Birmingham Author Writes About Love Between Parent and Child
First-time author Bre’Anda Conwell has always wanted to write children’s books—she just didn’t know she’d write one so soon! Though she originally thought she’d pursue her writing after she retired, her new book “I Love You My Little One” recently debuted.
The book is a sweet bedtime read that focuses on the love between children. Bre’Anda says reading the story aloud is a great way for parents who have difficulty expressing themselves to share their love in a way children can understand.
When writing the book, Bre’Anda drew inspiration from her own childhood. Though she grew up in a two-parent household, her parents didn’t express themselves. She always carried that with her. “I knew that when I became a parent I wanted my daughter to know how much I loved her,” Bre’Anda explains.
After her daughter, now 1, was born, Bre’Anda experienced postpartum depression. While reflecting on her childhood and her experience as a new mother, she realized her daughter was her greatest source of happiness. “The sense of peace and joy she gave me during that hard time is what fueled my desire to write ‘I Love You My Little One,’” Bre’Anda recalls. “There hasn’t been a day that has gone by that I haven’t told her I love her.”
The actual writing process, Bre’Anda says, was “a breeze.” But actually producing the book took some work. She reached out to the owner of a publishing company, who assisted in editing. Next, she found an illustrator—amazingly enough, simply by browsing Instagram. The two worked together to produce the book Bre’Anda had pictured. “The thing I love the most about her was she was determined to make sure I was happy,” Bre’Anda says. “She exceeded my expectations, and I couldn’t be more thankful for her dedication to this project.”
Bre’Anda is excited to hear the responses to her book. “I think the thing that really draws people in is hearing my backstory, and what inspired me to write,” she says. “After talking to so many people, I realized that a lot of mothers have difficulty expressing themselves and really desire to be better at it.”
Bre’Anda’s daughter loves reading with mom (“It’s our bonding time,” Bre’Anda says). Bre’Anda loved witnessing her reactions to the book. “This entire process has been a journey but seeing her so happy and holding the book made it all worth it,” Bre’Anda says. “She’s 1 year old now, but when she gets older and really understands, I really hope she still loves it as much as she does now.”
She also hopes to continue selling copies of “I Love You My Little One.” “I feel that this book will change a lot of lives,” Bre’Anda says, “so my goal now is to reach a larger audience to get this book in as many mothers’ hands as possible.”
You can purchase “I Love You My Little one” directly from www.BreConwell.com.
