Winona author visits library

Janesville Public Library patrons enjoyed a visit from first-time Minnesota author Jenny Baertsch as she came to promote her children’s chapter book Junkyard Tough: A “Tail” of Bravery last Tuesday, July 18. The book was illustrated by Sara Pientok, a graphic designer who is also Baertsch’s best friend.

Baertsch lives and works in Winona, where she studied public relations at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota and graduated in 2001. While a student there, she met her husband Jim, a Winona native. “It’s the same story for every SMUMN graduate: I came for the recruiting visit and loved the community,” said Baertsch. 

Baertsch said that Junkyard Tough came about as a passion project, when her family adopted a cat named Boots from a local junkyard. Around the time Boots came into her life, Baertsch’s children became old enough to read chapter books and she felt “reinspired” to pursue writing again. As a young reader, Baertsch enjoyed the works of children’s authors like Roald Dahl and Beverly Cleary. In writing her own book, Baertsch sought to create a narrative that combined the “real-life crazy adventures” of Boots the cat with a fictional narrative that would be “fun for kids to read,” and an “underlying story of bravery that connects a moral to a pet.” 

After writing the first draft of her story, Baertsch enlisted the help of an informal team of editors which included friends, colleagues, teachers, and librarians, to prepare her book for publication. She also conducted focus groups in local classrooms, where third to fifth graders, who are her book’s primary audience, served as the “best editors” when it came to pointing out what needed to change in her manuscript. 

In the year following the completion of Junkyard Tough’s manuscript, Pientok completed her illustrations and the design of the book. Then, Baertsch formed her own publishing imprint, Baertsch Books, to maintain control of ownership and the publication process. When the book was released in October 2021, every part of it was made locally in Winona. 

Since becoming an author, Baertsch said that her favorite part of the job is “connecting with readers” through visits to schools and libraries, such as the one in Janesville.“The book has become only one part of the process; the dream is connecting with readers and inspiring them, “ said Baertsch. Baertsch said that Junkyard Tough recently surpassed 2,000 copies sold. “My first order was 500 and I thought that was a lot of books, but I just placed another order,” said Baertsch.

As part of her visit, Baertsch gave a presentation for students receiving school-aged care from the Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton and Trinity Lutheran schools on Tuesday afternoon. She stayed through that evening, selling signed copies of Junkyard Tough and handing out free coloring sheets of Pientok’s illustrations.

Before becoming an author, Baertsch worked as a sports reporter for the Winona Daily News. She intended to build her career in the sports industry, earning a master’s degree in sports management from Minnesota State University, Mankato in 2007. During her studies in Mankato, Baertsch also served as the university’s athletic communications graduate assistant.

Baertsch switched career paths at 23 years old, when she felt burnt out “working every night and every weekend,” as a sports writer. That pivot brought her into a position at WNB Financial, Winona’s community bank, where she has worked for 15 years and holds the title of marketing manager. While Baertsch said that she does not represent the bank while on author visits, she “appreciates all they have done to support [her] dream.”