Hey, 5-Year Old Me, We Did It
When I was 5-years old, I decided I wanted to be a writer.
I was lucky enough to have a stay-at-home parent. My mom read to me all the time, and my older siblings read to me too.
I never really thought about where books came from until one day when my mom showed me the name on the front of a book called Miss Rumphius. The author’s name was Barbara Cooney - Barbara like me.
Barbaras make books.
I carried that desire to be a writer with me for years…years! I graduated high school having published a tiny poem in a collection of works. Then, I went to college briefly and life happened, and well, you’ve probably lived it, so there’s no need for me to explain.
In my mid-30s, I finally decided to do it - to write and publish a book. I had aspirations of being the next Walt Whitman, but how could I be a Whitman if I couldn’t even finish writing a short story or poem anymore?
That’s when I remembered Miss Rumphius, and I got to work.
On December 4th, Fernando Learns About Asking - my first children’s book illustrated by Duncan Ragsdale - celebrated its 6-year anniversary of publication.
I’ve written lots of other things since then. I’ve written short stories and novels, and I’ve explored lots of different genres.
But this children’s book is the one that broke the seal on my creative guts.
Thanks, Fernando. I owe you one.
You can find all of my children’s books here, and if you’re ready to start writing your own children’s books, you can take my How to Write a Children’s Book course here.
You can do this. I believe in you.