Interview with Author Valerie Doherty – Ramona Portelli Blog

Interview with Author Valerie Doherty

Author Valerie Lowrey Doherty is a speech-language pathologist and early childhood educator with professional interests in language and literacy development.

In 2011, she wrote her first self- published book. In the past six months of 2020, she has released two additional titles for young listeners and readers. In her free time, she enjoys sharing activities with her family, reading all kinds of books, cooking, and dancing.

Tell me more about your latest book

Both Wonderful Things and The Big City Dance were released in 2020. Wonderful Things is a picture book that celebrates the sights, sounds, and events in our world. It is meant to be enjoyed as a “sweet dreams, little one “ read aloud for our youngest listeners. The recommended audience is birth and up.  

The Big City Dance is intended for children three years and older. It is about a country mouse who decides to move to the Big City in search of excitement and adventure. Although he finds plenty of fun, Moe Doodle soon realizes he is homesick and missing his friends. How does Moe solve his problem?

What is the most challenging aspect of writing this book?

Both of these latest books are written in rhyme and rhythm. Writing in rhyme presents particular challenges. Questions arise during editing. “Does this word “fit?” “Does that word make sense here?” “Does the syllable count follow the desired pattern?” “Does the language flow?”

What is your normal procedure to get your books published?

For Wonderful Things and The Big City Dance I commissioned Brenda Higgins to illustrate. I had seen her work on a website and thought her illustrations aligned with my vision for the books. Brenda and I have a wonderful collaborative relationship. We wanted to find a publisher who accepted author / illustrator duos. Blossom Spring Publishing in the U.K allowed us to do that.

What motivated you to become an author?

My professional background is a speech-language pathologist and educator. I wanted to write books that I thought children and their caregivers would enjoy, but I also wanted to support literacy development in young listeners and readers.

How many books have you written so far? List and name them all here

I have written two self-published books, and now the two that I mentioned here. Currently, three are in print. They are:

  1. Husker Game Day (a sports theme book about my University’s football team)
  2. The Big City Dance
  3. Wonderful Things

Hopefully, there are more to come in the near future.

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

My personal preference is a traditional book, but I am open to reading both.

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

My own career started later in life. I hope I can continue to write for years to come. I see no reason to stop right now, since I enjoy it!

What is your advice for aspiring writers?

I know many people who have told me that they would like to write too. I would encourage them to pursue that passion- no matter one’s age. Carve out the time and find the right people to support that goal. Seek out trusted collaborators, illustrators, graphic designers, publicists, beta readers, editors, and publishers. It is never too late to learn something new and chase a dream.

Visit Author Valerie Doherty book links:-

Website www.valeriedohertyauthor.com

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/valeriedohertyauthor

Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5292409.Valerie_Doherty

LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/valerie-doherty-2496941a2/

One comment

  1. Alicia says:

    Yay, Valerie and Brenda! The dynamic book duo! Love your works!

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