Mom’s Choice Awards is excited to announce another post in our interview series where we chat with the inventors, designers, publishers, and others behind some of our favorite family-friendly products.

As part of our ongoing interview series, Mom’s Choice sat down with Jill Sylvester, author of one of our newest award-winning books The Land of Blue. Jill, who is also a licensed mental health therapist, explains to us what inspired her to write this work of fiction, what she hopes her readers glean from it, and more. We are grateful for the opportunity to work with Jill!

MCA: Thanks for giving us your time, Jill! Can you start by telling us a little bit more about yourself?

Jill: I am a licensed mental health counselor who works with adults and children. I combine traditional and alternative methods of treatment for a creative approach to the counseling process. I’m also the creator of Planting the Seeds products, and author of the Land of Blue and other upcoming books.

Most importantly, though, I am a wife and mother. I’m an avid reader, as well, and I love to run!

MCA: It sounds like you’re putting your energy to great use! What was your inspiration for writing The Land of Blue?

I wrote the Land of Blue from both a personal and professional standpoint, after working with clients for several years, watching where individuals struggle most: with the voice inside their mind, telling them what they can or cannot do. 

MCA:  It seems like there are many metaphors in the book for some very serious and important topics. Tell me more about the voice inside people’s minds, and the purpose behind some of those metaphors.

The Land of Blue is essentially a self-help book under the guise of fiction. Metaphors are used in the fictitious land to showcase the world of addiction, depression and negativity. For example, Permanents who drink Escape, Permanents-by-Association who live in the Settling, when Cassie stops at Options Port before traveling onward to the land of Blue. Using the character of Agatha to depict the voice inside Cassie’s mind, Entities to represent our shadow side. They’re all methods I’ve used to communicate self-talk, doubts, and addiction. 

MCA: I’m sure fiction is a great way to open people up to exploring these topics a little more. In your own practice, what are some ways you help people walk through these hardships?

I work with adults, children and parents in private practice, primarily focusing on a person’s strengths so that we build more on those feelings, enhancing one’s personal power, their overall self-esteem and ultimately, happiness. In the same vein, helping to guide one’s energy back into balance with who they really are when challenges arise. I try to help my clients externalize the negative voice in their head, evoking a less intrusive process, causing the dialogue to become more manageable. 

MCA: If your readers walked away with one or two takeaways, what would you want them to be?

I would want my readers to walk away from reading the Land of Blue realizing that there is the possibility of changing one’s blueprint and that we always have a choice. 

Thanks to Jill Sylvester for sharing with us! You can read more about Jill and the Land of Blue at her website.