Empowering youth one book at a time

Sandra McLeod Humphrey is a retired clinical psychologist and a character education consultant. She's also an award-winning author of seven middle-grade and young-adult books written to inspire a sense of direction and positive set of values in today's youth. I'm delighted Sandy is here today to remind us how the words we write really do make a difference.

By the way, to read the first half of this post, visit http://michellefayard.blogspot.com/2011/12/writing-books-for-tomorrows-leaders.html.

Sandra McLeod Humphrey

Sandy, when did you decide to start writing books that help youth build a strong character?

I was a clinical psychologist for 31 years and when I retired in 1992, I began writing my children's and young-adult books. My second career as a children's author has been like the "dessert" of my life. I love kids and I love to write, so the combination makes for a perfect second career!

What is the impetus for writing your books?

The kids themselves and social issues inspire most of my writing. My school visits and the personal stories the students shared about their bullying experiences inspired my book HOT ISSUES, COOL CHOICES: FACING BULLIES PEER PRESSURE, POPULARIT, AND PUT-DOWNS. The questions my confirmation students asked inspired my KEEPIN' IT REAL: A YOUNG TEEN TALKS WITH GOD, while my Sunday school students inspired my ME, MYSELF, AND I: YOUTH MEDITATIONS FOR GRADES FIVE THROUGH EIGHT.

My years as a clinical psychologist inspired the three books in my WHAT WOULD YOU DO? Series as well as my new book MAKING BAD STUFF GOOD, scheduled for release in March. My ongoing passion to encourage our youth to believe in themselves and realize their dreams inspired my DARE TO DREAM!: 25 EXTRAORDINARY LIVES and my current book, They Stood Alone!: 25 Men and Women Who Made a Difference, released in November.

What is the best part about writing your books?

I think I have the best job in the world! As a children's author, I get to hang out with kids—all kinds of kids—pretty much 24/7. I get to have great discussions with students during my school visits, I get to work with talented young authors during my young writers' conferences, and I get to share some of my readers' most personal (and sometimes painful) experiences through the personal essays they send me for my essay contest. Probably the best part of my job is reading the letters my readers send to me to tell me how much one of my books has helped them; those are most definitely "peak experiences" for me.

Your blog, Dare to Dream Big!, provides a new example each week of someone who had a dream and how they fulfilled it. How has this helped you reach out to your audience?

My blog was originally intended for students, but my respondents have actually been people of all ages who have been touched by the courage and perseverance of the biographies I write about. Their comments have been both insightful and heartfelt, and many have shared their personal experiences as they relate to that particular biography. In response to Maya Angelou's biography, one responder shared one of Maya's poems that particularly moved him, and then other responders responded to his response. Some responders have even shared information that I hadn't known about that particular biographee. I find this sharing on so many levels to be quite wonderful!

What other marketing and/or outreach have you found helps you connect with you audience?

I have an ongoing essay contest on my Web site—a new contest begins every three months—and these essays, which describe a difficult moral decision or choice the student has had to make, have been quite extraordinary. Many of these students have continued to write letters to me long after that particular contest is over. One 6-year-old girl from India has been sending me her stories and poetry for more than a year now. And the winner of one of my contests wrote to tell me that she had given up her dream to be a writer and that winning my contest has rekindled her dream.

What has been the toughest criticism given to you as an author? What has been the best compliment?

To be honest, I can't really think of a criticism, but one of the best compliments I've ever had was from a young girl in Chicago, who wrote to tell me how she was being taunted and tormented by her classmates. I had met her during one of my school visits in Chicago, and I invited her to write to me. After reading about her horrendous bullying experiences, I sent her the rough draft of the novel I was working on at the time about bullying. She read it and then sent me the most beautiful note telling me how much she loved it and how she slept with it under her pillow every night. Who could ask for a better review than that! That's why we children's writers write—to hopefully touch the life and heart of a child, and if we're truly blessed, perhaps we'll touch more than one child.

Can you share a little about your current work with us?

My book that came out in November, THEY STOOD ALONE!: 25 MEN AND WOMEN WHO MADE A DIFFERENCE, is a collection of 25 brief biographies of men and women who refused to conform to the societal beliefs and expectations of their time and, by stepping out and away from the crowd, they changed their world and ours as well. The book I'm currently working on, FAILURE ISN'T FINAL!: 25 MEN AND WOMEN WHO NEVER GAVE UP, is a collection of 25 brief biographies of men and women who, in spite of experiencing many setbacks and "failures," persevered to the end to follow their hearts and realize their dreams.

What is something about you or your writing that might surprise your readers?

I love animals, and I mean I really love animals! We've had three horses, a pony, dogs, cats, teddy bear hamsters and white rats, which our son rescued from the lab at his school. We get all our dogs and cats from our local Humane Society, and currently we have four large dogs (425 pounds of "dog") and a cat who thinks he's a dog!

Thank you very much, Sandy, for reminding us what being an author is all about-reaching out to others with words that will brighten the days of our readers.

Your turn: What books have you read that changed your life?