The Children's Book Author Podcast

Send us a textToday 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/

Send us a textWhat 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.  

Send us a textToday'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

Send us a textTodays 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!

Send us a textThis 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

Send us a textToday'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/

Send us a textToday'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

Send us a textJoin 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