The Children's Book Author Podcast

I'm so excited to be sharing my interview with Lisa Glanz. If you're someone who loves drawing and uses procreate, you're sure to know who she is!But even if you're an author today we dive deep into reverse engineering your creative career to build a thriving business, how to draw cute characters for your kids books, and so many other things about the creative journey!Enjoy today's interview.AND. If you heard my introduction and want to sign up for the massive bonus and be one of my first ever students of The Children's Book Author Blueprint, check out ElenaPaige.com/learnMORE ABOUT LISALisa Glanz is a full time illustrator with a devoted eagerness in helping others achieve their creative goals. In addition to creating professional digital tools for artists, she loves teaching and sharing knowledge she's gained both as a business owner and artist. Lisa knows how difficult the creative journey can be - she'd love to make yours easier by teaching you what she's learned along the way. Her courses and products are designed to help you gain more knowledge, build confidence and produce work you're proud of.https://www.lisaglanz.com/You tube: https://www.youtube.com/c/Lisaglanz/featuredIG: https://www.instagram.com/glanzgraphics/

People will ALWAYS judge your book by its cover: it's the harsh reality! So make sure you get your cover design right. Today we discuss what makes a great cover and how you can make sure your cover helps to sell your book, with Cover Designer, Holly Dunn. Enjoy the episode! ElenaMORE ABOUT HOLLY DUNN:Holly is a book cover designer based in New Zealand. She specialises in working with indie authors to make their stories shine through custom illustration and hand lettering. Before switching to full-time design, she worked at a company helping indie authors market their books. Now, along with her design services, she creates resources to help indie authors on their self-publishing journey.LINKS:hollydunndesign.comInstagramYouTube

Have you ever wanted to write middle-grade fiction? Or perhaps you already do, but want to make it so good that it wins every award it's ever entered into? Then this is the interview for you! Marc has won over 22 awards and has written and self-published eight books and many have been translated into 10 languages. You'll discover how to work with the best editors, writing in series, and which book awards are the best for exposure and feedback. So settle in and find out all about how to write an award winning middle grade book.  Enjoy today's episode. ElenaMORE ABOUT MARC REMUS:Marc Remus is a Neo Pop-Art painter, author, and illustrator. Born in Germany, educated in the United States, he graduated in art and illustration from Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, CA in the 90s.​Having a passion for languages, he travelled to seventy countries, lived a few years in Honduras and Japan, and visited over a thousand cities, of which he has painted over two hundred. His art work has been featured in over one hundred magazine/newspaper articles in Germany, USA, and Mexico (TV documentaries available above.)​During his studies in California, he took his first children's book illustration class. His teacher inspired him to start writing and not just illustrating. The result was a picture book called Painting Brian, which led to the Magora series. He began taking classes in children's literature in 2003 and worked with some incredible editors. Over a period of twenty years, he developed the magical world Magora based on places he had visited, people he had met, and things he had learned through his studies in acting, cultural Anthropology, and linguistics.In 2016 the first book of the Magora series was published on Amazon. It became a big success and ranked for five days as No.1 of all children's book on Amazon, with over 35.000 downloads. Since then, the series has won 20 awards.In 2019, Remus started a new project. He wrote the children's book "The Chocolate Clouds." Since it is an illustrated book with 150 drawings, three years passed before it was finally published in 2021. In just seven months, it won six literary awards among  them the first literary award in the UK (The Wishing Shelf Book Award.)Following this success, many translators applied to create a version in their language. As a result, many foreign language editions evolved: Danish, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, and Swedish. Some of these editions are already available on Amazon.Find him at https://www.marcremus.com/authorhttps://www.instagram.com/marcremus/https://www.facebook.com/MarcRemusBooks/And find the best Awards to enter at https://www.allianceindependentauthors.org/ask-alli-self-publishing-advice/​

How much did I learn about writing funny from Rob Kutner in today's episode of The Chidren's Book Author Podcast? A huge amount and you can too, by tuning in to the wonderful conversation. Rob shares his journey writing his first spooky-comedy graphic novel for kids, and gives timeless advice on how you can be funnier in your writing too. MORE ABOUT ROB:Rob Kutner has won 5 Emmys, a Peabody, a TCA, and a Grammy writing for such shows as TBS' “CONAN” and “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, and co-created the fact-based comedy TV show “Gander.”Rob's other TV writing includes “Teen Titans Go!” “Ben10” “Angry Birds: Summer Madness” and HBO's “Dennis Miller Live.” He has also written material for the Oscars, Emmys, Writers' Guild Awards, MTV Movie Awards, Guys' Choice Awards, and two White House Correspondents' Dinners. He has developed kids' and adult animated series for Warner Brothers and SyFy. Rob is the author of the satirical end-of-times bestseller Apocalypse How: Turn the End Times into the Best of Times! and the Amazon Kindle e-bestseller/Audible audiobook The Future According to Me. He is also the creator of the graphic novel “Shrinkage” for Farrago Comics. He has published humor and feature pieces for the New Yorker, New York Times, Esquire, Huffington Post, McSweeney's, and the Weekly Forward. Rob's new horror-comedy kids' anthology “Snot Goblins and Other Tasteless Tales” (First Second) is now on sale, as is “Look Out For The Little Guy,” the “in-universe” memoir of Scott “Ant-Man” Lang he ghostwrote. This makes Rob technically part of the MCU.Here's the official link for Snot Goblins:https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250780805/snot-goblins-and-other-tasteletaleAnd here's a fun video trailer of the book:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhSAjep4UPg

