Interview with Author Anna Smithers – Ramona Portelli Blog

Interview with Author Anna Smithers

Anna Smithers is a yoga teacher and yoga therapist for children and adults. Poetry and writing were always present in her life. Even as six year old girl, she was creating the stories and drawing her own illustrations. Later in life, poetry took more serious direction, and she was using poetry to express her feelings and emotions. When she was 18, her poems were published in local and national newspapers and magazines. Some of these won competitions. However, life has taken her on a completely different journey. After Anna gained her degrees in Science and Business Management, she stopped writing.

It was only when she started Yoga that the inspiration to write returned to her.

Yoga came to her life many years ago and she started to share it with others. Teaching children is her passion. Combining passion for writing and yoga seems to be perfect combination.

Latest books are based on the Yogi Superhero programme for children ages 4-12, delivered for the last few years, which combines her passion for yoga and creative teaching. She lives and teaches in Crewe, England. More information on www.orangelotusyoga.co.uk

Tell me more about your latest book

“Yogi Superhero” is an introduction to yoga for children ages 3-8. A meaningful book which demonstrates mindful yoga poses and breathing exercise. This colour book tells a story which allows children to understand that we are already a Yogi Superhero, we just sometimes forget about it. It teaches basic poses which help to self-soothe and self-regulate in our crazy world and help with managing negative emotions. Easy to follow poses are perfect for a bedtime or morning yoga. Readers will learn techniques for relaxing the body and the mind. Beautiful illustrations are showing yoga poses and the connection with nature

And I am extremely excited because this week part two of Yogi Superhero will be published – “Yogi Superhero adventures in Nature – Forest”.  This is also a meaningful book with kindness at its heart teaches mindful yoga poses and breathing exercises. Helping children learn how to relax and unwind, this colourful book is perfect for parents, yoga teachers or to be enjoyed as a bedtime read. As the story unfolds, children learn what it means to be a Yogi Superhero. It also shows that no matter what gender or skin colour; we are all equal. Easy to follow poses are shown in the vibrant illustrations and help connect the reader with nature. The perfect way to introduce mindfulness and yoga to a young child and enable them to learn relaxation techniques that can equip them for life

What was the most challenging aspect of writing this book?

Time. When I came up with idea of set of books for children, I was working full time 40 hours a week, and teaching yoga twice a week, so altogether I was working 60 hours a week. Finding time to sit down and write was exceedingly difficult, almost impossible. Once I made my decision to become a full-time yoga teacher, I had more time to breathe and think. It’s not surprising the creativity came as well. I have written the second part of Yogi Superhero which will come out next week – Yogi Superhero Adventures in Nature – Forest. And part 3 – Yogi Superhero Relaxation is in making, hopefully this will be ready in September.

What is your normal procedure to get your books published?

I have been self-publishing the books on Amazon. First, I write the words to the book and after many corrections I get to the final version. Then the books go to editor. A period of liaising, discussion and after some compromise with ideas and words, we reach a final version.  While I write I start to see pictures in my mind. I needed someone who would bring Yogi Superhero to life. I found the amazing illustrator, Martyna Nejman who did an incredible job. We worked together on each illustration. I would give the idea that I would like to see, and she would tell me how feasible it was to implement. Martyna would adjust some of it, or in some cases merge her ideas in. The journey of creating is extremely exciting, watching the characters being born, and go on the journey with them.

What motivated you to become an author?

It is a very good question. I really think I did not have a choice. It is something inside of me which is trying to be released. It is like a fire burning inside. The only way to put it out is to write. Very often I feel like those ideas are coming from somewhere else. I wake up during the night, with sentence, or an idea, and I cannot go back to sleep until I write it down. The ideas flapping their wings in my head, trying to be released. So, is it a choice? I just write and I can only hope what I share with the world will help someone.

How many books have you written so far?

At the moment I work on the series of books which are introducing Yoga and mindfulness to children ages 3-8:

  • “Yogi Superhero” was published 13 Jan 2020
  • “Yogi Superhero Adventures in Nature” will be published in June 2020
  • “Yogi Superhero Relaxation” will be published August / September 2020

The first is already on Amazon UK, US, Canada, France, Germany and many more, so please check your own country. The rest of them will be available on Amazon soon!

As an author, do you prefer the traditional book or online version? Why?

I grow up surrounded by books. I loved reading. As child I was reading five or more books a week. It was my world. The feeling and weight of printed book was my anchor, grounding me. I still have emotional attachment to printed books and prefer them to electronic books. I believe there is nothing more magical to hold the whole new world in my hands. The smell of freshly printed book is magical. I recognise the fact that we waste so many trees and sometimes it is unnecessary. I have my own kindle now and buy paperbacks only when I need to learn from it. Kindle makes it so much easier when you move. I decided to convert my “Yogi Superhero” into eBook, to make it more accessible and potentially environmentally friendly.

How hard or easy is it to establish and maintain a career in writing?

It is not easy to become noticed as an author. There is a lot of competition out there, especially in the era of self-publishing. However, I strongly believe each of us is so unique, that there is a space for everyone. When you have something to say and you believe it will have positive impact on others, just go for it. I try not to have expectations, I do not think about it as career, it’s more sharing space.

What is your advice for aspiring writers?

Just do it. Sit down and start writing, relax into the process and allow the ideas to be manifested and developed. Sometimes I think we are just a channel for all the creativity to go through. Allow yourself to become this channel. Listen to your heart and your intuition. Be grateful for every minute of it. Enjoy the process. Don’t let yourself be discouraged by an editor’s corrections, or the rejections of publishers. There will most likely be many, and it doesn’t matter, as long as you are doing what you love. Hopefully one day someone will appreciate what you do and your whole life will change forever. Remember the initial book of the Harry Potter series was rejected 12 times. Many other publishes are rejected many more times before they get published. You only fail when you give up.

Visit Author Anna Smithers book links:-

https://www.facebook.com/ania.kalata

https://www.instagram.com/theannasmithers/

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