G’day everybody! I have another fun and exciting thing to tell you. How about another Good Enough Mother welcome to a woman following her dream, Dianne Branch. Dianne reached out to us at Team GEM a while ago because she wanted to tell the world about her labor of love. Well, it was her labor of love, borne of real labor! Dianne, in true entrepreneurial fashion, has written and published a book series based on her own children. Remember how much your kids loved being read to when they were small? I don’t know about you but we we would read the same books, over and over again (Cole’s personal favorite was “Everyone Poops”; I’m sure that comes as no surprise) until they could read it themselves. I loved reading to my kids because it was such a great time to bond and marvel at their growth.
I’m a big believer in getting books into the hands of kids at an early age so they can take ownership of their learning and it’s such a great thing, watching a child get excited about that. With that said, it’s time for me to turn it over to our newest Featured Advertiser, Dianne Branch, so she can tell you more about her books and vision. Check out her website for more.
By the way, we’ve been getting quite a few ad requests, another indication that our little GEMpire is growing. If you’d like to purchase real estate on this imperfect little space, click here and someone from Team GEM will get right on it! But now, here’s Dianne.
Tell your fellow GEMs what your books are about?
In my books, I have turned the real-life experiences of my two children, Sydney, 7, and Logan, 3, into a children’s book series designed for young readers. My storytelling and vivid illustrations engage children by bringing real learning experiences to life on the page.
Every journey through parenthood is filled with “teachable moments.” What “A-Ha”! moment lead you to build a series of books chronicling these moments in Sydney and Logan’s lives?
In 2008, I wanted to find a children’s book to help guide Sydney through the process of becoming a big sister. I wanted a book that Sydney could see herself in, but had trouble finding stories with characters that looked like her (Sydney has hazel eyes and very curly hair).
Are your children aware that they are now not only the light of your life, but your muses? How do they respond to that?
Yes Sydney is aware! She wants to autograph all the books. Logan is still too young to understand but hopefully one day soon, he will be just as excited as his big sister.
On your website you mention that writing for children has always been your passion. What other types of writing have you done or are you interested in pursuing?
Actually, writing for children is my only passion for now!
What one or two things would you like to ultimately like to teach your children about life?
Because my books are guided almost entirely by my children’s real voices and experiences, my children can relate to this and understand what it means. Also, since siblings spend more time together in their lifetime than any other person, I think it is important to show this interaction.
Getting a book published is a great achievement. What was the most challenging part of that? What was most inspiring?
I decided to self-publish simply because I wanted total control. Deciding which self-publishing company was the challenging part because of the vast selection.
Your books are based on your children’s life learning experiences. Are there any of those that you would like to go back and change, specifically the way you handled them?
Honestly, I believe I handled most of their experiences well. Since I am still learning on how to deal with some new ones, I would seek advice from other moms like GEM.
What do you hope GEM readers take away from your books?
Sydney and Logan’s stories make the perfect gifts since children can relate to them.
