelle Wade here and welcome back to another episode of the toy coach podcast, making it in the toy industry.
[00:05:09] This is a weekly podcast brought to you by thetoycoach.com. I've got a friend on the podcast today. I should say a friend of my boyfriend, Christian, truly. He was his friend first, but he's my friend now. And I'm going to introduce you to Charles Esperanza but first let me start with his incredible bio. Okay. Let's get into this bio.
[00:05:31] Born the second of six cool kids. The south Bronx is where he first opened his eyelids. A land shrouded in bright colored decay, the birthplace of graffiti and the hip hop DJ. He paints fantasy worlds of elephants and castles too. Accompanying this wonder is some whimsical truth. Charles has a voice that is seldom heard. A fusion of jazz, distorted guitars and chirping birds. Author and illustrator of Red, Yellow, Blue, and a dash of White too. Released by Skypony Press and Boogie Boogie, Y'all with Harper Collins. Welcome to the show Charles Esperanza.
[00:06:09] Charles George Esperanza: Thank you so much for that amazing, amazing intro Azhelle. I'm so happy to be here. I'm so happy to be here with all of you amazing toy people as well. And I always have fun talking to Azhelle so this is going to be the same as always I'm sure.
[00:06:26] Azhelle Wade: Yeah! I hope we dive into and we get, we have the hard conversations we normally have when we're hanging out. So hopefully it'll be good.
[00:06:34] Charles, I want to start from the back because who you are today is impressive, but let's start from who you were when you were first starting out your career. What did you want to be? And where did you think life was going to take you in that?
[00:06:51] Charles George Esperanza: So, you know, ever since I can remember, I want it to be a comic book artists and artists of some sort. I used to make my own comic books and, you know, I would have my own stapler and me being able to staple my, comic pages together was like the biggest breakthrough to me because now they actually kind of look like real comic books.
[00:07:14] So ever since then, I was like, I need to make books. This needs to be my thing. And I originally went to college, wanting to be a Pixar animator and then I realized that it was very tedious and boring work.
[00:07:29] And the real work, the real creators were the picture book people. The people who are making the ideas, drawing, and not having so many, so many voices in their head so I'm glad that, you know, as a picture book illustrator, I get to just come up with my own stuff and only my editor can say no to me. And she barely ever says no.
[00:07:52] Azhelle Wade: So I have to say like when I see you doing what you're doing, it seems so, so very entrepreneurial, like you chose it. I mean, it seems from the outside perspective, like you chose the hardest path possible to be an artist. Is that a fair assumption? What would you say?
[00:08:11] Charles George Esperanza: You know, I definitely, if you were to tell me, oh, you know, you're going to be born as a poor black boy in the south Bronx. And on top of that, you're going to want to be an artist for a living. I would have said, ah, you know, maybe I'll pass on all that, but you know, the art was so strong within me and the, and I'm a Taurus. So people say that means I'm stubborn. So, yeah. So I never listened to anyone's advice about getting a sanitation job with the city or.
[00:08:51] Azhelle Wade: Wait, who's holding to do that?
[00:08:54] Charles George Esperanza: My beloved aunt Lydia. I want it to work in her funeral home, but she, you know, offered that advice instead.
[00:09:01] Azhelle Wade: Oh.
[00:09:03] Charles George Esperanza: Yeah, so I was just very stubborn and I just, you know, I was so obsessed with anime and dragon ball Z and just drawing that I just kept pushing, pushing, pushing, and then I, I was able to see my amazing picture book illustrator and fit Eric Velasquez and the success that he had become, you know, being a, also growing up poor black kid in the, in, in New York city, he's from Harlem. And I saw that he could do it and I saw his beautiful house and he's an amazing picture book illustrator. He just won the NAACP award for his book Our Children Can Soar. So, you know, seeing him and knowing that he was able to do it, I trusted myself. And though I'm doing it a totally different way than he's doing it. You know, that's, it's still showed me a path.[00:09:59] Azhelle Wade: Yeah. You know, that representation of what's possible is so important that led me to go to fit also. So integral was what you learned at school actually to what you're doing today?
[00:10:15] Charles George Esperanza: I mean, it's definitely, they definitely taught me everything there. I was afraid to paint when I first went in, I was just using markers and colored pencils and those kinds of things. and they forced me to paint and I didn't want to do it, but I'm so happy I did. And then they forced me to use oil paint, which my new book Boogie Boogie Y'all is done all in oil paints.
