Laurel Decher is an author and writer for The Winged Pen. We are very excited to share her story, TROUBLE WITH PARSNIPS, learn about her writing process, and decision to self-publish.

When you’re 15th in line to the throne, it’s hard to make a name for yourself. The youngest princess of Cochem still needs a christening and she’s ten. She can’t get a word in edgewise and her fairy godmother isn’t helping. If the princess doesn’t get a name in 15 days, she’ll be invisible for life!

And onto the questions!

TWP: Your story features a girl without a name. The fifteenth in her family, and if she’s not named, she’ll become invisible. I think this is such an interesting plot and one I believe many kids can relate to. They may have a name, but I imagine many kids feel invisible. What inspired this concept?

Laurel: A friend and I were talking about how easy it is to sabotage our own words sometimes. We’re so busy anticipating everyone’s objections that we don’t come straight out with what we really want to say. It’s like listening to a bunch of radio stations at once—nothing but static comes through. Then we wonder why people don’t hear us.

Story Problem. Check. So I asked myself: Who’s the person in the worst position to deal with this problem? If you can’t make anyone hear you when they’re looking right at you, being invisible will only make it worse, right? Heroine. Check.

TWP: The princess has a hard time speaking up for what she wants and tends to be forgotten by her family. I certainly had a hard time speaking up when I was young, and maybe now as well. Are there any similarities between the main character and your childhood? Are you secretly a princess?

Laurel: Frances Hodgson Burnett’s A Little Princess was as close as I ever got to secret princess-dom. Speaking up–ouch! I was too shy to sharpen my pencil in front of the class. As an adult, I went to Toastmasters International and was totally amazed that you could learn this stuff! I really thought front-of-the-room people were born that way. I got so excited. My Girl Scout co-leader and I started using Toastmasters ideas for the Junior Girl Scouts to run their meetings. They did everything! Once they knew it was something you could learn, they learned to speak, introduce, and facilitate easily.

TWP: That’s wonderful! What a great trait to learn when young. Let’s talk about publishing. You self published this novel. Can you tell us why you chose self-publishing over traditional publishing?

Laurel: The Frankfurt Book Fair really opened my eyes to how huge the publishing world is. I caught the bug. I wrote this story to test out the Indie Publishing universe because I’m excited about all the international opportunities. Podcasts like The Indie Kidlit Podcast got me all fired up.

TWP: I’m sure you learned a lot about the self-publishing process. What tips would you share for those considering this option?

Laurel: Uh, as the nameless princess would say. Tips? I have a hat I’m really excited to toss into the ring and find out what happens, but I’m a beginner. Here are some excellent recent interviews from people who know things:

• Indie publisher, Darcy Pattison, about selling to U.S. educational distributors on the Indie Kidlit Podcast
• UK Author, Karen Inglis’ brand new book, How to Self-publish and Market a Children’s Book, focuses on school visits, local sales, and starts to talk about Amazon ads for children’s books. (Recent interview on The Creative Penn podcast here.)
• 20BooksForKids Facebook group for children’s book authors, hosted by Rebecca Laffar-Smith in Australia. (A spinoff from Michael Anderle’s 20 Books to 50K.)
• Mark Dawson’s Self-Publishing Podcast two-part series with Laurie Wright (author of bestselling non-fiction picture books), and Karen Inglis.
• My Pinterest board of Indie Middle Grade books–of all kinds.

TWP: Wow! Thank you! Can you give us hint about what you are working on now?

Laurel: I spent a week last year brainstorming projects and developing those ideas so I have a pile to choose from. I think I’ll work on the second Seven Kingdoms Fairy Tale, LOST WITH LEEKS, but I might have to write a Christmas story first.

TWP: Can you tell us about your writing process? And are you a plotter or a panster?

Laurel: My process changed for this project. I outlined TROUBLE WITH PARSNIPS, fast-drafted it, and then chilled for three+ months–three separate times. I consciously used the theme of speaking up to test new story ideas. It kept the story on track. Those terrifying I’ll-never-pull-this-off moments still come, but this new process helped. I did better work and shorter, intense bursts and enjoyed it more. The one thing I kept from my old process was my excellent critique partners!

TWP: What is the best writing advice you’ve received?

Laurel: Find the joy in the work and share it with as many people as you can. I read somewhere the writer’s enjoyment-on-the-page is what gives that elusive “voice” we all want to read (and write.) We all need more joy. Write yours down and share it!

Great advice! Thank you Laurel for sharing your writing, process, and all these wonderful tips.

TROUBLE WITH PARSNIPS, the first in the Seven Kingdoms Fairy Tale series, is available October 2 at your local library (ebook) in online stores (ebook), at local stores, and on Amazon in paperback and hardcover.

LAUREL DECHER writes stories for readers ages 9-12 about all things Italian, vegetable, or musical. She’s famous for getting lost, but carries maps because people always ask her for directions. You can find her on Twitter and on her blog, This Is An Overseas Post, where she writes about life with her family in Germany. She’s still a Vermonter and an epidemiologist at heart. PSA: Eat more kale!