In today’s Feature Interview, I’m chatting with Cindy Williams Schrauben about growth mindset and the value of reading aloud. We’ll also discuss ways to put yourself out there as an author and share personal experiences of the author journey.
Cindy, it’s my pleasure to welcome you to the Feature Interview guest series. Could you tell us where you’re joining us from today?
Hi Chelsea. Thanks for having me. West Michigan.
How did you hear about the Feature Interview series, and what made you want to apply?
I follow you online and admire your content.
Could you tell us what kind of books you write? (Age group and genre).
I have written books for children, including picture books and a middle-grade novel, which is in the works. I will also be venturing into the adult novelty book market soon.
When did you first begin your writing journey, and what did those beginning stages look like for you?
I jumped into the journey with both feet when my daughters left for college. It was time to challenge myself. It took nearly 8 years of studying, attending conferences and classes, and penning several manuscripts before I was able to realize my life-long dream of publishing a picture book.
What are some of the challenges you’ve faced on your author journey, and how were you able to stay the course?
The challenges were many, but I think the hardest part was believing in myself enough to ‘stay the course’ as you say. The key for me was getting involved in the kidlit community – joining critique groups, reading about other authors’ journeys, entering contests and challenges, etc. These connections gave me courage and helped me to manage my expectations.
What have been some of your greatest joys and highlights in publishing?
There are so many – receiving a book deal, seeing the illustrations for the first time, getting a starred review from Kirkus, etc. I am also looking forward to an upcoming visit to a children’s hospital to read to some brave kids. I also love encouraging aspiring authors, but the best part continues to be sharing my love for books with kids.
When would you say it’s “too late” to pursue publishing?
Never! My first book was published just after my 63rd birthday, and I don’t plan to stop anytime soon.
Why would you say it’s beneficial as an author to put yourself out there? And what are some different ways/examples of doing this?
It can be exhausting, but publishing a book isn’t enough if no one sees it. Interviews such as this, blog tours, giveaways, social media posts, in-person events, etc all help with visibility. It is hard, though, because there needs to be a balance between self-promotion and providing valuable content. I try to follow the 80/20 Rule – 80% content for authors or parents/teachers (such as the social media post below) and 20% book promotion. For content, I have chosen to concentrate on the topics of Growth Mindset and Social-Emotional Learning.
What kind of author events have you been a part of locally or otherwise, and how did you go about setting up these events? Did your publisher/marketing team reach out? Did you reach out? Was contact made via phone/email,/in-person?
I attend and/or organize events on a regular basis, ranging from book festivals, bookstore signings, school visits, launch parties, local media appearances, podcasts, etc. I was responsible for setting up most of these on my own (usually via email). I have three tips. First – go where the kids are instead of hoping they will come to you. I held the launch event for my first book, THIS COULD BE YOU, at a children’s museum on a busy Saturday. Over a hundred kids were already visiting the museum that day, so my audience was ready-made. That leads to tip number two – just ask! The museum was a dream location, and I never expected it to come to fruition, but the staff was excited to bring a unique opportunity to their visitors. The third tip is this– don’t be discouraged when you plan an event, and no one shows. It has happened to all of us. Evaluate the situation and improve your processes for next time. I also encourage other authors to think beyond your book in order to offer great programs for your community. I recently partnered with a local elementary school to break a Kid’s World Record entitled “The Most Children Sharing Handmade Hearts.” Though this event matched the theme of my second book, HANK’S CHANGE OF HEART, the day was about celebrating kindness rather than the book specifically. It was great fun and happened just because I asked (Tip #2, again.)
We’d love to hear about some of your author events and experiences and see some photos if you would like to share a few!
When reading over your bio, I loved how you described your books as being books to “inspire kids to live their best lives.” Could you elaborate on what this means to you?
Sure! Encouraging kids to love books and reading is, of course, a big part of my journey, but it goes further. Both of my books have a social-emotional learning foundation. I am a firm believer that books can provide learning opportunities without being preachy. HANK’S CHANGE OF HEART applauds kindness and sharing, while THIS COULD BE YOU empowers children with a growth mindset by persuading them to believe in themselves.
