What's the name of your book? And who is the publisher?

Little Brother’s Temper Tantrum
(published by Luv-Beams)
Received four awards.
Also published in Spanish as
Los Berrinches del Hermanito

Tell us a bit about your path to publishing, from idea to to submission to publication.

After ICL reviewed four of my children’s picture book stories, I submitted them to a publisher. Before I knew it, I had traditionally published 12 picture books and a number of them received awards. This motivated me to continue writing.

How long have you been writing?

I first started writing flash fiction and short stories online in 2010. Then I moved on to children’s stories which I really enjoy.

What's your favorite genre to write and why?

Picture Books. My books are entertaining and deal with subjects like bullying, lost teeth, crossed eyes, acceptance, fears, patience, disabilities, overeating, responsibility, teasing, faith, imagination, respect, cleanliness, pets, etc. I also write in Spanish and Bilingual for the benefit of Spanish readers.

Which courses have you taken?

My classes at ICL dealt with writing for children.

How has taking our courses helped your writing and/or career?

ICL classes definitely helped with my writing. The instructors are superb!

Have any of your class assignments been published?

Four of my ICL assignments were not only published, but they received Book of the Year Awards and Five-Star Seals.

Do you have a favorite writing tip you'd like to share? 

Write what you know, and show, don’t tell.

If you could travel back in time and give yourself one piece of writing advice, what would it be?

My grandfather was a great storyteller. His advice was, “When you tell a story, always act it out. If you can’t act it out, that means that you have a boring story.” I still remember the faces and gestures he made while telling his stories.”

What's the most valuable thing you learned from your experience with the Institute of Children's Literature?

When I first submitted my work to ICL, I knew I had a lot to learn, but the instructors were patient and gave me guidance that has been priceless in my writing career.

What do you think of self-publishing?

If you have a good foundation and take classes, you can succeed in self-publishing. However, it is important that you edit and rewrite until the story is perfect.