I have always loved creating stories.  I love imaging new worlds and the characters in them.  Writing books allows me to do that.  It brings me great joy.

I first started writing picture books after my own children were born.  When my oldest son started pre-school, he struggled while trying to learn the alphabet.  This gave me the idea for my book, THE LITTLE i WHO LOST HIS DOT, a book that is not only fun and engaging but one that can help children learn the alphabet and letter sounds.

I struggled as a reader when I was a child, so I often would open a book, look at the pictures, and make up my own story.  I think that is when I first fell in love with storytelling.  Beatrix Potter books and Cicely Mary Barkers Flower Fairies series were among my favorites.  I was always wishing I could escape into the pictures.

The secret is to pay attention.  Ideas are everywhere, and an author’s job is to catch them, write them down, and share them with others.

The publishing process is fun and amazing. Each milestone is its own victory from finding an agent to signing the first book contract.  I’ve loved seeing how a book is made from start to finish and seeing how the text comes alive with the illustrations.

Every day is different.  I’m a wife and mom and with homeschooling, kids going in a dozen different directions, and chores on our hobby farm, life is always busy.  On a typical day, I try to get my writing done early in the morning and have a daily word count goal that I’m always striving for which keeps me disciplined.  Then a lot of time throughout my day is devoted to other tasks like revising, critiquing manuscripts, catching up on emails and social media and most importantly, reading.  I try to read several picture books each week and usually end my day reading a novel.  My favorite days are the days I get to share my books with others.  I do a lot of events at bookstores, schools, and libraries, and speak at writers groups and conferences.  These days are always the highlights of my week.

Write!  The more you write, the better you become.  The other most important thing you can do is read.  Read books similar to what you are writing.  It’s also important to study the craft.  Find a writing community and attend workshops and conferences. 

The journey to becoming a published author is different for everyone but the key is to stay persistent and never give up.

Yes!  I love doing author visits- it’s one of the best parts of the job! For more information on visits email me at contact@kimberleegard.com