We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Emily Gould a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Emily, thanks for joining us today. Let’s kick things off with a hypothetical question – if it were up to you, what would you change about the school or education system to better prepare students for a more fulfilling life and career?

Our educational system is suited to children with a very specific learning style. If a child lies outside of the pinhole approach of our current education system they fall between the cracks and adopt the notion that they are not intelligent, simply because they do not fit the mold (socially, mentally, physically, or emotionally) set by our education system. I became particularly aware of the shortcomings of our current system when my daughter was diagnosed with a life threatening illness. In short, she was given the option of a home and hospital plan that was not conducive to her treatment or being awarded an “honorary” diploma that would not allow her to pursue higher education. When a child/teen/young adult feel as if they cannot succeed in an environment that seems to come so easy for their peers, they begin to doubt their abilities in many other areas in their lives as well. It is imperative that each child is presented with opportunities and necessary resources that help them feel as if they can truly be successful. Our students do not need to be catered to, but they do need to be given adequate resources and equal opportunities to show their ability to work for their individual success.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I wrote my first book about five years ago. I had never pictured myself as a writer, if anything I would’ve said that drawing is more of a creative outlet for me. However, when my oldest daughter was diagnosed with an aggressive cancer I found that expressing my emotions through writing helped my heart to learn life lessons that were unique to my situation. Opportunities to share our experiences began to present themselves as the story of our journey of trials, heartache, faith, and family spread throughout the country and continued on through distant continents. I had the opportunity to publish a book, without having any formal writing experience. This gave me the courage to continue writing and sharing the lessons I’ve learned and the miracles we’ve seen. My second book will be released in August 2023. I have come to know that it is not the specifics of challenges and trials that unite us, it is the innate desire to overcome our suffering that connects our souls to one another. I know that God lives. He is as present in the sunshine as He is in the suffering. I know that miracles still exist with much more frequency than we often realize. I know that our families are the most important thing in this life. I know that we will face circumstances that we never dreamt would be our reality. I know that we will be given more than we can handle, so that we can more fully understand the power of God and the individual love He has for each of us. I know that we were never meant to walk through this life alone.

Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

With no formal experience, I was completely unsure of where to go to even have my manuscript read. I did a lot of online research to better understand the process of being published. Once my manuscript was accepted, I was at a loss when it came to marketing, so much so that many friends did not know about the publication of my book until after it had been released. As I am learning and growing as an author, I have a few free resources that I have found to be quite valuable.

Submittable – This is an online site that allows you to make a free account and submit your manuscripts to multiple publishers at no charge.

Goodreads – I was so far behind the game that I did not even have a Goodreads account set up when my first book came out. This resource is wonderful as an author. Goodreads is social media for book lovers. Setting up a free author profile allows you to connect your published works. Readers can then rate them and leave reviews. It’s free marketing!

Amazon – You can use this massive marketplace not only to sell your book, but to have others rate it. Amazon also ranks your book by subcategory. You can follow to see how your book is comparing to others in a similar genre.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

I have never felt so isolated as I have throughout the last several years. This was not because of lack of support or love, it was because of the depth of emotions my heart has been trying to process. My hope in continuing to share our story is simply that people may feel less alone in whatever circumstance life gives them. I want people to know that they are seen and that their feelings are valid. Sometimes it is easy to believe that we are only lovable if we are happy and smiling, but God sent us to earth not just to live life but to experience and embrace all that it has to offer. This means that we will live through situations that challenge us on every front. My greatest hope is that people may recognize that God walks with them, even when they feel alone. God does not reserve His love for those who never suffer. I pray that we may seek Him amidst the suffering.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.amazon.com/Gave-Me-You-True-Story/dp/1462145736/ref=pd_ci_mcx_mh_mcx_views_1?pd_rd_w=1wP2w&content-id=amzn1.sym.0250fb24-4363-44d0-b635-ac15f859c3b5&pf_rd_p=0250fb24-4363-44d0-b635-ac15f859c3b5&pf_rd_r=2RPY1NTE92MJ8M53C3KQ&pd_rd_wg=nPHQG&pd_rd_r=345819cb-68a5-4917-a9cb-51a1a52405cc&pd_rd_i=1462145736
• Instagram: @emily_m_gould
• Facebook: Emily Gould
• Linkedin: Emily M. Gould