Pump Up Chats with Nancy Stewart

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Nancy Stewart photo

After having been an elementary school teacher, a management consultant with New Options, Inc. in New York City and a university professor of education, Nancy Stewart now writes children’s books full time. She, her husband and three sons, lived in London for eight years, where she was a consultant to several universities, including Cambridge.

Nancy travels extensively throughout the world, most particularly Africa. She is the US chair of a charity in Lamu, Kenya, that places girls in intermediate schools to allow them to further their education.

Nancy is the author of One Pelican at a Time and two other Bella books: Bella Saves the Beach and Sea Turtle Summer. All three are published by Guardian Angel Publishers.

She and her family live in St. Louis and Clearwater Beach, Florida.

You can visit Nancy online at www.nancystewartbooks.com or at her blog www.nancystewartbooks.blogspot.com.

On One Pelican at a Time

Q: Can you tell us why you wrote your book?

One Pelican at a Time was written as a direct result of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill of 2010. The other two books in the series, Sea Turtle Summer and Bella Saves the Beach were already under contract with my publisher, Guardian Angel Publishing, and ready to go when the spill occurred. My publisher, Lynda Burch and I agreed a book was “demanding to be written”, so I wrote it. Pelican was the first children’s book dealing with the spill to be published in the US. We’re very proud of that.

Q: Which part of the book was the hardest to write?

Actually, it all was difficult because of the topic. Also, the research was horrific for me. I am a person who won’t watch a nature film, because I know there will be an animal killed along the way. During the research, I had to look at many dying or dead marine animals. Very difficult to get through.

Q: Does your book have an underlying message that readers should know about?

Pelican has an overt message which is, “Adults must never let this kind of environmental tragedy happen again.”

Pelican cover

On Writing

Q: Do you remember when the writing bug hit?

Yes, I do. My granddaughter, Leah, is five years old. I wrote the book, I Held You on the Day You Were Born, as a gift to her. I was completely bitten and never looked back.

Q: What’s the most frustrating thing about becoming a published author and what’s the most rewarding?

For me, the most frustrating thing is how slowly everything moves in the publishing world. The most rewarding, not surprising, is seeing all that hard work come into fruition with an actual book, and a book that may, if one is fortunate, help make a difference. Nothing like it!

Q: Do you have a writing tip you’d like to share?

It is to organize as much as possible. Try to keep everything easily at fingertips or at keyboard to lessen frustration and get right down to the task at hand. Also, don’t give up. Just get through it. It’s the only way forward.

On Family and Home:

Q: Would you like to tell us about your home life? Where you live? Family? Pets?

We share our time between St. Louis and Clearwater Beach, Florida. My husband and I have three grown sons, two of whom are twins. They live in DC and LA. Our youngest son lives in Cambridge, UK, where he works. Our irreplaceable cat, Jeeves, is our pet, although I think we are his…

Q: Where’s your favorite place to write at home?

I write in the sunroom, right off the kitchen. It has windows on three sides and looks out to gardens and a lake. It’s so soft and serene, and it is where I can get the most done, eveytime.

Q: What do you do to get away from it all?

When in Florida, walking the beach does wonders, and I try to do it every day I can. Away from the beach, I use the gym three days a week, have lunch with friends, and my husband and I join friends for dinner frequently. I also love to cook, and we have dinner parties as much as possible these days with the suddenly frenetic schedule I call my life!

On Childhood:

Q: Were you the kind of child who always had a book in her/his hand?

I was, indeed. In fact, I kept the old Carnegie Library busy during my childhood years! I remember the musty but comforting smell of all the books and still recall the weight of carrying them out the door into bright sunlight after the library’s dimness.

Q: Can you remember your favorite book?

Rebecca, by Daphne Du Maurier. It was summer, and I was working at my father’s office. Not knowing anything about the author, I picked it up and could not put it down. I remember not even going to lunch, so taken was I with the story. It’s still an indelible memory.

Q: Do you remember writing stories when you were a child?

I remember writing the requisite stories and creative writing assignments. But I must be honest and say I didn’t write stories or early books as a child.

On Book Promotion:

Q: What was the first thing you did as far as promoting your book?

I was quite lucky, actually. Five members of my writing group received book contracts within two weeks of each other. One in our group organized a media release and sent it to all the local and city papers, and we did get an amazing amount of coverage. I then sent a media release to national papers. I will be doing a TV interview soon and have begun doing school signings, both here and in the Tampa Bay area.

Q: Are you familiar with the social networks and do you actively participate?

Yes, I do, fully. I have an active Facebook page, although I only use it for business. Okay, the occasional friend stops by, but I don’t feature my husband or family. It simply isn’t used that way. Also, I Tweet a lot and am using it more and more.

Q: How do you think book promotion has changed over the years?

One word: Marketing. Today, much, if not most, of it is up to the author, no matter how large or small your house. It is simply expected. The trick, then, for the author, is to keep it all in perspective and not give (as one tends to do) it all up to selling the book/s.

On Other Fun Stuff:

Q: If you had one wish, what would that be?

It would be for a healthy planet for our children and grandchildren to inherit.

Q: If you could be anywhere in the world other than where you are right now, where would that place be?

It would have to be London. Why? So many good friends are there, a son who lives nearby and a culture I love.

Q: Your book has just been awarded a Pulitzer. Who would you thank?

I would thank my parents for giving me the self-confidence, freedom of thought, expression and expectations that allowed me to become myself.

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Maria Andrade, DEFIANCE AND REDEMPTION

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Kathleen Shaputis, HIS KILT DROPPED HERE

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Joni Ankerson, TO KILL OR BE KILLED

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Aiken Brown, SON OF A SOLDIER

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Jennifer Chase, FLOWERS ON HER GRAVE

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Miri Leshem-Pelly, SCRIBBLE & AUTHOR

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Shami Stovall, KNIGHTMARE ARCANIST

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Suzanne M. Hurley, THE TEDDY BEAR EYE CLUB

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Sharon House, BRIMSTONE AND WATER

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Bacon Press Books

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T.M. Wallace, WINTERGARDEN

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Deborah Serani, DEPRESSION AND YOUR CHILD

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Lee Papa, TEMPLE OF ALL KNOWING

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Madeline Wynn, DAUGHTER OF THE FALLEN

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Mary Lawlor, FIGHTER PILOT'S DAUGHTER

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Karen-Anne Stewart, ASH TO STEELE

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Lauren Carr, Best-Selling Mystery Author of Mac Faraday, and Lovers in Crime, Mysteries

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Kaylin McFarren, BURIED THREADS

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--Deborah Serani, DEPRESSION AND YOUR CHILD

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Question of the Day

How do you make sales happen for you?

A lot of hard work! I sponsor a lot of on line parties, festivals and contests. Book sales don’t magically happen, believe me. An author has to work hard to earn her readers. And then she has to work hard to keep them by giving them something they’ll enjoy reading. I try hard to make my books worth a reader’s time.

-- Sheila Roberts, Author of Winter at the Beach