Winners circle

What is the name of your book? Who is the publisher?

Hidden Secrets published by Idea Creations Press

If She Only Knew published by Limitless Publishing

Billionaires Club Anthology published by CRAVE Publishing

Craving Forbidden Anthology published by CRAVE Publishing

Craving Loyalty Anthology published by CRAVE Publishing

My Poetic Soul published by Denim Blues

Tell us a bit about your path to publishing, from idea to submission to published book.

I look for opportunities like Pit2Pub on Twitter. There I got lucky and If She Only Knew was selected by 3 publishing companies. Limitless Publishing turned out the best.

Tell us a bit about your path to publishing, from idea to submission to published book.

On Thursday morning, January 19, 2017, my wife suffered a massive stroke. She survived, but the aftermath of that stroke—drooping lower lip, inability to talk, paralysis of her right arm and leg—presented an entirely different person from the one she was on January 18th. It was scary to me, but I could only imagine how scary it would be for a young child to see a parent or grandparent affected this way. So, I wrote Come On, Grandpa… in an effort to explain strokes and ease a child’s fears upon seeing their loved one changed both physically and emotionally. I shared my manuscript with my critiquing partners, and with medical professionals to get their input, then submitted it to a publisher who already had published another of my books. White Bird Publishing, LLC  immediately embraced the story, recommended an illustrator, and the rest, as is often said, is history! 

How long have you been writing?
I’ve been writing off and on since I was in 1st grade. I have a box full of stories dated way back to my childhood.

What’s your favorite genre to write and why?

I love picture books. As a child, was not an avid reader, so I like to write cheerful, fun books to help youngsters gain a love of reading. Pictures help attract the child’s attention and bring my words to life. 

What’s your favorite genre to write and why?
Varies, but I love romance, action, and intense.

What ICL courses have your taken?

Writing for Children and Teens

Pipeline to Publication

How has taking our course helped your writing and/or career? 

Taking the Institute of Children’s Literature classes helped me a lot in knowing how and what to write about. It helped open more doors in my thinking brain.

Have any of your class assignments been published? If so, where and when?
Part of my assignments were part of my first book, Hidden Secrets.

Do you have a favorite writing tip you’d like to share?
Never, never give-up. Keep on pushing yourself and sooner or later it will be done.

If you could travel back in time and give yourself one piece of writing advice, how far back would you go, and what would you tell yourself?
Look around for better editors that you can cooperate with. It might take longer and spend more money, but in the end, when you find the right one, it’s worth it.

Please tell us the best or most valuable thing you learned from your experience with ICL.

The most valuable thing I experience was to know I can and am a writer.

Make up a question you want to answer and then answer it here! What made you want to be a writer?

When I was in ninth grade, I wrote down a goal to write a book. I did and furthered my ambitions and got it published.

Do you use your own name or a different name as an author?

I use my first and middle name initials, J.S. Andersen.

J.S. Andersen lives in Idaho where she loves to hike, sew, do crafts, photography and of course writing. She loves to write about Suspense, Romance Novella, Mysteries, and on.