Meet Sheri Fink, author of The Little Rose and The Little Gnome
What inspired you to become a children's author?
I didn’t really set out to become a children's author. I wrote the story of The Little Rose when it poured out of my heart and put it away for over a year. It wasn’t until someone was asking me about my writing at a conference that I told anyone else about the story. When I told her, she said that she got goosebumps and that I had to do something with it because her grandchildren needed the message. That’s when I began seriously considering publishing it as a children’s book. Today, I love being a children's author and empowering kids to believe in themselves and discover how incredible they really are. It’s a perfect fit for me.
How long did it take you to write The Little Rose?
I wrote the initial story in less than a month. I was so inspired, it flowed through me so quickly. The editing process took a lot longer, as it always does. I decided in October 2010 to publish The Little Rose. At the time I made that decision, I hadn’t even let anyone else read the story. So there was a lot of work and editing to do before I could move forward to publishing. The Little Rose was published on March 22, 2011 and became a #1 best-seller on Amazon on April 6, 2011. Since then, the Kindle edition has become a best-seller and is the #2 Top-Rated Book in Children's eBooks on Amazon. It's incredible!
Your second book, The Little Gnome, will be released in March 2012. Can you tell us what this book is about?
Set in a Victorian garden, The Little Gnome is a heartwarming tale about a garden gnome experiencing his first winter and helps kids of all ages embrace change while learning about the seasons. It'll be available online at www.TheLittleGnome.com and on Amazon starting March 22.
Can you share your experience of getting your first book published?
After attending several writers’ conferences, including my favorite, the Southern California Writers Conference, I talked with a lot of authors. Some were traditionally published and others were self-published. It seemed like the self-published authors were almost always happier with their book and the entire experience. I’m an entrepreneur at heart, and I wanted my book to be a good business investment for me. I felt I could independently publish my book and I didn’t want to go through the sometimes multi-year process of finding an agent, publisher, etc. I’m not opposed to traditional publishing – it just wasn’t a good fit for me and my goals at the time.
Choosing to independently publish was a big decision. I had a huge learning curve because it was something I'd never done before. Fortunately, I hired a mentor who had successfully self-published and became a best-selling children's author. That was one of the wisest decisions I made and accelerated my results. I liked it so much that I'm doing it again and I'm mentoring other aspiring authors so they can become successful entrepreneurs as well.
What was your favorite book as a child?
My favorite book as a child was Leo the Lop by Stephen Cosgrove. It's very hard to find these days. I was delighted a few weeks ago to find one online. I did a little happy dance when it arrived in the mail. I read it for the first time as an adult and it still resonated with me. Books can be so powerful ... I love it!
What do you hope children will learn from your books?
I hope children will learn to believe in themselves and shine their unique light. I hope they will enhance their self-esteem while enjoying my books.
Children's authors don't always get to choose who illustrates their books. Are you happy with how your illustrations turned out? Are the characters as you imagined them?
Fortunately, I independently published my books and got to select the illustrator. Mary Erikson Washam is a gifted illustrator and is wonderful to work with. She illustrated both The Little Rose and The Little Gnome. I'm delighted with the way they turned out, they're even more beautiful that I envisioned!
Are you working on any other books?
Yes, I'm currently writing my third book in the series, The Little Firefly. It'll be published in Spring 2013. I'm also at work on two books that expand the universe of The Little Rose and The Little Gnome and are suitable for younger readers. At the same time, I'm working with playwright Leon Scioscia on adapting The Little Rose for the stage. It's a very exciting time with lots of fun things in the pipeline!
To discover more, about Sheri Fink and her books visit her online at www.SheriFink.com and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/SheriFinkFan.
I didn’t really set out to become a children's author. I wrote the story of The Little Rose when it poured out of my heart and put it away for over a year. It wasn’t until someone was asking me about my writing at a conference that I told anyone else about the story. When I told her, she said that she got goosebumps and that I had to do something with it because her grandchildren needed the message. That’s when I began seriously considering publishing it as a children’s book. Today, I love being a children's author and empowering kids to believe in themselves and discover how incredible they really are. It’s a perfect fit for me.
How long did it take you to write The Little Rose?
I wrote the initial story in less than a month. I was so inspired, it flowed through me so quickly. The editing process took a lot longer, as it always does. I decided in October 2010 to publish The Little Rose. At the time I made that decision, I hadn’t even let anyone else read the story. So there was a lot of work and editing to do before I could move forward to publishing. The Little Rose was published on March 22, 2011 and became a #1 best-seller on Amazon on April 6, 2011. Since then, the Kindle edition has become a best-seller and is the #2 Top-Rated Book in Children's eBooks on Amazon. It's incredible!
Your second book, The Little Gnome, will be released in March 2012. Can you tell us what this book is about?
Set in a Victorian garden, The Little Gnome is a heartwarming tale about a garden gnome experiencing his first winter and helps kids of all ages embrace change while learning about the seasons. It'll be available online at www.TheLittleGnome.com and on Amazon starting March 22.
Can you share your experience of getting your first book published?
After attending several writers’ conferences, including my favorite, the Southern California Writers Conference, I talked with a lot of authors. Some were traditionally published and others were self-published. It seemed like the self-published authors were almost always happier with their book and the entire experience. I’m an entrepreneur at heart, and I wanted my book to be a good business investment for me. I felt I could independently publish my book and I didn’t want to go through the sometimes multi-year process of finding an agent, publisher, etc. I’m not opposed to traditional publishing – it just wasn’t a good fit for me and my goals at the time.
Choosing to independently publish was a big decision. I had a huge learning curve because it was something I'd never done before. Fortunately, I hired a mentor who had successfully self-published and became a best-selling children's author. That was one of the wisest decisions I made and accelerated my results. I liked it so much that I'm doing it again and I'm mentoring other aspiring authors so they can become successful entrepreneurs as well.
What was your favorite book as a child?
My favorite book as a child was Leo the Lop by Stephen Cosgrove. It's very hard to find these days. I was delighted a few weeks ago to find one online. I did a little happy dance when it arrived in the mail. I read it for the first time as an adult and it still resonated with me. Books can be so powerful ... I love it!
What do you hope children will learn from your books?
I hope children will learn to believe in themselves and shine their unique light. I hope they will enhance their self-esteem while enjoying my books.
Children's authors don't always get to choose who illustrates their books. Are you happy with how your illustrations turned out? Are the characters as you imagined them?
Fortunately, I independently published my books and got to select the illustrator. Mary Erikson Washam is a gifted illustrator and is wonderful to work with. She illustrated both The Little Rose and The Little Gnome. I'm delighted with the way they turned out, they're even more beautiful that I envisioned!
Are you working on any other books?
Yes, I'm currently writing my third book in the series, The Little Firefly. It'll be published in Spring 2013. I'm also at work on two books that expand the universe of The Little Rose and The Little Gnome and are suitable for younger readers. At the same time, I'm working with playwright Leon Scioscia on adapting The Little Rose for the stage. It's a very exciting time with lots of fun things in the pipeline!
To discover more, about Sheri Fink and her books visit her online at www.SheriFink.com and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/SheriFinkFan.
Stacie Theis / beachboundbooks@yahoo.com / copyright 2012