Christine Alemshah's Blog

It’s an exciting season here, and I’m thrilled to share everything that’s blossoming in the world of Bea’s Balikbayan Box of Treasures!I have a very important update to share regarding the launch date. Due to unforeseen circumstances the official release date has been pushed back from July 15th, 2025 to August 19th, 2025. If you have preordered, you may have received an email notification from your vendor notifying you of this change. Just as Bea had to wait for her balikbayan box to arrive to her family abroad, Bea’s story will take a little longer to make her way out to all of you! As a thank you for all your support while you wait, I’d like to send out swag packs to those of you who have preordered! Fill out the form here and I will send you a bookmark and signed bookplate! (US addresses only please.) I also have some good news to share! If you are local to Southern California, I have two author events coming in July where you can get your hands on a copy of Bea’s Balikbayan Box of Treasures in advance of the official launch date. Details to RSVP for those events are listed below! Storytime and Craft Activity, Saturday 7/19 12pm-1:30pm @KUBO LB 3976 Atlantic Avenue, Long Beach, CA Register here to RSVP for this event! Book Launch Party You’re invited to my Official Book Launch Party for Bea’s Balikbayan Box of Treasures! Sunday, July 20th, 2-6pm Drop-in anytime between 2-6pm to enjoy storytime, crafts, karaoke, and delicious filipino food. I will be selling and signing books at the event! RSVP for Launch party here! Thank you everyone for your support on my author journey! I am so excited to share Bea’s story with the world! Shine On, Christine

Welcome to the #GrowYourWriting 2025 Creator Interviews blog series. I’m thrilled to feature talented kidlit creators this year and spotlight their beautiful work and inspiring journeys.  I’m so excited to introduce our May featured creator, Alison McGauley. Alison is is truly an inspiration. I’m so grateful ro have her as a friend and critique partner as we navigate this giant KidLit jigsaw puzzle together. Alison is a special education teacher and the author of Kenzie’s Little Tree (Orca Book Publishers), illustrated by Emilie Leduc. As a chronic illness warrior, Alison is passionate about writing stories that speak to children and caregivers who are impacted by illness or disability. She also loves creating books that feature humor, SEL, and the natural world. Alison resides in Ontario, Canada with her husband, two daughters, and Ragdoll cat. Let’s get started, shall we? 1 – What inspired you to pursue a career in children’s literature, and when did you start creating? Thank you so much for your friendship, all that you do for the kidlit community,and for having me on your blog, Christine! I’m excited to be here. I have loved reading and writing books since I was a small child. Picture bookshave always captivated me, and as an elementary teacher of 20 years, I haveenjoyed thousands. Growing up, I wrote stories, articles, and poems, but I didn’tpursue the goal of publication until 2020. At that point, I longed for a creativepursuit to fill my bucket, and I decided to commit to studying the craft of picturebook writing. I quickly fell in love with the genre and the kidlit community andhave never looked back! 2 – Can you tell us more about your journey from ideas to publication? Definitely! As I mentioned, I’ve always adored books, but I never knew how to goabout the publication process. When I decided to get serious about this journeyabout five years ago, I looked online and found the amazing picture book writingcourse with the Children’s Book Academy. That course taught me so much andwas where I first met many amazing folks in the kidlit community. From there, Iwas hooked on writing picture books and kept learning, growing and connectingwith other creators. I wrote and polished numerous drafts and eventually queriedagents. I signed with Westwood creative artists in 2021 and sold my first picturebook, Kenzie’s Little Tree, illustrated by Emilie Leduc and published by OrcaBook Publishers, about a year later. 