A lifelong writer, poet, and storyteller, Victoria’s journey to publishing To the Little One I Love began decades before the book ever reached readers.
Background and Path to Writing
My path to writing started when I was 7 years old and my dad first taught me how to write a poem. He loved to write poems for birthdays and special occasions and gave me my first rhyming dictionary when I was 8. The cover was a glossy brown and it was pocket sized. I cherished it.
My first published poem about Halloween – was in our local paper when I was in the 2nd grade. My 4th grade teacher, Mrs Toews taught us how to write haikus and in the 5th grade, my teacher, Mrs Hundsness taught us how to write and create our own poetry books. Creating the poems and the illustrations, writing up the title page, table of contents, and binding the book myself was everything. I was hooked.
After that, when I could, I would write but didn’t resume my books until after college. With a drawer full of my homemade books, I sent many query letters to agents and publishers but only received rejection letters, which I still have. Life took over and my books went back into drawers.
While I read my children my books when they were young, it was only a few years ago when I could finally open those drawers again.
Story Behind the Book
I grew up the baby of four. I still vividly remember our mom putting us to bed at night. No doubt exhausted from her long day, she’d still always make sure we were tucked into bed feeling safe and loved.
She couldn’t carry a tune, so thankfully she didn’t sing us to sleep. Instead, she would put us to bed – using her version of a physical lullaby. She’d actively pull the covers to our nose, kiss our cheeks and squeeze our toes. She’d never speak it – she’d just do it.
Years later, when I put my nephew down for a nap one day, I started doing what our mom did. I decided to write it down and thus, To the Little One I Love, was born.
When my own children were young, I would read it to them every night and their friends when they came over but it wasn’t until a few years ago that I decided to share it with the world.
Why Children's Books
From a young age, children’s books have always made me happy and made me feel safe. They immediately transport me and my imagination takes over.
I currently have three more books in the works and I don’t plan on stopping. My dream is to write a book with my daughter some day, who is an amazing artist.
One thing that I do hope to address is that not all babies have loved ones reading to them at night and not all families can afford children’s books.
An important part of this endeavor is donating books to libraries and to communities where children’s books are considered a luxury verses a given in their homes.
More Stories Are On The Way
Victoria currently has three additional children's books in development and looks forward to sharing new stories with readers and families in the years ahead.