Essie Bell is a multi-talented picture book author and publisher having written, published and marketed six picure books. In today's interview we talk about how to write a great rhyming book and why they're still relevant to the market, school visits, markets and more! It's a wonderful time to be a Children's Book Author!MORE ABOUT ESSIE:Essie Bell is a wife and mother of three cute kids. She loves staying at home and playing with her kids every day and enjoys writing in the evenings. Her favorite animals are elephants, flamingos and penguins. She currently lives in Utah, but has lived in Georgia, Iowa, and Idaho as well. Essie is also a Certified Recreational Therapist which means she loves helping people while still having fun.Website: www.essiebellbooks.comInstagram: instagram.com/essiebell.authorAmazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Essie-Bell/author/B097XP57YQ?

Wow what encouragement I received in todays interview with Sean E. Avery. I've always wanted to secretly learn how to draw and Sean is an art teacher, and illustrator of his own authored books. He made me believe perhaps I can illustrate my own books one day, and you'll believe so too once you listen to this episode. Will it take time and consistent action? Absolutely! But it can happen when you practise aggressive patience.Enjoy the show! MORE ABOUT SEAN E. AVERY:Sean E Avery is a teacher, writer-illustrator, sculptor and designer born in South Africa; living in Perth, Western Australia. Locally, he's best known as the writer-illustrator of best-selling children's picture book, All Monkeys Love Bananas, published by Fremantle Press. His last picture book, Happy as a Hog Out of Mud, won the 2022 WAYRBA Picture Book of the Year Award and his latest picture book, Frank's Red Hat, is shortlisted for the 2023 Indie Book of the Year Award and already a hit with kids in Australia, Korea, France and Denmark. He also has a new graphic novel series for younger readers out this year called Friendly Bee and Friends. Internationally, he's best known as a sculptor who uses CDs and DVDs to create breathtaking works of art that reside in galleries and private collections all around the world. He is curious, enthusiastic and ready to work hard for the things he believes in.Find him at  https://seaneavery.com

Today I'm joined by podcaster, author, mother, writing festival enthusiast and gosh so may more titles that still don't sum up DANI VEE!! A fun talk where we cover writing, getting published, writing festivals, creativity, and of course the magic of making connections and how important they are in the writing world! Enjoy today's show. MORE ABOUT DANI VEE:DANI VEE is an author, podcaster and works in publicity and acquisitions at Larrikin House.Her picture books include ‘My EXTRAordinary Mum', and her new book ‘My EPIC Dad! Takes Us Camping,' the first book in the EPIC Dad series.Dani Vee hosts the popular literary podcast Words and Nerds. With up to 50,000 listeners every month and more than 500 episodes, the podcast has become a significant part of the Australian literary community. She has interviewed Matthew Reilly, Trent Dalton, Jackie French, Tara Moss, Andy Griffiths and many more. As well as working in Publicity at Larrikin House, she assesses manuscripts and works in acquisitions with the publisher.You'll also find her facilitating panels or running workshops at literary festivals such as BAD Sydney Crime Writers Festival, The Sutherland Shire Writers' Festival, Somerset Storyfest, Kids and YA Festival and Mansfield Readers and Writers Festival and in 2023 at the Sydney Writers' Festival.Dani has been on judging panels for picture book awards, the Ned Kelly Awards and Ngaio Marsh Awards. Find her at https://www.danivee.com.au/

Self-publishing extraordinaire Karen Inglis joins me on today's episode to talk all about her wonderful books, her incredible author and publishing journey, and how she sold over 500,000 copies of The Secret Lake! We talk writing, publishing, marketing, foreign rights and through this interview you will understand, it's never too late to market your book!MORE ABOUT KAREN:Karen Inglis is an international bestselling children's author of picture books, illustrated chapter books and middle grade novels. Her time travel adventure The Secret Lake for ages 8-11has sold over half a million print copies in English and is in translation in 11 languages. Her other titles have all sold in their thousands.  Return to the Secret Lake, Karen's long-awaited sequel to her bestseller, was recently shortlisted in the children's categories for both the Wishing Shelf Book Awards and the UK Selfies Awards. Karen has written and presented extensively about children's self-publishing and children's book marketing. She has received traditional publishing offers over the years but has preferred to retain creative control over her work.·       kareninglisauthor.com — for readers·       @kareninglis — twitter·       facebook.com/kareninglisauthor — Facebook·       @kareninglis_childrensbooks — Instagram·       selfpublishingadventures.com — for writers

