In this inspiring episode of Beyond the Book, host JoAnn Dickinson welcomes award-winning author Deanna Bussadori, the creative mind behind The Super Big Brother and Sister Series. Her stories are rooted in real-life moments with her children and focus on helping young readers feel seen, supported, and emotionally understood especially during big family transitions like becoming an older sibling.

We dive into:

• The inspiration behind Super Big Brother: Finding Your Hero

• How Deanna crafts stories that foster emotional awareness and kindness

• Representing boys and girls equally in sibling-centered narratives

• Marketing lessons learned from trial and error (and award wins!)

• The next big steps for her series

• And heartfelt advice for authors writing about family and emotions

If you're a parent, teacher, or children’s author who values meaningful storytelling, you won’t want to miss this heart-filled conversation.

👉 Follow Beyond the Book with JoAnn Dickinson and discover more powerful stories behind the stories!

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In this episode of Beyond the Book with JoAnn Dickinson chats with Travis Peterson indie author, designer, and now author coach, about his creative journey and mission to support fellow indie authors.

We explore:
✔️ How his daughter inspired Ada and the Helpers, a story about hearing loss and inclusivity
✔️ Why Never Ever Build a Blanket Fort uses the Armor of God to fuel imagination and faith
✔️ How to balance meaningful themes like disability and biblical truths in a kid-friendly way
✔️ Why building a publishing “dream team” matters—and how to find yours
✔️ What you’ll learn from his upcoming guide The Indie Author’s Dozen
✔️ How Travis helps children’s authors gain clarity, confidence, and community

Whether you're a seasoned author or just starting out, Travis offers real insight, encouragement, and actionable tips you won’t want to miss.

🎧 Available now on Spotify, YouTube, Apple Podcasts & Amazon Music!
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Travis Peterson Author - Coach

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What makes a child hide the truth, and how can stories help them heal?
In this episode, author and educator Vicky Phillips shares the powerful inspiration behind Dottie’s Tall Tales and how imagination became a safe space for one young girl to be herself.

Inspired by a former student in foster care, Dottie's Tall Tales follows a young girl who spins wild stories to hide a truth she’s not ready to share. With a powerful message about self-acceptance and celebrating what makes us unique, this book is already touching readers young and old.

Vicky opens up about how her experience as a teacher and English lead shaped the book’s voice and message.

She shares insights into writing authentically about diverse families and what it’s really like to move from classroom resources to publishing a story from the heart.

Whether you're an aspiring writer, a teacher, or a parent looking for meaningful children’s books, this episode will inspire you to embrace the power of storytelling—and the importance of being yourself.

AUTHOR VICKY PHILLIPS

⁠@vicky.phillips.writes⁠

⁠Order Dottie's Tall Tales here

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In this fun and creative episode of Beyond the Book with JoAnn Dickinson, I’m joined by illustrator and award-winning author Harleigh Manske of Doppy’s Official and Doppy’s Children’s Books to talk about how we brought two special books to life:

🎒 John’s Camp-tacular Activity Book

🚀 Rylee’s Space-tacular Activity Book

We’re pulling back the curtain on:*The creative process behind activity book development*How we turned storybooks into hands-on learning adventures*Why activity books are powerful tools for engaging kids and building your author brand*Tips for collaborating with an illustrator (without overcomplicating the process!)*What makes activity books great for screen-free fun, traveling, and expanding your book’s reachIf you’re a children’s author looking to grow your brand or a parent wanting fun ways to inspire learning, this episode is packed with insight and inspiration.

🛒 Grab the books at https://www.joannmdickinsonauthor.com

📺 Subscribe for more behind-the-book episodes on YouTube: (921) Beyond the Book with JoAnn Dickinson Podcast - YouTube

🎧 Also available on Spotify and all podcast platforms!Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7mjhykL1T0fAuSJzcw6TiaDon't forget to follow and join our growing community of storytellers!

