Kristen Puma is an Indie Author from the U.S. Her career as an author has skyrocketed after releasing her debut, self-published book – Abby and Liam and the Bedtime Adventure. In her article below, Kristen shares with Birchy’s Books her award winning picture book and tells of how independent publishing has allowed her to achieve so much in a short time. But first…
Kristen’s favourite book from childhood?
Any from the Cozy Little Critters collection by Mercer Mayer.
Kristen’s kids favourite picture books?
My children absolutely adore Giraffes Can’t Dance by Giles Andrea and anything with unicorns, mermaids, or dinosaurs!
In this Article
Love at first write
Hello! I’m Kristen!
As a kid, my friends and I loved exploring our neighbourhood. I could often be found outside riding my bike, chasing lizards, climbing trees, and trying to catch fireflies until the streetlights came on.
When my family and I moved states, I found it a bit hard to make friends, so I spent a lot of time at our local library. My favourite picture books were any title from the “Cozy Critter Collection” by Mercer Mayer. I loved the illustrations! They somehow made me feel like I had found a friend just like me. I also loved the simplicity of the stories.
When I was 10 years old, I wrote my first poem. I instantly fell in love with writing as a form of self-expression and from that moment on, I was always found with a pen and notebook in hand.
After winning third place in districts for the Optimist International Writing Competition my junior year of high school, I was certain life would lead me to the Big Apple; writing for the iconic Seventeen Magazine. Instead, after graduating from college, I found myself working odd jobs and never feeling fulfilled in my heart.
That is, until I got married and became a mom.
When paths intertwine
Mommin’ has been the biggest blessing of my life. My husband and I have two of the sweetest, silliest, most energetic kids, and you’ll often find us at our local park, riding bikes, or going on adventures! When we’re not exploring our community, we love to curl up with a good book as a family.
As the kids grow, my love of writing has also continued to flourish. When my oldest was born, I started blogging about our journey and realized that perhaps my writing style was starting to shift.
I no longer wanted to write poetry. I felt my ideas, visions, and words shifting to something magical. I started to see our daily lives evolving into a thrilling adventure that deserved to be shared!
So, with the kids a little more independent, I decided 2022 was the year to actively pursue my love of writing and turn it into a career! I now have one children’s book published and a few more on the way!
To published author and beyond!
While I think of my author life as a dream, getting to the published point in my career hasn’t always been easy.
There have been a handful of rejection letters from traditional publishers and literary agents that would make anyone question if they were on the right path.
However, inspired by my children and fuelled by my love of writing, I decided to work with an independent publisher.
This has truly proven a win in so many ways for my career.
Independent Publishing
Independent publishing has allowed me to:
- maintain 100% of the rights to my work,
- receive maximum royalties,
- have a dedicated team within the industry who has the knowledge and expertise to help me along the way,
- and turn myself into an award-winning author!
Abby and Liam and the Bedtime Adventure has received THREE gold awards from Literary Titan, the Regal Summit Book Awards, and the International Impact Book Awards. My debut book has also been featured in Publisher’s Weekly, Stroll Magazine, and various other media outlets!
To say my debut book has launched my career is an understatement!
Get to know us -
Abby and Liam and the Bedtime Adventure
My debut children’s book, Abby and Liam and the Bedtime Adventure, is an award-winning story inspired by my family.
The Abby and Liam Series is about a family who takes the reader on captivating imaginary escapades while illustrating themes of family unity and problem solving. Each book is just as relatable to adults as they are to kids – serving as a reminder to slow down and enjoy our time together. There are wholesome life lessons sprinkled throughout each book and of course, the adventure wouldn’t be complete without our trusty Labradoodle pup, Peanut!
You can find Abby and Liam and the Bedtime Adventure online at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Walmart, The Book Yeti, and various other independent bookstore sites!
Thank you for sharing your self-publishing experience with Birchy’s Books, Kristen!
Next week we hear from The Coffee Table Nutritionist – Lisa Baker. She is writing stories that are helping little kids and their grown-ups, fall in love with healthy food!
