Let's talk all things Polly The Possum

It's one thing to have a vision, but it's another to turn your vision into a reality. And for those of us who have tried, we know how hard it can be but how rewarding the process is. How many of us have dreamed of or had the passing thought of writing a book? I originally had this thought when I was in a 5th grade creative writing class. I knew I was passionate about writing. Something about putting your thoughts on a piece of paper has always intrigued me and soothed my soul. I always wanted to write a children's book, but I never wanted to force it. I wanted to leave our youth with something that can impact them for years and generations to come. I wanted to leave a legacy but I also wanted to let the ideas come to me, in their own time. I wanted the story to find me. And it did just that.

In 2020, with the pandemic in full force and all of our youth having little to no social interaction that they were used to from school, my little sister started to struggle with her mental health and losing herself in discovering who she wanted to be. I saw her go through many stages during this time, all of which negatively impacted her. It came to a point where I no longer recognized who was. She had so much of this free time cooped up in the house and did not know how to benefit from it and find herself in the best ways. My dad, in attempt to also make time pass by faster and give something fun that they could do together, began to set up possum traps around our ranch in South Texas. The idea of this being to also protect the eggs that our chickens lay. My dad and little sister would place a golf ball inside the possum trap to give the illusion that an egg lies within. Once a possum became attracted to the "egg" and is trapped inside the cage, they drive out to remote fields and release the caged, unhurt possum back into the wild. They continously did this and still do this because they understand the important role possums play in our environment. This simple yet kind act is what made me see possums with a different lens. This is the inspiration behind the book.

One the inspiration fire was lit in me, the ideas began to flood in! I knew I wanted my main character to be a possum, based on my dad and my little sister's hobby. I also knew I wanted to shed light on self love and share my sister's story. Suddenly, I would be at a grocery store grabbing eggs and think "omg Polly's favorite food should be something egg related". I would see a picture of my college mascot (a javelina) and think to myself that I should make a javelina her best friend. I personally love the color yellow, I ran track, and I do pageants, and I had an idea of mixing some of my hobbies and favorite things into the book as well.

I started writing the book in a basic notepad. I wrote "Page 1" and would write my story line for page 1 in pen followed by the vision in my mind of how I wanted the illustration to look. I did this for each page until I finished the story line. Once I was inspired, the story writing itself took me six to eight months. After filling my notebook with ideas and how I wanted the book to go, I took it to a Word document where I put everything on there. I saved the document then began to search for an illustrator. After finding my top 6 illustrators of interest, I sent them the first 3 pages and had them illustrate and send me their work in the best way that they could be creative with my given storyline for each page.

Upon selecting the illustrator who best fit my vision and vibe/aesthetic for the book, the illustrations took about another six to seven months before being ready. I inserted these into my Word document for each page and had my set story and illustration ready!! Now, what was missing was the title of the book. I read a few pages to some of my friend's children to see how they interpreted the storyline. To see which words were to big and needed to be switched out and also to see what they would name the book after hearing it.....Polly The Possum was the clear winner.

After having my title, my story, and my illustrations, I began to do intense google searching of the best children's book companies to publish with. I narrowed my list down to 6 and sent an email with my script. I waited about a month to two months to receive contract offers and I weighed out my options and chose to go with the one that best fit my needs/vision for the book. Once signing a contract, meetings with my publisher began and the publishing process began to take place. We truly hit the ground running! The start to finish of signing a contract to publishing and having in hand copies of the book was about one year to one year and a half. The rest is history.

I could not be more happy with the way the book and how it's story found me. I love that I get to spread the message of self love, self acceptance, and embracing what makes you unique with not only our youth but with anyone who reads the book. I firmly believe that this book has the ability to leave an impact on anyone who reads it, no matter the age. I am also excited that I get to advocate for possums. There are so many fun facts that many do not know about possums that I actually include in a separate page at the end of the book. Above all, I am so excited to be able to leave something behind in this world. This book is my baby. Writing it, creating it, watching it grow and publishing it have been the absolute highlight of my life thus far.

If you wish to order a copy of Polly The Possum, click here or email me directly at tessieledesma@icloud.com if you wish to have one signed with a personal note and I will ship a copy to you. Up until September 12, 2023, the ways to order a copy are directly through me via email or find me on Instagram (@Typicaltess) and message me! The only other way to order is by clicking the link above mentioned. Once September 12, 2023 comes around, Polly The Possum will be available on Amazon and Barnes and Nobles!!

Keep up with all things Polly The Possum by following our Facebook page (Polly The Possum) or our Instagram page (@PollyThePossum). This is where we will be posting our upcoming events, announcements, and LIVE possum catch and releases!

If you have any questions or comments regarding Polly The Possum, please reach out! I am truly enjoying being able to hear and see everyone's feedback and especially everyone's pictures that they share with me!

XOXO,

Tess