Frank Capra

If you know Jessica Lange only from her Emmy-nominated role as the mother from hell on “American Horror Story” you might think twice before sharing her handiwork with offspring of your own. But performers are not their characters — nor has Ms. Lange ever worked on a soap opera with a co-star who turned out to be Dustin Hoffman in drag — and now this Oscar- and Emmy-winning actress is about to become the author of a picture book for young readers.