Susan Verde, Children's Book Author, I AM HUMAN, I AM YOGA
[0:00]Okay, I'm so sorry. No, sorry. Oh, I literally never had and I was thinking before like wow
[0:09]I haven't really had any second cliches before it and now like everything is going wrong
[0:13]Zick, but I'm so sorry
[0:18]Okay, so I'm recording the audio only
[0:22]So you know we can just like look each other, but it's nothing
[0:26]What do you need hats in the background won't go on the
[0:30]Volleyball knee pad won't be on the
[0:35]So I'll like read your short bio and then I'll just at the event you guys sure that's great
[0:41]I have them in front of me too. I got a chance to look at the most. Yeah, okay
[0:46]I'm thrilled today to be introducing Susan Faraday
[0:50]Susan is a yoga and mindfulness teacher and describes herself in this order as author
[0:55]Yogi and mom a native of Greenwich Village in New York City
[0:58]She now lives in East Hampton with her three children and their dogs. So welcome Susan
[1:07]So for listeners who aren't familiar with your many children's books, can you share what some of them are about?
[1:14]Sure
[1:16]They are
[1:18]They sort of cover a whole range of topic
[1:22]And but I have the same underlying messages
[1:26]So they range from books about exploring something art and art exploration to yoga to
[1:36]friendship and
[1:38]mindfulness and
[1:40]music they kind of cover a whole a whole range
[1:45]And but they all I feel like they all sort of connecting that they're really about
[1:51]Keep finding their voice and celebrating their own experience. How and why did you start writing children's books? When did that happen?
[2:01]I
[2:02]Well, so I've been writing forever
[2:04]um, I wrote a lot poetry and as I was growing up and I but I was
[2:10]My parents always had me reading and had books everywhere
[2:14]So both were a big part of my life and then I was now mentioned a cool teacher for many years
[2:20]and it had a collector of teacher books
[2:24]and
[2:25]I you know that started waiting for I had kids and then of course I had to excuse to have them
[2:31]But really they were for me, but um, you know, I started
[2:39]writing
[2:40]picture books per day
[2:43]Once I had my kids, you know, I stopped I taken a step back from being in the classroom
[2:48]I'm fortunate enough to be able to stay home with them and
[2:52]As I was reading and I was observing and I thought was participating
[2:56]I there were just a lot of things that I felt could be covered
[2:59]um
[3:00]A lot of experiences that I wanted to capture and I just was writing and then ultimately
[3:06]I was looking up to to be published
[3:08]So and how did that happen?
[3:10]I mean, I feel like everyone has a children's book or two in them and yet nothing ever seems to happen so
[3:17]Oh, I was very fortunate um in that I
[3:23]My publishing journey began. I had this
[3:28]that
[3:30]I've written and I was very dear friend to the teacher book writer
[3:35]Emma Wallton Hamilton and she
[3:39]Had a workshop or a conference every summer out in some country where I live
[3:44]And I approached her one day and I was like, what am I going to do with all this stuff?
[3:49]And she put shot maybe you'll be inspired maybe you learned some thing whatever so I went to her particular workshop and
[3:58]It definitely inspired me
[4:00]But it was the following year when she around was changing at the conference
[4:05]And I'm such a huge fan and so I wanted to take his workshop and in fact
[4:11]He had Emma had asked me to be his assistant because I've been there day before. I was the worst assistant ever
[4:19]For terrible. I I showed up late. I left early. You know, I I don't think I got him a piece of paper
[4:26]But he was the same, you know, he would show up late and hurry out and I said it was nice
[4:32]It was we were like in a series, but one of the perks was being able to show him my work and
[4:39]And
[4:41]He was going through the stack. He came upon the museum which was our first book together and he literally said well
[4:47]This is a book and I'll be very sad if someone else illustrates it and I was like, what and
[4:56]We spent sort of the next six months creating a dummy
[5:01]He did sketches. I worked on the story and we met occasionally in city in New York City and
[5:07]We sent it out to his agent and then two weeks later
[5:11]She sold the tables and that kind of how it began and
[5:16]And Abrams then asked that we continue our partnership
[5:19]Which was funny because I already had a couple of things that I've written that
[5:24]After that that he also wanted to illustrate so we kind of had this great sort of package to share
[5:31]And then his agent signed me and and I was with her for a while and then I'll just let him go to another agency and
[5:38]That's how it began so it was really kind of that wonderful, you know, serendipitous experience
[5:46]I read the museum book to my kids last night and I was like flipping the pages and showing them and I was like
[5:52]This is Picasso and you know, this is a photo, you know painting by me going there like how do you know that?