Today I interview Children's Book Author Adrian Beck and we talk in depth about school visits, yes again, and this time I must admit I felt like maybe I really could do school visits... and boy do I laugh through this entire interview. I was tempted to name this episode How to Be the Funnest Author, because Adrian is fun, fun, fun!!! And if you, like me, want to be a fun type kids author, this is the interview for you.But then we get serious and Adrian gives the most encouraging advice about tenacity, grit, and never giving up!! I want to put every sentence he said on a giant poster so the next time I get discouraged I remember to never give up! You'll love learning and laughing along with Adrian Beck today, so after you listen to the podcast go and check out all the amazing books he's written!ElenaMORE ABOUT ADRIAN BECK:Adrian Beck writes, funny, action-packed stories for kids. He is the author of the Derek Dool series, the Champion Charlies series, plus Alien Zoo 1 and 2 and he is the co-author of the Little Legends series with Nicole Hayes plus the Kick it to Nick series with AFL hall-of-famer Shane Crawford. As well as being an author, Adrian is a TV producer and a lover of very bad ‘dad jokes'. Together with Sally Rippin, Adrian edited the Total Quack Up! & Total Quack Up Again! books which contain an awesome line-up of writers who each provided hilarious short stories to raise money for Dymocks Children's Charities! Adrian draws on his showbiz roots to create engaging, interactive school presentations and is passionate about fostering a love of reading amongst the next generation.Adrian was born in Hobart, Tasmania but is not related to Princess Mary. (As far as he knows). He is passionate about raising childhood literacy levels across the country and is a fierce supporter of the endangered teacher-librarian species.As a TV producer and author, Adrian uses both skill sets to deliver entertaining schools visits with lively, humorous and interactive sessions on writing, working in television and sport. If you would like to enquire about Adrian as a speaker, please head to the Booked Out website. Or check him out at his website at AdrianBeck.com.au

NBA player C.J. Watson & author released his fourth book for kids this March 2023, called "CJ and His Magic Socks". The first book "CJ's Big Dream" received great reviews and was an Amazon best seller. CJ has two other children's books "CJ's Big Project" & "CJ's Big Moment". The new book is available now on Amazon & Kindle, links below.Today I chat with C.J about his basketball career, his four children's books and how to beat the odds and every obstacle to follow your dreams, and then inspire others to do the same. C.J was a lot of fun to talk to and watch out because I might just surprise him with a visit to Las Vegas for a joint school visit!MORE ABOUT C.J WATSON:C.J. Watson's basketball career has allowed him to play for some of the best teams in NBA history. While his professional basketball experience is impressive, his skills go far beyond the basketball court. Philanthropy has been at the center of Watson's career since the start of his scholarship fund. The fund honors his late grandmother, Mary L. Watson, and helps support students studying education. In his hometown of Las Vegas, Watson also started the Quiet Storm Foundation in order to foster learning opportunities that include social skills development and health and fitness activities to help the youth grow and achieve their goals in his community.In addition to his non-profits, Watson has developed a children's book series named CJ's Big Dream. With this series, he hopes to inspire young kids to chase their dreams and work hard for what they want. For more information on "CJ and His Magic Socks" or to purchase visithttp://cjpens.comConnect with CJ:Instagram:@ quietstorm_32Twitter: @quietstorm_32Facebook: @officialcjwatson 

This episode of The Children's Book Author Podcast is number 25, and is such a special one. I am joined by Jen Storer, Australian Children's Author and Chief Inspirationalist at girlandduck.com, where she mentors, nurtures and guides creative souls from all over the world. And in today's interview she shares so much of her wisdom and inspiration with us writers and creatives. It's a not to be missed episode. Enjoy the show! ElenaMore About Jen:Jen Storer is a commercially successful and critically acclaimed Australian Children's Author. As Director and Chief Inspirationalist at girlandduck.com, she is also a big-hearted businesswoman who mentors, nurtures and guides creative souls from all over the world.Jen LOVES what she does, believes in working to her strengths and is always looking for new and inspired ways to help others.She lives with her beloved in a divinely pretty Central Victorian town.Read more at Girl & Duck.com

Todays episode is all about having a writing group! I interview first time children's book author, Christina Dankert, about her journey to publication and how having a collaborative and supportive writing group made all the difference. I'm now on the hunt for a writers group too lol!! You will want one too after you listen to this episode - be forewarned. And most of all learn from Christina, and enjoy the show. ElenaABOUT CHRISTINA DANKERTChristina Dankert is a children's book author, elementary educator and literacy enthusiast. As an educator, she believes books are a beautiful way to continue to learn and grow. She believes all children should be able to find themselves in picture books. It is through children's literature and reading to the children in our lives, that will change the world.FIND HER AT:https://christinadankert.com/https://www.instagram.com/christina.dankert/https://www.facebook.com/ChristinaDankertAuthorBUY THE KINDNESS MACHINE (and leave a review as it helps an author extraordinarily):https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1955119090?pf_rd_r=80RYQMEPDRYJD6JMQ2AT&geniuslink=true

It was extraordinary to interview Children's Book Author, Developmental Editor, and Podcaster Jennifer Milius. We talked about the importance of  including podcasting as part of your marketing - in particular being a guest on relevant podcasts, and how this can strengthen your brand and reach. We also talked about working with a developmental editor and how it can make your story shine. Enjoy today's interview. MORE ABOUT JENNIFER:Jennifer Milius is an entrepreneur, developmental editor, coach and accomplished multi-genre author who leverages her 20-year corporate career, undergraduate Communications degree, and M.B.A. to help writers get out of their own way, leave a legacy by telling their stories and confidently sharing them. Having spoken to over 5,000 elementary school students about courage and confidence as well as being host of The TufFish Show, Jen believes when you share your gifts and message, you bring joy to others and show what's possible for them. Tapping into your full potential means that joy, purpose, and possibility are coming together through you. Check out her website at www.jennifermilius.comSign up for her course Shine as a Podcast Guest at https://www.jennifermilius.com/offers/mQnoBH9F/checkout 

