My Debut Children's Book Is OUT!

How To Say No, my first children's books is out now and you can get it at all good bookstores and to celebrate here is a Q&A of my most asked questions

I turned 30 this week and now I’m officially a children’s book author! Big moves.

I won’t lie, it’s been an odd year promoting two books in one year and as a result, this book hasn’t got nearly as much love as it should have. It’s felt like a full year of constant promotion and that’s been new to me! But as is writing a children’s book. I had so many illusions about writing a children’s book before I even started, like that it is easier than writing an adult’s book and was sorely mistaken. This book was probably the one that put me out of my comfort zone the most and as is often the case, as a result, it is the one I am most proud of!

How To Say No is a book for children aged 10 years and older and it’s your guide to all things boundaries. See it as The Joy of Being Selfish for Kids! I would say it’s a great book, but I’m the author so I’m biased. If you don’t believe me, I get it. So instead, here are some kind words from people I really respect:

‘Learning boundaries from a young age is vital – a brilliant book!’  - Katie Piper OBE

‘The Queen of Boundaries strikes again, this is a must-read!’ - Louise Pentland

I asked you all what you want to know so here are the most asked questions!

Will I benefit from this book as an adult without children if I have already read The Joy of Being Selfish?

To be really honest, no. I would probably be a more successful author if I lied on this one but since learning boundaries, I find I am incapable of being inauthentic. This is a book designed for 10-year-olds and therefore the examples and situations I mention in the book are very heavily the ones that children experience in school or with their parents. The Joy of Being Selfish also talks about parents but it is obviously from an older point of view so if you have read it, you won’t benefit further from How To Say No and if you have not read The Joy of Being Selfish, that would be the book I recommend for adults. I don’t believe in age restrictions for reading so go for it though and if you are buying it for children in your life like your niblings or your friend’s kids, I do believe adults will enjoy it too and can learn from it as well, it’s just not the primary focus.

What was the hardest part about writing children’s?

As an author, I am quite an educational writer which is ironic since I can’t write academically for shit. For children though, education needs to come paired with some lightness and fun and it’s the fun that I struggled with. In my adult book, the lightness and fun usually comes from the stories I tell that are less appropriate for children but without my stories, the biggest feedback I got was that it needs to more fun! It really challenged the creative part of my brain and that was very new to me!

Will it be in schools and libraries?

Yes, or at least we really hope so! If you are parents, ask your school librarian and even request it in your local library. Libraries love requests because it makes it clear to them what they should be ordering and what’s popular and will get read so let them know! I will also hopefully be visiting schools as soon as term starts again!

Which chapter did you need the most growing up?

For anyone who has read my first book, Am I Ugly?, you will know that I got dragged across a carpet and kicked by a teacher in school and for many years, I never told anyone because of the ‘teachers are always right’ mentality. In fact, my parents only found out that happened when they read Am I Ugly? and therefore it was important to me to include a section that you can set boundaries with teachers and no, they are not always right.

What age range is it most appropriate for and how is this decided?

Officially the age range is 10 years and older but if they are slightly younger, I would suggest you just read it with them. The most mature it gets is it mentions your first kiss and if you read it with them, you can skip this chapter until it is relevant to them and their age. I think my advice for any parents is always read books before your child because you know your child best and two 10 year olds can be very different in maturity and also reading ability. I believe it’s decided based on reading ability and also the content of the book.

My cousin is homeschooled. Will the school section still be relevant?

Yes! Only one chapter in that section is about teachers and even then when discussing with them this chapter, I would say that even if they don’t have a teacher, it still applies when it comes to authority figures and people who are in positions of power and that’s important for any sports clubs they attend or even doctors. The rest of the school section talks about the importance of handing things in on time for deadlines, feeling your work is good enough, managing your time and schedule and creating time for play too! Also if their parents are the ones homeschooling them, then the parents section will be extra important!

What is your favourite part of the book when reading it?

It’s very simple but as a debut children’s author, I love that I can use a whole page for one important sentence that rewrites messages from society.

Is it aimed at all genders?

Yes! Every time I got asked for feedback on the illustrations, I kept saying ‘more inclusive!’. I wanted it to be as inclusive as it could get, not just in terms of gender but also ability, race, size, shape etc!

What is your favourite chapter?

As a child that was never taught consent and when I was, my body parts would always be referred to with pseudonyms, I love that I get to educate kids with the accurate names for their body parts!

Are you excited about events? And will you be reading the book aloud at the events?

I’m so looking forward to doing events and absolutely! What’s funny is as a dyslexic, I still remember my first ever book event when I had to read aloud and it took me by shock as I had flashbacks of reading aloud in English class and found myself in front of 100 people, stuttering. Now, I love it though! I just need to remember I can slow down and it’s your work so it’s important to read it!

If you would like to support my book, it would mean the world if you could get a copy for all the children in your life. It would be the best birthday present you can get me and if you value my free content online, it would be a fab way to thank me! If you can’t support me that way, it would be great if you could request it at your local library or shout about it on social media! I truly believe books sell by word of mouth so even popping a picture in your Instagram stories can do wonders to create some buzz - especially in the middle of summer when everyone is away haha!

Lots of love,
M xx