[5:58]They're just so hard. They're really no. It's just that like they're really famous
[6:04]Yeah, this is from a real museum and then you know when you had the Blaine canvas the kids are like I thought they're gonna paint it
[6:10]And I'm like, let's see anyway, they loved it
[6:13]I'm so glad I'm so glad yeah, I mean, you know, I kind of
[6:18]turned to my
[6:20]Series with my own kids for that book and then but also remembering my
[6:24]series is growing up in the city and I'm just having you know
[6:27]The good fortune to have all those museums and pieces of art in front of me and
[6:32]How nice it would have been so wrong to the idea of what she's on
[6:36]Dance with all the paintings and yeah
[6:39]I love this idea. You you carry through your books of the Blaine
[6:42]Like there's all from you know the book that you have forthcoming about how the whole community gets together and and paints the mural and
[6:51]You know
[6:52]Brightens up the whole neighborhood and I love just with your books that people can bring their own sort of ideas to life
[6:59]Is that was that intentional of the theme of yours or?
[7:02]I mean, yes, yes, and no, I
[7:05]Actually, it was certainly for the museum and I guess also for hey wall
[7:11]Then now that you brought it to light yeah, you know the idea is that kids are so
[7:17]They're so smart and they're the ones who are going to come up with
[7:22]ideas and and ways to fix and change and conquer the world and
[7:29]So I think that kind of end uses this way in the books
[7:33]You know, even with the water princess although it was someone else's story. I I
[7:38]Wanted it to be hopeful so that when kids read it they you know
[7:44]They can come up with solutions because they they are
[7:48]And that point not as jaded as we are and certainly you know
[7:53]open to
[7:55]Creativity and and and all that and all they can offer so yeah, I think
[8:00]It's kind of purposeful and accidental at the same time
[8:06]Your books I feel also have this very soulful calming element
[8:10]It's like I feel like instead of me crazily reading to the kids at the end of the night when sometimes
[8:14]I'm just like trying to get through books like okay three books and they're gonna go to bed
[8:18]Yours like I read so slowly to them and they all kind of get into it
[8:23]It's like your words and I'll just read some that you have
[8:27]From I am yoga, but anyway, it really it really works whatever
[8:32]Secret sauce you're putting in your books. I don't know. It really impacts us as a family
[8:36]But so in I am yoga you wrote when I feel small in a world so big when I wonder how I fit in when the world is spinning so fast
[8:45]I tell my wiggling body be still. I tell my thinking mind be quiet
[8:49]I tell my racing breath be slow
[8:52]I close my eyes and make room in my mind in my heart to create an imagine. I am yoga
[8:57]That's so beautiful
[9:00]Like it literally like it's just beautiful and therapeutic and I feel like I need it like the kids need it
[9:06]How how do you I know you have training in mindfulness and yoga teaching for children?
[9:11]How do you combine to what you've learned there to to put the words in the books to have just the rights or
[9:16]Tener to be impactful
[9:18]Oh my gosh
[9:20]Totally honored by what you said
[9:22]um, I mean, I'm just you know, I I really
[9:27]in my teaching
[9:29]And working with children I I try to observe
[9:34]How they feel and how these practices make them feel and also I think I'm a little bit stuck in my own
[9:43]Kid and and kind of what I I wish I had had growing up you know that that ability to make space and become and
[9:53]So I I just tried to put all of that into into the book
[10:00]Just letting them know that they have the tools within them that are really accessible and simple.