I interviewed the very charming Mary Anastasiou, Children's Book Author and Creative Director at Larrikin House. I got the inside scoop on how to better brand myself as an author, the importance of social media, working with traditional publishers, and aiming for the moon in your author career. Enjoy the interview. MORE ABOUT MARYA self-confessed chocoholic, pluviophile and lover of all things kid lit, Mary writes books that she hopes will engage, inspire and empower little people on their journey to becoming big people.With 30 years of marketing and design experience, Mary now heads the creative team at indie publisher Larrikin House. Responsible for the creation of more than 60 Larrikin titles. Mary works exclusively with authors and illustrators to create books that (she hopes) will one day become classics.Author or the much loved 'I want to be...' series, her latest title, 'I want to be a Sports Star' was shortlisted for the Speech Pathology Book of the Year awards in 2022.And, with three new titles set for release in 2023 'Jimmy Bottoms', 'Julius Squeezer' and 'The Art of Making Friends' Mary is set to continue making her own kid lit dreams come true.A frequent guest-assessor for both KidLit VIC and CYA, Mary loves nothing more than to help others achieve their publishing dreams.LINKS:https://maryanastasiou.com.au/https://www.instagram.com/maryanastasiou_author/https://larrikinhouse.com.au/

A power charged interview today with Middle Grade Author Brett Perkins who launched his first book The Prison for the Magically Cursed to best-selling status on Amazon in 2022. With his next book in the series coming out very soon, he sat down to chat with me about how to write and market a middle grade book. This and so much more in today's interview. About Brett:Brett Perkins is a primary school teacher/author from the picturesque Central Coast of New South Wales, Australia.For over twenty years, Brett has been encouraging his students to embrace their imaginations and create their own incredible stories, all the while continuing to fulfill his own dreams of writing.He lives with his two dogs, Colt and Storm, and finds pleasure in reading, watching a scary movie, or picking up a paintbrush and escaping into art. He loves to travel all over the world and is a massive Pokémon fan.LINKS:Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Brett-Perkins/author/B09WJ6FHW6Instagram: @brett_creates

I was lucky enough to get Children's Book Author Darcy Pattison on the show this week, who has published more than 50 children's books under her own publishing house - Mims House. We talk about how to write a non-fiction picture book, exploring merchandise opportunities for your books, marketing, school visits and so much more! Enjoy the episode and enjoy my intro where I talk all about pushing yourself as an author to write more words!MORE ABOUT DARCY:Children's book author and indie publisher Darcy Pattison writes award-winning fiction and non-fiction books for children. Her works have received starred PW, Kirkus, and BCCB reviews. Awards include the Irma Black Honor award, five NSTA Outstanding Science Trade Books, two Eureka! Nonfiction Honor book, two Junior Library Guild selections, two NCTE Notable Children's Book in Language Arts, a Notable Social Studies Trade Books, and an Arkansiana Award. She's the 2007 recipient of the Arkansas Governor's Arts Award for Individual Artist for her work in children's literature.Always active, before her tenth birthday, she (almost) climbed the Continental Divide, turning back at the last twenty yards because it was too steep and great climbing shoes hadn't been invented yet. Before COVID, she rode a bicycle down a volcano in Bali, Indonesia and hiked in the U.S. Rockies. On her bucket list is kayaking the Nā Pali Coast of Hawaii and eating curry in Mumbai.LINKS:https://www.darcypattison.comhttps://mimshousebooks.comBuzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched! Start for FREEDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Hold on tight for another wonderful interview that will encourage you to push forward in your Author journey. Sandra has such an encouraging and practical "get it done" attitude - I changed as a person and as an author from her interview and I'm sure you'll do the same. Plus my introduction is a long one today because her interview really did trigger a transformation in me. Enjoy the show!More about Sandra:Sandra Bennett is the International Award winning author of the Adamson Adventures. A series of middle grade books for readers aged 7 -12 years. Secrets Hidden Below, book 1, was shortlisted in the Australian Speech Pathology Book of the Year Awards 2019, while Fossil Frenzy, book 3 was a winner of the Queensland Writers Centre Adaptable Competition 2020 enabling Sandra to pitch the manuscript to film producers for the Gold Coast Film Festival. Fossil Frenzy was also a  Finalist - Children's Fiction International Book Awards 2021 and received an Honorable Mention Middle Grade Fiction Royal Dragonfly Awards 2021. Sandra has also published two picture books and two early readers. She has ten short stories in various anthologies and wrote a graphic novel for low literacy learners in Papua New Guinea for Library For All.As an Australia Reads Ambassador, Sandra enjoys author school visits, presenting writing workshops and talks wherever she can to encourage a love of reading by engaging and delighting young readers with her thrilling adventures. Increasing literacy in our children is Sandra's passion, and as such she writes books that help both parents and teachers build children's literacy through read-aloud stories, one great adventure at a time.All the important links:Sandra's Website: https://sandrabennettauthor.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GingerbreadAliensTwitter: https://twitter.com/SandraBennettAuThe Australian Authors SocietyAustralian Reads Ambassador

