Welcome Aboard, Rita Seay!

In the second of our quarterly interviews with last year’s BIPOC Scholarship awardees, Rita Seay will amaze you with her background and experiences. We hope to hear more about Rita’s creative endeavors in children’s literature in the near future! Take a few minutes to learn more about one of our new members and welcome her to SCBWI-MI!

- Isabel Estrada O'Hagin, Outreach Coordinator

How has the SCBWI membership been useful to you?

The SCBWI membership has been useful in preparing me to immerse myself in achieving my goal to be a children's book author. I read the blogs and gain insight into the craft of writing children's literature from both professional and emerging authors. I have attended a webinar offered by SCBWI and will register for others that fit in my schedule. I recently discovered that SCBWI has a podcast. The podcast is saved in my phone for convenient access, especially when I am driving and can't find meaningful programming on the radio. Overall, the membership has inspired me to fulfill my life-long dream of writing for children.

We’d like to get to know you! Tell us about your past creative work in the area of children’s literature or related areas of interest or expertise.

During my sophomore year in college, I registered for a children's literature course. I was so fascinated with the content that I vowed to write a children's book by the time my yet to be conceived child was able to read. I kept a journal of story ideas and character profiles. A few years later my son was born and I maintained that vow. Unfortunately, the hardships of life derailed my plans to fulfill my vow. 

As a veteran educator, I have had the opportunity to write programs and skits for students to perform. In my nearly 30 years of working as a teacher and administrator, I have certainly acquired an abundance of story ideas that are timeless as well as relevant for youth today.

 

What in your childhood or youth piqued your interest in writing or illustrating? What were some of the major influences that led you to this road?

During my elementary years, my teachers always read a chapter book to the class after recess. I enjoyed stepping into the stories to experience what the characters experienced. My desire is to provide vicarious experiences for the children who read my stories. 

During my childhood we had a set of books entitled Lands and Peoples, which I frequently reviewed with great interest. As a child, I had a pen pal from Holland. I have always been interested in other cultures. I have book ideas relating to writing about other cultures to help children develop a fascination with learning about youth from around the world. My travel experiences as an adult have provided plenty of story ideas for a volume on international youth.

 Please share anything about your current projects or what’s ahead in your creative work? We’d love to hear about it!

My son is now 46 with a 12-year-old son. I am currently writing a middle grade series with a male protagonist who experiences the benefits of living in a multigenerational family, as well as the challenges of navigating the typical pre-adolescent social scene. This series is dedicated to my son. It is a testament to his ability to overcome the dysfunction of his childhood and become a hospital COO, but most importantly to become a phenomenal father.

I am an ACE Master Trainer. I have conducted workshops for organizations that have a mission to support children. I have also shared this information with students in teacher training programs at local universities. The knowledge I acquired while training to present Understanding Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) workshops has inspired me to write with the purpose of empowering youth. My stories will reveal the trauma children experience, as well as their journey to overcome those experiences.

I am interested in writing realistic fiction and non-fiction for children. Topics will include youth from other cultures, youth with disabilities, and career exploration for kids.

 

Email: Inspiring.Narratives@gmail.com.