[10:09]And I just hope that it comes out the way you're saying it comes out.
[10:13]But it's really through kind of observation and looking into my own self and knowing what I need too.
[10:23]So that's sort of where I start.
[10:27]I'm going to read another passage from I am peace.
[10:31]Just to further hammer home this peaceful writing style you have.
[10:37]And I am peace you write.
[10:38]There are times when I worry about what might happen next and what happened before.
[10:43]The thoughts in my head are like rushing water.
[10:45]And I feel like a boat with no anchor being carried away.
[10:48]I give myself a moment.
[10:49]I take a breath.
[10:50]And then I tell myself it's all right.
[10:52]I feel the ground beneath my feet and steady myself and start to notice the here and the now.
[10:58]My thoughts begin to settle.
[11:00]My mind begins to clear I am peace.
[11:03]Beautiful.
[11:04]So I thought this one in particular was also a very mature concept.
[11:10]Do you find that kids of all ages relate to this?
[11:13]I mean, I think I read it to my two little guys last night.
[11:15]And I think they just liked the pace of it and everything.
[11:18]I'm not sure they totally got it.
[11:20]My three year old.
[11:21]I mean, who knows?
[11:22]What do you think?
[11:23]Do you think it's more for older kids, younger kids?
[11:26]I think that there's some parts of it that all ages can get.
[11:33]So the concrete images of like a boat with no anchor.
[11:38]So we're going to just understand that an anchor holds a boat still.
[11:41]And if you're like a boat with no anchor, you're floating around.
[11:44]And that's all they need to grasp.
[11:47]It's not necessary that they get the entire thing.
[11:51]But if they're getting little bits and pieces of like,
[11:55]I can say and I think to myself, like it's all right, I'm all right.
[11:59]Or I can feel my feet on the ground.
[12:02]Like those simple concrete actions are what the littleest ones can relate to.
[12:09]And then as they get older, they do have this.
[12:12]I mean, when you talk to kids in schools,
[12:14]they say the most amazing things.
[12:18]You're like, wow, that is deep.
[12:20]I didn't even think of that.
[12:23]So sometimes surprisingly, they grasp the bigger message.
[12:28]But even again, just those little bits and pieces and concrete images
[12:33]or little things that they can practice saying to themselves,
[12:40]that's enough.
[12:42]I'm going to start.
[12:43]So if I try to infuse the bigger message,
[12:48]the heavier message with the smaller accessible practices
[12:54]or activities or thoughts that I hope that the youngest ones can get a hold of.
[13:00]So when you go and teach mindfulness,
[13:03]and yoga, I guess, but mindfulness in particular at schools
[13:06]and do you do people's homes?
[13:09]I'm not sure.
[13:10]They're just individuals or just schools,
[13:12]or what.
[13:13]Slee, I do school or library or whatever.
[13:20]Mostly I'm in the schools, I think.
[13:22]I've done classes in studios and I've done a couple of private things like that.
[13:30]But I really like going into the schools
[13:33]and that seems to be the place where I'm most requested
[13:36]and most comfortable because it's kind of like exactly where they need it.
[13:41]There's so much going on in school.
[13:45]And whenever I do go and work with kids in school,
[13:49]I always try to kind of use some small things that teachers can do
[13:53]because the idea of mindfulness can feel really big
[13:57]and difficult and time-consuming and really it's not.
[14:01]So I like being able to write in that context
[14:07]so the educators and the kids can see
[14:11]how simple these practices can be
[14:13]and how they can just use them where they are.
[14:16]I remember I was teaching in a school
[14:18]and one of the parents stopped me a few weeks into the class
[14:25]and we ran into each other outside of school.
[14:28]And she said, you know why I was in the grocery store with my daughter
[14:30]and we were running around and all of a sudden I turned around
[14:33]and she's standing in the frozen food section with her eyes closed
[14:36]and her hands on her belly and I was like, what are you doing?
[14:39]And she said, well Susan told me if I was overwhelmed
[14:42]I could stop and take a breath.
[14:44]And well there you go.
