I'm Ready! Children's Book Forthcoming!
/This is so exciting! I’m ready, I’m actually ready! Years of imagining what I wanted is finally coming to fruition. Projects I didn’t even know I wanted are about to launch. It’s pretty incredible how we (meaning, me) fight against ideas that will propel us forward out of fear of the unknown, but once it happens, we wonder…what took so long?
A dear friend (we’ll call her Salina because that’s her name and it suits her) asked me what I knew about children’s books. I promptly told her I know nothing, NOTHING about children’s books. I thought that was the end of the whole children’s book conversation. But no. Because…the Universe. The next day, I got a call from a previous client asking about, what else, a children’s book. Why won’t people just let me be great in my comfort zone? It was early November, 2020 so I told my client, “Look, I know nothing, NOTHING about children’s books.” She responded, “God told me.” Well, I’m certainly not going to argue with God, but I have been known to procrastinate a little (see Jonah). “Fine,” I said, “let’s talk after the holidays.” I hung up the phone and documented the conversation. “Client wants a children’s book about hope based on a minor character in the last book I ghostwrote for her.” That’s it. That’s all I had to document because that’s the entire conversation. Why didn’t I stop there? I could have just stopped there, crossed my fingers and hoped she would forget about it. But, no. I couldn’t let it go. I started writing. Ten more minutes, I told myself. Twenty more minutes, I told myself. Ninety minutes later, the children’s book I knew nothing, NOTHING about was finished. Like, the entire book was written, including a written description of the illustrations to accompany the rhyming verse. Now what?
I had never used Fiverr but I heard they had illustrators. I knew nothing, NOTHING about children’s book illustrations but let’s just see what Fiverr is all about. Hmmm. Aww, that’s so cute, I like this colorful drawing here! Let’s send a message: “Hi, I know nothing, NOTHING about children’s book illustrations and I could use your help. This is what I’m looking for, let me know if you’re available.” Immediately, I got a response from Ghyvari in Indonesia who was just beginning his day as I was ending mine. We talked online. and I told him what I imagined the first illustration would look like. He sent me a sketch EXACTLY like the sketch I drew freehand, except a whole lot more like something I’d actually pay for. Then he sent me seven more sketches (I hadn’t paid this man a dime, we had no contract, he just cranked out sketches like he was completely flowing in his gift) and I imagined Ghyvari must be some mystical magical being because there’s no way I was communicating with someone halfway around the world (including language and cultural barriers) who was nailing every sketch the first time! In three weeks, the whole book design was complete: the verses, the illustrations, the cover. Done. I shared my news with Salina, and now we both have children’s books due to be released this spring.
I can’t exactly say I now know everything, EVERYTHING about children’s books, but I know enough. And sometimes, that’s all we need. Stop back through in March and pick up your copy of Annie’s Hope (in English and Spanish). And while you’re at it, pick up Salina’s book (coauthored with her son, Landon) entitled, Mommy, If You Just Hold My Hand. (Isn’t that an AMAZING title? Gives me chills!) Sometimes, knowing nothing, NOTHING is a great place to start.