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The Port Moody Public Library White Pines Local Author collection highlights local authors, poets, and illustrators in our community. Every month, we will interview and feature one of the authors from the collection on the Library website.
The featured author of this month is Joyelle Brandt.
Author of the Month: Joyelle Brandt
About the Books:
Princess Monsters from A to Z
For anyone who has ever felt like they don't fit in, Princess Monsters from A to Z is a fun and meaningful children's book about the beauty of our individuality. Each character's description is written in rhyming verse, making the book an entertaining read-aloud bedtime story.
Parenting with PTSD: The Impact of Childhood Abuse on Parenting
Parenting with PTSD sheds light on a topic most parenting books never address: what is it like to raise children when you were abused as a child? With contributions by 26 writers, this anthology and workbook covers the common triggers that arise as parents navigate everything from pregnancy to the teenage years, and helps to let survivors know that they are not alone.
Cool facts about the books:
Joyelle uses no digital tools when she's creating her monster illustrations. Everything is drawn and painted by hand.
Where did the idea for Princess Monsters come from?
Growing up, Joyelle always felt like a weirdo, as if people could tell she was different just from looking at her. Princess Monsters is a visual representation of Joyelle’s childhood feelings of being an outcast.
After Joyelle had her son, she noticed there were a lot of monster-themed things targeted towards boys, but not towards girls. She was sick of how the “princess culture” being sold to girls turned into an unhealthy obsession with physical appearance, dieting, and thinness. Princess Monsters came as a response and direct contrast to this idea.
"As a girl you're not allowed to take up space. Monsters are loud, and big, and unapologetically who they are."
What was the most challenging part of writing Princess Monsters?
Once the fun, creative part of drawing the monsters was finished and all that was left was the "paint by numbers" fine-tuning to turn the illustration into a finished product. To help get through these monotonous stages of creation, Joyelle would invite friends over for art nights. Working and talking alongside others helped make this part of the process easier.
What was the most rewarding part in writing Princess Monsters?
The first time she held the finished product. Joyelle had been collecting her monster drawings and putting the book together for four years, so to finally hold it in her hands was very exciting.
What motivated Joyelle to write her non-fiction book Parenting with PTSD?
Joyelle dealt with depression during both of her pregnancies. After Joyelle's second child, she also started to experience triggers that were related back to childhood sexual abuse. Joyelle looked for resources to help her work through what she dealing with, and was not able to find any books that focused on parenting and abuse recovery. Through her searching, she found a blog post on the website Scary Mommy that talked about being a parent and navigating the effects of childhood sexual abuse.
Joyelle reached out to the woman who wrote the article and together they collected pieces from other parents to create the book.
About the Author:
Did Joyelle always want to be a writer?
Yes, Joyelle has been writing poems, songs, and stories since she was a child. She wrote her first song when she was only four years old.
After Joyelle's first child, she decided to switch focus from song writing and turned to writing and visual arts, as it was easier to do with a toddler around.
How many hours a day does Joyelle spend writing?
Joyelle's schedule varies a lot depending on what she is working on and what stage she is at with it. When she's beginning a project, she'll start by figuring out when she wants to release it, then work backwards to figure out how much she has to get done each day.
What is Joyelle working on now?
The second Monsters book, Princess Monsters from 1 to 10, is coming out in September. The idea for a counting book originally came from her son, and he has even started creating his own monster designs.
What advice does Joyelle have for new writers?
"Figure out who inspires you as a writer, and read as much of their work as you can. Don't overthink it, just start somewhere. At some point you have to accept that the work is done and you have to send it out into the world."
About the White Pines Local Author Collection
The Port Moody Public Library created the White Pines Local Author Collection to highlight and support local authors, poets, and illustrators from our community. We launched the collection in May 2019 with 12 inaugural authors. Learn more about this collection and how you can become a White Pines Local Author.
Joyelle uses no digital tools when she’s creating her monster illustrations. Everything is drawn and painted by hand.
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