[14:46]That's the reason we do this is just so they feel a little empowered
[14:49]when things are overwhelming.
[14:51]So yeah, so mostly it's schools that was a long answer,
[14:55]but it's good.
[14:56]That's the point I would like to hear you have to say.
[14:59]So as a parent, right?
[15:00]I'm not a teacher or anything, but as a parent
[15:02]and for any parents, hopefully listening.
[15:04]What are some mindfulness tips?
[15:06]Have you had like three strategies that we could have
[15:09]in our back pockets?
[15:10]Yeah.
[15:11]So parents, you know, it's tough because so here I am, you know,
[15:15]teaching all these things and talking about all these things
[15:18]and I have these challenges with my now three teams
[15:22]that anybody else has and moments when my kids will say,
[15:26]well you're not being very mindful.
[15:28]And I need that reminder.
[15:29]So I would say first and foremost,
[15:33]like forgive yourself for everything.
[15:36]You know, you're not doing anything wrong if you lose it.
[15:39]If you have trouble, if you need to step away,
[15:43]like that's all of that is okay.
[15:46]And actually really good self-care.
[15:48]You know, I need a minute, like give me a break.
[15:50]I'm going to go sit or whatever.
[15:54]I think so being able to do that, being able to kind of
[15:58]understand where you're coming from, what's rising up
[16:02]in you when there's conflict or stress.
[16:05]Oh goodness, that was your own.
[16:08]So all of those things, you know, that's first and foremost.
[16:12]I think just realizing like if you're upset,
[16:15]where's that coming from?
[16:16]Is that your stuff or is that your kid's stuff?
[16:20]And then being able to kind of give yourself what you need.
[16:23]So it's that whole putting your own oxygen mask on first.
[16:27]And then breath breathing.
[16:30]If you can get your kids to take three deep slow breaths
[16:34]in through their noses during any time of crisis,
[16:38]and that is a great tool.
[16:40]Instantly changes what's going on in your nervous system.
[16:44]From that like fight or flight to that parasympathetic,
[16:48]like calming, grounding states.
[16:51]And there's research behind it.
[16:53]It's really simple and easy.
[16:56]And then your kids sort of observe what is going on with them.
[17:04]Sometimes my kids, if they're having some kind of anxiety
[17:10]and they'll come to me and say,
[17:12]this is what I'm thinking, what's wrong with me,
[17:14]or this is what's happening.
[17:15]And we'll say, I'll say, is that a fact or a feeling?
[17:19]Because if it's a feeling, it passes.
[17:22]And if it's a fact, then it's something concrete
[17:24]that we can deal with.
[17:26]I'm scribbling this down.
[17:27]I have to use this later.
[17:28]Instead of faster, if you like, I like it.
[17:33]All right.
[17:34]Yes.
[17:35]I really find that to be super helpful in a lot of situations
[17:38]because, you know, your brain does tell you a lot of things
[17:41]that aren't really serving you and aren't really accurate.
[17:46]And as adults, it's going to, like, wait a minute.
[17:49]Is this really happening or is this just a feeling?
[17:53]That would be my advice.
[17:56]Love it.
[17:57]Like, many of the things you put in your books,
[17:59]I feel like they could all be pillows.
[18:01]Do you know?
[18:02]I feel like a brighter, all the things or something around the
[18:06]scattered around.
[18:08]You know, one in each room or something like that.
[18:11]All right.
[18:12]I do love it.
[18:13]So tell me about rock and roll soul.
[18:15]That's another one of the books.
[18:16]That's the first book of yours I actually bought
[18:18]because we call it one of my daughter's rock star.
[18:21]So I was like, oh, perfect book for her.
[18:23]It's a light.
[18:25]It's a different sort of use, a different voice,
[18:28]I feel like, for that book.
[18:29]So tell me a little bit about that one.
[18:31]Yeah.
[18:32]That book.
[18:33]Yeah.
[18:34]So that book is a little dance year and a little more energetic,
[18:37]I think.
