1. What inspired you to write this book?
With five children and years of experience volunteering
in the schools on the Central Coast of California, I became increasingly
worried about the mental and emotional well being of our young people. During
Covid a friend and I were talking on the phone and she said, “Lisa,
you should write a book.” Finally - a way for me to channel my
energy, years of experience with young people, educators, and families, and try
to create positive change!
2. What exactly is it about and who
is it written for?
“Pearls” is a unique parenting book -
different from anything I’ve ever seen, but something I wish I’d had
as a new parent. The idea is simple - find a comfortable spot to sit with
a new little one, relax, and read a page or two aloud each day. . . in this
way, the beneficial HABIT of reading and speaking to a child will become a
regular, easy practice, and a special bond will be formed right from the start.
During the writing process, I talked to many people whom I had met
over the past 30 years, including a number of young mothers
and fathers. I asked what some of their greatest challenges had been, what they
wish they had known early on, and what they would like to share with new
parents. I also reached out to a number of educators/professionals/wonderful
parents & grandparents, and after interviewing over 100 people, took the
most relevant information (representing many sides of each subject) and
presented the ideas in an easy to grasp format alongside motivational poems,
quotes and watercolor illustrations from California’s beautiful Central Coast.
This book was written for new parents, but I’ve
had people of all ages (some who have never had children) tell me it is a
book that resonates strongly with them, and they truly enjoy reading.
3. What do you hope readers will
get out of reading your book?
My greatest hope is that “Pearls” will
inspire its readers to look at the world in a different way, understanding that
the perspective we bring to life can change everything for the
better. I’m hearing from so many new parents that they are feeling
overwhelmed, anxious and worried - and social media (instead of helping) is
creating strong feelings of guilt (for not doing everything they’re
supposed to do) as they parent their child/children.
My dream was to create a beautiful,
calming, tangible BOOK, which could help to heal/ground new parents, and
in turn, foster a strong sense of connection while opening the lines of
communication between both parents and children.
4. How did you decide on your
book’s title and cover design?
During the early stages of the writing
process, I began to envision a book which would evoke a sense of calm and
relaxation in its readers. I spent many hours walking on the beaches near our
home, enjoying the scenery and wildlife. A talented friend (Cameron Shields)
had just taken up watercolor painting, and I loved everything she was creating.
I asked if she’d be willing to contribute her art to the book and she agreed!
The idea behind the title, “Pearls,” came
from the connection to the sea, and my growing realization that the formation
and development of a child is similar to the formation of a pearl.
Each experience and interaction a child has from birth to adulthood builds
on the next and creates the adult s/he becomes, just as a pearl begins with a
tiny grain of sand, and grows gradually from the build-up of minerals contained
within its shell.
5. What advice or words of wisdom do you have
for fellow writers – other than run!?
Be prepared for a wild ride - it’s easy to
have a dream and want to share it with the world. . . not so easy to see it
through to the end. Lots of ups and downs, but so rewarding once a final copy
is held within your hand.
6. What trends in the book world do you see --
and where do you think the book publishing industry is heading?
It’s simply amazing to me that the number of books being published is growing
exponentially, yet it seems that the reading of actual books is becoming a
thing of the past. Time and patience are becoming less and less accessible
- if it’s not information that can be relayed in a minute or two, many people
don’t seem to be interested.
I love the fact that self-publishing has
become so easy, and I do hope that new parents will understand the value
in establishing a love of reading early on with their children. Books
open up the world - bringing people, places and ideas together - and I believe
they can transform a life!
7. Were there experiences in your
personal life or career that came in handy when writing this book?
I have always been interested in people - who
they are, what they believe, how they came to be, and as I was working with
young people, teachers, administrators and families in our local schools, I
learned first-hand what factors most greatly impact the development of a child.
People all have a need to feel safe, valued and respected, and having a
purpose (whatever that purpose may be) is essential to our growth and
development!