Whether you're a parent seeking meaningful stories, an educator looking for new teaching resources, or a budding children's book author, let these inspiring conversations with JoAnn Dickinson and her guests remind you of the power of children’s literature as you’ll find inspiration, advice, and valuable lessons that make a difference in the hearts and minds of children’s lives.

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Meet Brittany Phillips — teacher, mom, and author of The Boy in Boots and The Mouse House, as she shares how childhood reading struggles, outdoor adventures, and her son Colton all inspired her storytelling journey.

In this heartfelt episode, I sit down with teacher-turned-author Brittany Phillips, the creative mind behind The Boy in Boots and The Mouse House.

Brittany shares how her early struggles with reading shaped her passion for teaching and eventually led her to self-publish stories inspired by real-life adventures with her son, Colton.

We explore the powerful connection between storytelling and childhood development, how her books evolve alongside her son, and the meaningful tribute woven into her second book in honor of Colton’s Poppop.

Brittany also opens up about her mission to spark a love of reading in children, the importance of screen-free outdoor play, and how simple walks in the woods became the seed for an entire book series.

Whether you're a parent, educator, or aspiring writer, this episode will leave you feeling inspired and connected to the heart of children’s literature.

🔗 Follow and share to stay inspired by more creators and their journey in the author world.

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Get ready to laugh and learn in this episode of Beyond the Book with JoAnn Dickinson, as award-winning author and longtime educator Frances Mackay shares how she turns silly ideas into powerful stories that make learning fun.

From Nate’s Noisy Nose to Baby Worries and Noisy Animal ABC, Frances explains how her teaching background inspires every page, and how she cleverly weaves in humor, emotional learning, and even STEM concepts without ever sounding “teachy.”

We dive into:

• How to take a simple story idea and build in humor, SEL, or educational layers

• Why self-publishing is more accessible than ever—and where quality still counts

• Her passion for book design (and what many authors overlook)

• The marketing challenges all writers face, and hard-earned tips she’s learned

If you’re a teacher with a story idea, a parent looking for fun, meaningful books, or a new author eager to stand out, this is the episode for you!

You will not want to miss this episode, it's packed with knowledge and plenty of ideas for authors, illustrators, and book designers.

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When she’s not caring for patients as a registered nurse, award-winning author Bonnie Kostan is crafting children’s books that inspire empathy, confidence, and curiosity.

In this episode, Bonnie joins Beyond the Book with JoAnn Dickinson to share how her career in nursing led her to storytelling, and how she uses her books to teach meaningful life lessons in fun, creative ways.

We discussed the heart behind her titles like Kendra’s New Shoes, Put the Phone Down, Mary Lou, Count to 20 with the Silly Dinosaurs, and more.

Bonnie opens up about collaborating with her daughter on illustrations, bringing books to life in school visits, and how Pinterest unexpectedly became a powerful tool for reaching more readers.

If you're an author, educator, or book lover looking for inspiration and insight, you won’t want to miss this uplifting conversation.

🎧 Listen now on Spotify, YouTube, or your favorite podcast platform!

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What happens when a rare and misunderstood allergy changes your life? For Erin Sherry, it became the start of a powerful new chapter.

In this episode of Beyond the Book with JoAnn Dickinson, I sit down with Erin V. Sherry — educator, mom, and author of Alpha-Gal Gal Takes on the World — to talk about how her difficult journey with Alpha-Gal Syndrome (AGS) led to an empowering children’s book that transforms a medical diagnosis into a superhero story.

We discuss:

• The long and confusing road to diagnosis

• How Erin turned her personal experience into a story for children

• The inspiration behind Alpha-Gal Gal

• How her teaching background shaped the book

• Navigating the self-publishing process

• And the impact her book is having on allergy families, educators, and kids around the world

Whether you're a parent, teacher, allergy warrior, or aspiring children's book author, this conversation will leave you inspired to turn your challenges into something beautiful.

🎧 Listen now and don’t forget to follow for more author interviews and behind-the-scenes looks at storytelling and publishing!

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