Adam Wallace, New York Times best selling author joins me on the podcast today and tells us all about how he discovered his love of writing children's books and today combines self-publishing and traditional publishing to make a full time living. He is incredible at doing school visits and gives the best advice, so if you're considering doing any - listen to this episode!We do talk about his course on School Visits, but this is no longer available unfortunately. However you can find his free resource on the topic and more at: https://www.adam-wallace-books.com/

Welcome back to the show in 2023, and I have more incredibly informative, and inspirational interviews planned for you this year. Unfortunately I am still tackling some technical difficulties in my search for the perfect way to record interviews, but I will not give up until I get there. So in todays interview there were several glitches, but it was totally worth persevering as I learned so much from today's guest. Without further ado, I was privileged to interview Jessie Cunniffe who is a professional book blurb writer and coach.In this interview you'll learn the secrets of salesworthy book blurbs and discover how to implement them in your own blurbs.Jessie has generously offered 10% off her Book Blurb Magic course and all of her book blurb services with the code ELENAPAIGE - so get blurbed right now. Enjoy the show and learning all about book blurbs! ABOUT JESSIE:Jessie Cunniffe* is a professional blurb writer and book blurb coach from Sydney, Australia. A passionate advocate of the indie author community, Jessie has dedicated herself to taking the pain out of blurb-writing with her custom blurb-writing and critiquing services and two signature courses: Book Blurb Magic and The Spicy Blurb Playbook. When she's not writing or dreaming up the next BBM product, Jessie can be found in high school classrooms with a guitar in hand, and has been a regular contributor to the arts pages of one of Australia's most highly respected newspapers for the past decade. On the occasion that she manages to snatch some reading time, she's probably buried in P. G. Wodehouse or Agatha Christie.*Pronounced ‘k-NIFF'IMPORTANT LINKS:REMEMBER TO USE THE CODE ELENAPAIGE to get 10% off the Book Blurb Magic Course and all of Jessie's services.*Website: www.bookblurbmagic.com Email: jessie@bookblurbmagic.comFREE blurb cheatsheet: https://adoracopyediting.thrivecart.com/anatomy-of-a-book-blurb FREE spicy secrets romance blurb mini-course: www.spicyblurbplaybook.com Instagram: @bookblurbmagicFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/bookblurbmagic*I've included Jessie's products on this page because I have personally bought and used the Book Blurb Magic course, and want you to also gain the benefit, so if you take action, I will earn some coffee money, ie it's an affiliate link. Remember to use code ELENAPAIGE to get 10% off.  

In today's interview I overcame many technological difficulties and blocks to get the most amazing wisdom and advice from author Edward Trayer - it was well worth the many re-takes and effort involved. We got there in the end and talked about The Wishing Shelf Book Awards, a review and award service that was founded by Edward and today enjoys great success and helps authors become "award-winning." The wonderful thing about this award is that your book is reviewed and/or judged by the age group you've written it for! As well as this we talk about how to write a book a child will truly enjoy and how to do school visits successfully and make them a big part of your marketing efforts. A brilliant interview from start to finish, enjoy today's show. ABOUT EDWARD:Edward Trayer, writing under the pen name Billy Bob Buttons and Hickory Crowl, is the author of eighteen children, YA and adult books, including the 2014 UK People´s Book Prize Winner and UK bestseller, I Think I Murdered Miss. He is also the organiser of The Wishing Shelf Book Awards.Important Links:The Wishing Shelf Book Awards Website - https://www.thewsa.co.uk/Billy Bob Buttons - https://www.bbbuttons.co.uk/Billy Bob Buttons on Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/billybobbuttonsThe Wishing Shelf Book Awards Facebook Group 

Today I had the pleasure of interviewing Vinh Giang, Keynote Speaker, Entrepreneur, Magician, and Communication Teacher. We talk all about Vinh's journey through his professional and creative career, and the pivotal role improving his communication skills had through it all. He is now the most incredible teacher of communication skills distilling what he's learned over the last 20 years to help others grow their influence, authority and connection. If you're interested in doing videos or school visits to connect with your audience, you'll love the communication skills Vinh shares with you in the interview. Enjoy the show.  Connect with him here:Website - https://www.vinhgiang.com/LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/vinhgiang/Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/askvinh/Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/askvinh/videos/YouTube - VinhGiangFind out more about the Stage Academy Communication Course: https://stageacademy.mykajabi.com/        

Want to become a better Children's Book Writer? Then you don't want to miss this episode with Australian author, Michael Wagner. Michael Wagner is the author of more than 80 books for children including the much loved Maxx Rumble series (still in print after 17 years), the bestselling The Undys series, the So Wrong series (shortlisted for the 2019 and 2020 YABBA, KOALA and KROC Awards), and the CBCA Notable picture books Why I Love Footy, Why I Love Summer and Bear Make Den (co-authored with his wife Jane Godwin).Before becoming a full-time author, Michael spent ten years as a radio broadcaster with the ABC, wrote and produced animation for television, wrote comedy for ABC Radio National and 3RRR, grew up in a housing commission flat, and played in a band that almost became famous. He's the father of two and married to fellow author Jane Godwin.Connect with him here:Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/wagstheauthor/Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/michael.wagner.10441861/YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/user/wags138/Website - http://michaelwagner.com.au/

