For the Adults/Parents:
Hello My Dear Reader,
My name is Neen Bean. I am the author and illustrator of "Remember the Squirrel Story." This series is the G-rate version of my life and it's a story I think a lot of people can relate to.
I am everything ADHD and hardheaded. I had a dream of starting a clothing line over 10 years ago, but I didn't know how to sew. This was at the start of Youtube. The sewing videos at that time, were of grandma trying to film herself on the handheld cameras before camera phones were popular. The audio was harsh, and things would fall out of focus. It was difficult. I continued to do research online and learned I could pay someone to make my drawings from start to finish.
There was a lot to learn, I had a no idea where to start and because of that it was difficult to make a plan. I just blindly started trying to start a clothing line. I worked really hard to save up and pay for the patterns. Even though I was paying someone to do the making part I still had to translate each drawing into measurements so she knew how to make the pattern. I would test the pattern with my below zero level of sewing skill to try to save money. Then I realized I did everything backwards. I created designs without knowing where I was going to get my fabric. It always led to China. I'm not knocking China; it just made me feel uncomfortable with the business dealing and trying to get swatches and then find a sublimator (it is how you print pattern designs onto fabric). It was so over whelming. I began to look in America. I found 5 fabrics that would match some of my line. I quickly realized I had to make new designs with the fabrics get the swatches make sure it was right, soft, and not scratchy on the skin coming from a place with ethical business and labor practices. I had to again, save up more money to have new patterns made. The over whelming feeling of having to start over from a rookie mistake was unbearable I became sidetracked and started wasting my time away. That's when time started flying away from me and I lost sight on my priorities. I honestly felt like Chipper from my book.
This is what sparked the idea of "Remember the Squirrel Story". I thought I had the best idea in the world for a children's book. I had sequel book written and ideas for more. I was sure everybody was going to love the message in my book I was going to sell tons of them and this how I was going to save up to invest into starting a line and make it go worldwide and really get it out there. Boy was I wrong. I knew nothing about thinking ahead and checking available book sizes to print on. I bought a bunch on wholesale and started advertising. Most sales were family friends of friends and couple of doctors' offices for their waiting room. That won't discourage me because I believe in this story.
I started a full-time job and sewing became my "hobby" as youtube started to build into the monster it is today. I learned how to make patterns, sew, digital design, about the industry as a business and social media content. I also read a few books about self-publishing. You name it I've youtubed and absorb as much information as my brain would allow. I can sew and I do have design ideas. I would like to start somehow. I am not fast enough of a sewer to have and Etsy shop and keep up with their site guidelines. I am taking the biggest plug of my life. Thanks to the loads of information on the internet, I think, I have a solid plan to follow.
These are my goals for my book:
1) Sell a million copies of The Squirrel Story around the world.
-Dream big to get big.
-It starts with you adding one book into your cart and purchasing it. Click now today! (See I'm been practicing my marketing skills.😉)
-I think this book shares a beautiful hard lesson that can quickly become anybody's reality if you're not careful. I can just hear parents now "Remember the Squirrel Story" every time their kid goes off track from the child's own plan.
-Some people think that the first book is "too harsh" of a reality for young kids. If you think about it there are children's stories of a woman eating a poisonous apple given to her by a stranger, or young boy sneaking into children's room and stealing them to neverland. Children can handle it.
The reality is in 2022 kids are growing up so fast and the digital age and the world around us is an unstoppable force of maturity.
2)Publish my second book
-"There's More to the Squirrel Story" helps children get a real grasp of the reality of the world and focusing on a plan with a goal no matter how difficult things get, continuing the story of my beloved squirrel Chipper. I'm so excited to publish my next book it really is the sauce on the pasta.
-I developed a content creating and social media marketing plan. I hope to turn this into a useful skill. I have fun ideas I would like to share with kids I think they would enjoy.
-Get my books on Amazon.
3) I would like to make a brand of The Squirrel Story with Neen Bean and Chipper
-I would like to use as Neen Bean as a character version of myself because it's fun. I still I want to be able to give myself creative freedom as an adult artist and designer. I don't want limit myself to only an image for children's books nor do I want to make a kid's clothing line. I want to make the ideas that come to my head and not be judged for it. Neen Bean is my childhood image I would like to be with kids as I share my stories with them. You never know eventually when I'm older there will be girls in blond wigs wanting to be a Neen Bean because she keeps it real. (Or so I like to think.😊)
-Post activity sheets for kids.
-Coloring books, t-shirts ect.
-Make my website a fun safe place for kids to visit and check out my rescue squirrel Chipper.
-I would like to make a Youtube channel with art crafts and learning episodes for kids.
It may be a slow build at first that (fingers crossed) avalanches into a success.
Thank you for reading,
Neen Bean
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