Episode 10 – Carolyn Leiloglou

When her picture book about libraries launched in May 2020, when not a single library was open, Carolyn Leiloglou didn’t give up.

In this episode of My First Book Story, Meredith Davis talks with award-winning middle grade fantasy author Carolyn Leiloglou about the long road to her first published book, Library’s Most Wanted. Carolyn shares how childhood dreams of writing went dormant until motherhood reignited them, how a COVID launch when libraries were closed made her fear her publishing career was over, and how finishing her first novel on her 40th birthday opened the door to her award-winning series, The Restorationists. Carolyn shares her journey with candor, warmth, and hard-won wisdom.

Books mentioned

• Library’s Most Wanted (Amazon – https://www.amazon.com/Librarys-Most-Wanted-Carolyn-Leiloglou/dp/1455625175)
• Beneath the Swirling Sky (Amazon – https://www.amazon.com/Beneath-Swirling-Restorationists-Carolyn-Leiloglou/dp/0593579542)

Links

• Carolyn Leiloglou (https://www.carolynleiloglou.com)
• Meredith Davis (https://meredithldavis.com)
• Sarah Pogue (https://www.sarahpogue.com)
• Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators (https://www.scbwi.org)
• 12x12 Picture Book Challenge (https://12x12challenge.com)
• Cricket Magazine (https://cricketmedia.com)
• Highlights Magazine (https://www.highlights.com)
• NaNoWriMo (https://nanowrimo.org)
• Read Aloud Revival (https://readaloudrevival.com)
• Waterbrook (https://waterbrookmultnomah.com)
• Episode Webpage (https://open.substack.com/pub/meredithdavis/p/carolyn-leiloglous-first-book-story)

Theme music by Nate Davis

Produced by Clay Davis