I had a blast interviewing illustrator, top Skillshare teacher, and speaker, Tom Froese. Although we are talking about drawing and illustration in this interview, as an author I know you will learn many valuable skills and attitudes that will help you find your style, overcome creative pain points in the journey, and keep going until you become a professional children's book author.More about Tom:Tom Froese is an award winning illustrator, teacher, and speaker. He loves making images that make people happy. In his work, you will experience a flurry of joyful colours, spontaneous textures, and quirky shapes. Freelancing since 2013, Tom has worked for brands and businesses all over the world. Esteemed clients include Yahoo!, Airbnb, GQ France, and Abrams Publishing. He is currently taking on highly creative projects of all kinds, including maps, murals, picture books, packaging, editorial, and advertising. Tom graduated from the Nova Scotia College of Art & Design with a B.Des (honours) in 2009.As a teacher, Tom loves to inspire fellow creatives to become creatively empowered. He is a Top Teacher on Skillshare, where tens of thousands of students have learned his unique approaches to illustration. As a speaker, Tom is a passionate voice in the creative industry, aiming to inspire and equip the next generation of creatives and commercial artists. Tom has been invited to deliver workshops and lectures across the US and Canada, including ICON 10 in Detroit and Skillshare HQ in New York. In 2020,* he will be a curated TEDx speaker, where he will share his message of creative empowerment to a global audience. Tom also has a YouTube channel dedicated to inspiring and informing folks interested in the creative industry.Tom is represented in the UK/Europe by Making Pictures and in the US by Dot Array.FIND HIM HERE:Website: tomfroese.comTeaching: tomfroese.com/teachingBlog: tomfroese.medium.comIG: @mrtomfroeseYouTube tomfroese.com/youtubeThe Style Class: https://skl.sh/3mFgU5qDrawing Toward Illustration: https://skl.sh/30viGwW 

Today's episode is with author Kate Gordon, and we talk a lot about how to be a self-starter and go-getter! Kate is a true example of deciding she wants to do something, then setting off to learn how to be successful at it. She followed her passion for writing and ponies and created a wonderful side hustle, which one day she hopes will be her full time career, and I'm sure with her determination, courage and perseverance it will be. I hope you learn a lot, get inspired and enjoy the show. More about Kate:Kate Gordon spent 90% of her childhood reading books about ponies and magical adventures. The other 10% she spent galloping around the garden on an imaginary horse – until she was able to ride a real pony of her own. Now she's penning fantastical adventure stories about brave friends, ponies and unicorns.Kate is inspired by the magical mountains of Central Otago in New Zealand's South Island where she lives with her husband, three dogs, and two cats. She's currently working on the second book in the Unicorn King series called Sasha and the Warrior Unicorn.Kate is also the founder of the online bookstore, Kiwi Kids Read Kiwi Books, which is dedicated to supporting New Zealand authors writing for children and teens, and helping showcase their fantastic books to Kiwi book buyers.FIND KATE HERE:https://www.kategordonauthor.comFIND KIWI KIDS READ KIWI BOOKS HERE:https://kiwikidsbooks.nz

This week's episode is with my first Musician on the show - Professional Drummer Ben Hendry. Ben is also a Music Director, teacher & collaborator, and has an interest in Performance Theory and Stage Craft for jazz musicians. We talked about all this and more in this episode and I came away feeling that I'm allowed to dream big, put all my eggs in one basket and keep going until I get there. I hope you feel that way too. Enjoy the show. MORE ABOUT BEN....A stalwart of the Melbourne jazz and improvised music scene, Ben is one ofMelbourne's most sought after drummers. Renowned for his delicate touch at the drums, he has graced the stages in the UK and North America - a drummer who can support and contribute to every type of music, from hilarious comedy acts to driving a jazz group. Given time, he also teaches in schools. Ben has performed throughout Australia and the UK in clubssuch as the Basement (Sydney) and Bennetts Lane (Melbourne), he has alsoplayed at major events and venues like the Sydney Opera House and and theMelbourne Concert Hall, as well as major festivals like the Wangaratta Jazzand Blues Festival, the Melbourne International Jazz Festival and the fringeFestivals in Edinburgh, Melbourne, Adelaide and Sydney. Ben was a member of the winning ensembles of the Athenaeum Awards for musical excellence in 2003 and 2004.

WOW trust me you CANNOT miss this interview with Lael Stone. It will fill you with courage and tenacity and belief in yourself, motivation and creative superhuman power... I promise. All this and more in this interview. If you only listen to one interview this year, make this the one!Introducing LAEL STONE:As a  champion of connection and creating harmony in families, Lael Stone is an educator, TEDx speaker, author, mother, and parenting counselor who has been working with families for over 17 years. As an Aware Parenting Instructor, she facilitates workshops and support groups that empower parents to create connections and stronger relationships with their children. Lael spent 15 years working in childbirth education and postnatal care, working with couples through pregnancy, birth and the first few years of parenting as a Doula, Calmbirth Practitioner and Postnatal trauma Counsellor. She is the Creator and Director of the About Birth Online Education Program, a pioneering way to learn about birth and early parenting.She is also the co-creator of Woodline Primary School, an innovative new school based on emotional wellbeing and connection. Lael is the co-host of The Aware Parenting Podcast and a sought-after public speaker who talks candidly about her experiences and her great passion; creating wellness in families through connection and communication. She is excited to be teaming up with The Resilience Project to deliver presentations around raising resilient children all over Australia in 2021.She is the mother of three big kids - who are teenagers and young adults and she is currently putting all her research into practice with them!You can find out more about her work at:  http://www.laelstone.com.au/ https://www.facebook.com/laelstone/https://www.instagram.com/laelstone/https://www.woodlineprimary.com.au/https://www.aboutbirth.com.au/The Aware Parenting Podcast - over 240,000 downloads Tedx Talk - How to Raise emotionally Intelligent Children - over 550,000 views   