[00:10:38] Eric Velasquez has taught me to work from reference and all these things that I would have never, you know, thought of doing. If I didn't have the structure that FIT gave me. It's a little different now. I feel like when I was growing up the internet wasn't as popping as it was, you know, 2004, 2005. When I was coming out of high school, I feel like right now kids probably could just jump on YouTube and get some awesome tutorials.
[00:11:07] They can find a whole community without college. But back when I was coming up, TA fit was, you know, I'm happy. I went there and I have a community of friends that led to me meeting years. So.
[00:11:20] Azhelle Wade: Yeah! no, no, That's, that's true. That's true. And, and the hard part with the online education is the focus, right? Like at least when you're in school there, it, it kind of puts you on a train. So when you start searching on YouTube, it's a bottomless pit. You could start researching how to oil paint and end up watching a cat video. Like it's just, you know, it's not, it's not, it's an, a clear path.
[00:11:41] So, so when you saw eric Velasquez and you saw what he was doing, do you remember the moment that it kind of clicked and your tourist mind went super stubborn? Like that's what I'm going to do, no other questions asked.
[00:11:53] Charles George Esperanza: Yes. Most of my life, I always felt like picture books where, you know Dr. Seuss. Dr. Seuss is, you know, awesome when he's not racist. And he made some really cool books that my first book ever was green eggs and ham. And that was the first book I ever. So, you know, you tell me picture books, I'm going to think of that kind of stuff.
[00:12:16] And, you know, as awesome as that was, that wasn't really something I saw myself doing, you know, as a career when I got older, but Eric Velasquez showed me this one book called the main Stomper and it was this little black girl and it was she was supposed to go to a parade, but it rains. And she wouldn't let it rain on her parade.
[00:12:39] So she went outside and just started stomping in puddles and the way he just painted this book I was just like, you know what? This is, this looks like something that I could do. Like this is way more complex than people believe picture book illustration is. And as I delve deeper and deeper into picture books, I just realized how elitist and snobby the art is like, this is a real classy like complex stuff and I'm, and I even now I feel like the competition is so cutthroat, just being in picture book illustration, because everybody's just so good. So yeah.
[00:13:20] Azhelle Wade: Okay. I'm, I'm sorry. I'm realizing we're going to have to go back a little bit because I'm so comfortable with you that I did not address any of your look today. And I feel like the people watching this video are going to be like, what is going on here? So, please, who are you wearing?
[00:13:40] Charles George Esperanza: So today I'm wearing this blue jacket that I bought for my first ever picture book read along back in 2005 and it kind of looks similar to the jacket that my character wears in my first ever book Red, Yellow, blue except I'm wearing a blue version of it. And my head dress over here from the Cameroon grasslands created by the Bama Lakia people. And they wore this head dress to you know, any kind of ceremony that was very important. And I wear this to my, my reading events, which I consider very high in importance. So yeah. And this over here is a painting of my cover the book Boogie, Boogie Y'all.
[00:14:35] Azhelle Wade: And this doll you've got sitting in between you all, you both?[00:14:39] Charles George Esperanza: And this is Radia. She is named after the Basquiat painting radiant child. And she is adorned in all Basquiat paintings. As you can see here. and you see, yeah, she has Basquiat crown as well.
[00:15:00] Azhelle Wade: And Mattel released her?
[00:15:03] Charles George Esperanza: Yes, this is an official Mattel release.
[00:15:06] Azhelle Wade: Love it. Love it. Okay. Thank you. I'm sorry. I had to cut off your story a bit there, but I realized we didn't explain the visuals and we really needed to dive into the visuals of what's going on here. Okay.
[00:15:19] Charles George Esperanza: Well, I was just waiting,
[00:15:21] Azhelle Wade: Yeah, so okay, so you go to school, you go to FIT, you had big dreams, you were told to be a garbage man, but you were like, no, I see some out people out here doing big things. I'm going to do big things too. I'm going to join this elitist society of picture book creators. That's what I'm going to do. So what happened? How did you get your first big break? And if you could bring that book back up on the screen to create red, yellow, blue, how did you get that first big break? What led to that?
[00:15:51] Charles George Esperanza: so what led to this, I'm going to say you know, luck is preparation, meets opportunity. Luck is preparation meets opportunity, right? I had been. Preparing to be a picture book illustrator, since I graduated in 2010 from fit you know, I was getting rejection after rejection. I didn't really know what, what I wanted my style to be.
