You Arrived at The Beach with Dr. Tamera Foley
Dr. Tamera Foley is a Educational Consultant, Social Emotional Learning Trainer, Trauma-Informed Practitioner, Darkness to Light Trainer who has penned a few books. She spent some time answering some questions for me about her publishing journey.
1. Was writing something you’ve always known you wanted to do?
Yes, I always wanted to write one children’s book. I started my first book ten years prior to publishing and this was not the book that I wrote.
2. Anyone(s) who you contribute to you wanting to be a writer?
I would like to thank my friend, Dr. Sharon Waddle for pushing me to co-author the first book with her, Congratulations Graduate! You Have Arrived At the Beach. I would also like to thank my daughter, Nicole, for her continued support and pushing me to write the children’s books. I have had a great deal of support from family and friends.
3. What was your first book published? Give a brief synopsis.
My first book published was, Congratulations Graduate!
You Have Arrived At the Beach. This book was written as a card
book for graduates of all ages on how to maneuver their transition from high school into the board room or career that can be sustained for a lifetime. Dr. Waddle and I were seeing so many students leaving high school and not being aware of some of the challenges they may be facing and how to handle them. This is a spiritual book of encouragement and self-reflection. It shares
practical tools and steps to branding yourself, the importance of
spiritual relationships, and steps to becoming a goal-oriented
person.
We are urging parents, mentors, family and friends to read this book and share it with every graduate they know as it will be a book that keeps on giving for the duration of their lives. It is a card book that recharges your thought process. It causes you to ponder and think beyond just one day but every day of your life.
This book is important for retention in school, building better employees, a reduction in violence, improvement on your spiritual journey, and lifelong learning. Through this card book we anticipate that graduates will be proactive with their physical and mental healthcare. We feel certain they will be focused and structured on their dreams and ambitions in life. We compel employers, corporations, parents, family, teachers, administrators, neighbors, mentors, co-workers and friends to keep this book in your library and share copies with all graduates to support their successes in life. Join us on this journey to the Beach.
4. What was your feeling the first time you held your first published book in your hands?
It was very exciting and fulfilling a dream to be an author. I was
in dismay but also feeling thankful that I had the opportunity to write
and be published.
5. What is you latest book? Brief synopsis.
My latest book is Exploring My Emotions: A 45-Day Journal Elementary School-Age Children. This book will be published this Month. It’s a place to write and explore your emotions/feelings and to dream about where you want to be in the future! This is written for children in first to five grades or ages 7–11. It is important for children to be healthy physically, mentally, and emotionally. Everyday there are new questions, exploring their feelings and providing an opportunity to write. There are also mazes, puzzles, doodles, or drawings daily. They also have the choice to change the word of the day if it is not aligned to how they are feeling that day. There are positive affirmations to help them address any negative feelings. There are seven sections:
Back to School
The World Around Us
Reflections
Family
Projects
Changes
Experiences
These exercises are a wonderful way to engage children in daily discussions about their thoughts and feelings. This can be an interactive process for parents and children to enhance their communication about their emotional health and mental health.
6. Are you working on anything new?
I am currently working on a book that was written last year but
never published. It is in the first draft and I am planning on publishing
before the end of 2022. I am also working on increasing my
merchandising.
7. Between writing, publishing, and marketing, what was the most difficult for you?
I think the most difficult for me as an author is Marketing. I am
constantly learning and building my skills in this area. I have three
experts in the field for guidance. However, I hope to hire a person on
my team that will have a marketing focus to improve this area.
8. Do you have any unique marketing ideas to share with your fellow authors?
I do not have any unique marketing ideas but consistency is the key.
You have to utilize various mediums, find your ideal customer, and
connect with people and organizations to partner and look for
sponsorships.
9. What advice would you give someone who wants to publish their first book?
My advice to someone who wants to publish their first book is to
make sure what you want to write about has a viable market. Do your
research and start writing. If you need assistance, Garwell Publishing is
available to assist you and guide you in the process.
10. What other genres of writing would you consider writing?
I would like to one day write a novel. I think a romance novel would
be exciting but exhausting. I would like to explore that area in the
future.
11. Where can we find you and your books (website, email, social media, etc.)
You can find my books on https://www.cassiesbigchange.com/
Amazon, Barnes and Noble online, Target online, Walmart online, local
bookstore in Rockford, IL, Young Bookworms, Books-A-Million, Discover
Books, Thrift Books, Booktopia, and others.
You can find me on
https://www.facebook.com/tamera.foley
https://www.facebook.com/Education4AllNow/
https://www.instagram.com/education4allnow/
https://www.instagram.com/garpub2021/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/tamera-foley-a1054629
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFI99MAXTlet3q9mU3AmE-Q
Email: educateme@education4allnow.org or
publish@garwellpublishing.com
Schools/Organizations: ed4allschools@gmail.com
12. Anything else you would like to add that was not covered?
I am available to read virtually, answer questions, appear on
podcasts, participate in interviews to promote the benefits of the
books that I write and the importance of the diversity in literature.
If you are in the educational arena and looking for someone to interview or connect with, check out Dr. Foley today.