Children's Book Author Mirtis Conci joins me on the show today and we talk about how its not just about what you write but how you write it. She talks about her experience of writing for children, and needing to go into her own inner child in order to write something with love that children can relate to and feel the emotion of. Enjoy the show!Mirtis Conci is a Children's Book Author. She loves creating magic by playing with words. She deeply believes in their strength. Words are wings that show us dreams and make them possible, if we are ready to listen to them. She writes stories for young human beings, because they need to build strong wings. What is better than a good story that talks about courage through fear, respect through empathy, love through self confidence? Graduated in Foreign Languages and Literature, Mirtis learned one important thing: it doesn't matter how many languages you speak, but how you communicate.That's why she would like to write on her Identity Card: Earth´s citizen, European, born and grew up in Italy, currently living in Germany. Here you can meet her at: www.mirtisconci.comAnd socialise with her on Facebook HERE

Today I had the great pleasure of interviewing Christine Yeung, an award-winning psychologist, CEO and Founder of Beyond Story - A startup consultancy which specialising in working with many professionals and leaders across industries across the globe to optimise their mental health and psychological fitness in order to thrive in complexity.  The latest venture of Beyond Story is to help humanity to combat loneliness using technologies in order to prevent mental health conditions such as depression and social anxiety. Christine has studied and consulted across Europe, Asia and Australia, working with businesses, government departments, NGOs and the United Nations at the intersection of governance, mental health and culture.In this interview Christine dives deep into how Creatives can cultivate a Growth Mindset in order to thrive, create a unique personal practise, and keep challenging themselves.You can connect with Christine here:www.beyondstory.com.auwww.linkedin.com/in/christine-yeung/www.instagram.com/beyond.story/

What a treat it was to interview young writers Kirsten and Aiyven Mbawa (ages 13 and 11 respectively). They may be young but that hasn't held them back. They are both published novelists, entrepreneurs, and book reviewers.Check out their You Tube Channel for book reviews HERE.Discover their books, and subscribe to The Happier Ever Chapter Book Box at https://www.mbawabooks.co.ukFollow their journey on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest. And find their Etsy shop HERE.Here are their official Bio's, and enjoy the show!Aiyven Mbawa is a 11-year old year 7 student, one of the famed Mbawa Book Reviewers duo and co-founder of Happier Every Chapter book subscription box. An avid reader and book reviewer, Land Of The Nurogons, a fantasy adventure is her debut novel.Aiyven lives in Northampton where she was born with her parents, 2 sisters and pet cat Zaki. Will Land Of The Nurogons become a series? Who knows. Watch the space after the publication of her next book; Aiyven is in the concept stages of a diverse middle-grade story, due out later this year. In collaboration with her sister Kirsten, she also plans to publish a short story collection. In her pre-covid spare time, Aiyven attends gymnastics, learns Mandarin, plays the piano and tennis.Kirsten Mbawa is a 13-year old year 8 student, winner of 2015 Young Writers Talent for Writing Award, one of the famed Mbawa Book Reviewers duo and co-founder of Happier Every Chapter book subscription box. A voracious reader for as long as she can remember and a book reviewer, Sagas of Anya, is her debut novel which honours her love for historical fiction. Kirsten lives in Northampton where she was born with her parents, 2 sisters and pet cat Zaki. With homage to historical fiction out of the way, Kirsten plans to throw the constraints of time and place to the wind by writing a horror or dystopian middle-grade fiction for her next book which is due out later this year. In collaboration with her sister Aiyven, she also plans to publish a short story collection in the future. In her pre-covid spare time, Kirsten attends gymnastics, learns Mandarin, plays the piano and tennis.  

Today's interview is with Colleen M. Story. Colleen inspires writers to overcome modern-day challenges and find creative fulfillment in their work. Her book, Writer Get Noticed!, was a gold-medal winner in the Reader's Favorite Book Awards and a first-place winner in the Reader Views Literary Awards. Overwhelmed Writer Rescue  was named Book by Book Publicity's Best Writing/Publishing Book in 2018 and was an Amazon bestseller. Her novel, Loreena's Gift, was a Foreword Reviews' INDIES Book of the Year Awards winner, among others. Her latest book Your Writing Matters helps you discover the hidden benefits writing may have in your life, whether writing is part of your life's purpose, and when it's best to leave writing behind.With over 20 years as a freelance writer in the health and wellness industry, Colleen has authored thousands of articles for publications like “Healthline” and “Women's Health;” worked with high-profile clients like Gerber Baby Products and Kellogg's; and ghostwritten books on back pain, nutrition, and cancer recovery. She frequently serves as a workshop leader and motivational speaker, where she helps attendees remove mental and emotional blocks and tap into their unique creative powers. Her first course, “How to Finish the Creative Projects You Start,” is available on Teachable. Find more at these sites:Writing and Wellness | Writer CEO | Teachable | Author Website | Twitter | LinkedIn | Goodreads