[00:16:24] So, you know, I just worked with Eric Velasquez in his studio and, you know, just trying to take in as much as possible. And then. One day I was on Facebook and fit mutual friend put up a post saying that they were looking for an illustrator for a Jackie Robinson book. So of course I'm just like, I can, I can definitely draw Jackie Robinson.
[00:16:55] I'm a black illustrator. They wanted to particularly a black illustrator. So, you know, this is the one time I was hoping there wasn't that many black illustrators in the world because. Just wanted that job to myself and I applied for it. They wanted me to do an audition and everything. So I had to like sketch it up what I would do and, you know, eventually I got the job.
[00:17:27] Tell me to go off topic a little bit, but randomly enough, I was actually interning with spike Lee at the time. And when I was in his bathroom. In his studio in our Fort green. Yeah. I was in his bathroom when I, when I looked at my phone and I got the message that I had got the Jackie Robinson, both. And that's when I looked around his bathroom and there was nothing but pictures of jackie Robinson all over the bathroom,
[00:17:53] Azhelle Wade: Shut up!.
[00:17:55] Charles George Esperanza: Really. I'm being 100% serious.
[00:17:57] Azhelle Wade: Oh, I have, have chills. Oh, wow.
[00:18:01] Charles George Esperanza: Spike Lee was the biggest Jackie Robinson fan. He wanted to do Jackie Robinson's movie, but they gave it to someone else, unfortunately but You can see.
[00:18:09] Azhelle Wade: Did you go out tell him? like?
[00:18:09] Charles George Esperanza: You know, I didn't because.
[00:18:12] Azhelle Wade: Why? He would fricking love that.
[00:18:14] Charles George Esperanza: I think a little earlier that day he had actually yelled at me because I forgot to turn off the air conditioning while they were recording. So he had yelled at me a little bit. So I was like, I'm going to keep this to myself. But if you're watching this spike, you know, I love you. You're my favorite movie director of all time. And I want to come back to your studio sometimes. So let me know. But yeah, yo, so that, and so I got the Jackie Robinson book and to be honest with you, I didn't want to do black history books because I feel like illustrators black illustrators. You know, get pigeonholed as you know, for these kinds of books. And some people are passionate about that. Like, Eric Velasquez is a lot of Kadir Nelson. There's a lot of black illustrators that are passionate about that kind of thing. And I'd rather, they do it than me who I'm not, that's, I'm more, I like to do whimsical fantastical stuff.
[00:19:15] Azhelle Wade: So many toy inventors that might be listening are like, oh Azhelle I just have this one idea? I just want to pitch this one idea to mattel. Cause I know it's perfect for them. And I always have to go back and tell them like, listen, you really want to pitch 10 ideas. So what would you, what do you say to people that are like, I just want to pitch the one book, the one thing and that's
[00:19:34] Charles George Esperanza: Hmm. Well, you know what? This is going to be a little culture. It's what you just said.
[00:19:40] Azhelle Wade: I figured I had a feeling was told I was forewarned. go ahead.
[00:19:47] Charles George Esperanza: I, so, you know, this story, red, yellow, blue, I had written it, Eric, the last was his class and he gave me an a in the class and getting an a from Eric Velasquez is very difficult. So he, you know, believed in it and I just really believed in this book as well.
[00:20:08] Azhelle Wade: what's it about now that you're saying that, what's it about tell us what it's
[00:20:11] Charles George Esperanza: So this book is basically inspired by my little sister who had a paint on everything and she had an Afro just like this. And yeah, so I noticed that, adults did not know the primary colors, you know, adults and kids as well. So I was like, you know what? I want to make a fun.
[00:20:35] Teaching about, how to mix the primary colors into the secondary color. So I created this book, red, yellow, blue, and, at first, and you know, out a little bit of the story behind this, I took this to a big publisher back in maybe 2012 and one of the editors.
[00:20:59] This is when I only had the black girl as the main character. And an editor told me that, you know, well, if you really want to get a book published, you should maybe consider having an animal as the main character, because more kids, you know, every race could relate to the main character that way.
[00:21:21] And I was just like, that is, that is very racist. I didn't say that, but I, I took that into account and that was like maybe my first. Eye-opening experience in the business that, you know, there is racism,
[00:21:36] there is bias, There is this kind of ignorance. So that kind of, I took that back to Eric Velasquez and he, you know, he wasn't even surprised that, you know, someone would say that to me.
