Q: You have three sons, yet you have written a book series for preteen girls. Why?
A: My mission in life is to empower, encourage, and enrich the lives of young girls and women. The Lil Shawnee chapter book series is just an extension of that. I have nieces and friends who have girls, not to mention I have boys in the same grades that the books target; so I understand the level of peer pressure and the type of things girls are exposed to at much earlier age. I feel it is necessary to start planting seeds in girls younger than the girls I serve in my foundation.
Q: Is Lil Shawnee based on your life and experiences as a preteen girl?
A: My nickname is Shawnee, so Lil Shawnee is me! The storylines from the series are loosely based on my life during my tween, teen, and even adult years.
Q: What is your greatest hope for the girls who read these books?
A: It is my prayer that through the storylines and nuggets of wisdom, girls are strengthened to make smart choices, avoid developing (or overcome) negative feelings about themselves, grow into self-confident women, and be equipped with skills in order to stay whole.
Q: What are some of the key features and benefits of the book series?
African American character with multiracial friends, which means that minority children can identify with it and see how adversity can build a better future for all of us.
Strong biblical messages intertwined throughout Nevaeh’s stories and teachings offering girls an alternative culture that will help them counter the media and pop culture’s unhealthy messages.
Strong and healthy friendships emphasized among the main characters, which means girls can learn that mutual respect and equity in friendships takes patience and nurturing and is something they must demand and freely give.
Strong parental influence (especially with the father), which means girls are taught who and how to trust, enabled to achieve their full potential, and parents are shown how vital their acceptance is to the mental and emotional development of girls.
Lil Shawnee and her friends face social experiences that are common in elementary school, which means girls will be able to relate to the characters and storylines.
Q: What are your goals with the brand?
A: In addition to multiple books, my goal is to have an animated series and merchandising line (clothing, dolls, board and video games, bed & bath accessories, etc).
Q: Do you plan to write more books, either in the Lil Shawnee series or otherwise?