With a whole list of neurodiverse holidays, like World Mental Health Day, National Disability Employment Awareness, Down Syndrome Awareness, Dyslexia Awareness, and, of course, ADHD Awareness- October was an exciting month for libraries, bookstores, and neurodivergent families everywhere!
I was so excited to be a part of two local events hosted this October. One, hosted by Barnes and Noble, located in Bowling Green, Kentucky, and the other, hosted by Gallatin Public Library, located in Gallatin, Tennessee.
BARNES AND NOBLE: STORYTIME, CRAFTS & BOOK SIGNINGS
On Saturday, October 12th, I headed out with a car full of family- my husband (aka) forever hype man, my parents, who made the drive up from North Carolina, and my 77-year-old grandma, who flew in from Florida. Having my crew of loved ones and supporters here to share in the fun made these book events an unforgettable experience.
A little about my family and how they connect to the story of ADHD AND ME:
From the beginning of my unofficial writing journey (as soon as I started making books at the fresh age of five years old, with scraps of paper bound together with my dad’s stapler, complete with full text and terrifying-yet-somehow-adorable illustrations by yours truly of cross-eyed, rainbow-colored stick-figures with gigantic heads, unibrows, and wonky arms, and don’t forget the “about the author” bio on the back cover) my mom, dad, and grandma were my biggest fans and greatest cheerleaders. They continually encouraged me to “keep writing!” And oh, how helpful those words would later be for the journey that lay ahead. True to the task, I followed their advice and kept on writing. And writing. And writing. All the way into my adult years. Never waning for my first love of literature and stories.
Then, one day, I wrote a story about something very personal to me. My childhood experiences with ADHD. I remember how moved my parents were when they read this story, in particular. “All of your stories are good, Chel,” my dad told me, “But this one is really special.”
They then encouraged me to seriously consider pursuing publication. But I wasn’t a “real” writer. I didn’t have a four-year writing degree from a prestigious writing institute or know where to begin with querying or submitting. But I knew that the story was important. And if it had the ability to touch someone’s heart and mind… make someone feel seen or understood, or help someone to better understand or see… if it could give someone hope or make someone feel good about themselves… then I knew that I had to find a way to share it with others.
My parents echoed the same feelings. So much so that they told me they wanted to help fund the project. The funds they provided would go toward helping me enlist the illustrator who would bring Malory to life.
Now, if you’ve ever done it, you know that attempting to write and publish picture books independently is no easy task, and it’s especially tricky when you aren’t an illustrator.
Because it means that now you have to find someone whose art matches the style that you’re looking for and an artist who sees the vision of your work in the way that you want it to be portrayed, all without the help of an editor, agent, or art designer.
Finding the perfect person took time. But eventually… Malory’s artist was discovered. *Read more about the journey of discovering Malory’s artist in The Making of Malory here.*
Fast forward to today… I now have this precious book to hold in my hands and place into new ones.
Sharing my journey with others has been a life-changing experience. As an introverted person who enjoys quiet time alone with my thoughts and one-or-two close friends/family members, talking with people who I don’t know (especially about myself) is not a skill set I was born with.
Typically, I’m quiet in large groups, especially. I keep to myself and am very selective/careful with who I choose to share my innermost heart and feelings with. But when you’re a writer, there’s a side of you that needs to be shared with others. It’s that side of you- the vulnerable person who you truly are behind the page- that connects you with your readers. And that connection is nothing short of magic. Connecting with my readers has been, hands down, the most incredible, rewarding, and wonderful part of my writing journey.
The moments that make it all worthwhile for me:
Talking with a mother or grandmother about their child or grandchild and their diagnosis with ADHD or ASD, and the things they’ve experienced at school with teachers and peers, or challenges they’ve had to overcome or are facing now. Listening to people share their stories and then, in turn, seeing the emotional connection they make with my story and with my book. It has been a whole new world of eye-opening. I’ve had so many parents come up to me and thank me for writing and sharing this book with them and for making it available for families like theirs who desperately need it. I’ve had kids come up to me amazed and tell me that the feelings of the character in the story are the same feelings they have. And seeing the smile on their face when they recognize the emotions? Or overhearing them tell their parent, “That’s how I feel.” It’s an indescribable jumble of emotions. It makes me want to cry and dance and everything in between.
During the October event at Barnes and Noble, I talked with a mother of two; she had a boy and a girl between the ages of 6-10 (both of whom I got to meet that day) who both had ADHD. Hearing her express their experiences in the safety of that quiet little corner toward the back of the bookstore gave us both a sense of mutual calm and understanding. She spoke softly and pressed her hand to her heart as she described in detail the personal challenges that her family was currently going through and, in turn, asked thoughtful questions regarding my own experiences with ADHD.
Another woman eagerly approached my table with her five-year-old son and mother-in-law. She opened up about her son’s journey with Autism Spectrum Disorder and the different ways in which those experiences affected their everyday life, both inside and outside of their home. She shared how it affected his relationships and connection with others, whether it be at school or among friends and family. I shared details in the story and the connection of ASD and finding outlets to express ourselves, with the example of art, and Ms. Julie (a character in the book, ADHD AND ME.) I also shared with her details about my day job working in ABA Therapy as a Behavior Technician and the work I do with children with ASD. After some wonderful conversations, I then did something that I never do at author events with this book. I did a read-aloud storytime.
Why don’t I normally do a public read-aloud of ADHD AND ME?
Some books are great for reading aloud in a group. They’re fun. They’re engaging. They’re silly. But this story is gentle- best described as a quiet book to be read by a parent or close adult friend/relative to a child in a one-on-one setting. Why? Because this allows for emotional intimacy for little readers to open up about big emotions, talk with parents about how they’re feeling, or parents to ask questions and/or invite conversation after/during the story. As I read the book aloud, I caught glimpses of tears on both mothers’ faces. Thankfully, I was able to power through the reading and not start crying myself! (I am a bit of a sap.)
The result? After storytime, we (kids + family + me) worked together on DIY crafts. Then, I signed everyone’s personal copy, ADHD AND ME, and we snapped some photos. Our families all went home with free goody bags filled with custom book swag, including crayons, coloring books, bookmarks, and stickers, with artwork from the story and their very own one-of-a-kind streamer wands.
GALLATIN PUBLIC LIBRARY MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS DAY
Meanwhile, across town, over in Gallatin, Tennessee… our public librarians were celebrating neurodiversity of all kinds! This year, their theme was CREATIVE MINDS: EXPLORING MENTAL HEALTH THROUGH THE ARTS & LITERATURE. Though I couldn’t be there in person for this event, as I was at an author event out of state at the Barnes and Noble in Bowling Green, Kentucky, my good friends at the library sent me some fantastic photos! Two library visitors went home that day with their very own pre-signed copy of ADHD AND ME.
In closing, I’d just like to say thank you. Thank you to all my readers. Big and small. Your stories make a difference. Your voice is important. You MATTER. I appreciate each and every one of you- and there’s a list filled with names of other people who appreciate you, too! It’s great having people appreciate and love you. But it’s important to remember to appreciate and love yourself too. So, this is my personal reminder for you. APPRECIATE AND LOVE YOURSELF- YOU’RE WORTH IT!
If you’re curious about the book and would like to have a copy of your very own, here’s a link to where you can purchase it. If you have other questions or comments, I’d love to hear them! You can post them below this blog article, and I’ll respond as soon as I can.
All my love,
Chelsea DiCicco