Cyma Shapiro Chats with Children's Author Pam Brooks-Crump

Q: As a midlife mother, yourself, the conception of your new children's book, "Mia Inspired," came to you during a recent inspirational moment. Explain what that moment was and why Mia is represented as a Monarch Butterfly.

A: It was two years ago when I began in earnest to ask within, “What am I wanting to do with the little bit of extra time that I have, now that my children are 9, 13 and 16?” I heard a laser sharp message within me, “Illustrate the book.” Funny thing(s) about this message - I had heard the exact same message with the same clarity five years prior, and this message seemed to be directed at the wrong person. I have an M.B.A. in International Business and I am a “MOM,” not an illustrator or an artist. However, with both trepidation and excitement, I accepted the 2nd call to illustrate the book. As the idea for the book unfolded over the next six months, it became very clear that this book was really my story. I was in the cocoon when I got the first message; I was not ready yet to become a new being with wings to fly. I was scared and my wings were not strong enough to fly. It took five more years of cocooning to be ready with strength, courage, excitement and ‘knowing’ to become the butterfly!

Q: What is the connection between your midlife, your children, and this symbolic creature?

A: I could not have done this book any earlier. For me, the years proceeding this career change were filled with not only my children growing and developing, but my own growth and development. I finally felt comfortable enough in my own skin to listen to an inner guidance, no matter how crazy it sounded.

Q: Does Mia represent you as you are or as you aspire to be?

A: Mia is me! She is all of us! I know now that I will go thru new stages of development and growth where it will be vital to cocoon, nurture, strengthen, summon courage and again stretch and ache to burst out of the cocoon again. This is the incredible, amazing reality of life.

Q: As the mother of children nearly 10 years apart, what has this personal experience brought you?

A: It has taught me to listen to my own guidance and heart. When I had my first child, I was 32 and had a loud “you should” voice. By the time I had my last child, I was 39 and I began to quiet that “you should.” It took more life experience, an intention to grow, and supportive women friends to bring me to this place where I followed my own heart rather than just my mind, what society said or the seemingly easier way.

Q: What has been your greatest midlife mother joy?

A: My greatest joy as a midlife mother is to ‘walk the walk’ and not just ‘talk the talk’ of Mia’s message: follow inner guidance, be patient, summon courage, connect with others, and most of all live your dreams.

Q: What have been your greatest sorrows or the negatives you might feel about mothering at this stage in your life?

A: I am just grateful to be where I am at this point; I would not have done it differently because everything has brought me to where I am now. I know that life is a continual process of growing and learning and discovering new joys and passions.

Q: What do you think about the increasingly popular trend of older or new midlife motherhood?

A: It just makes sense for many women to wait until later, because many of us have goals that we want to obtain before we become moms. For me, these were finishing a Master’s Degree, buying a home, getting some work experience, and traveling with my husband.

Q: What is your next goal?

A: I would like to nurture and grow “Mia Inspired!” in order to help people of all ages embrace the wisdom and guidance that is within us and all that it brings with joy.

Q: As you approach the half-century mark, how do you feel both as a woman and as a midlife mother?

A: I feel awesome! I have a line in the book when Mia sees herself for the first time as a butterfly. She says, “I am lovely and quite amazing!” This is how I feel. I actually say this to myself in my bathroom mirror in the morning before I start my day. Try it, it works wonders for me!

Q: What advice would you give to older mothers who are struggling with issues involving either their personal and/or professional lives.

A: First of all, know that “All is well.” Make an intention like I did for clarity; I wanted to know what it was that I really wanted to be doing. If you ask, it will come; be patient. Also, get support. For me, this happened to be with women in both personal and professional groups. Remember that life is good and that you are precious - quite lovely and amazing!


Pam Brooks-Crump, BS, MIM, and “MOM,” wrote and illustrated “Mia Inspired! A Caterpillar at a Crossroad.” Having graduated from the University of Georgia, in 1983, with a B.A. in French, she subsequently pursued a M.A. in International Management from Thunderbird, The Garbon School of International Management, where she completed three study-abroad programs: two in Paris and one in Mexico. It was there that she experienced the migration of the Monarch butterfly - the journey of her main character in “Mia Inspired!” In 2008, she was led to pursue writing and illustrating children’s picture books, paying tribute to her inner and outer experience and knowledge. “Mia Inspired!” is her first published book. She can be found @ www.miainspired.com.

Dreaming Big by Robin Gorman Newman

Can childhood aspirations grow into adult passions?

Mine did.

I had the pleasure this week of taking a trip down memory lane, and it reminded me of the power of childhood dreams and how they can come true if they mean enough to us.

Seth's school is hosting a parent teach-in program, where parents are invited to participate in the classroom to share an expertise.  I enthusiastically seized the opportunity and volunteered to discuss how to write a book.  And, I invited my friend Puzzle Artist Alli to join me (she and Seth are close) to discuss her work as an artist.  We presented back-to-back, and I thought it was a winning combination.  The teachers agreed.

I have lectured a lot about my books, so speaking comes pretty naturally to me.  This was the first time, though, that I was to speak about my work as a writer.

I lecture best when it's off the cuff, so I didn't plan to write any notes.  I did stop by a store for kids that sells a lot of teaching supplies, and I picked up two posters on writing that I thought would be helpful and provide some talking points.  But, beyond that, my intention was to discuss my love of writing (and reading) as a child their age (8) and how it blossomed into my becoming a published author.  I brought along books I had written and illustrated as a child, read a couple of them to the class, and passed around others.

