Last weekend I had the opportunity to stand at my booth inside Mama and Me Children’s Boutique for Liberty’s annual Wine About Winter event. It was exciting to talk to community members and share my passion for my books. Multiple people came up and said they had met me at one of my previous readings at Busy Bean Play Café and the Zona Rosa Summer Coffee Series. It was amazing to see my characters and books get recognized. I love to see the joy on people’s faces when they talk about how much their little ones love the series. Or, when someone purchases a book, they tell me how much their kiddos love dinosaurs and are excited to gift something they know no one else will be gifting. Books are meant to be celebrated and so are kids—what better gift can you give than one that can be opened again and again?

As I continue to work toward spreading my brand recognition around the Kansas City area and beyond, I have some thrilling news to share! Some of you will remember that I had a booth at the Holiday Boutique at the Overland Park Convention Center in November. During that event, I met a wonderful woman named Cindy. We exchanged business cards. We discussed the potential for the T-Rex and Tuck Explore series to be sold and showcased in her children’s boutique. The boutique, Peeps Babies & Bears, is in Olathe, KS. We recently reconnected and I’m happy to announce that they will now be selling the entire series and character merchandise within their sweet store. It is the perfect place to purchase newborn gifts up to 3T sizes. They even have a section where your child can pick out a stuffed animal to be stuffed right in front of you. You can purchase outfits for the stuffed animals as well. My kids were with me and to say they enjoyed the experience would be an understatement. They each picked out a stuffed animal of their own and they haven’t let them out of their sight since we left the store.

I tell you all of this because writing books or following your passion can be a lonely and at times discouraging process. Self-publishing children’s books isn’t the most lucrative of endeavors to pursue. It can be slow going at times. However, I know quitting wouldn’t get me any closer to my goals. So, I’m celebrating each little win and hoping you’ll celebrate with me. I hope you will choose to keep reaching for your own goals no matter how slow it seems to be going. Let’s take one step at a time and stop worrying about the entire staircase.

Have a wonderful weekend and as always, happy reading.

Peeps Babies & Bears

100 E Park St suite 3 and suite 4

Olathe, KS 66061