[00:21:47] And I was like, should I, should I make the main character, you know, keep the main character, a little black girl, or should I make it like, you know, an animal? And he's like, that's up to you. That's your decision, right? No path you want to take as a, as an artist. And so I compromised because I love elephants and I kept the little black girl, but
[00:22:09] I also, I added a character in there too. And you know what? I actually am happy that I added the elephant because the elephant is just a fun character who I actually love, but also. It showed kind of the, this story kind of shows the pressure of black artists.
[00:22:32] You know, this was book in 2012. This is before I don't know if it's cool to be black now, but it was even less cool to be black in 2012 there was much less of a, of, prioritizing, advocacy for black art at that time. So there was just a lot of pressure to fit into a mold then. And I, I think that's changed a lot now, which is definitely for the better. that's, that's how red, yellow blue came about.
[00:22:58] Azhelle Wade: I actually have heard people in the toy industry say the same story where they've been told to change the kids to animals for the same reason.
[00:23:06] Charles George Esperanza: So as you can see what that story, I didn't, I didn't change my idea, but I did alter my idea and I altered my idea many, many times until I found someone who was like, yes, this is exactly, this is. And I think you're going to have to find your, your audience, your editor, and picture books.
[00:23:28] It's your editor. A lot of editors wouldn't give me the opportunity to do boogie boogie y'all are red, yellow, blue, but I found the one editor that was like, yes, I'm going to take a chance on you. And you know, I'm very thankful for that.
[00:23:41] Azhelle Wade: So T so tell us a little bit about boogie boogie y'all and I can see your style, how it's evolving. And I always love asking artists, like, how do you develop your style? Because it's something I always struggled with. I still don't have a style artistically. So, I mean, how did you discover your style? Like while you were making boogie, boogie, or was it before that you were done? Like how, like you feel like it's still evolving. Tell us about that.
[00:24:04] Charles George Esperanza: oh, yes, definitely still evolving. You know, once I did red, yellow, blue the publisher that I work. me, nothing. I still don't see any royalties from that.
[00:24:17] Azhelle Wade: Sorry, legal?
[00:24:18] Charles George Esperanza: you know, It's, it's all legal. I signed the contract and everything. I did this mostly because I wasn't getting any opportunities before and I was like, I want to do this book to show everyone what I can do. And I was, I was young. I was. And it was okay because I was living with my parents. So I was like, I need to take this opportunity to, you know, make stuff happen while I don't have a kid to pay for it. So I threw it all in the wind. I did red, yellow, blue, basically for free.
[00:24:58] And I think myself every day that I did that, then I made that decision because I didn't get any money per se, from royalties, from the. But I, you know, I was able to go do different events and I'm still getting paid to come to libraries and Philadelphia and just read the book and you know, I'm, I'm happy to read the book, but you're actually paying me now too. I bought a bunch of the books and I sell it for, you know, almost twice the price that you find in retail and people are willing to buy it from me because I'm because I'm, ] just drawing a little picture. [00:25:34] Azhelle Wade: cool. Yeah.
[00:25:36] Charles George Esperanza: Yeah. And you know it, and I got on the radar of so many people I wouldn't have, otherwise I was written about on Buzzfeed, Huffington.
[00:25:47] Azhelle Wade: I didn't know that.
[00:25:48] Charles George Esperanza: Yeah. I was getting a whole bunch of write-ups because I took that chance and I, you know, I worked almost for free. I was able to, you know, dream bigger though. I will say it's still, there still was a lot of pushback from the publishing industry, because I was trying to get an agent and the agent one agent that I met a white. It was like you know, your, your, your art is too artsy. It's it looks like it should be in a museum. It's not 14. And I would be like,
[00:26:28] Azhelle Wade: What? People shouldn’t down kids.
[00:26:31] Charles George Esperanza: Yeah. And especially in this day and age. where, what kids like, and what adult adults, like, like the lines are more blurred now than I think ever before in history. So I was just like, you know, I, I took the criticism. But I did not, I didn't. change. I just, this stubbornness comes back into. play
[00:26:54] Azhelle Wade: Yeah. Tourist is back in action.
[00:26:56] Charles George Esperanza: Yeah. if I like it, I'm going to keep doing it that way.
[00:27:00] Azhelle Wade: Well, because like, when you love something, the love comes out when you execute it. And if you, in order to make it, you're going to have to be, you're going to have to be able to be like to just not stop, to be resilient, to just keep going. And if you don't love it, you're not going to do that. So you can't, you can't always change who you are just to fit the mold cause it'll show,
[00:27:24] Charles George Esperanza: Certainly. Yeah, it will be inauthentic. And that's the one thing that I would never want my art to come across as inauthentic on trying to portray something that I'm not so.
