PLATTEVILLE, March 18 — Sasquatches, feelings and bullying are among the subjects one local couple has written about in their published children’s picture books shared with students.

What started as a practice to help process a tragic loss has in the last five years grown into Gamma Burst Books. 

Platteville authors Landa and Thomas Penisten recently visited Southwestern Wisconsin School District’s elementary school students to read stories they’ve written to them and to answer audience questions.

The Penistens have published seven total books for readers age 3 to 99 years old, they said.

In their trips to school districts like Southwestern, they share insight on the publishing process and “encourage the kids that they can do it too,” said Landa.

In the current technological era filled with AI content, “It really helps the kids see that there’s still very much room to be creative,” said Thomas, noting that it’s always a fun experience going to the schools.

“You feel a bit of a celebrity” while walking the halls, said Landa. She and Thomas often hear students enthusiastically whispering to each other when they see them, “And then they want your autograph,” said Thomas. “They make you feel like a rock star.”

There’s a lot of behind-the-scenes teamwork and division of responsibilities within the Penisten household that goes into making the book-crafting enterprise a success.

As a self-taught IT specialist by day who has been working professionally in computer-centric roles for the last 25 years, Landa does their website and marketing work.

And Thomas — who went to school for art but now runs a small engine shop out of their home — creates the illustrations for their pieces. 

Making the Penistens’ first book, A Time for Color: A Book About Joy, was something Thomas did to help him process his grief in the aftermath of the devastating loss of his younger sister. 

“That one was almost kind of like therapy for me,” said Thomas. “It was kind of just putting thoughts and feelings into words and then making it rhyme.”

He initially created illustrations with colored pencils and charcoal but has since incorporated software into the artmaking process. And Landa has in the last couple of years started writing as well.

“It’s really been a process,” said Thomas.

They have produced a graphic novel-style work, Franklin the Firefly: The Glow Within for kids ages 8–12, which is about bullying, and another series they have in the works focuses on feelings.
The Penistens always seek to ensure their writings are based around positive messaging. And in their books featuring their original character, Granola Squatch — whom Thomas describes as “a hippy sasquatch” — another aim is to teach young readers about grammar through repetitious language, and to encourage them to problem-solve the plots’ mysteries as they read by offering them clues throughout the pages, said Landa.

Sasquatch as a subject is of particular interest to the Penistens, who have been on a Bigfoot Hunt at Devil’s Lake and love participating in such adventures, they noted. They hope to someday travel and write full-time, and the couple recently bought a motorhome to eventually do just that.

In the meantime, they have some exciting expos and vendor events on their agenda for the year ahead, said Thomas.

They continue to write, do presentations and readings, and donate books to schools and children’s hospitals, they noted.

They also sell their books and accompanying plushies, plus other merchandise both online and in-person at a variety of locations. 

But “With the market being very, very saturated, it’s tough. It’s tough to get out there,” said Landa. “It’s so competitive.”

The Penistens say they are sending their work to as many agents and distributors as they can and are working with brick-and-mortar operations, seeking to overcome this challenge. They have eBook versions of their pieces, too.

More information is available on their website at https://www.gammaburstbooks.com/