Author Spotlight -- My Way to Kindness

When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

The main reason I started writing was the attempt to teach my own kids, and communicate my ideas to them in an entertaining way. You know, no one likes to be lectured - neither a kid nor a grown-up. When somebody tries to tell you what to do in a dull and boring manner, you lose focus pretty easily. A whole different matter is when you get involved through a story or some activity and learn something new in the process. My kids responded very well when I tried to teach them through rhymed lines. They giggled and found that amusing, repeated the verses, and memorized them pretty easily. That is how I came up with the idea to create my first rhymed story about anger management — "I Am Stronger Than Anger". And then I was lucky to find a very talented illustrator, who brought to life my characters and scenes. Moreover, the experience of working as a school teacher has given me a better understanding of children’s various behavior and needs, and the ways to grab their attention and be heard. This motivated me to create engaging educational content as well.

What is your favorite part of writing process?

Matching illustrations with text is the most fun part of making a picture book. I don’t draw well at all, but I visualize the pages pretty easily in my imagination and then try to describe them with the help of words to the person who makes illustrations. I don’t know if it’s for my descriptions, for the good level of understanding of my illustrator, or the synergy of our cooperation, but the pictures end up being exactly how I imagine them. And that is just wonderful to see how your imagination comes to life on the pages of the book!

How long does it take you to complete a book?

It depends. If I have a clear idea for the book, the whole story may come up even in several days, with additional 2-3 weeks for final polishing of all the lines, rhymes, and words. Preparing illustrations takes about a month, and the final book layout and editing are another 1-1,5 weeks. So, I guess it takes about 1,5-2 months to complete a book from the state of a raw idea to the final release.

How do you balance work when you're writing?  How about parenthood?

My books are a part of my parenting process, so to say. I don’t need to sit for long hours coming up with some ideas I could put on paper - the ideas are all around me, in everyday situations and interactions. I just have to catch them, take some quick notes, and then process them from my perspective.

How many books have you written?

I already have 8 releases in 2 different series: “World of Kids’ Emotions” and “My Way: Social Emotional Books for Kids”. And more to come! Apart from that, I also prepare Spanish, Italian, German, and French translations, so if we count them all - there are around 20 books in total.

Do any of the books you write come from your own childhood?

It’s more like the ideas I get when I watch my kids and their friends - their behavior, problems, fears, and questions they ask. My books are an attempt to address all these, through my own experience and perspective, and give the answers that may be apprehended. In general: everything comes from real-life situations and further reflections about them.

What do you hope for the children who read your books?

I just hope that my books are of use to children and their parents, giving them the answers and insights they are looking for. And I also hope that each book finds its reader at the very right moment.

What is your favorite book of all time?

I don’t really like choosing only one among my favorites, but I think if I have to, then it will be ‘The Catcher in the Rye’. On the first read, I was amazed by the author's ability to describe the world through the eyes of a teenager in such a convincing way. I’m trying to master this ability to describe through a perspective in my books as well, as it is crucial to make children feel that they are understood, that their problems and fears are relevant, and being addressed.

 

We absolutely enjoyed learning about Elizabeth and her writing process! She has some amazing books listed on her site.  Thank you, Elizabeth for sharing!

Please visit Elizabeth at www.ecole-author.com.