[00:27:36] Azhelle Wade: Okay. Let's let me, I want you to have time to talk about boogie boogie y'all. so let's talk about this ridiculously amazing book that you, you got an opportunity to have a book published with Harper collins. versus. I want to hear a little bit about that story. And then you illustrated this beautiful book and created a song to go with it. And I like let, I mean, there's a lot to dive into here. So how did this even start? Tell me about the phone call. What happened?
[00:28:05] Charles George Esperanza: After I did red, yellow, blue. I was like, all right, y'all see what I can do. Now. You see my article at Huffington post. You see me in buzzfeed. Y'all see so Yeah.you see me in Buzzfeed. So like where's the money now let's go. And you know what? Huffington post, all of the, all of the read alouds that were going up on YouTube, you know librarians reading. No, it was, I was getting a lot of love. Agents were like, no, no, we still, we still don't believe that it's a viable style. We don't think that you're, you know, you're marketable. That was one of the things I was told is I'm not marketable
[00:28:51] Charles George Esperanza: So I was just like, I was ready to give up.Um, Yeah. So I, so I was like, you know what, I need to not be broke anymore. Let me find out what else I'm passionate about that I can do. so yeah, so then I got into education. I was, I went back to an art school. in the Bronx that I did my first painting at this is like the first try at painting. It was called the Bronx river art center. And so I called them up and I was like do you need an, do you need an art teacher? Like I have a BFA in illustration from fit. I went there as a kid in the year, 2000, 2001. They put me in a, they put me in a high school to do afterschool programs and it was, it was, it was a challenge. Getting Bronx kids in the Bronx, excited about about painting and art sometimes can, can be super challenging because it was a basketball school as well.
[00:30:07] I found the art nerds here and there I'd run the hallways with my flyers and I'd be like, Hey, you like art, you want to, you want to learn. And they'd be like, what are you, what are you? And I was like, I did this book, right? Yellow, blue, and a dash and white too. And they be like, oh, that's cool.
[00:30:23] From there I went to much better organizations like a dream yard in the Bronx and amazing arts organization. I went to groundswell. I learned to paint murals. I didn't see it as something I had to do. I was like, what else am I passionate about? And I, and I thought that this was something, you know, that I could do that I could be proud of. I didn't want a job that I would just be waking up in the morning, just, you know, slaving away to get money. I wanted to do something positive about, so I went into education and even as, you know, success.
[00:31:03] The picture book illustrator. I still I'm still in education and I won't give it up because it's actually very fulfilling and boogie boogie y'all came from, be hanging out with Bronx kids and painting murals and actually being forced to spend time in my home borough of the Bronx, because all my friends lived in Brooklyn and Queens.
[00:31:24] So me having to be and work in the Bronx, I had to learn about the art scene that was going on here. I had to go to the Bronx museum museum. I had to learn about the graffiti scene that was going on in the local artists that were around here. So if I wasn't forced to to find something else besides you know, picture book, illustration, boogie, boogie, y'all wouldn't exist because you know, that detour made me even better. So I'm very happy, happy for that.
[00:31:59] Azhelle Wade: So what is boogie boogie all about?
[00:32:03] Charles George Esperanza: Well. I teach at a community center near Fordham road and I noticed an amazing graffiti piece outside of our community center. I took a picture of it and I brought it in, I put it on the screen in case. And the kids were like, whoa. And I was like, isn't that cool? They were like, yeah, that's so awesome. Did you see that in like a museum or something? I was like, what are you talking about? This is like across The, street. Like, did you not see this on the way coming in? Like it was new at the time. So I'm like, y'all definitely should have noticed this. And then I, I, that kind of made me realize, like kids didn't really, you know take a look at their surroundings and like pay attention to the art on the wall. So I was just like so I asked him also, like, what, what do you know about graffiti? What, what is your perception of it? A lot of them were saying, you know, the cycle things from decades ago, you know oh, it's gangs, it's gang symbols. It's you know, it's vandalism, it's this it's that. And I was just kind of like. Graffiti is probably the most accessible form of art. There is kids who have never taken an art class, want to do Buffini it's. If you live in the Bronx, New York city at some of the first art that you're going to associate with your home. And if you associate the art that's around your home with gangs and negative.
