Celeste M. Messer is the author of the Andi O'Malley children's series, and a mother of four.  Although a U.S. citizen, she now lives in Caracas, Venezuela.  Celeste began her own publishing company, AshleyAlan Enterprises, to publish her books.  A portion of the proceeds from each of her books go toward different charities.

What were you doing before you began writing, and how did you get up the nerve to pursue writing full-time?

I worked at a Fortune 500 company for over twenty years, working my way to the executive ranks.  I never expected to stay for that long; just long enough to figure out what I really wanted to do.  But, as often happens, I got caught up in a spiral-- promotions, more money, more cars, bigger house, etc.  But through it all, though I was good at what I did and I enjoyed the responsibility and, I guess, the power of my position, I knew I wasn't happy. I wasn't doing something that would make a difference. 

The nagging feeling was there for years, getting harder and harder to ignore.  I finally reached a point where I knew if I wanted to find my dreams and change my life, I had to leave corporate America.  It was a decision that took me years to act on, as I basically had grown up in the corporate environment.  My future was safe and bright, I was making six figures, and I was going to turn my back on it and do what? 

How did your family react?

Obviously they would be impacted by my decision, as our family income was going to be cut more than in half (at that time I was making more than my husband).  It was hard for my husband, as he couldn't understand why I would leave something I was so obviously good at.  Why wasn't I happy?  And the question he asked for years was... okay, then what?  What will you do?  For years, I tried to figure it out, but with a demanding career and four daughters, I didn't have the time to breathe, let alone figure out what I really wanted. Who 'I' was, was lost under my roles as wife, mother, boss, executive, etc.  I didn't know what made me happy.

As for my kids, my oldest was 13 at the time, and her only question was, "Will I still get my allowance?"  My mom (my father died earlier) was concerned about the reasonableness of leaving a secure high-paying job to pursue some pipe dream.  But my brothers and sisters, though they didn't understand my feelings, were supportive, wishing me well and admiring my guts.

Why did you decide to start your own publishing company?

Partly cowardice, partly ego... I was afraid others wouldn't like my work.  I didn't want to go through the rejection process.  I didn't know (and I still don't) if my writing was 'good' or 'of value' to others.  They are like my children in a way, and I am overly sensitive to criticism. 

As to the ego... I had been in a executive positions for a while, and once I decided to write, I wanted to say what I wanted to say, and I wanted the books to have a certain look... I guess you'd say I wanted to maintain control.  Also, my oldest daughter lives in the states and is a young mother, and she manages the stateside office for me while I am living in Caracas.  By creating my own publishing company (AshleyAlan enterprises, named after my oldest two daughters, Ashley and Alana) I was able to create a family business, if you will. 

That has been an extra bonus that is more wonderful than I expected.

What steps were involved?

Publishing is like deciding you want a cake to take to a party.

You have a lot of options...you can buy one ready made (go to a publishing house), or you can make it from scratch (self-publishing, doing everything yourself), and there are a lot of variations in between.  Originally, I planned to do it from scratch.  The first thing I did was find my illustrator.  I found a talented artist named Deb Hoeffner.  I loved her work.  Then, as I was looking for an editor, I found a book packaging company (Five Star Publications).  What Linda Radke, president of the company, offered was a service that managed the editing, typeset and printing.  She did much of the leg work.  Could I have done it?  Probably, but keep in mind I was in Caracas, Venezuela, and I didn't have the expertise.  I decided it was well worth the money to hire the company. There's a lot that goes into publishing and it is great to have the expert advise to help me through the maze. 

How did you find your cover artist, printer, editor, publicist, etc.?

I found both my artist and Five Star over the Internet.  I spent weeks searching, asking for examples, references, etc.  Having the Internet available has been a Godsend.  I actually met the artist for the first time yesterday while I was in New York on a trip.  For the last year, we had shared emails.  She would send drafts sketches for my input, then send a jpeg picture, and via the Internet, we put it all together.

Has it turned out as you expected/hoped?

It is really to soon to say, as the first five books in the series were just published a little over a month ago.  The biggest issue is promotion... letting people know the books are there.

But I am proud of the books and I hope to publish the next six this fall.  I feel they are in many ways my legacy... each book contains a lesson or message that I would like my children and grandchildren to understand.  In many ways, the books are my gift to my kids and their kids.  How great is that?

One of the overriding themes in your Andi O'Malley series is the value of "making ripples in the water of life."  What does that mean, and why is this theme important to you?

I believe everyone comes to earth with a purpose, and if a person is to be happy, he or she must find that purpose.  I think that was the nagging feeling that I felt for years-- I wasn't making a difference, I wasn't living my purpose.  Regardless of the level of success of the Andi O'Malley books, or my other books, I am much happier and feel more peace in my life.

