More Monsters Q&A

Many of the chapters in The Monsters of Templeton include some great photographs that really add to the book. So we asked:
Q: Did you find the photos before or after the text? How/where did you find them?

A: Some photos I found before I wrote the text, and formed the characters based on their images--others I found afterwards. I spent some glorious months and years in antique stores, flea markets and on eBay to find the right images. Some were mine to begin with (my mother is Vi as an adorable child); some were given to me (Vi as an adult is actually the photo of someone who is integral to my book, but who probably doesn't want me to tell on her); some, I searched and despaired until I found them. Marmaduke is this enormous 17-th century Dutch oil that's hanging somewhat gloomily over my fireplace in Florida--freaking out all of my dinner guests (he's frowning down pretty judgmentally), but he's also a fabulous conversational piece.