Debut You is an interview feature on Our Stories Matter blog. Debut authors, who have released or have upcoming releases in 2020, 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 these new authors and can offer them your support.
Describe yourself in five words, then expound on one of them.
Writer, mommy, resilient, resourceful, and kind.
When they look at all I have on my plate, people applaud me for being “so strong,” but I think the term should be resilient, which is defined as “able to withstand or recover quickly from difficult conditions.” Resilient means the tough times will come, and you will be bent, stretched, and pushed to the limit…but you recover, rebound, and remain. God has placed strength deposits inside of me that I’ve had to call upon many times in my life, and I appreciate the gift of resiliency.
Explain your writing procedure, such as how you come up with ideas, carve out time to write (or, if you can write anywhere at any time during the day), deal with writer’s block, or anything particular or peculiar.
I don’t operate under a set writing procedure because it’s very difficult to do while juggling full-time work and full-time parenting to five kids! Instead, I have (sadly) been conditioned to write in the middle of chaos, with multiple things going on, and with either one or two hands. I steal moments in the morning before the kids are up and take advantage of moments throughout the day to get some sentences in—in the school pickup line, at gymnastics practice, and before I collapse in my bed at night. A peculiar thing is that because I write this way so often, I struggle to be able to write in complete silence! I believe if you are passionate about something, you adjust and make it happen!
Balance is the key to successful living. How do you balance the act of writing with other priorities, such as your job, family or fun activities, and self-care?
I’m still learning about this balance thing! I touched on it in the previous question, but I think balance requires being very aware of your priorities, passions, and responsibilities and figuring out what is critical and what can be sacrificed. It requires being flexible and able to pivot easily, and it requires being willing to maximize every moment. For example, if the checkout line at the grocery store is insanely long, I could waste time scrolling on my phone, or I could write! If the water for spaghetti isn’t boiling yet, I could stand there watching it, or I could get a few sentences out! In his Mamba Mentality book, Kobe Bryant shared that he wasn’t going to sacrifice family time, and he wasn’t going to sacrifice his game, so to make things work, he chose to sacrifice sleep. Now, I’m not quite there with him on sacrificing sleep, but I do believe we all have to find that “thing” that we’re willing to sacrifice or reduce to pursue a passion and fulfill responsibilities.
Understanding your audience is essential. What do you know for sure about the audience you are writing for?
I know for sure that my audience needs to see kids of color reflected positively in books. My audience needs hope and affirmation. Most of all, my audience needs to be reminded of their worth and potential to transform the world simply by operating within their own greatness.
Tell us about your book.
The Electric Slide and Kai is about a young boy who is practicing hard to learn the electric slide before his aunt’s wedding. He comes from a family of dancers but seems to be the only one who can’t get his steps right. Kai is determined to show his skills on the dance floor so he can get a dance nickname from his grandfather, and with some encouragement from his family, he learns how to put his own special sauce on his moves.
The Electric Slide and Kai (Darnell Johnson, Illustrator, Lee & Low Books, Picture Book, 40 Pages, July 21, 2020) Pre-order
Isaiah Dunn Is My Hero is a coming-of-age tale about a boy who discovers a love of poetry after finding his late father’s journal. Adapted from a story that first appeared in Flying Lessons & Other Stories…[it] explores the indomitable spirit of a ten-year-old boy and the superhero strength it takes to grow up.
Isaiah Dunn Is My Hero (Crown BYR, Middle-Grade, 208 Pages, August 18, 2020) Pre-order
Kelly J. Baptist grew up in southwest Michigan, and after wonderful experiences living in Alabama, Florida, and Minnesota, she is happy to be right back home! She works as a Success Coach at an urban middle school, and keeps beyond busy with her five amazing children, who often play loud music that leads to epic Baptist family dance parties.
Connect with Kelly J. Baptist