3 – What part of the process, from the first draft to submissions, do you find the most challenging, and how do you overcome that?Though actually penning a first draft is tough, I think I’d have to say that thehardest part for me is finalizing the beginning and ending of a story. With picturebooks, both sections need to be strong and satisfying without coming across asdidactic, and this can be tricky! How I work though this challenge is by playing around with different versions,communicating with critique partners or my agent, and turning to mentor texts orinformation learned from courses for inspiration. 4 – Who are your favorite children’s authors and illustrators that have inspired your work? This is a difficult question as I’ve been inspired by many amazing creators! Mygoal as an author is to create big-hearted stories for little readers and I also tend tobe drawn to stories that contain a lot of big emotions. Some books that come tomind are Watercress by Andrea Wang and Jason Chin, Ida Always by Caron Levisand Charles Santoso, A Stopwatch from Grampa by Loretta Garbutt and CarmenMok, and The Scarecrow by Beth Ferry and The Fan Brothers. I recently wrote an article for 49th Shelf titled “Big-Hearted Stories for LittleReaders” that features powerful picture books that evoke strong emotions, featureimportant themes, inspire readers, and elicit thoughts and discussions. You cancheck that out here:https://kids.49thshelf.com/Blog/2025/... 5 – What advice would you like to give aspiring kidlit creators looking to grow their writing? As an elementary teacher, I’m a huge fan of learning opportunities! My advice is togather as much information as you can through courses, webinars, conferences,critiques, conversations with authors and publishing folks, mentor texts, etc.Throughout the years I’ve learned from a variety of sources such as critiquepartners, SCBWI, CANSCAIP, The Children’s Book Academy, The Writing Barn,12X12, Rate Your Story, Storystorm, and author webinars, to name a few. Collectas much information as you can and never stop learning and growing! 6 – What’s next for you as a creator? I am currently enjoying time spent sharing Kenzie’s Little Tree at book events,schools, and libraries! I am always puttering away on a variety of manuscripts andhope to make another book soon! Huge thanks to Christine for hosting, and to you, the readers, for tuning in! Are you participating in the #GrowYourWriting Challenge this year? Alison recommends pursuing the mentor text, podcast, webinar, and cultivate connection badges to help you on your KidLit writing path! This question ties in with my previous comment in that the most helpful resources for me are those that teach and allow me to practice my craft such as webinars, courses, mentor texts, podcasts, and cultivating connections through critique partners and author discussions. Guess What? It’s giveaway time! Alison has graciously offered to host a giveaway for one lucky winner for a free copy of Kenzie’s Little Tree (US and Canadian Residents only please.) To enter, leave a comment on this blog post below. The entry period closes on April 29, 2025, at 12am PST. One Winner will be announced on April 30, 2025.

