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

Kendra , appreciate you joining us today. Can you tell us the backstory behind how you came up with the idea?

I love to write. I write from my heart. My heart was heavy with the weight of my son’s struggles. His diagnosis of dyslexia was a blessing that allowed us to find the tools needed to help him, and the teacher that changed him.

I found I needed to share his story, our story. So I began to write. I wrote Jackson’s story from his point of view. I wrote his story with all of my heart.

It took courage to share this raw part of myself and my family. But I knew I needed to. People need to hear his story so they can understand or because they can relate to Jackson. And so A Book About a Boy was born.

This is my third published book. I am very proud of all of my books, but this one comes from my heart.

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 have wanted to be a published author since I was six-years-old. Writing has always been my outlet. When my children were very young I started writing for them and about them. I discovered I could weave a few amount of words into a story that was magical for children. And so I became a children’s author.

My first published book, Hey Cupcake, came about when I went to a reading conference and learned about the need for diversity in books. Books about children who look different or have different families. I started thinking about my daughter and her cousins. They all look different. One has blond hair and blue eyes, two are half Laotian, one is half Jamaican. One comes from a big family, one comes from a smaller family, and one lives with just her mom. I took their differences and their similarities and spun a story of friendship, family, and cupcakes.

I am currently working with an illustrator and will soon publish my first picture book.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

Seeing children light up after reading my books is the biggest reward for me. I have had children and teenagers who struggle with reading finish my books and glow with pride and confidence and a new found love of reading.

Reading can change lives and seeing children progress in their reading brings me joy. Knowing that my books can and have helped them on their journey fills my heart.

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

Kindle Direct Publishing, or KDP, has been a valuable resource for me that I wish I had known about sooner. After studying and researching and being turned down by publishers, I finally discovered KDP. This platform allowed me the opportunity to self publish in a marketplace that fosters freedom to grow and reach many people.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @authorkendracuzick
• Facebook: Author Kendra Cuzick
• Other: www.howareyoumonday.blogspot.com