I feel by doing a good deed, or smiling at someone, letting someone in line in front of you... or writing a book that makes people aware of a charity, problem, etc., I am throwing a pebble in the lake.  It is bound to make a ripple, and hopefully it will make many ripples. 

Your books benefit several charities.  How did you decide on which to support?

Most are obvious choices based on the subject matter or based on the source of the idea...

For example:

Self esteem and children's wishes.... Donations will go to The Wish Foundation that grants wishes for ill and dying children.
Drinking and driving...Mothers Against Drunk Driving.
Alopecia Areata...(disease of hair loss)...National Alopecia Areata Foundation.
Teen Depression and Suicide...the Yellow Ribbon Foundation that is dedicated to reducing the number of teen suicides.

Basically, as the book develops, there is a distinct theme.  If it is an issue book such as teen suicide, I do research on the 'net and I usually find an association or foundation that is designed to help the cause. With my sixth book, I am adding more information about the charity after the story.  Contact info for the agency, etc.  My hope is that with my books, more awareness, education and empathy will be the result.

If something touches me, chances are I will write a book about it.  It is a wonderful process that is as surprising to me as it is to the readers, as I don't plan my stories... they come from my heart.  (A distinct difference from my logical and analytical positions in the corporate world.)

How have you gotten publicity and distribution for your books?

That is, by far, the hardest thing of all.  Through the Five Star company, I have received promotional help, but I am at the very beginning of this cycle. I am constantly making calls, sending emails, sending books out trying to get the word out that the books exist. 

I have been fortunate to get a national distributor (Hushion House), which helps get the books in the big chains.  But having the books in a Barnes and Noble, for example, isn't enough.  I need people to ask for it... to look for it on the shelves. That is why interviews such as this are so important.

What's something you wish you'd learned earlier about the publishing industry?

I am learning something new every day.  The biggest surprise to me was to find out that the book business is largely a consignment business; that is, I may get a large order for my books from a national chain BUT they can send the books back, if they don't sell, for full refund. Now, that is tough for a small publisher.

Also, promotion is critical to the process and you have to be willing to put some money into it... and a lot of effort. I wasn't quite prepared for that, emotionally or financially.

What are your future goals, professionally and personally?

I have twenty stories laid out for AOM, tackling subjects such as anorexia, having a sibling with Downs, prejudice, etc.  I would like to get these published and ultimately work with a larger publishing house for broader distribution.  (I would like to free myself for other projects.)  I have two other series that I have underway that I would like to publish, and I have several picture books I would like to get to the public.

The messages contained in the book are basically the same, but the vehicles are different, allowing me to reach a wider audience.

I would like to make a difference with my work.  I would like to continue forward on my terms and enjoy the process, regardless of what happens.

Among your books, do you have a favorite?

That’s a hard one. I guess my books are like my children and I would hate to say I have a favorite. However, I can say that it wasn’t until I finished the third book (The Gift) that I realized the stories contained messages to me. That is, I felt, in some way, my subconscious was writing stories with messages I needed to hear.

When I was writing The Gift, I was still working at my corporate job. I had a bright future, but I wasn’t happy. The message in the book showed me that sometimes success gets in the way of your purpose/destiny. Lucy, in the story, was a talented ballerina before her accident, and she devoted herself to dance, thinking that was why she was here, though she knew she wasn’t happy with her life. It wasn’t until she lost the ability to dance that she discovered she was meant for more in life and she had other gifts to bring to the world.

That was a turning point for me. While it is hard for people to understand, and I don’t fully understand it myself, when I get into a flow with my writing, ‘I’ get out of the way. I quit judging, worrying, and planning the story... instead, I just write what comes. I’ve learned a lot from my own series, as strange as that might sound.

As I write in the story, I believe strongly that everyone comes to this earth with unique and special talents that they are meant to share with the world. I have come to believe that part of my gift and purpose in this world is somehow connected to my writing. I am not sure yet how my writing will evolve, as I am just beginning this part of my life, but I think now I am finally on the right track, and it makes all the difference in the world.

Why did you decide to write children’s books?

I had thought for years that writing children’s books would be fun. I bought books about writing kids stories and I took a few workshops about it, but up until the time I had turned forty, I had no luck coming up with even one complete story.

