We were lucky to catch up with Bonnie Baumgartner recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Bonnie, thanks for joining us today. Alright – so having the idea is one thing, but going from idea to execution is where countless people drop the ball. Can you talk to us about your journey from idea to execution?

The idea for Mother Moon came to me in a sleep-deprived state of mania. Exhausted and elated from the birth of my third child, my daughter, Lydia, I started to write after a midnight feeding. The book started as a story for new mothers, I was writing about my experience, being so tired, in love, and questioning my abilities to care for this perfect little person. As I continued to write, the story shifted. It became a story about my daughter’s possibilities, of who she could become, and all I hope to share with her. Once it was “finished” (I put that in quotations because I don’t think any story is actually ever finished…I could edit for eternity) I shared it with a select audience and they all pressed me to publish. But, publishing felt way too vulnerable. I really enjoy anonymity, and putting something so personal out into the world terrified me. So I sat on it. I continued to write for my own enjoyment here and there and used my creative energy in other ways. Though Mother Moon was always in the back of my mind.

Nearly five years later, while managing a pop-up art market called The Artisan Collective, an illustrator by the name of Emily Velazquez reached out to apply. When I looked at her socials I was super drawn to her style. Before I could talk myself out of it, I Instagram messaged her asking if she would be interested in illustrating a children’s book. She responded it had always been her dream so we decided to meet at a local coffee shop and talk. Neither one of us had any experience in this arena. Fortunately, she had a family friend to turn to for advice, and I racked up countless hours researching on google.

Our work bringing Mother Moon to life began in August of 2020. This was during the height of Covid hell and I think this project was super important for both of us. It gave us something positive to focus on when so much felt bleak and uncertain. Emily and I would regularly meet to discuss the storyboard and I’d give her feedback on illustrations. At the time, I worked as the director for my local United Way, so when I wasn’t on office time, I was navigating copyright laws on the US library of congress site. My work-home-passion balance was completely out of whack. I am so thankful for Emily. She was an amazing partner who kept us on track. Mother Moon’s illustrations and final formatting were completed in March of 2021 approximately 7 months after our first meeting. I had my first batch of books printed locally by my family print shop the following month.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Surely, I am an indie author of the children’s book, Mother Moon. A story that celebrates the special bond between mother and daughter and hopes to inspire kids to follow their dreams, the importance of kindness, voicing their opinions, and being brave. I graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from Illinois State University and try to incorporate compassion and social-emotional elements into my writing.

In addition to authorship, I dabble in marketing and website design. When I’m not working on various creative projects, I enjoy spending time with my family, biking the fox river, supporting local businesses, and volunteering with our downtown community.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

Getting to interact with kids and inspire them. I just did a presentation on how to write your own story in my daughter’s first-grade classroom and their enthusiasm was so fun. We came up with a conflict-resolution story on the fly featuring a puppy, elephant, and gingerbread man on the beach, during the winter. When it came up to developing the plot they had so many great ideas from the gingerbread man wanting to swim but he can’t because he’ll disintegrate (literally a 6-year-old used that word, I was super impressed) to the elephant sucking up all the water and blasting all the people off the beach. Kids are the best storytellers and I’m so thankful I have the opportunity to foster some of that creative energy!

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

I spent a long portion of my life being anxious, self-conscious, and depressed. I felt this way without the internet. I can’t imagine how hard adolescence is today with social media fueling those negative emotions. I still have times when I am not completely comfortable in my own skin, but I am getting there. I think writing pushes me out of my comfort zone and helps me grow as an individual. My writings include positive messages, acts of kindness, and self-love. My goal is these messages will inspire readers to love themselves and be good humans. And, I want to show my kids they can do anything they put their minds to!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://bonniebaum.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bonniebaumgartner.bb/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bonniebaumgartner.bb
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bonnie-baumgartner/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/bonniebaum_

Image Credits
April Duda Photography & Katie O’Brien Photography