Q. When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

Emmanuella: I’ve loved to read since I was a little kid and was always interested in becoming a writer. I used to come up with story ideas and write them down so I wouldn’t forget them. Once I got a little older, I started to lose interest in writing. However, in high school, I took a class that required me to create a book. After the class was over, I decided I wanted to publish my work, and that class assignment became Older.

Q. What advice do you have for writers?

Emmanuella: I think the most important thing for someone looking to write a book is just to get started. I’ve heard so many people tell me that they’ve always wanted to publish a book but just never got around to it. I think it seems like a very daunting task at the beginning—there’s a lot of components to consider! But once you start, it becomes easier to manage. Simply writing an outline down on paper instead of thinking about it in your head already makes the task seem simpler. 

Q. Tell us about your plans for the future? Where do you see yourself in 5 years

Emmanuella: I’m still unsure of what I would like to do in the future. I’m 19 years old right now, so I’m at the point where I need to decide on a career path. I’m considering becoming an elementary school teacher because I love to work with kids and doing that would allow me to have a lot of time off from work during which I can pursue personal projects—like writing more children’s books. 

Q. What do you like to do when you are not writing?

Emmanuella: When I’m not writing, I love to do art. I especially love to make collages out of old magazines, do hand-lettering, and take photos. I also really like to be active, so I often go for walks, ride my bike, and take fitness classes at the gym. I also love to spend time with my family and my baby cousins. 

Q. What type of books do you write?

Emmanuella: So far, I’ve just written one book, Older, which is a rhyming picture book. I hope to write more picture books in the future because I love children and I like being able to do both writing and illustrations. In my free time, I also like to write poems and short stories. Perhaps one day I’ll turn them into books as well. 

Q. What does your creative process look like?

Emmanuella: The first step in the process for me is to come up with an idea. Usually, I can’t force myself to think of an idea; it has to arise naturally. I usually have a picture in my head of what type of mood I want the book to have. For Older, I envisioned a book that reminded people of childhood—a simple character design, soft colors, rhyming words. I first created the main character, Lily, and drew how I wanted her to look. Next, I drafted out the text of the book. The text went through a few rounds of edits until I was happy with it. Since my book is a picture book, I made a storyboard that paired lines of text with my ideas for images. Then, I set to work on the illustrations. Finally, I chose things like fonts and text placement and designed the cover and back cover of the book.

Q. Can you tell us about one of the most rewarding moments you have had as an author?

Emmanuella: My favorite thing is to interact with children. It’s so rewarding to me when I see a child responding well to my book. I was selling my books outside a little bookshop in Manasquan, NJ, and I had two children approach me who had come to see me and my book. I read the book to them, and they were following along and asking me questions. They were so sweet, and it was so rewarding for me to see children relating to my book and the main character, Lily.

Q. What do you hope your readers take away from this book?

Emmanuella: Older centers around Lily, and her daydreams of being older. The story culminates in Lily becoming an adult and realizing all she missed out on while constantly wishing to be older. I’m hoping that the book will remind children and parents alike about the importance of living in the now. Ever since I was a young girl, I always wished to be older, which made me unappreciative of many parts of my life. I wanted to use my experience to encourage others to be mindful of all the great parts of their life as they are going through them—not just their childhood, but their adulthood, too.

Q. What real-life inspirations did you draw from for the worldbuilding within your book?

Emmanuella: My own life and experiences very much inspire Older. The things Lily does, like drawing with chalk outside, riding bikes, and going to the fair, are all things that I did during my childhood. Plus, the character design is inspired by people in my own life, with Lily looking a lot like me. Also, the message of the book is based on my dreams of being older throughout my childhood, and the realization that it’s best to live in the now. 

Q. Do you hear from your readers much? What kinds of things do they say?

Emmanuella: Even though my book is intended for children, I hear a lot of responses from adults who connected to my book. Many people have said that they can completely relate to the main character, Lily. They can connect to her feelings of wanting to be older, and then longing to rewind time once they grow up.