 Today we celebrate the book birthday of Abuelo's Flower Shop. We sat down with Jackie Morera to learn all about the inspiration behind this book. But first, a little bit about the book: When Elena discovers the heartbreaking truth about the garden across the street, she learns how even the saddest places can be beautiful and how the flowers her abuelo sells help send an important message to those in need. Abuelo’s Flower Shop highlights the love between grandparents and grandchildren, especially as they navigate challenging conversations about loss and grief. What inspired you to become a writer? Good books, and the caregivers in my life who encouraged me to fall in love with reading them, are to thank for my becoming a writer. Everything since is due to them! What 3 words would you use to describe your book? Delicate, evocative, and hopeful. What was your favorite part of the publication process with this story? As this is my debut, every step has been a discovery. It’s hard to pick one part that stands out as a favorite amongst the rest. How do you decide between getting your first yes, seeing the pages come to life in the art, and holding the finished product in your hands? Or between all of the smaller milestones in between? They’re all equally magical moments and I’m so grateful to be able to say they’re a part of my reality as an author and creator. I’ve loved every bit of this journey so far! What comes next for you as an author? Next summer, my sophomore picture book, Together We Remember, illustrated by Violeta Encarnación, will be out in the world, which I’m over the moon about. There are more fun announcements to come as well but, in the meantime, I hope to continue crafting fun stories for the young and young at heart. What 3 recommendations would you give writers who are starting out? There is plenty of wonderful information on craft and the business of publishing out there so I’ll suggest three mindset shifts instead, because I believe in the power of our thoughts. Drop the “aspiring” and call yourself a writer outright. It doesn’t matter where you write, how often you engage in the practice, or how seriously you take it—you’re already a writer. Dream bigger than your next milestone. There’s a lot of talk, especially at the querying stage, about things like “dream agents.” And, while there are certainly wonderful agents, editors, etc. out there, I recommend setting your sights on your dream career instead. What you don’t already have isn’t yours to lose. If you look at every opportunity as a beautiful possibility, then you’ll be less inclined to see rejection as failure. The things that are meant for you will find their way to you when it’s time.
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