Ask the Author - Clare Short
Happy Monday and welcome back for Ask the Author! Today I’m joined by author and speech-language pathologist (SLP) Clare Short. Clare's written the most darling lift-the-flap board book, Bo the Boat, that doubles as a support for early speech skills. We’ve used Bo the Boat with my youngest to help with some of his consonant pronunciations, and the smile on his face is better than a five-star endorsement. I’m so happy Clare is joining me today to tell us more about both the book and her work as an SLP.
Hi Clare! Thanks for joining us on the blog today! Can you start by introducing yourself and telling us a little about your background?
Hello! I’m Clare, a speech-language pathologist and children’s book author living in Atlanta, GA. I work with children and their families to support speech, language, and feeding skills. I finished grad school at the University of Virginia to become an SLP 14 years ago and truly love my work. My husband and I grew up in beautiful Charlottesville, Virginia, moving to Atlanta shortly after we got married for work opportunities and a new adventure. We now call Atlanta home and love all that the city has to offer.
Why drew you to children's literature? Why did you want to write Bo the Boat?
I have always adored reading, both on my mother’s lap as a young girl and then hidden away in a library or bookshop over time. As I’m sure is the case for many of us, I would often staple together a few pieces of paper and create my own children’s books at home. In the thick of the pandemic, I found myself reading to my own children more than ever and escaping into the exciting worlds that they described. Simultaneously, I heard from parents who were worried that their children were falling behind in their speech and language skills while isolated from their typical day-to-day activities. After emerging from the postpartum phase with my third child, I started to wonder what it would look like if families had a book at home that was not only a charming bedtime story but supported early speech and language skills right from their home. After chatting about this with my husband on one particularly long road trip, he asked me if I would ever think about writing that book myself. I decided to give it a try!
Where did the idea for Bo came from? Did you start with the story idea or with language skills you hoped to develop?
On that road trip I described, I took out my notes app on my phone and thought about what skills I would like to address in this book for babies and toddlers (e.g. the “b” and “m” sounds, functional phrases, etc.) and pretty quickly came up with the concept of a boat named Bo and his friend Captain Mo. Of course there were many edits afterwards, but the bones of this story came to me surprisingly quickly. As I have now realized, this was very fortunate and has not been the case with subsequent stories!
As an SLP, you work with babies and young children when speech or feeding challenges arise. What are some of the most common problems you see, and what are some warning signs parents should be aware of?
Such a great question! This will depend on the age of the child. Your pediatrician will often ask questions at check-ups to make sure that a child is on the right track (e.g. Is your 2-year-old saying 2-word phrases?). The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association has an excellent developmental list on their website that I recommend using to see if your child is on track. I am a big believer in parental instinct and if something feels off, it can never hurt to ask your doctor and/or request a speech-language evaluation. While pediatricians used to (and still sometimes do!) advocate for a “wait and see” approach, we now know that research supports early intervention and addressing delays as soon as possible for improved long-term benefits. (Link to ASHA Developmental Milestones: https://www.asha.org/public/developmental-milestones/)
What are your best tips for parents who want to boost language development in their children?
My #1 tip is always to read to your child every day. Even if it is for just a few minutes before bedtime, the benefits for speech, language, and social-emotional development are profound. Even for older children, reading aloud allows children to hear more advanced vocabulary than in their typical day and to start discussions or ask questions that will benefit their language development! I also recommend narrating your day to babies and toddlers (e.g. “Now we are driving to the store. Do you see the red car?”) and playing in a way that encourages them to imitate your actions (e.g. Peekaboo!), which is an important building block for speech.
You ran a successful Kickstarter campaign to bring Bo to life. Tell us about that!
Oh my, Kickstarter was such an adventure! It required a great deal of preparation. I received so many helpful tips from a free Facebook group called Kickstarter for Authors. I then went to work to publicize via personal emails, social media, and word of mouth. Miraculously, I was able to fund within the first 6 hours. By surpassing my goal, our community was also able to fund donations to a local shelter and generate other fun prizes. Not only did this Kickstarter campaign help fund most of my initial costs but helped build awareness for the book. It was such a fun way to kick off the project, and I could not be more grateful to the backers for helping this project come to life!
After you secured the funding, what individuals or companies did you work with to publish Bo?
I took a leap of faith and had already used my own funds to invest in an amazing illustrator, Paula Rodriguez, who I found through the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) and several rounds of editing, including with Chelsea Tornetto, an editor and children’s book author. I also used a professional book designer, Arlene Soto, who has been invaluable both in her design talent and industry tips. I then worked with an international offset printer to print and send the books (please reach out if you would like more information about this!). Finally, I sent a bunch of books to Amazon to sell via their Amazon Advantage program and continue to sell on my own via my website and events!
What's been the most challenging part of writing, publishing, and marketing your books?
I knew that this would be the most challenging aspect based on conversations with other authors, but marketing has certainly been the most challenging. I recently read that Amazon lists 10,000 new books each day, so there is significant competition to have eyes on your book, no matter how well it is written, illustrated, and designed. I am up for the challenge, though, and enjoy exploring new ways to advertise my book!
What do you know now that you wish you knew before writing and publishing Bo?
I have very few regrets in this process so far. I knew that it would be a huge learning curve, but I enjoy the challenge and the incredible community of creatives who I have met along the way! On a very practical level, I wish I could have told myself to get a couple more references before settling on my first printer. There were quite a few hiccups with that printer that I could have avoided if I had asked other trusted authors before settling. I tell all aspiring authors to be very careful before investing any funds with any publisher or collaborator. Always try to obtain several references before committing, as there are unfortunately some bad apples and even scammers who will try to take advantage of passionate authors. On the flip side, I am constantly impressed by the generosity and support of so many fellow creators in this field!
Can you tell us about any future books in the works?
I am very excited to release the next book in my board book series this summer! It will also support early speech and language goals in a lift-the-flap board book format with illustrations by the amazing Felipe Blanco. I have not yet released the title but will soon have a sneak peek on my newsletter! You can sign up at www.clareshort.com to hear more.
Finally, how can readers connect with you online?
I have a presence in most social media spaces (TikTok, Facebook, LinkedIn) but am most active on Instagram @byclareshortspeech! You can also find out more information or connect with me on my website.
Thanks, Clare, for joining us! I can’t wait to see what you write next!