Throughout my life I have looked for ways to
help guide and inspire people. My husband and I owned and operated
several mortgage companies when our children were young, and my favorite
part of that experience was working with our employees and customers, helping
them with their work needs, but also assisting as they navigated
through life challenges. I’ve been in leadership roles for
years, working with various nonprofits and school related boards - my interest
in collaboration and unity was strengthened by these experiences,
and further heightened by the writing process of my book.
8. How would you describe
your writing style?
I’m not quite sure how to explain my writing
style - I guess I’d call it fairly casual. I strive to explain things
clearly, in a simple way. Most of the people I interviewed weren’t
comfortable writing themselves, and so I did my best represent the
information they had relayed, and then let them make edits as needed.
9. Which writers or books is your writing similar to?
I have never seen a book quite like “Pearls,” however
I recently picked up my daughter’s old childhood book “Chicken Soup
for the Teenage Soul,” by Jack Canfield, and noticed that my “Pearls"
is similar in its collection of stories from all kinds of people.
10. What challenges did you overcome
in the writing of this book?
Perhaps the biggest challenge
was overcoming the belief that I wasn’t qualified for writing a book.
I’ve always enjoyed writing, but never thought of myself as a true
writer. My father published many books during his time as a university
professor and lecturer, and I was inspired by him. Continuing to address
the self-doubt and move forward was an ongoing challenge for me.
11. If people can buy or read
one book this week or month, why should it be yours?
I believe my book has the potential to change
the world. If we can only open our eyes to the realization that our children
are our future, and with the right perspective and forward momentum, it is possible
for us to create a positive shift in our culture and move to a place of
healing and wholeness.
About The Author: Lisa Guy is a graduate of UC San Diego with a BA in
Communications, a past business co-owner and mother of five. From a young age,
Lisa has had an interest in people and their development - especially young
children. After her third child was born, she stopped workin outside the home
and immersed herself in the lives of little ones. During her 30 years
of volunteer work as a room parent, classroom volunteer, field trip chaperone,
PTA and booster club leader, fundraising chair, and community volunteer, she became
passionate about finding ways to help young people reach their full potential.
For more info, please see: Pearls4Parents.com.
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Here is a discount link for a three-day pass
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advocate, teacher, and motivator!
About Brian
Feinblum
Brian Feinblum should be
followed on www.linkedin.com/in/brianfeinblum. This is
copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog ©2024. Born and raised in Brooklyn, he now
resides in Westchester with his wife, two kids, and Ferris, a black lab rescue
dog, and El Chapo, a pug rescue dog. His writings are often featured in The
Writer and IBPA’s The Independent. This
award-winning blog has generated over 3.9 million pageviews. With 4,900+ posts
over the past dozen years, it was named one of the best book marketing blogs by
BookBaby http://blog.bookbaby.com/2013/09/the-best-book-marketing-blogs and recognized by Feedspot in 2021 and 2018
as one of the top book marketing blogs. It was also named by
www.WinningWriters.com as a "best resource.” For the past three decades,
including 21 years as the head of marketing for the nation’s largest book
publicity firm, and director of publicity positions at two independent presses,
Brian has worked with many first-time, self-published, authors of all genres,
right along with best-selling authors and celebrities such as: Dr. Ruth, Mark
Victor Hansen, Joseph Finder, Katherine Spurway, Neil Rackham, Harvey Mackay,
Ken Blanchard, Stephen Covey, Warren Adler, Cindy Adams, Todd Duncan, Susan
RoAne, John C. Maxwell, Jeff Foxworthy, Seth Godin, and Henry Winkler. He
hosted a panel on book publicity for Book Expo America several years ago, and
has spoken at ASJA, Independent Book Publishers Association Sarah Lawrence
College, Nonfiction Writers Association, Cape Cod Writers Association,
Willamette (Portland) Writers Association, APEX, Morgan James Publishing, and
Connecticut Authors and Publishers Association. His letters-to-the-editor have
been published in The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, New York Post, NY
Daily News, Newsday, The Journal News (Westchester) and The Washington
Post. His first published book was The Florida Homeowner, Condo, &
Co-Op Association Handbook. It was featured
in The Sun Sentinel and Miami Herald.
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