By way of introduction, here is Melissa Rousu’s bio:
Melissa Rousu lives in Minnesota with her husband Mike and daughter Samantha.
Rousu is the director of Strategic Initiatives at the Minnesota State IT Center of Excellence during the day and is excited for the launch of her debut children’s book Grandpa Loved Wild Things.
Hello, Melissa , welcome to Angel Kiss Publications. Thank you for agreeing to do this interview.
Thank you so much for having me.
When did the writing bug ensnare you?
It’s always been something that has interested me but I never knew what I wanted to write about.
Is writing your full-time profession?
No, I wish. I am the Director of Strategic Initiatives at the MN State IT Center of Excellence.
How long have you been writing?
This is my debut book so I have only been writing for a year.
Which genre do you write?
I write children’s books.
What do you find most challenging writing for this genre?
I think the most challenging part is writing in a way that is suitable for young children but still being true to the story you want to tell.
What are you working on now?
I am working on my next book in this series Grandpa Loved the Farm.
It will be about my husband’s grandfather and the amazing things he taught us about farm life.
Where do you find inspiration for your characters?
The inspiration for this book is my real life. I wrote this book about my grandfather who help heal injured birds when I was young.
So when we came to visit you never knew which animal you would find. It was amazing to be a part of bird releases.
He loved to share his passion for nature and those that live in it with us and I wanted to continue his legacy by teaching others.
What is your favorite book review from a reader?
The ones that mean the most have been from those who knew him and talk about the memories this book brought back for them.
Can you share a random interesting fact about yourself?
I have a Doctorate degree in Education.
Wow! Congratulations!
What spark started one of your stories?
It really was to honor my grandfather. We have a lot of babies being born in my family and they will never have a chance to know him.
My brother and I are the oldest of 16 grandkids and we were the only ones to have these experiences with him so it was important for me to capture these memories for my family.
What is one of your favorite scenes that you’ve written? Why?
In this book there is a scene where grandpa is sharing facts about cardinals and the kids ignore him because they are too focused on their phones.
While, obviously, we didn’t have cell phones when I was growing up in the early 90’s, the point of the scene was to show how wrapped up we all get in technology that we miss the important moments that are happening right in front of us and those moments are finite.
I hope it is a scene that gets parents to think a bit about making memories and seizing those moments.
What has been your most rewarding experience since publishing your work?
Hearing all the stories from those who knew him. He lived in a small town in southern Minnesota and was integral in the creation of their local bird club as well as birding along the Mississippi river, so there have been so many memories and stories shared of his impact on others.
I added a page of photos of my grandpa at the end of the book so people can see he is a real person and they show images from his time with the birds. I felt it was important for people to see that these are real stories.
What advice would you give to authors just starting out?
Do it. It’s been a learning experience but I have been lucky enough to find an amazing community on facebook that has been so supportive and has provided and immense amount of feedback and advice.
Is there anything else you’d like your readers to know about you?
This was truly a passion project. I want to write books that mean something to me and are about people who mean something to me.
What message are you sharing in your books?
I want people to see how wrapped up we all get in technology that we miss the important moments that are happening right in front of us and those moments are finite.
I hope it is a scene that gets parents to think a bit about making memories and seizing those moments.
When you’re not writing, where can we find you?
I am usually with my 16 year-old daughter hammocking in Twin Cities area of Minnesota or at my parents in southern Minnesota.
What are your most effective marketing strategies?
So far it has been word of mouth and just hustling on social media.
Do you have a website/Facebook page, etc?
Tiktok: @melissarousuauthor
Where can we find your books?
My books are currently sold on Amazon and some local shops in Minnesota.
Thank you, Melissa, for spending time with us and sharing your story. We wish you continued success and lots of luck.
Grandpa Bill had a deep love and understanding of wild things. He shared this love with his grandchildren, showing them the wonders of nature and the creatures that inhabit it.
Grandpa Loved Wild Things is a heartwarming children’s book about the bond between a grandfather and his grandchildren, and the wisdom and love for nature that he imparts to them.