Ep 40: The Secret to Writing Children's Books

<p>In Episode 40 of the podcast, I have the privilege of speaking with adult and children’s book writer Caroline Adderson, writer of <em>A Pond, A Poet, and Three Pests</em>.</p><p> </p><p><em>A Pond, A Poet, and Three Pests</em> is a brilliant children’s book about thinking and finding quiet moments in a chaotic world. Illustrated by Lauren Tamaki, the book<em> </em>imagines how an old haiku by Japanese poet Matsuo Basho came to be. Readers will enjoy the vivid storytelling, be amused by the silliness of the animals, and be truly inspired by the old poet’s tenacity. </p><p> </p><p>Before we get into the intricacies of her work, I ask Caroline about her relationship with TV (it’s impressive!) and her love for cherry blossoms. We talk about how she gets unstuck in her writing and <strong>the door she unlocks to write children’s books</strong>. </p><p> </p><p>If you’ve ever wondered about writing children’s books or if you love haikus, this is the episode for you. It was an all-round joyful conversation, and I’m grateful that I get to share it with you.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p><strong>Show highlights</strong></p><p>00:00 - Introduction</p><p>2:40 - The deal with TV</p><p>4:18 - Cherry blossoms vs Plum trees</p><p>6:21 – Why haikus don’t explain</p><p>7:59 – What is the importance of silence?</p><p>10:28 - The gestation of a poem </p><p>15:50 - A game of consonants </p><p>17:33 - Writing for kids vs. writing for adults </p><p>20:20 - How does a writer find joy? </p><p>23:51 - How to get unstuck in writing</p><p>26:37 - The secret to staying on the journey of the art</p><p>_____________________</p><p>Listen on Spotify: <a href="https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/journey-of-the-art" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/journey-of-the-art</a></p><p>_____________________</p><p>Guest’s links</p><p>Buy <em>A Pond, A Poet, and Three Pests</em>: <a href="https://houseofanansi.com/products/a-pond-a-poet-and-three-pests?srsltid=AfmBOopY1872Domhwo66iCzcFm_XOzijIououUBi6Tqe5tIAjxV3bnoS" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">https://houseofanansi.com/products/a-pond-a-poet-and-three-pests?srsltid=AfmBOopY1872Domhwo66iCzcFm_XOzijIououUBi6Tqe5tIAjxV3bnoS</a></p><p>Visit Caroline’s website: <a href="https://www.carolineaddersonkids.com/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">https://www.carolineaddersonkids.com</a></p><p> </p><p>_____________________ </p><p>Host’s links</p><p>Find out more about the show: <a hre