Introduce yourself; who are you and what types of books do you write?
I’m author Jenny Mouse (or Jenn Misener). I’m the mom of three young kids (ages 1, 5, and 7). I live in Brockville Ontario, and you’ll often see me and my kids at the playground, exploring the Aquatarium, or adventuring in the local paths and parks. I write picture books for kids, and have two series! One is a neuroscience series for kids, and the other is a simple and short early reader series.
What are your books about?
I have been an educator for the past 14 years, and I write science books for kids based on my experiences. My series “Brian the Brain” introduces bite sized neuroscience lessons to kids. These lessons help them understand how to develop a growth mindset, how to learn better, and how their limbic system controls their emotional response.
My early reader series titled “My Baby Is…” was inspired by my own children. I used my knowledge of English language teaching and reading support to create a simple and fun repetitive book. The repetitive language allows beginner readers to start recognizing words during story time.
What was the inspiration behind writing your first book?
I used to teach an online psychology class for children ages 8+. My three-year-old son wanted to join in, so he would sit outside of my office door to listen in on my lessons. I looked everywhere for neuroscience books at his level, and when I couldn’t find the book I was looking for, I decided to write it! In 2020 I observed the impact of the pandemic on my students’ mental health, and decided to publish my book series to support kids outside of my home and classroom.
What did you learn while writing your second book?
I learned patience is key to publishing. After my first book came out, I was so excited to finish and publish my second one! It took a while for my first book to be ready for publication, so while I was waiting I wrote the second. It felt like I was hit with one delay after another when working on my second book. When I came out with my third, I allowed plenty of extra time for things to go wrong!
What is the most rewarding part of being an author?
Author visits! When I get to see my books making an impact on a group of kids it makes all of the hard work worth it! When I have small group author visits we get very hands on, do some experiments, and really get to learn about the brain. It’s a lot of fun!
What elements do you think make for a good story?
When it comes to a picture book, it’s the combination of how the story and the images work together. A good picture book doesn’t need to be complicated; it just needs to be fun and visual because that is what the kids relate to most!
What is the hardest part of being an author for you?
Marketing has got to be the hardest part! I think that’s true for a lot of us writers. It’s a huge and incredible journey to write and publish a book, and then when it’s done you need to start another incredible journey to help your book find its home on bookshelves all over the world!
What is your current writing project?
Currently I am putting the finishing touches on a book for my daughter titled “My Baby is a Zombie.” It’s a sweet repetitive story about parenthood and about how welcoming a new baby into your home comes with a lot of unexpected adventures! It’s a great book for new parents or beginner readers, and it is coming out in October.
What is the best writing advice you’ve ever received?
Don’t do it alone. Just because writing is a solo activity doesn’t mean that you should hide away in your office typing away on a keyboard. Connecting with other writers, entrepreneurs, and friends adds a layer of richness to your work. It also makes the marketing piece easier!
Where can readers discover more about you and your books?
You can visit my website: jennymouse.com
Or follow me on social media:
https://www.instagram.com/travelingchalkboard/
https://www.facebook.com/travelingchalkboard/
My series “Brian the Brain” is also available globally on Amazon as well as many other online book stores. https://www.amazon.ca/stores/Jenny-Mouse/author/B08SW6YZ4B