“What’s Your Story?” is a guest post feature on BCBA’s blog. Self-Published authors are invited to write about their books, writing journey, creative process, inspiration, and the rewards and challenges of being a self-published author. They can go in whatever direction they choose. We are excited and grateful for their willingness to share and hope you enjoy their stories. Go here for more WYS? posts.
I woke up from a vivid dream in the winter of 2019, with my activist peer Tory Russell telling me I had not done enough to let my four children know that I love them and still care about them. In the dream, I agreed with him. The odd thing was that usually, I do not recall dreams, but this was so real. I woke up and wrote the first edition of my children’s book Mommy and Daddy, Do You Still Love Me Anymore? I wrote the book in one day—unedited—with only a picture of my family from Chuck E. Cheese. To avoid not procrastinating or publishing the story at all, I published it through Amazon’s KDP program as an ebook on Kindle.
Two years later, I hired my good friend, international artist Dail Chambers, to illustrate the second edition of the book. She did a marvelous job depicting my words in a way that appeals to children. I asked a peer with a few books out who formatted her books. This came after attempting to work with someone who had a free program. Little communication and failed expectations. She suggested Uzuri Designs. Afterward, my friend edited the book. I hired Uzuri Designs to format the book adding my illustrations. Cassandra created the manuscripts to upload to Kindle Publishing, ready for paperback and ebook formats. I was so elated to publish the second edition in the summer of 2021.
To date, the paperback is carried in at least ten stores and online platforms, including Barnes & Noble’s online store. The second edition of my book won honorable mention in the nonfiction family genre at the Spring 2022 Book Fest. The book can be checked out at children’s libraries in New York public libraries, including Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. The books were donated to book clubs in Canada, storytellers in Jamaica, school children’s libraries in Tanzania, and a bookstore in Canada. I’m grateful to donate books to libraries in St. Louis and Atlanta. Currently, I’m in the process of translating the second edition into Spanish and producing an audiobook for the children’s book.
Before writing the books, I journaled and wrote to-do lists. I journaled a lot in my 20s and 30s. I am working hard to make journaling a regular part of my day. Writing does not come easy to me. I have to think of the words for a while, write them down, and then type them out. I usually get two people to review my writings before I turn them in for publication. They can see things that I cannot. I’ve been working on a chapter for a book project for seven months now, since last December. I just can’t seem to gather my thoughts despite my detailed outline. When working on the other two anthologies that I contributed to, the words flowed freely. Writing chapters for #1 Amazon Best-Selling Finding Joy in the Journey Vol. 2 and the audiobook series The Single, Saved, Struggle: The Struggle Continues was fairly easy. These projects had deadlines to follow and word count criteria. Those things helped me to write within the parameters easier.
It’s challenging to create content to market the books. I ran out of ideas. I have a system that I am using by emailing my children’s book press release to bookstores, blogs, and anyone else in my target audience. I definitely must hire an assistant/content creator/social media manager because I just want to be creative. I really need help to market the book. Since the coronavirus is so prevalent, I have been very hesitant to participate in in-person vending events for fear of catching the virus. But I will be vending in my first event in years in August at a Book Bag Drive in Dallas, Texas. I haven’t even begun to market the anthologies, but Finding Joy in the Journey Vol 2 is carried at a few locations in St. Louis, Alabama, and soon, in Canada. I have so many ideas for stories that it’s hard to keep up. I plan to work with a few people to help me with marketing and sales. I’m grateful to be an inspiration to the next future writers.
Mommy & Daddy, Do You Still Love Me Anymore?
Frenchaire Gardner | Dail Chambers | July 21, 2021 | Amazon | Bookshop
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