[00:33:43] You're always going to think that about where you live. And you're going to think that about yourself because you are in a sense where you come from. So I made boogie boogie y'all to kind of any book that I kind of make. Now I want to try and challenge the status quo. So boogie boogie y'all is a challenge to the status quo.
[00:34:03] I want teachers to have a conversation. About graffiti with their kids. And even if they don't have a conversation about it, I want them to have to think about it. If they hate graffiti, I want them to have to be like, I like this book a lot, but it's about something I hate and it's fun to read aloud and, you know, a mainstream publisher published it. So maybe it's okay. So I want them to grapple with that kind of stuff and yeah. So that's why I'm happy. Buddy-buddy all exists.
[00:34:31] Azhelle Wade: the whole book rhymes.
[00:34:34] Charles George Esperanza: Yes. The whole book is a rap song. There's an audio book version out right now. If you got audible Bodie, boatyard, CG, Esperanza my nephew MCE M who is a one of the main characters in the book is also featured in the audio book. He's rapping in the audio book. And we're shooting a video with the, with with a rap song version of the, of the book and that's coming out soon.
[00:35:07] Azhelle Wade: Yeah, honestly, your book, I think your, your books do look like they belong in a museum. I would A hundred percent print out a page of your book and put it up like a, like a peace in my, in my, house. it's it's it's beautiful. I mean, I love your style.
[00:35:24] Charles George Esperanza: Thank you so much.
[00:35:25] Azhelle Wade: So when you finished it, when you finished the book and you work with Harper Collins, how does that whole process work for people that are like, oh, I'm interested. I want to be an illustrator. Once you get the deal,
[00:35:36] Charles George Esperanza: yeah, So I ended up, you know, I was just trying my best to network with people in the industry, as much as I could. I learned about. An amazing agent. And I, you know, I was just like, you know, I might as well try it, see if she would like to represent me. And to my surprise, she was interested and I was just, you know, so excited.
[00:36:10] And she came to see me at the bronx book festival. I performed there for the first annual Bronx book Fest. I knew she was going to be there. So I came in my blue jacket. I brought my music abroad. It was a rainy day and only three kids showed up, but I was like, I don't care. I'm a come, I'm become 100% me. Let me give them, I'm gonna give those three kids the best show ever.
[00:36:35] I came in my drums, everything, and yeah, it turned out I had a, I had a blast. Marietta was there and she's my agent. And, and she was just like, we need to work together. I'm so excited. I was just like, super happy about that. And also I got photographed for the New York times too that day too. So, you know, always, always come your best because you never know, even if it's a rainy day and only three kids show up, we are times an agent might be there.
[00:37:08] Azhelle Wade: Oh, Yeah, everybody. Okay. So you got the deal, you start working on the book, you're working on it for two years, too long. And then it comes out and what happens next? Like when it comes out, you started making some promo materials. They made promo materials, what's that process? Like
[00:37:26] Charles George Esperanza: Yeah. So when I, when I was at a Stipe pony, that was a really, really small publisher and they almost put no promotion into my. book. So they put no no money into my promotion. But it, you know, good work will be seen. They Huffington post still saw bus feeds to the side. And so because I worked with this publisher that didn't really promote me, I had to learn to promote myself.
[00:37:58] I had to learn to print out stickers. Go to events and, you know, pass out flyers and just anything I could do to promote myself. So now I'm with, you know, Harper Collins, one of the top five publishers in the world, I think maybe top, top three now top two. Cause they're all merging. So now that I'm working with them, they put tons and tons of money into promotion. They made an animation of my. They just like,
[00:38:28] Azhelle Wade: I saw that. It's amazing.
[00:38:28] Charles George Esperanza: Yeah. So anything, anything I need there? You know, they put me on a nationwide radio and TV tour. So if you, yeah, if you Google CG, Esperanza buggy, buggy, y'all, you'll see iHeart radio interviews different radio stations in this was like August August 10th, the day the book came out.
[00:38:55] So the interviews are sprinkled all over the internet now. And that was my PR person. Who's like amazing. Like she was on
[00:39:03] Azhelle Wade: You got a PR person?
[00:39:05] Charles George Esperanza: Yeah. So yeah, Harper college doesn't play.
[00:39:08] Azhelle Wade: Wow.
[00:39:10] Charles George Esperanza: So I was super happy about that, but then I still have this mentality like Charles, you need to promote yourself.
[00:39:16] Azhelle Wade: Yeah.
