A Milestones Met Interview
Please share your exciting news (agent signing, book sale, etc.)!
I signed with the amazing agent, Liz Nealon, of Great Dog Literary!
How long have you been writing/pursuing an agent/publishing deal and how has the Courage to Create program/tools served you in reaching this milestone?
I wrote my first picture book in 2016 (sort of by accident, and then very much on purpose) and then I was hooked. I took classes and found groups like 12×12 and SCBWI. I briefly worked with a project-by-project agent and quickly sold a book to Chronicle in 2020. When I decided the best fit for me would be a career agent, I thought the process would be just as quick and easy, but it wasn’t. In 2022 I joined CTC right about when I was feeling the exhaustion from querying. Several interested agents had asked for more work and then never responded again, even after nudges, and the silence was harder than the rejections. I was taking a lot of time from my home and family to pursue this dream and I felt my life was not balanced. I held tight to “believing my books into being” and trusted that the vision I saw for myself was inevitable. I did some soul searching to rediscover why I started writing in the first place, and returned to joy. From that place, the waiting wasn’t as exhausting.
When we reach a milestone, it means we may encounter new fears and challenges, as well as joys along the journey. How has being a part of the CTC community prepared you for both enjoying the celebration of a milestone reached and the work that is next to come?
The support of the CTC community has shown me that there is no magic leveling up that erases insecurities or disappointments, but that sticking together through all the ups and downs makes them easier. I am celebrating this milestone with my whole being, and the time it took me to get here only sweetens the prize. I’m a little nervous about each new step, but I feel supported.
In the Courage to Create, we call on our Big Why as we engage in the ups and downs of the literary life? What’s your BIG WHY and how does it keep you motivated to keep working towards new milestones?
I write to help children feel seen, heard, and understood. I do this for the child I was and the adult I am, and every person who connects with my writing.
It’s not easy to keep creating courage when it comes to our literary lives. Did you ever encounter a low point or period and did you lean on any of the CTC tools or practices? What did the no/not yets, or near misses/champagne rejections teach you in hindsight not that your YES is here?
Yes, I felt invisible for a while. It helped that Bethany told me I wasn’t. My beloved critique partners kept me emotionally afloat and focused on my craft. I connected with so many CTC beliefs, particularly, “It takes the time it takes, I believe my books and career into being, and Rest is a radical act.” I returned to those over and over again. The near misses told me I was close so I kept putting my work out there, because my stories weren’t reaching anyone if they just stayed in my computer.
As we celebrate your milestone reached, what thoughts can you share with other writers who may doubt they will reach their first or next milestone?
My advice is to let go of limiting beliefs. I realize now that I limited myself by thinking I knew how each next step would look. When I let go of that narrow focus and allowed myself to open up to opportunities that brought me joy (even if they didn’t seem like they were leading me to my writing goals), those opportunities, shockingly, led me directly to more joy and more opportunities that were very much in line with my writing goals, and more importantly they made my life feel lighter and more exciting.
What is your favorite Courage to Create Belief?
We BELIEVE our book and careers into BEING.
Christina Shawn is a reading specialist, literacy coach, and author who writes about magical moments in our everyday lives. She lives in Richmond, Virginia with her husband and three kiddos, who provide a constant supply of support, humor, and inspiration. She has a regular meditation and yoga practice, and enjoys beach bike rides, mountain hikes, and adventuring to new places. Mostly, Christina loves the spark of learning something new and passing it along. Her picture book, THERE’S ALWAYS ROOM FOR MORE, illustrated by Shahrzad Maydani, about a growing family, releases in March 2025. Keep an eye out for some more exciting book news – coming soon!
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