Last spring, I was delighted to interview Bitsy Kemper to discuss her Mommy & Me Micro-Moments: Nurturing Faith, Sharing Laughs devotional book (2025). If you missed the interview, you can check it out here. Since then, Bitsy has been busy! Today, she’s celebrating the release of her latest picture book, Best Friends With Grandma (illustrated by Amelia Gossman, published by The Little Press), and we’re happy to have her back to chat with us. Now, let’s settle in to hear about this sweet book, pick up a few writing tips, and more. Welcome, Bitsy!
Interview
Sue: I understand that you’ve dedicated Best Friends With Grandma to your own grandmother. Please tell us more about this adorable book and how it came to be.
Bitsy: I think you’d call it a “quiet picture book.” Best Friends with Grandma celebrates quiet, everyday moments between grandmas and grandkids—those loving small gestures that leave a lasting imprint in your heart. It’s a giggly story, sure, but it’s more of a tribute to the unspoken, unwavering love passed down through generations, the ones handed down without even being meant to. It’s not like my grandmother said to herself, “I bet 40 years from now my granddaughter will be shouting ‘say a prayer as you walk down the street!’ to her own kids as they walk to the bus stop.” But it’s something ingrained in me, a way she passed on her love of faith, a way she passed on her love of us kids, without saying “I love you so much that I want you to see there are ways to pray in every opportunity.” I wanted to capture how love isn’t only spoken—it’s lived. There’s something so special about a grandmother’s relationship where that rings true.
And it’s universal! In this book, each page features a culturally diverse child and grandmother pair, showing the beautiful ways love (and therefore faith) exist around the world—from shared overstuffed chairs and off-key songs to secret snacks and soft-spoken wisdom.
I’d say it’s a “soft sell” Christian book as there isn’t any overt Christian message or wording in it. What you’ll find is each family pairing has a Bible quote at the bottom of each concluded scene, such as baking or sitting side-by-side.
Sue: Having several books published in both the Christian and general markets, you’re a prolific writer. Which habits do you maintain to make your work the BEST it can be?
Bitsy: That’s an interesting question because I don’t think I can point to any one thing, or any one discipline. I’m constantly attending conferences, which lets me meet new people who I can learn from and gives me new perspectives and ideas. I never really edit the same way each time, or even write the same way.
There are labels for writers—”pantser or plotter“—where you either just start writing with a general idea and hope you figure things out, or plot out the story from the get-go before you write out the first sentence. I do a bit of both. I tend to be more of a pantser, and when I’m frustrated that it’s not going anywhere, I try putting on a plotter’s hat for a while. But I do find that checking email and doing marketing stuff in the morning, and then writing/editing in the afternoon/evening seems to work best for me, creatively.
Sue: How might Write2Ignite FRIENDS use this book with their children and grandchildren?
Bitsy: Ooh, I love that question! As a “quiet book,” I think it’s the perfect lap reading book, as in, get the grandkids to sit on your lap and read it together. Take your time with it. Really enjoy the words—soak them up, especially the “And I agree…” sections in each family pairing, such as “And I agree the song always ends too soon so you should enjoy it while you can.” Talk through what you see in the great illustrations that Amelia Gossman worked so hard on. By the way, I also think Best Friends with Grandma is a perfect gift for Grandparents Day, which is the second Sunday in September!
Sue: What can we look forward to seeing from you next?
Bitsy: The companion Best Friends with Grandpa comes out in time for Grandparents Day 2027, so be on the lookout for that! I’ll also be presenting workshops at several conferences, including AWSA /CPA in MO late July/early August, West Coast Christian November in CA, and Visions Conference in Mt Herman 2027. I also have articles coming out in several Guideposts anthologies and Arise Daily Magazine.
Sue: Please finish these thoughts:
A best friend… understands
A Bible character I’d love to invite for dinner… is Job’s wife.
I was hoping you’d ask… where to find my books! The easiest way is to search “Bitsy Kemper” in quotes on Amazon.com, or go to my website, BitsyKemper.com/books.
Sue: It was great chatting with you today, Bitsy. Thanks again for joining us! Best Friends with Grandpa sounds like a fun book, too. We’ll be watching for that next summer.
GIVEAWAY!
Readers, Bitsy is giving away a free downloadable “Mommy & Me” coloring book. For your chance to win, enter the contest by leaving a comment on this post by August 10th.
Children’s author and educator Sue Irwin has written nature features, and biographical and how-to craft articles for various magazines, including AppleSeeds and Highlights for Children, and she’s a frequent contributor to Clubhouse and Clubhouse Jr. Her board book, Hey There, Blue Bird, Why Do You Chirp? (B&H Publishing, 2026) is on its way, and she’s thrilled about its upcoming release (in August, with B&H Publishing) – and more coming in 2027. Sue hosts W2I’s monthly Time2Write sessions, and she invites you to connect with her here.