There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.

There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.

SUNFLOWER SUPERHEROES By Christine Alemshah [WC: 143] I’m sure you know all about sunflowers.How they start as itty bitty seeds and grow, grow, grow — even taller than you sometimes!And that their seeds are tasty snacks for birds, critters, and humans!If I’m honest, they’re more like salty cases with crunchy nuggets inside that become perfect projectiles for —Phooey – puh!Right.Where were we?The good part!Did you know sunflowers can be secret superheroes for our Earth?Picture this:A place where the soil is toxic and nothing will grow.It’s not safe for animals, plants, or humans.How can an area like this thrive?Scatter seeds across barren Earth.Add waterand sunshine,and sunflowers will grow, grow, grow.They soak up toxins like a kitchen sponge absorbs water.The Earth begins to breathe again,helping it return to a healthy place for all.Superhero flower power!! Thank you for this delightful Spring Fling Kid Lit contest opportunity hosted by Kaitlyn Leann Sanchez and Ciara O’Neal. There are also some amazing prize donors! You can shower the hosts and prize donors with love by visiting their blogs, following on social media, and reviewing their amazing books. I created my GIF using the Canva app.

There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.

There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.

Welcome to the 2025 Grow Your Writing Challenge Participant Journey Series. I am so delighted to highlight the journeys of many of our wonderful participants. I hope their journeys help inspire your own. We all grow in our own ways in our own time. I love hearing the unique details of everyone’s garden of growth. Our first creator to share about their journey is author, S.J. Barrett. The Year I Took Flight: My 2024 Writer’s Journey By S. J. Barratt 2024 was a year of caffeine, creativity, and courage. As a children’s author, it felt like a balloon ride—scary at lift-off (when that first book is launched), quiet in the air (slow sales ), but filled with breathtaking views of the literary world. The self-publishing journey, I’ve learned, is a series of balloon rides, each demanding mastery of both take-off and landing—launching a book successfully and crafting one worth celebrating. Grab a mug of tea or coffee, and let me share my first year as a KidLit author—a story of risks, rewards, and the magical connections that make this community so special. Storytelling Lessons from the Trenches This year, I balanced marketing my first book, Living at the Edge of the World – Winter, with responding to tough—but invaluable—feedback on my second, Living at the Edge of the World – Spring. The insights were sometimes challenging, but professional editors pushed me to rework plot lines, refine my voice, and keep improving. And yes, there may have been a few extra kilos from late-night snacks, but it’s all part of the creative journey! A whirlwind of learning and growth. The key is to go at your own pace, take on what you can manage, and to look back and admire how far you have come.  Connecting with Readers As an introverted author, cold-selling my book to bookshops was nerve-wracking. Yet one leap turned into a partnership—a storytelling workshop for kids. The highlight? A young storyteller announcing he wanted to be a writer when he grew up. I love that kid. He made my week. During a visit to Scotland, my illustrator @Jenny_Nutbourne and I met with a class of 10-year-olds invited by a lovely librarian in Dundee. The kids were far more interested in Jenny’s illustrations than my words—one even asked if I’d “cheated” by using ChatGPT to write my book.   It was a reminder of how essential illustrations are for middle grade and how they truly bring stories to life! The Power of Community: KidLit Heroines The advice, support, and encouragement from fellow authors has been really special, a tether line securing my balloon in order to stay grounded. After entering several literary competitions I am starting to compile a library of short stories and poems—very useful for giveaways and newsletter sign ups.   Special shoutouts to: @lou.piccolo_editor for marketing tips and newsletter guidance. @eevi_jones for invaluable publishing videos and templates. Susanna Hill’s writing competitions—A wonderful way to write to deadlines and spark new ideas! https://susannahill.com/for-writers/c...  Check them out! Milestones & Magic  Awards Season: Living at the Edge of the World – Winter received two accolades in 2024—a Silver BookFest Award and a Bronze Global Book Award in the Children’s categories for diversity and multicultural storytelling.  Bonjour, France! One of 2024’s highlights was seeing my book translated into French and celebrating with a local launch. As a British native living in France, I’m thrilled to finally share my story with local readers—an unforgettable milestone.  2024 is a Wrap! During the year I soared to new heights—taking risks, navigating the ups and downs of book marketing, discovering what works, what doesn’t, and who truly has your back in the KidLit world. Above all, I learned to stay grounded in my “why”: to inspire kids to trade WiFi for Wildlife and rediscover the magic of nature. To my fellow KidLit authors: What’s your “why”? To connect, to inspire, to share a little magic with the world? I’d love to hear your thoughts—share them in the comments below. Whatever your reason, keep dreaming and floating high in your own beautiful balloon. As I prepare for my next take-off in 2025 with Living at the Edge of the World – Spring, my wish for us all is to think big and inspire the next generation of storytellers. If you’d like to follow my balloon journey, sign up for my newsletter and receive a complimentary selkie-inspired story! https://www.sjbstories.com/contact 