[18:39]You know, that book came, well, it was kind of inspired by
[18:43]my editor who is,
[18:47]she edits a lot of music,
[18:50]but she loves music and she's very musical.
[18:52]And one day we were sitting and having a conversation.
[18:54]And I think I said to her, like,
[18:56]how do you set your rock and roll soul?
[18:58]Like, you're so cool.
[19:00]And that got me thinking,
[19:03]you know, I personally love music.
[19:07]It was a huge part of my life and always has been,
[19:10]I don't play an instrument.
[19:12]I sang, you know, in my high school chorus or whatever.
[19:16]But my parents always have music playing.
[19:20]My mother had a record company for a while.
[19:23]There was always music.
[19:25]And then one of my first jobs was working for Vid Magazine.
[19:32]So I was very infused in all that kind of hip hop culture.
[19:36]And so music has just,
[19:38]and then my daughter is extraordinarily musical.
[19:40]So it's just been there.
[19:43]And so I wanted to celebrate that.
[19:46]And so I think the voice,
[19:48]I hope,
[19:50]is more than kind of musical,
[19:52]dancing, you know,
[19:54]rock and roll,
[19:56]kind of voice as opposed to a more lyrical concept.
[20:00]remain kind. Yes, but I just wanted to kind of explore and appreciate all the
[20:06]genres and then go back to that idea of, you know, that blank canvas idea of like
[20:12]you can, you're the best instrument. You can kind of apply it. However, you
[20:17]feel good and everything has the sound. You start selling, you know, those
[20:23]rolled up papers that come in a box, you know, you can like stretch them out and
[20:27]drawing them. Oh, yeah. You should you should sell those like you should
[20:31]brand it like you're like I am yoga type imagery, you know, and like have
[20:36]people have the kids like fill it out and they can have their own
[20:38]campuses, you know. I think we're gonna have to have a merch conversation.
[20:44]And then another book that I read of years last night, the other ones I
[20:58]had for a long time, but somewhere more recent, I think it's called me and you
[21:02]or you and me, what's it called? Maybe I was really tired, but as I read it
[21:10]out loud, I was literally crying. It was so like it's all about like it's so close
[21:16]that you can miss pads with someone, right? I wasn't expecting it to be a book
[21:20]kind of like a sliding door is going to fall show. See, I think about that all the time.
[21:26]Like it's so it would be so easy to have not met my husband or not become
[21:32]really close friends with someone because we would have not been in that same
[21:35]class or what if I hadn't sat in that seat and that your book was all about
[21:40]like an owed to chance and how huge a role it plays in our lives. And it's such a
[21:46]such a nice book to give to anyone you have that like great relationship with. But anyway,
[21:52]I felt like that, I don't know, that one really, really got me last night as well.
[21:56]I mean, I think I remember when my kids were really little and I used to think about
[22:05]and even now when I look at them lovingly as opposed to, you know, like you're driving me crazy.
[22:11]But I think it started with that and I sort of thought, you know, what like if I had sneezed
[22:18]on that day or if I had taken a wrong step on that day or they might not be here and then how
[22:25]how sad, how important it that I would have missed out on these incredible children who have
[22:30]come into my life, you know, or like you said, the friends I made or the way I met Peter Reynolds,
[22:36]I mean, if I had decided not to take that workshop this whole trajectory would have been different.
[22:42]And that was actually the second, the project that I already had in line to share with him
[22:50]our second book together. But I just, yeah, it's that sort of like it's just one little thing
[22:57]and had a big difference. You know, they could have been another great journey. But you think
[23:03]about the people in your lives now and how maybe wouldn't have known them and how lucky we are
[23:08]to know them. So I'm sorry you were crying, but I know it was a happy cry. It was a happy cry
[23:15]because it's like, you know, it's gratitude too for all the random events that have led to
[23:21]the way life is now. I think if you wonder like our art, is everything so random or is it
[23:27]really like we were supposed to connect with each other, you know, that kind of thing? Yeah,
[23:32]just a little, you know, meaning of life thoughts. That's how we know.
