Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Dr. Lynda Mubarak. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Dr. Lynda, thanks for joining us today. Naming anything – including a business – is so hard. Right? What’s the story behind how you came up with the name of your brand?

I named my first book STATIONS because of a discussion I had with my grandmother when I was six years old. She told me everyone I will ever meet is occupying a different station, level or position in life filled with lessons. She reminded me to never make fun of another person’s station in life because I could be in their position at a moment’s notice.

She emphasized every position contains lessons to be learned and we cannot move on, improve or reach higher levels of thinking or living until we learn the lessons, skills or knowledge required to advance. In other words, you must be qualified and organized to be promoted to the next station. STATIONS is filled with experiences and situations I observed, taught or learned over many years.

As a result of this conversation, when I made a decision to write children’s books I also decided my business name would be Stations for Kids. I recently realized each book I have written after STATIONS is based on a concept or idea contained in STATIONS.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

The ability to read is one of the most important skills that a human needs to survive and thrive. I learned to read very early and I’ve always been interested in early literacy and the importance of printed exposure. Reading changes behavior, provides a different view of the world, and allows new ways to analyze challenges.

The Detective Maxine Hill Series is centered on an African American fifth grader who reads to investigate and solve delimmas in her family, school and community. She is called Detective Maxine by everyone and her only objective is reading to find solutions for everyday issues. Each Maxine story teaches a simple lession in community service and interpersonal relationships. As she works her way through her ‘cases’ she also learns about a career during the process.

My objective for Stations for KIds is to teach children that any subject matter or life challenge is in print somewhere. I am very proud that the Detective Maxine Hill Series is now in the Fort Worth Public Library System. This has been a life long dream.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

Several years ago I searched to find a publisher for my first children’s book, Carver Park. It was disturbing to learn some publishers will tell you to limit your word count, change your dialogue, or consider another theme. A friend suggested I contact Louie McClain of Melanin Origins to see if he would accept my manuscript. Mr. McClain read my story and agreed to publish. He directed me from the first draft, story board, and edits to the marketing strategies I needed to incorporate to make the book a success. My advice to an author or anyone who has been told ‘no’ at various points during your career journey is to stay the course and be consistent. In addition, find a mentor in your area of interest or industry. Meet with that person or group, listen their recommendations, suggestions, and use those strategies that best meet your needs. Do not give up, but change your techniques for success.

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We live in fast-paced, quick, instant gratification, celebrity-minded culture. As a result, sometimes the expectations for success are unrealistic. There is no fast track to achievement. Whether you are creative or providing a service to clients you need to remember that success comes in steps or levels. We tend to look at famous personalities who have achieved greatness while forgetting that it took years for some of them to invest their time and resources required to succeed. There are bumps, bruises and errors along the way. You will be challenged and you will learn from the issues as they present themselves.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://www.detectivemaxine.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/detectivemaxinehill/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lyndamubarak