In deciding what to bring today, it brought back a floodgate of memories.  My parents, and I, had thankfully done a good job of saving books I'd written throughout the years, and they are invaluable treasures and lnks to my past.  To see how I expressed myself then and to take note of what I chose to write about is really intriguing.

It also made me recall the preciousness of childhood.  We all grow up so quickly.  And, back in my elementary school days, sure I had homework, but other than that, my thoughts were free to wander (without to do lists racing through my head), and creating stories was high on my list.  My ideas were never-ending because I gave myself permission to think out of the box, and it happened naturally.  It's really amazing how as kids we have the ability to do that, but once adulthood kicks in, and particularly parenting, and all that comes with it on a daily basis, we have to work to  find the time and space to get in touch with our thoughts (which we sometimes censor). 

It gave me immense pleasure to leave the children in my son's class with the message that anything is possible. If you want to be a writer, and you write as often as you can, then your dream of becoming an author is viable.

As adults, we need to hang on to that philosophy. We're never too old to dream big.and reinvent ourselves or rediscover dreams we had when we were young and take the steps to putting them into action.  No matter how old you are, it feels good to pursue your passions. 

And, I for one, want to be a positive role model for my son.  If he sees me feeling fulfilled and doing things (other than parenting) that are important to me, then he'll know that, while life is a juggling act, we deserve to be gratified.

So, other than your efforts to be a good parent, what do you actively pursue (or what would you aspire to accomplish or learn or explore) that feeds your soul?  If you can't readily the question, I invite you to think back to your childhood.  The answer may then readily present itself.

A Life in Books -- by Robin

It's been an interesting experience unpacking, organizing, purging and donating...all of which has resulted from our basement construction. But, it's not limited to that. It's impacting our entire home, as I go through closet by closet in an effort to streamline our living. It's quite a task, and not one that will happen overnight.

One thing that has emerged for me, especially this past weekend, when we really made a huge dent in unloading boxes, was that I felt like I was coming full circle. It was as if my life was unfolding in front of me in ways I didn't anticipate.

As I unpacked and placed books, photos albums, etc. on shelves, it was the first time in quite a while that I stepped back to really examine what I had in my hands. I was holding my life. So many of the books (and I have many....as an author...I adore books) resonated with me in terms of where I was at the time I bought or read it. I started having flashbacks.

Books from travel. I turned up journals I had kept as a college student living in Nice, France for a summer. What a treat to read them. And, to peruse through some of my old French dictionaries. It was a good time in my life. It was my first experience living away from home (not counting my college dorm room), and I loved the feeling of independence and the excitement of being on foreign soil. I hung out with fellow students on the topless beaches of Nice (debating if I should go for it or not). Shopped in supermarkets like a local (I was on a budget). Saw my first French film without subtitles (barely understood a word). Took trains to Italy and Paris, and aside from my studies, lived in a pretty spontaneous manner. It suited me.

Also on my shelves were a variety of self-help books, some of which related to G-d andgrief, which were bittersweet, since I had read them after losing my beloved mom. Others were about balance, finding peace, discovering your true life's purpose, etc. Things I still ponder and should probably reread.

I also have many dating/relationship books, since as the author of How to Marry a Mensch (decent person) and my work as a Love Coach for singles (http://www.lovecoach.com/), I endeavor to keep up with the writing of others in this genre.

There were also books on playwriting and plays by some of my favorite writers including Wendy Wasserstein and Charles Busch. (I aspire to write a play one day. Have started....)

Small gift books I had received from special friends over the years.

I even turned up a few books from my teen years that managed to survive my mom's efforts to clean out my childhood basement. Little Women and Little Men were two of them. I had written my name in them, and I tried to think back to when I read them and how much they meant to me. Little Men was a chunky book, but it was a soft paperback, and one whose pages were pliable and worn. I envisioned being perched on my cushy pink backrest on my bed in my small bedroom in the home where I grew up, reading into the night, as I often liked to do.

It's funny how since then, I rarely read fiction. Since becoming an author, my focus has been non-fiction, inspirational books. Yet, as a child, I used to write and illustrate kids books (not for publication...just fun). One title was The First Mouse to Land on the Moon. I still have it, and have shared it with my son, and even his kindergarten class last year when they invited me in talk about my experiences writing how-to books, since the children were working on their own.

Recently, the mom of a student in my son's first grade class, phoned to ask if I'd speak with her son. At age six, he adores writing and wants to get his stories published and on the shelf in a library. I saw myself in him. And, I was more than glad to inspire him to continue writing, but to focus on pursuing his passion, and that he could turn his attention to publication over time. The mom was happy that I was able to speak with him from an author perspective. She didn't want him to dwell on the finished product, but to keep on loving to create stories.

I wouldn't describe myself as a book worm. I'm not particularly an avid reader. I fancy myself more as a collector. I like the look and feel of books. I'll never get a Kindle...it just wouldn't be the same for me....though I know some embrace it.

Of late, many of the newer books on my shelves relate to mothering and health. Everything from Dr. Spock to Dr. Christiane Northrup (who writes about women's health). Whether it be parenting or perimenopause, both can be complex subjects, and these are books I find myself perusing with greater frequency.

I'm grateful our basement construction has led me to this place. It's been a revealing trip down literary memory lane. Kinda like This is Your Life....in Books. Wonder what the next chapter will hold??



PS -- Wanted to give a shout out to Macaroni Kid. It is a free weekly e-newsletter I just learned of that gives you the scoop on local events for kids and families. Check it out at http://www.macaronikid.com/, and if it's not yet in your town, find out how to launch one.