[00:39:17] Charles George Esperanza: So I do, I do some stuff and sometimes they like charles, you don't need to do that. You don't work. But still I'm like, no, I need to put my own vision on my promotion too. So this music video I'm coming out with is totally a Charles Gert Esperanza thing.
[00:39:37] Azhelle Wade: Live action.
[00:39:39] Charles George Esperanza: It is live action. My, my nephew, Ian M C E N will be starting in the video as well as the. star, So we'll, we'll see. Um,
[00:39:49] Azhelle Wade: You need anyone else, you know.
[00:39:51] Charles George Esperanza: Yeah. you're you're you're you have amazing dance moves.
[00:39:54] Azhelle Wade: Oh, right.
[00:39:55] Charles George Esperanza: going to need
[00:39:56] Azhelle Wade: I remember you were trying to get me in there to dance. Right. I forgot about that. Okay. Well, okay. I do want to ask, before we wrap up, I feel like this is a great teaching moment for You You might be caught off guard, but it's okay. You can take time to think. Where do you get your ideas for self promotion? Cause you D you came up with this rap song. It's such a good idea. You said You went and handed out postcards. When you did red, yellow, blue, come all dressed to the nines, which I think is a part of your whole, you're driving a persona. So people want to come to your speaking engagements, but where do you get these ideas for somebody that needs to do self.[00:40:33] Charles George Esperanza: you know I, you know, I just, I don't even. Really get them from anywhere. I just kinda think to myself, like, how can I make the most of this? If I go to event where I'm reading to kids, I'm like, how can I make the most of them, I going to wear a polo button-down shirt, or am I going to dress like, like, whoa, who is this guy? He's weird. I feel like I'm an extension of my art. What I wear is an extension of my art. So I dressed like a character from one of my books. And yeah, as for, you know, everybody loves stickers, everybody loves you know, free anything. So if you can give someone a free thing and it looks like it should be paid for, they're going to remember it.
[00:41:24] Azhelle Wade: That is really true. One more quick question. So you think about how can you make the most of it? So is it fair to say that you thought of your book that rhymes and you said, how can I make the, most of the fact that I made this whole rap book? And then that's why you made that song? Yeah.
[00:41:40] Charles George Esperanza: I grew up a kid who didn't like to read.
[00:41:43] Azhelle Wade: Mm.
[00:41:45] Charles George Esperanza: Makeup books and tell my teachers that I read those books. Cause we had a book log. Everybody knows about the book lot. So I just make up names and make up names of authors.
[00:41:54] Azhelle Wade: my God,
[00:41:54] Charles George Esperanza: where my creativity came from. I don't know,
[00:41:56] Azhelle Wade: caught. Cause I did something and they caught me.
[00:42:00] Charles George Esperanza: they never caught me. You know, Google didn't exist in 1994. So thankfully or my teachers were lazy. One of the two Shout out to teachers. Y'all are awesome. I know you're overworked and underpaid. Okay. So much love.
[00:42:17] Azhelle Wade: My gosh!
[00:42:18] Charles George Esperanza: So yeah, I was like, I need to make this book musical. I need to make it something that little Charles would be like, yo. And I remember my first ever interaction with rap was criss-cross. the song, jump, jump, jump, jump, the Mac, daddy, make a jump jump, and that'd be not gonna make.
[00:42:38] Criss crossed the mic here and everybody's wearing their clothes crisscross. Remember that? I was 91, watched the video that like that blew me up. I remember show and tell, I would always bring in a vinyl for we are the world, cause that was my favorite song.
[00:42:54] Azhelle Wade: Yeah.
[00:42:54] Charles George Esperanza: kid brought in the tip, the crisscross tape, I never listened to, We are the world again, after that I broke it in half, threw it out. I was like, this is my new jam.
[00:43:05] Azhelle Wade: Uh,
[00:43:06] Charles George Esperanza: a couple of years later, I made Chris, I made boogie boogie
[00:43:09] Azhelle Wade: Wow. I love, I mean, I love it. I hope everybody, everyone listening. This is the toy coach telling you that you need to go out there and buy boogie, boogie all. We'll put all the links in the show notes. But charles, tell me what else is coming up for you? Like what are you going to do next? How many more books you got in?