Welcome to the #GrowYourWriting 2025 Creator Interviews blog series. I’m thrilled to feature talented kidlit creators this year and spotlight their beautiful work and inspiring journeys.  Kicking off the new year, I welcome Author, Paola Santos and her gorgeous book How to Eat a Mango / Cómo se come un mango illustrated by Juliana Predomo and published by Neal Porter Books / Holiday House. You can connect with Paola on X/Twitter, Instagram, and her website. Stay tuned to the end of the interview for your chance to win a 30 Minute Zoom “Ask Me Anything” with Paola. 1 – What inspired you to pursue a career in children’s literature, and when did you start creating? When I was around six years old, I took great care in creating a folder, found some nice paper, and wrote the only poem I remember. It was about the Three Wise Men. I don’t recall if I wrote more, but in my heart, I was a writer. I remember feeling amazed at the thought of creating something new and mine. I believe that was the seed that later on blossomed in the desire to become a writer. Also, my mom and sister always read to me as a child. That memory and the sense of love through reading inspire me to share stories with others. After that, many things changed, life happened and I left Venezuela to move to Canada. So many experiences made me forget my dream. In 2015 a deep sense of urgency filled my heart with the longing for the written word. So, I started filling pages and pages with poetry that was waiting to be free. I found myself in libraries and bookstores, wandering through the picture book section and realizing writing for children had always been waiting for me and not the other way around. 2 – Can you share your kidlit journey thus far with our readers?  What writing/illustrating credentials, awards, contest wins, or other recognition would you like to share? In 2015, I began my official journey as a writer. It took me several years of honing my craft and taking courses to reach where I am today. It’s no secret that many writers go through a long process of self-discovery. For me, it involved understanding myself, my goals, and the audience I wanted to write for. My critique partners have been crucial in this journey, offering me support and confidence. One of them suggested that I apply to a mentorship program. I took the advice and applied to two! I was fortunate to be awarded the Las Musas and the We Need Diverse Books Mentorship Programs with authors Alexandra Alessandri and Meg Medina, the current National Ambassador of Young People’s Literature. Their wisdom and willingness to help me were game-changers. Their honest feedback shed light on my weaknesses and, more importantly, my strengths. Thanks to these relationships, I connected with my agent, and we have been working together since 2021. My debut picture book, “How to Eat a Mango” (Neal Porter Books / Holiday House), illustrated by the talented Juliana Perdomo, was published in July and earned four starred reviews! However, my biggest accomplishment has been seeing wonder in the eyes of the children I have had the privilege to read the book. It is priceless when a parent hugs you speechless and mutters a “thank you.” Those are the best moments! 3 – What part of the process, from the first draft to submissions, do you find the most challenging, and how do you overcome that? The most challenging part is finding the right structure for the story and voice for my characters. It takes me a long time to have the necessary elements and motivation behind my character’s actions. I would love to own the secret to overcome challenges or speed up the writing process, but I don’t! I mostly daydream. I sit and think and try new things until something clicks and makes sense. Also, I put the manuscript aside hoping to get a different perspective I didn’t previously consider. It usually works, but it’s a slow process. 4 – Can you tell our readers more about your journey from ideas to publication? As I said, daydreaming is an important part of my process. I believe we all have the same starting point. I love to search through the nooks of my memory and emotions for what filled me and made me reflect when I was a child. After that, I crawl under my sheets and write in my notebook. I let the words come to me in an endless mix of Spanglish without looking at grammar or spelling rules. I let out, first, what I remember and then loose ideas that could serve as the foundation of a story. This part is very intuitive. When I finally have a picture of the structure and the beginning/end of the story, it’s time to go to my computer. There, I shake off my ideas, remove the excess, and write them down. Ready to subject them to a long rewriting process that varies with each story. In this process, I evaluate the technical aspects, the rhythm, and the musicality (which I love to apply to my manuscripts) and the layers that can add depth. Afterward, I rely on the help of my fabulous critique partners, who help me see things that have gone unnoticed. Then comes the best part, working with my agent in a back-and-forth of ideas that bring out the best in each of my words. It’s a long process, but I love every bit of it!  5 – What overall advice would you like to give aspiring kidlit creators to grow their writing? Be patient. Be persistent! Build community! It seems simple, but it is easier to hide in the little corner of our room. Having a community has developed my sense of belonging and purpose. It has given me the tools to recover during the low moments of my career. You cannot change the NOs of this industry but you can change your reaction to them. 6 – What’s next for you as a creator? It is always exciting to share upcoming projects. My sophomore picture book, A House in My Barrio (Henry Holt / Macmillan), illustrated by Olivia Sua, is scheduled for release in fall 2026. Also, I hope there will be a third announcement soon, but I cannot share much about that. Additionally, I have a story currently under submission while writing many others. The life of a writer is always busy! I hope to share more news with you all soon. Are you participating in the #GrowYourWriting Challenge this year? Paola has some advice to share on how to earn your CULTIVATE CONNECTIONS badge. This year, I was honored to co-present at When Words Collide 2024, along with my good author friend, Dianne Koebel-Pede. We were excited to share our insights about building community and the importance of connection. It is not a coincidence people put such an emphasis on the importance of having a support system. In this industry, the highs are beautiful, but the lows can be overwhelming and lead to burnout. There is a community for each step: critique partners when you are beginning the journey—and on; contests and courses when you are honing your craft; mentorships to help you push through; and organizations that can help you amplify your reach.  However, the thing I love the most about community is knowing I’m not alone in my feelings, with a problem, or question. If all these things are creeping into my mind, I reach out to my community and have words of wisdom and encouragement. Guess What? It’s giveaway time! Paola has graciously offered to giveaway a 30 Minute Zoom “Ask Me Anything.” To enter, leave a comment on this blog post below! The entry period closes on January 13, 2025, at 12 am PST. One Winner will be announced on January 14, 2025. 1 Bonus entry is available for anyone who shares this post on X/Twitter, follows, and tags @pgsantosb and @C_Alemshah on X/Twitter.

There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.