So, my first book actually was an adult non-fiction book titled Follow Your Dreams: Before your life becomes a nightmare. It’s pretty much a step-by-step process of figuring out what you want in life, embracing change, working through fear, positive thinking and believing in yourself. In large part, it was through my writing of FYD that I discovered what I really wanted to do. During that process, I also discovered part of the reason I had been unsuccessful in writing children’s stories was because I was trying to write them in a logical fashion with my head, i.e. outline, character development, beginning, middle and end, etc. I was trying to do it the way I was taught in books or in class. Then I finally realized that my mind doesn’t work like that. I don’t like to go from left to right, top to bottom in anything I do in life, and I never have (much to my mom’s and teachers dismay). I have always gone through life, tests, homework, even in my office, jumping around, flipping to the end and back. It has always been a struggle for me to stay linear and logical like everyone wanted me to be.

As soon as I realized I didn’t have to write in a logical fashion like everyone else does, my writing literally exploded. I began to allow myself the freedom of just looking at a white screen and start typing anything I wanted. If it was the ending of a story that came first, that was fine, if the middle or beginning came, that was okay too. It was when I began to write in this way that the stories flowed out of me. It was exciting to me to see what happened next.

I saw an interview with a famous playwright who was asked if he outlined his plays first. His answer was something to the effect of, "What? And ruin the surprise?" And that’s how it is for me. Many times I have no idea where the story will go or what the message will be until I am well into the book. It is only when I go back for editing that I have to once again apply the logic... and it is the editing part that seems to take me forever and I find grueling and tiresome.

I enjoy the freedom that comes with writing children’s stories. For me, non-fiction is a much more head-work and logical process, while writing children’s fiction stories is a much more creative and freeing process, almost the antithesis of my years as a corporate employee.

I have another non-fiction book about parenting that takes the same concepts of my first book but puts it in a perspective of raising a child with a positive self-esteem. I hope to get that one published in a year or two. The messages in both of my non-fiction books are very much the same messages of my children’s books, just from a different perspective and approach.

I think my maternal great grandparents were born in County Cork, Ireland. My mother’s maiden name is Mullen, we think a derivative of McMullen, which I have used in some later books. So, there is some Irish blood, but no strong family ties.

Early in the process, I decided on naming the kids after the constellations, and I found the name Andromeda. My daughter jokingly said it sounded more like a bug than a name, so I kept that in the book as well. O’Malley just came to me as I was writing, and sounded good with Andi, so I kept it.

What are you doing in Caracas? 

We have lived in Caracas for 2 ½ years now. About nine years ago, when I was still with the company, I had an opportunity to come to Venezuela. I had always been fascinated with the concept of living overseas and was interested, but at the time, my husband wasn’t, so we passed it up. Then, about three years ago, my husband heard about a position in Venezuela and asked if I would still be interested in moving. I had already left corporate America and was writing full-time and I was in the middle of printing FYD, but, in keeping with the theme of the book, I said yes.

So we packed up the kids, sold our home, put the books in storage and moved to Venezuela.

When I left the states, I considered myself as a speaker who happens to write. I turned to speaking as a means of paying the bills while still keeping my autonomy. I have since made the decision that on my return, I will have a different focus altogether. I will be a writer who happens to speak. It might sound like a semantics issue, but believe me, it changes the focus totally.

I don’t like to ‘sell’ my books, but I love to talk about them to people who are interested. Especially if they have read the books and enjoy them. With this spin, speaking takes a totally different focus.

I will also only speak about subjects that are close to my heart and in all of my books; things such as self esteem, following your dreams, finding your purpose, etc. I might also add a workshop on self-publishing, as I get a lot of questions on that issue.

Anyway, my hope is that, upon my return to the states, I will have the luxury of spending most of my time writing and promoting my books instead of worrying about getting speaking engagements.

Did you always want to be a writer? Or did you decide to become a writer after working in the corporate world?

I have always envied those in the arts, e.g. musicians, actors, painters, sculptors, writers. I never thought of any of those careers, however, as valid career options for me, largely due to my upbringing. These types of ventures weren’t considered practical skills, nor did they provide a viable means to make a living. I didn’t buck the trend, though I wish I did. Instead, I followed the more accepted course of life: college, master's degree, marriage, children, career in a ‘safe’ company, etc. Though even as a child I thought being a writer would be a kind of cool thing to do, I didn’t pursue it. It wasn’t until I turned forty that I decided to give writing a try.

In the last six years, I have written probably twenty-plus books of various types. It wasn’t until the year 2000, however, that I decided it was about time to let my books be seen by others. While AOM is the first that I am actively promoting with all my energy, I can assure you it won’t be the last.

My advice for writers, or anyone for that matter, young or old, is follow your heart. Find something that matters and do it.

Visit Celeste's website to learn more about her books: www.ashleyalan.com. 

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