[23:40]So what are you going to do next? Are you going to keep doing the children's book? Focus more on
[23:45]the teaching aside from all the merchandise plans we've come up with.
[23:47]Part of our news project. You know, my intention is to keep writing. I have some more things in
[23:57]the pipeline that are going to be coming out. And so that's right. And some of them will be a
[24:03]little bit different. And others will, you know, kind of continue in the messagingments that I'm
[24:11]doing now. And I hope to keep it going for a long time. I'd love to explore writing for a little
[24:19]bit older. The audience, whether that's, you know, teens or adults or I'm kind of figuring that
[24:27]one out, but I have a lot of stuff I'd like to say and talk about. And yeah, and continue with the
[24:35]teaching for sure. You know, I love doing that. And so he's a way to keep me connected to kids
[24:41]as mine get older. I get to still stay with the other ones, which is really lovely. We think it
[24:46]keeps me kind of useful and connected to what's happening. And I also get to teach teachers,
[24:53]which has been great. I'm doing a lot of professional development to teach teachers how to
[24:59]practice self care. And, you know, what is mindfulness really all about? Because these are big
[25:04]terms that people hear over and over and see sort of like, what does that really mean? And then
[25:10]how can I possibly bring that to my own life? So yeah, those are my thoughts. And then I'm certainly
[25:17]open to whatever. And if there are any aspiring children's book authors or people who, you know,
[25:30]maybe just want to try getting on that path and publishing, what would you say to them? Any advice?
[25:36]Or should they get an illustrator right away? Should they do it on their own? One thing I learned
[25:42]is that, and so Peter and I weren't quite unique in a way to met and be in that we came together as
[25:50]sort of a little package because typically editors and publishers do not want you unless you
[26:00]are an author illustrator. The writer they do not want you to bring in an illustrator. They
[26:07]really do want to take that process on themselves. And in fact, once they do choose an illustrator,
[26:15]you don't have any contact with them at all. I didn't speak to Matthew Cordell or John
[26:22]Parron who did Haywall until after the books were completed. I guess he sort of preliminary
[26:31]sketches and I can give a little feedback to my editor, but there's no direct contact. There's
[26:37]no even Peter and I were instructed initially not to speak to one another during the process.
[26:43]And you know, he kind of broke that rule. But but no, typically you should be so that's that's one
[26:50]piece of advice. Even though you have a vision when you're writing, and I mean, I always do as
[26:54]well, um, don't don't attach an illustrator to work. And then the other thing is, you know,
[27:03]just keep writing and he's showing your work to as many people as you can. He's sharing it,
[27:10]keep putting it out there. And, you know, don't don't give up. I get a lot of rejections as
[27:20]much as I get things accepted and bought. I also get things that just will never make it to
[27:28]the public eye. So just don't give up and just keep going and keep talking and sharing and doing
[27:36]the work. My, uh, my daughter, um, last night, um, or actually, I guess it was this morning,
[27:43]these days were so long. Um, we were watching the sunrise and she goes, oh, for a second, I thought
[27:47]that was the sun still setting. And I said, well, that way a great children's book. We could write
[27:51]a book about how the night the sun never said and all the kids just stayed on night and played
[27:55]and have fun with that being, you know, so anyway, in case she decides to become a children's book
[28:00]there are, there are ideas everywhere. And the cool thing is like noticing them and I'm writing
[28:05]them down. You never, you never know. But I think they're worth, I think they're worth at least
[28:12]putting down, you know, so don't forget. Yeah, good, good advice. Well, Susan, thank you and thank
[28:19]you for dealing with all my technical difficulties today and then we're getting in this call. Um,
[28:24]and, uh, thank you just thanks for sharing all of your advice and your words and
[28:30]making bedtime for my family. Really, uh, a lot more peaceful. So, so much. No, it was really wonderful
[28:36]talking. I think, um, you know, I could kept going forever. So,
[28:41]wonderful and, uh, yeah, thank you. Okay, well, I hope to see you for real in person. That's
[28:46]just a video. Thank you. All right. Thanks, Susan. Take care. Have a good day. Bye.