"Nothing Special" is writer Desiree Cooper's first children's book created in collaboration with the illustrator Bec Sloane.  It is a story of family connection across generations through the simple things of life and a return to the essentials that bring back true joy.  Our conversation introduces the book, the story's significance to Des and her audience, the intricate and impressive work Sloane put into the illustrations, and how the book has a life of its own.  Des Cooper is a former attorney turned Pulitzer Prize-nominated journalist and an author of fiction, poetry, and essays who won numerous awards, including the 2017 Next Generation Indie Book Award. Her work has appeared in Flash Fiction America 2023, The Best Small Fictions 2018, Callaloo, Michigan Quarterly Review, The Best American Essays 2019, and many more publications. Bec Sloane, is a visual artist and Agricultural Research Technician working in and around farming communities in Central New Jersey who has worked in the arts and film industries in New York and abroad. She specializes in stop-motion animation and large-scale fabrication work for TV, theatre, and film. She has worked for clients ranging from the Jim Henson Company to Macy's iconic flagship, and has implemented arts-driven curricula for grades K-12. "Nothing Special" was named one of the New York Public Library's Top 10 Best Children's Books of 2022!

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