We sat down with Meraki Press's newest debut author, Darlene Edmonds, to ask her about work, writing, and her books!
Tell us a little about yourself:
My family is the focal point of my life, and everything else must fall into place around that. I am what I would call a simple woman. By that, I mean that I don't require a lot of fuss and muss. Everyday things make me happy, such as laughing until my belly hurts and tears roll down my face, and enjoying a great cup of coffee with a book that I can't put down. Pretty flowers and a beautiful sky make me smile. Music is also very important to me. I'm not sure how I'd get through most of my days without it. I am an avid reader and lover of learning. Gardening and getting my hands in the dirt touches my soul and has an effect on me that I can't quite describe. I have been blessed with a couple of really close lifelong friends that I treasure immensely. I thank God every day for granting me another day, and I try to see the beauty in all things in this life.
What inspired/led you to write your book?
I was inspired to write this particular children's book because the idea that was planted in my head would not go away! I felt like there was a good story there, ya know. One that I believe kids would really enjoy. One that I felt I would have read to my kids or grandkids. As it progressed, I realized that it was the kind of story that my mom read to my brothers and me when we were young and still listening to bedtime stories. We had our favorites, and my wish is that Allie's Adventures with Pecky and Clyde will be a favorite for at least one child. Some of my favorite childhood memories were spent with my cousins on their small farm. We didn’t need much more than our imaginations, and we spent long days playing in the fields and around the barn and outbuildings. Those memories are very dear to my heart.
What is your favorite part of writing?
My favorite part about writing is that my imagination can run wild. There is no right or wrong, just my thoughts and emotions. I love that I am in control of creating the characters' personalities, whether they are human or not! I like that I can actually see the scenes played out in my head as I write them, and the emotions actually affect me! I laugh, cry, and giggle—all of it while I am thumping the words out on my keyboard.
Do you have a piece of advice for someone who wants to write a book?
My advice for anyone thinking of writing a book is: do it!!! It doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks about it or if it ever gets published. If you have a story to tell, tell it.
What was the easiest and most difficult part of publishing?
For me, the hardest part of publishing was finding the right illustrator, and I got extremely lucky when Katie at Meraki Press found Joshua! As far as the easiest part, I feel like the staff at Meraki Press made this process pretty smooth. I felt like I was in a whirlwind at times, only because of my life being busy with work. But otherwise, if there were major bumps, I didn’t feel them!
If you could go back to the beginning, is there anything you would’ve done differently to get this book published?
If I could go back to the beginning, I would not change anything in the timeline from completing the manuscript until beginning the publishing process because the time was not right. It had been about 6 years and a few hundred submissions to other publishing houses, even a few vanity publishers, and the ones that did call or offer a "package deal" didn’t feel right. When I was told about Meraki Press through a friend at work, something felt good about it. I submitted, they chose to publish, and the rest, as they say, is history.
Tell us your favorite book or give us some recommendations.
My favorite book in the world? I’m not sure that I have a favorite per se, but I do have some that I have read several times over the years. I love books based on historical facts like Follow the River by James Alexander Thom, Shaman's Daughter by Nan F. Salerno and Rosamond M. Vanderburgh. A series that I’ve enjoyed and will definitely read again is Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean M. Auel. As a kid, I read the Little House on the Prairie series by Laura Ingalls Wilder and anything by Judy Blume! I don’t tend to stick to one genre either. I like fantasy, sci-fi, and really anything if it’s well written. If a book catches and holds my attention within the first few pages, I will read it; if not, I pass!
Do you think you'd ever write another book?
Yes, I will write another book! As a matter of fact, I have half of the next book in the Allie's Adventures with Pecky and Clyde series written and have ideas and storylines for at least three more!
And Lastly, where can readers find your book? Or learn more about you?
Allie's Adventures with Pecky & Clyde: A Very Good Summer is available online everywhere books are sold: Barnes & Noble, Walmart, Amazon, & Target!
Thank you, Darlene Edmonds for sharing your time and insights with us!
If you would like to follow along with Darlene's book and further updates, you can find her on social media at: @DarleneEdmonds
You can order her debut book here: Allie's Adventures with Pecky & Clyde: A Very Good Summer
Available everywhere September 27th, 2024!
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