July Featured Author| Ashley Mills Monaghan
This month’s featured author (and the very first, might I add) is Ashley Mills Monaghan.
Who is that?
Well, you are about to find out.
I had an interview with Ashley Mills Monaghan and here’s what she had to say:
Who are you and what have you written?
My name is Ashley Mills Monaghan and I am an award winning author, a preschool teacher, musician and a mom of 2 amazing young boys.
My book ‘A Little Goes a Long Way’ has won 5 awards and has taken me across the country and even abroad to share with young audiences at book festivals, schools, libraries, museums, teacher conventions and book store events. I also wrote and published ‘I Can Do a Back Float’ which simply demonstrates how to float on your back to promote water safety.
What do you write?
Children’s picture books and Music
What ages are your books written for?
2-7
What is the overall message of your book?
‘A Little Goes a Long Way’ is about a little boy named Fin and his dog, Sausages and together they learn to use only what they need while helping with the chores around the house. While the overall moral of the story demonstrates Fin learning to be more mindful about how much he is using, the message of the story also provides our readers a starting point to talk about the bigger conversation about conservation in a way that they can understand and relate to.
Why do you write?
As a preschool teacher and mom of young children, I see the excitement in a child’s desire to help and be independent. Sometimes they just need a little reminder to use ONLY what they need. I wanted to write a story that would help enforce that relatable concept in a simple way that a child could understand. I also wanted to write this for a parent to use as a reinforcement in their conversations with their child about being more mindful with how much they use. I have had many parents tell me how useful this book is for them and how they hear their child refer to the characters in the book and even say ‘a little goes a long way’ when helping out at home. It is very validating to know that my book can help in some way.
What has been the most challenging aspect of your writing career?
Honestly it has been the aftermath of it all. Marketing and advertising and using social media – oh my! It has been overwhelming and confusing at times.
As for the writing process itself, I knew I was writing for the younger child so I wanted to keep it as simple as possible while allowing the illustrations to carry the story as well. A very young child cannot sit still for very long nor process too many words at one given time, so simplicity was everything. I also wanted to write it in a way that would set up a learning reader for success so using repetition and the right choice of words mattered. I think finding your formula that works for your story, using repetition (if needed), marrying the story with the illustrations and writing it in a way so that YOUR audience understands it is the ultimate challenge as a children’s book writer and it’s very hard to get right. I think it is why our little book has gone a long way – we must have done something right.
Who/what is your favorite Children’s Author/ book and why?
I have an extensive collection of children’s books and am very fond of the many ingenious minds of Dr. Seuss, Audrey Wood, Maurice Sendak, Julia Donaldson and Roald Dahl. At the moment, my children and I have been reading a lot of Mo Willems’ books and they are absolutely brilliant for learning readers.
What is your desert island book?
When I’m not reading children’s books to my kids, I actually love to read nonfiction and biographies!
Where can people buy your book?
Amazon and Barnes and Noble online, among other online retailers. You can also visit my website at www.ashleymillsmonaghan.com for personalized copies! Coloring pages and activities, guided meditation for kids and my writing blog can be found at www.alittlegoesalongwaybook.com!
What’s next for you?
I am in the midst of finishing my first children’s music album. This project is very exciting because the album will be full of fun, interactive songs for the whole family but will also have some catchy tunes all about love and self empowerment, which are themes I know young children can relate to and need to hear.
The first single from the album is “Wiggles” and it releases in August. I’m currently accepting video submissions for the music video! We are accepting submissions until July 15th. For more information on how to send me your wiggles at www.ashleymillsmonaghan.com!
Where can people find out more about your music and books?
You can visit www.ashleymillsmonaghan.com . You can also follow me on Instagram @ashleymillsmonaghan and find me on YouTube!
Ashley will be featured on The Book Badger Blog all month long. In the coming weeks, I will be delving more into Ashley’s books and music, and we will even play a fun “Would You Rather” game to wrap up the month. These posts will post every Thursday, so please check back in or subscribe for weekly updates.