Let’s talk a little bit about growth mindset for home and in the classroom. In your application, you expressed your passion for empowering parents and children with a growth mindset and inspiring them to learn from each other as they go. Can you talk a little bit more about how you do this?
Growth Mindset is a term coined by Dr. Carol Dweck from Stanford University. Her research shows us that we can develop our abilities through dedication and hard work and that failure helps us to learn and improve. I love to talk with kids about famous people who have achieved great things after facing years of defeat. By understanding the power of a growth mindset, adults can make a huge difference in the lives of children. It is often as simple as changing our vocabulary. For example, “I can’t do it” vs. “It didn’t work, yet, but I’m still trying.”
LINK TO GM EXAMPLES: https://cindyschrauben.com/growth-mindset/
I know you also have a collection of growth mindset activities and educator guides. I’d love to add a link to those for readers to have access to on Teacher Corner as well!
LINK TO READER GUIDES.
HANK: https://cindyschrauben.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Hank-Reader-Guide.pdf
THIS COULD BE YOU:
While we’re on the classroom side of things, could you talk a little bit about reading aloud and its value?
There is a great deal of research out there to support the value of reading to kids. The advantages range from improving a child’s own reading abilities and listening skills, expanding their vocabularies and language skills, to fostering bonds. A statistic that always amazes me is this one from the Child Mind Institute: “… young children whose parents read to them daily have been exposed to at least 290,000 more words by the time they enter kindergarten than kids who aren’t read to regularly. And depending on how much daily reading time kids get, that number can go up to over a million words.”
Now, for our writers out there, could you tell us a little bit about mentor texts? What are they? How do you use them? How can they be helpful?
Mentor texts are valuable for writers in a number of ways, ranging from learning about the industry and what is being published to honing our own craft and revising. There is nothing more helpful, in my mind, than reading the work of other children’s book authors and asking, what works? What doesn’t? Why? And how can I apply that to my own work?
Is there any particular book/author that inspires/inspired you to write?
I have always been enamored by rhymers like Dr. Seuss and Shel Silverstein. I love to write in rhyme – it’s like a puzzle.
What advice would you like to offer writers who are just beginning their publishing journey?
Don’t give up. The journey can be long and hard, but it is worth every moment. I have a YouTube Podcast to encourage authors. You can take a look here: https://www.youtube.com/@Cindy-Williams-Schrauben
Thank you so much for joining us today, Cindy! And now it’s time for our FIRST giveaway pool of the year.
GIVEAWAY
This month, Cindy is offering an AMA Zoom. (two winners)
HOW TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY
LIKE AND SHARE this article to X and/or Instagram and mention my handle X @chellysbooks / Instagram @chelseasworldofbooks. If you don’t have X or Instagram, you can enter the giveaway by LIKING and COMMENTING at the bottom of the interview.
ENTRY WINDOW: Once the Feature Interview is posted, you will have one month (roughly 30 days) to enter. The entry window for this feature interview giveaway will close once next month’s feature interview is posted. At that time, the next month’s feature interview giveaway window will open. Meaning, there will always be a giveaway opportunity.
Example: January Feature Interview is posted: January giveaway window opens/begins. February Feature Interview is posted: January giveaway window closes/ends, and February giveaway window opens/begins.
NOTE: Feature Interviews come out on the third Wednesday of every month.
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This Could Be You Purchase Link
Hank’s Change of Heart Purchase Link
AUTHOR BIO + HEADSHOT + WEBSITE
Cindy Williams Schrauben lives in West Michigan, where she writes books for children that range from the truly serious to the seriously silly. When not writing or sharing her books, this award-winning author might be found dissecting her grandsons’ shenanigans for story ideas, reading on the beach, or eating ice cream… ideally all at once. Her books, THIS COULD BE YOU (starred review from Kirkus) and HANK’S CHANGE OF HEART, inspire kids to live their best lives. You can connect with Cindy at http://www.cindyschrauben.com.
