Take a behind-the-curtain peek at the inspiration and making of ADHD and Me and how I found my artist, Leonie Cheetham, who brought my character, Malory, to life.
The story behind the story
I’ve had many people ask me, “What inspired you to write this book?” And the answer is that Malory was inspired by my personal experiences as a child with ADHD. Growing up, I experienced many of the same thoughts and feelings portrayed by the character Malory in the story.
As a young adult, I began reading countless books about ADHD, hoping to find a connection and understanding for kids. But I came across two things that frustrated me. Firstly, most of the books I read, even those written about children with ADHD, were designed to be read by adults. And almost all of them focused on young boys with ADHD.
I thought back to my childhood and how many times I felt alone emotionally. I had people who loved me, but lacked a feeling of true understanding and connection with others, especially my peers. Often, I felt there was no one else who related to me, and that can feel isolating. How I wish I could have seen a story about someone who felt and thought like I did, told from their own voice.
That’s when I realized that I wanted to write this book. And I knew exactly what my goals in writing it would be. I wanted my story to speak directly to kids and portray the feelings and emotions that children with ADHD experience. And I wanted it to be told from the perspective of a young girl.
My hope in writing this story was for it to be a comfort and inspiration to children who feel and think the way Malory does. I wanted to reassure those kids that they were loved and one-of-a-kind, and I wanted to ensure that they knew that they were not alone.
FINDING MY ARTIST
After the writing and editing process was complete, I had to decide what path of publication to pursue. In the end, I decided I wanted to pursue independent publishing. This route, though requiring a great amount of work and presenting many challenges, particularly for picture books, was the one I chose because, unlike traditional publishing, which is a team effort, involving not only the author’s ideas, but also outside opinions of the editorial publishing team and art director, as well as the illustrator, I would have full creative control of story concept as well as illustration.
I had a very distinct idea of what I wanted my illustrations to look like and how I wanted the character design and art style to appear. I knew that going traditional would mean giving up these freedoms of control, and as this story was so close to my heart, I knew it was worth it to me to find the exact right fit.
I started my search for illustrators who did freelance and work-for-hire illustrations online. I looked at many beautiful artist portfolios throughout this process, but only one spoke to me as the perfect fit for Malory. The artist, Leonie Cheetham, was a former librarian located in Sydney, Australia. Her watercolors had a gentle playfulness to them that immediately drew my attention. I knew this was Malory’s creator!
I reached out to Leonie and shared my vision and story for Malory, and she readily accepted to take on the assignment. We agreed upon terms and formed a work-for-hire contract for all the illustrations needed to fit the story. The rest is history.
From the beginning, I sensed that Leonie connected with my passion for this project, and I believe that’s what drove her to want to bring Malory to life. She wanted Malory to be shared with the world as much as I did. Having an artist who connects with the story makes all the difference.
AFTER PUBLICATION
It has been my greatest joy hearing warm, positive feedback from readers who express sentiments like, “I teared up, because this exactly describes what my son/daughter goes through.” Or hearing kids say, “I love this book!” or “This is how I feel.” Knowing that my story is capable of making someone else feel seen and understood is a priceless feeling of happiness that no words can fully express.
CLICK HERE to learn more about the artist in her interview with Kids’ Book Review.
CLICK HERE to visit Leonie Cheetham’s Facebook Art Studio.
Connect with Leonie on Instagram @pinkieinky.
Contact the artist: email: leonie@leoniecheetham.com.
If you enjoy Malory’s story, please consider leaving a brief review of ADHD and Me. Reviews help connect other readers like you with great new books!