How I Accidentally Became a Children's Book Author

If you're reading this, then you either have, or are interested in purchasing my debut children's book, My Little Big Secret. I thought it would be fitting to share a little about myself and the journey that led me to writing it.

The first, and probably most defining, aspect of who I am is that I am a very proud aunty of six. It's a responsibility I didn't choose, but it's one I embrace wholeheartedly. Most of my free time is spent with my nieces and nephew, whether that's taking them on adventures, joining in with their shenanigans, or simply being part of their world. It's a system that benefits everyone: my sisters get a break, the kids have a good time, and I get the joy of being the favourite aunty.

Outside of that, I would describe myself as a serial hobbyist.

Every so often, I become inspired to try something new. Through a combination of curiosity and unfounded self-belief (aka delusion), I somehow convince myself that I can successfully master a skill I've never attempted before. Over the years, I have thrown myself into baking, podcasting, roller skating, making short films, food journalism, and countless other pursuits; all with varying degrees of success, commitment, and longevity. 

With that in mind, it probably makes a little more sense how I ended up becoming an author.

Writing a children's book was never something I imagined myself doing, let alone going on to publish it. However, thanks to my long history of sporadically throwing myself into unfamiliar territory, it didn't seem particularly strange when the idea came to me. I simply assumed it was something I could figure out, despite having absolutely no experience and very little understanding of the process.

The funny thing is that, looking back, perhaps the signs were always there.

I spent much of my childhood and teenage years with my nose buried in a book, spending countless hours escaping from one fantasy or dystopian world to the next. And despite not particularly enjoying English lessons at school, I always loved the moments when we were asked to write fictional stories. Now and then, I would also write poems, though I never thought much of it at the time. Looking back now, those small creative outlets feel a little like foreshadowing. 

What began as a simple idea eventually grew into a project I couldn't stop thinking about. One step led to another, and before I knew it, I had written a story, found myself learning about self-publishing, and somehow ended up bringing a children's book into the world.

If there's one thing I've learned from all my hobbies, it's that curiosity has a habit of leading you to unexpected places. This journey has certainly been one of them, and I'm grateful that it led me here. Perhaps all those years spent reading stories, writing poems, and enthusiastically throwing myself into new hobbies were quietly preparing me for this chapter all along.

Thank you for being part of the adventure.