[00:43:25] Charles George Esperanza: Well, I'm working on a book now that's about sneakers and. I don't want to
spoil the surprise, but there's a lot of sneakers in it. And it also has to do with de-stigmatizing something in the black and brown community, not, not too overtly, but you know, it's, it's in there. And, I think this is probably the best thing I ever wrote. So. Yeah, I actually think it's the best thing I ever, so I'm really excited. It's coming out in 2023 and then more recently I have soul food, Sunday, a book I didn't write, but I illustrated and that, yeah, that book it's coming out in November, this November just in time for Thanksgiving. And it's written by winsome, Bingham and amazing author. And yeah, so that one looked out for that one April.
[00:44:20] Azhelle Wade: Yeah, give me all the links. We'll put all those links in the show notes. Are you going to oil paint the book?
[00:44:24] Charles George Esperanza: Yeah. You know what I'm thinking of trying out acrylics, just so I can get faster, you know, it's always evolving.
[00:44:33] Azhelle Wade: So before we go, is there anything else that you want to say, Charles?
[00:44:37] Charles George Esperanza: yeah. There's one more thing I want to say know y'all if you got y'all y'all if you got a toy idea and let her know, don't skip it and don't let go build it up with the toy coach decipher the Rubik's cube. Simon says, follow your dreams, slip and slide it to success. Easy bait topic with.I'll be a potato head. Your dream house awaits your name in bright lights, like light, bright it's state. was the polit passage. Take a new approach the toy coach.
[00:45:05] Azhelle Wade: Wow. Oh, my thank you. That was awesome. Wow. I'm going to need an in-person reading cause I know you're coming over for a game nights, so, wow. That was awesome. Thank you so much.
[00:45:24] Charles George Esperanza: a little thing for you, my style.
[00:45:26] Azhelle Wade: Oh my God. That was awesome. Okay. Wow. ] I don't why shouldn't even say anything else, actually.Thank you so much for this amazing conversation and this visual treat that you really brought to us today.
[00:45:43] Charles George Esperanza: I had shiny, but I don't know if I did or
[00:45:45] Azhelle Wade: I think you did anybody, anybody listening? The video, the full video is for my podcast insiders club members. And I think you're going to want this one. Thanks so much for coming on the show today. It was a pleasure having you, where can people connect you?
[00:45:58] Charles George Esperanza: I am CG Esperanza on all social media platforms.
[00:46:07] Azhelle Wade: Okay.
[00:46:08] Charles George Esperanza: Esperanza. and you can see the spelling there. And my book, my book Boogie, Boogie Y'all is in stores everywhere.
[00:46:16] Azhelle Wade: Everywhere. Okay. Thank you. Have a wonderful rest of your day. I see you later Charles.
[00:46:19] Charles George Esperanza: You. too. Catch you later.
[00:46:29] Azhelle Wade: Before I dive into my summary of today's episode, I've got to give a listener, shout out to Andrew Darlow. Andrew says a must listen for anyone in the toy biz. It's difficult to put into words how much I've learned and how much I've been inspired by Janelle and her guests as a product developer slash inventor who aspires to create and license my toy ideas. This podcast is filled with supportive ideas and people who are either aware I'd like to be, or who regularly work with inventors. Andrew. Thank you so much for your wonderful review. I appreciate you. And I'm so happy to have you as a student now inside of toy creators academy. Let's dive in to the conclusion of today's episode.
[00:47:18] The number one takeaway I want you to pull from today's talk with Charles with CG. Esperanza is that success is not a straight line. There are twists turns even roadblocks along the way. And it's okay to take a step off of your desired path that you think will lead you straight to success to take a little detour whenever there might be a roadblock and not be afraid to hop back on that path, when the way clears up. Much like Charles did after creating red, yellow, blue, and a dash of white too, when he couldn't land another book deal, he actually turned to teaching art. He turned to education, something he could believe in and be proud of. Now that detour, wasn't the end of his journey. So a detour for you doesn't mean the end of your toy journey, either my friends, in fact, oftentimes that detour can enrich you and your journey and inspire the next step on your desire. Toy path, much like how teaching an art class to kids in the Bronx inspired Charles his latest book Boogie, Boogie, Y’all. Now your action item for next week is this go by my friend's book, you can grab the link to buy your own copy of boogie boogie y'all by heading over to the toy coach.com forward slash 92. And if you love it, leave a positive review. Okay. Now as always, thank you so much for spending time with me today. I know your time is extremely valuable and there are a ton of podcasts out there. So it means the world to me, that you tune into. Into this one until next week. I'll see you later toy people.
-
🎓Learn more about how you can develop and pitch your toy idea with Toy Creators Academy® by clicking here to visit toycreatorsacademy.com and join the waitlist.