Todays interview is with JJ Kahrs, the creator, owner, and janitor of the writing app Cetacean. This app lets you write online, safely backing up your work as you go, and more than that, it gives you the tools to brainstorm, outline, write and revise, all in the one place. JJ Kahrs is a software engineer and owner of Blue Wizard Labs. He used his experience as a programmer and a writer to create Cetacean with the hope that it will help make the process of authoring easier for everyone. JJ is also the writer of the graphic novel “Pirates of Mars” that he created with artist Veronica Fish. When not coding or writing, JJ can be found indulging himself with video games, Dungeons & Dragons, or any other incredibly geeky pursuit.Cetacean: https://cetacean.appPirates of Mars: https://bit.ly/3wO3QRcIn this podcast JJ talks all about the app and how he created it, as well as his own journey as a writer.  You'll be inspired to get creating with less fear, connect with fellow creatives, and find the right tools to make your creative journey easier. In the podcast we also talk about some amazing writing groups on Twitter with the hashtags #writerslife and #writerscommunity so go and check them out. Enjoy the show!

This weeks interview is with Book Coach, Kelly Irving. Kelly Irving helps change makers author work that matters and makes an impact. As a bestselling-book coach, editor, and creator of The Expert Author Academy she nurtures writers from idea to implementation, with camaraderie and (firm but friendly) butt-kicking built into every step. Her work results in industry book awards and major publisher deals (she has never had a book pitch rejected), but most importantly, it empowers authors to produce work that enriches both their life and others.CONNECTInstagram @goodcontentkelFacebook 'The Expert Author'https://www.kellyirving.com/FOR HELPJoin the Expert Author Academy - a new round of the course starting in June!https://www.kellyirving.com/authorFREE RESOURCES Discover what type of writer you are https://www.kellyirving.com/quiz/startStart writing with the 'Author Your Journey' journalhttps://www.kellyirving.com/journal

Today's interview is with Ffion Evans, a freelance graphics designer, artist and illustrator based in Germany.After a many year creative slump she joined the Making Art Everyday Challenge in January 2019 and has been drawing every single day since, developing her quirky, fun and colourful artstyle. She loves sharing lessons learned, thoughts about the creative process and words of encouragement for fellow creatives on her Instagram and blog. She has made it her mission to de-mystify and de-romanticize the creative process and be super honest about what actually goes into building and sustaining a regular creative practice as well as the ups and downs that come with it. Links:Instagram: @ffioneiraevans // www.instagram.com/ffioneiraevans/Website: www.ffionevans.comPrint Shop: www.inprnt.com/gallery/ffionevans/

Today's interview is with Erin Everleigh, mama, dentist, author, and founder of Wordsmithers Academy. Her goal is to inspire others to follow their passions and live their best lives. Join Erin as she shares how knowing your "why" helps you create art that matters.Erin says:"Over the years, my need to be creative has taken me in different directions, and eight years ago my passion for creativity led me to writing. I love getting lost in my imagination and creating new worlds. Most of all, I love the opportunities that being an author has given me. "I have had the privilege of visiting numerous schools for author-talks and book fairs. I've spoken to students about being an author - while also being a dentist - and the importance of following your passions. The best parts of those days were when students would approach me and talk about the stories they had written or were in the process of writing. Their excitement and pride made my heart feel so full. "I founded WordSmithers Academy with the hope of inspiring young writers to follow their dreams of becoming authors and to foster and encourage the imagination and creativity of our youth. "A favourite quote of mine is from Brené Brown, “Unused creativity is not benign.” It is the answer to a question I'm frequently asked - “How do you do it? How do you find the time to write/ teach/craft/create…?” - Embracing my creativity allows me to live an authentic and fulfilling life."You can find Erins books on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Erin-Everleigh/e/B00SDITTAISupport the kids at WordSmithers Academy by buying their book: Stories from Quarantine HEREFind amazing courses for kids at WordSmithers AcademyAnd if you want to visit Erin for her incredible dental work find her at http://scarboroughdental.ca/You can also find Erin on Instagram

Join Jessica Brody, writer and teacher, as she talks about how to supercharge your creative process, improve your productivity, and make your creative career a priority.Jessica Brody is the author of the #1 bestselling novel-writing guide, Save the Cat! Writes a Novel and the founder of the online writing school, Writing Mastery Academy. She has also written over 20 novels for teen, tweens, and adults including The Geography of Lost Things, The Chaos of Standing Still, A Week of Mondays, 52 Reasons to Hate My Father, Better You Than Me, the Unremembered trilogy, and the System Divine series which is a sci-fi reimagining of Victor Hugo's Les Misérables, co-written with Joanne Rendell. Her books have been translated and published in over 23 countries and several have been optioned for film and television.  She lives with her husband and three dogs near Portland, OR. Visit her online at JessicaBrody.com. Follow her on Twitter or Instagram @JessicaBrody