Debut You is an interview feature on Our Stories Matter blog. Debut authors, who have released or have upcoming releases in 2022, 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 Adrea Theodore and can offer your support. Go here for past Debut You features.
Describe yourself in five words, then expound on one of them.
Creative, compassionate, quiet, curious, and courageous.
“Courageous” leaps out at me for so many reasons. For one, I don’t tend to think of myself in that way. Growing up, I was definitely a wimpy kid, afraid of speaking up and afraid of trying new things. When I step back and consider it, this whole process of writing a book and seeing it through to publication has been one new thing after another for me: learning how to write for kids, reading your work aloud for others to critique, finding an agent, and even learning about marketing. There are also many times when you feel like the odds are stacked against you. Writing is something that most people can do, and a lot of people write well. And a lot of those people who write well also want to write a book for kids! At each step along the way, the number of people that make it there gets smaller and smaller. It’s often challenging to keep going.
Explain your book’s journey—how long did it take—from idea to publication?
This book journey has been a journey! The concept for the book actually came to me when I attended an SCBWI conference. (SCBWI is the Society for Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators; they have regional events and two national meetings a year.) I was attending their annual winter conference in New York, and an author that I had only recently heard about, Jack Gantos, was giving a keynote address. While listening to him, something that he said sparked the idea for my story. I jotted down a note to myself in the margins of my paper. I was working on other manuscripts at the time, so I didn’t get back to that story idea for a while. Hence, it’s been almost nine years since that conference when I first had the concept for the story and nearly seven years since I started the first draft. The manuscript was sold in an auction about four and a half years ago! After some delays plus the COVID pandemic, it’s finally going to be published in January.
Belief in oneself is important; besides you, who has been your cheerleader(s) throughout this process?
The path to publication has been long, so there’s been plenty of opportunities for people to support me during this time. Since the book deal was announced in 2017, many people have been supportive. Prior to that time and probably because of my day job, fewer people knew that I was writing with publication in mind. For this particular book, my sister served as my very first editor; and some of my earliest readers were my daughter, my husband, my siblings, my pastor, a few friends, and members of my writing group (critique partners). They encouraged me, and more importantly, they also believed in this story. Outside of this small circle, I want to highlight the support of a great teacher and coach from high school. He has supported me in so many endeavors, and I’m grateful for that. Last but not least, I would certainly be remiss if I didn’t include my parents; though they are no longer here, they were always supportive of me. My dad (who liked to write) and my mom (who loved to read) would surely get a kick out of their daughter being an author.
Understanding your audience is essential. What do you know for sure about the audience you are writing for?
I’ve written this book for those kids who are the only brown kids in their class, or on their team, or in their club. I know that sometimes it can be awkward. I’ve written this book for that kid who really loves to learn. I know that sometimes even that can be awkward.
I’ve written this book primarily, though, for those kids who are descendants of those who were enslaved in this country. There has been a lot of emphasis recently on people being proud of who they are and where their people come from. I’m not ashamed to admit that I was ashamed of that heritage because it was only ever associated with negative things when I was growing up. Lessons and stories focused on what our people lacked, the struggles we faced, and stereotypical behaviors (such as not valuing education, family, or work). What I know for sure is that those kids know that there is more to the story of our ancestors than what we have been taught. Our heritage is not just the struggle, but the strength, resilience, creativity, intelligence, and many other gifts that our ancestors have passed down.
Tell us about your book.
A History of Me tells the story of a young girl, a third-grader whose experience of being the only brown person in her class coincides with her learning about some of the hard history of America. The story describes how she feels when these lessons about slavery and civil rights are being taught in that setting and how other students react to her. It describes her understanding of how the history of slavery and segregation have impacted her family over generations, particularly regarding educational opportunities. In the end, she learns that she does not need to be ashamed of her heritage (being the descendant of an enslaved person) and passes on this knowledge to her daughter.
YOU did it, congratulations! Your story is going to be read by children or teens, educators, parents, librarians, book bloggers, etc. How do you feel, and are there any other projects in the works—that you can discuss?
As I think about the book being out in the world, I’m nervous and excited at the same time. You never know how your work is going to be received or perceived, and for that reason, you need both courage and humility. It’s still hard to believe that I’ll be walking into a bookstore or a library—something which I’ve done countless times in my life—and soon, there will be a book on the shelves that I helped create. That’s incredible to me. It definitely makes me smile.
At this time, I do have other projects in the works, but I am not at liberty to talk about them yet. Stay tuned!
A History of Me
Adrea Theodore | Erin Robinson | Neal Porter Books | January 18, 2022 | PB | Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound
Adrea Gist Theodore (MD, MPH) is a mom, a pediatrician and a children’s book author from Durham, North Carolina. Growing up on Long Island, Adrea was the quintessential bookworm, almost always with a book in her hand. Her love of reading, writing and language has continued to grow throughout the years; and with her own child, Adrea began to revisit the favorite stories from her youth. She was inspired to begin writing, became a member of the Society for Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) and participated in a local critique group, leading to the creation of her debut picture book, A History of Me. Adrea is currently represented by Jemiscoe Chambers-Black at the Andrea Brown Literary Agency.
When not writing, Dr. Theodore works in a local child advocacy center (CAC) with children being evaluated for abuse or neglect. Every child she sees there also has a story to tell.
Connect with Adrea Theodore on Twitter
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