Debut You is an interview feature on Our Stories Matter blog. Debut authors, who have released or have upcoming releases in 2023, are given five questions to answer about themselves and their book. Currently, the questions are the same for all authors. We hope you enjoy getting to know Leah Freeman-Haskin and can offer your support. Go here for past Debut You features.
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Describe yourself in five words then expound on one of them.
Creative, driven, empathetic, thoughtful, and introverted.
I’ve always been the quiet one. But I think great storytellers are active listeners and observers of the world around them. As an introvert, I am constantly internalizing my thoughts and ideas—I have created stories in my head for as long as I can remember. I am so excited to finally be able to share these stories with the world.
Explain your book’s journey—how long did it take—from idea to publication?
The Last Two Crayons has been a labor of love and a long journey from idea to publication. I got the idea of writing a children’s picture book when my eldest child was three (he’s eight now!). After reading countless stories to my son, I quickly fell in love with how picture books combined two of my passions: visual art and writing.
I was inspired by the book Brown Is a Beautiful Color that my mom read to me as a child. I wanted to echo the sentiments of that book but through a new perspective. It took me a year to write the manuscript and a few years to find the right publisher. Despite numerous rejections, I continued to pitch my story to publishers and advocate for myself and my story. Ultimately, Groundwood Books was the perfect partnership. They understood my vision and made finalizing my manuscript and working with the illustrator, Shantala Robinson, easy and enjoyable. It was so fun to finally see my story come to life through images!
Belief in oneself is essential, but besides you, who has been your cheerleader(s) throughout this process?
My husband is my biggest cheerleader. He was patient with me through this entire journey and with the emotional ups and downs around rejections and rewrites. He read every manuscript that came before The Last Two Crayons and encouraged me continuously to keep going. I also have a strong community of cheerleaders in my mom and dad, sisters, and close girlfriends who are mothers, entrepreneurs, and artists.
Understanding your audience is essential. What do you know for sure about the audience you are writing for?
I know my audience has felt “othered” before, causing them to question their own sense of self and beauty. This book is about the diversity of skin colors, self-love, and generating more awareness around the impact that words and labels can have on others. It’s a book I wish that I had when I was younger, and I hope others can see themselves in the main character’s journey.
Tell us about your book.
The Last Two Crayons is a celebration of the color brown! The picture book takes place in art class, where a young girl is the last one to reach the supply table and is left with the last two crayons: dark brown and light brown. At first, she is teased and discouraged, but ultimately she draws beautiful brown pictures, including a final one of herself and her family. The book is a reminder to everyone that brown is a beautiful color!
YOU did it! Your story is going to be read by children or teens, educators, parents, librarians, and book bloggers, congratulations! How do you feel, and are there any other projects in the works—that you can discuss?
I am elated! This has been a long journey, and I have thoroughly enjoyed the ride. I can’t wait for others to read this story and share their own experiences. I am dreaming up my next picture book, but I don’t have anything to share at the moment. Thank you for reading and supporting my work!
Leah Freeman-Haskin is a content creator and the founder of BLK Oceans, a website dedicated to promoting Black-owned businesses. As a child, she was inspired by a picture book to see beauty in the color brown, which helped change her perspective on her own sense of beauty and self-acceptance. Leah lives in Memphis, Tennessee, with her husband and two young sons. Connect with her on Instagram.
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