PUBLISHED GRAD

What is the name of your book? Who is the publisher?

“Growing a Beautiful Garden” was published in a Keys for Kids devotional.

Give us a short summary of your book or article.

“Growing a Beautiful Garden” is about the importance of our words. Every word is like a seed that will either grow into something beautiful and positive or grow weeds and become something negative in our lives. Our words have power so let’s use them for good!

Tell us a bit about your path to publishing, from idea to submission to published.

The idea came to me one day while I was thinking about how powerful words can be. Words can be for encouragement or can be used as a destructive force. I wanted to write it in a way that children could understand.

How long have you been writing?

I’ve been writing since I was a child, with long pauses in between. But I’m back now.

What’s your favorite genre to write and why?
Children’s Literature. Children are receptive and curious. I love that about them. I enjoy looking at things through their eyes.

Please list the course or courses you’ve taken with us.

Writing for Children and Teens
Beyond the Basics: Writing and Selling Short Stories and Articles

How has taking our courses helped your writing and/or career?

Firstly, I did not think I had any writing talent. I had always loved writing but never thought of it as anything more than a hobby. ICL helped me discover that, yes, I can write and get published.

Have any of your class assignments been published? If so, where and when?

Yes. “Growing a Beautiful Garden” was an assignment and was published in the spring of 2020.

Do you have a favorite writing tip you’d like to share?
I like to write an idea down as soon as it comes to me so I don’t forget it. I then begin processing the idea in my head and all the different ways it could go before I start writing it.

If you could travel back in time and give yourself one piece of writing advice, how far back would you go, and what would you tell yourself?
I would go back to about the age of 10. I would tell myself, “You can do it!”

Please tell us the best or most valuable thing you learned from your experience with ICL and IFW.

I learned so much. I had no clue what involved writing a story for publication. There is so much research that goes into it. Now, I can’t look at any story without a critical eye.