Welcome, Mom’s Choice readers! Today we are delighted to welcome back an old friend, Katelyn Ward, known better to some as K.R. Ward, author of the MCA award-winning Dog Love: A Picture Book for Dog Lovers. She’s here to discuss her latest MCA winner: Cat Love: A Picture Book for Cat Lovers. How do you show your cat you love her? In this helpful story, kids can follow along to learn all the ways to show their favorite four-legged friend that they care. It’s the perfect book for cat lovers everywhere!

MCA: Thanks for joining us again today, Katelyn, and congratulations on your latest award. As a lifelong cat lover, I have to say I’m so glad you could join us today—and I hope you’ll tell us how you came to write such a wonderful children’s picture book!

I was born and raised in the small town of Palestine, Texas, where the internet is slow, the people are neighborly, and there are lots and lots of trees. Reading and writing have always been great passions of mine. Books were everything from an escape from reality to a dose of reality. I loved the written word and had no problem reading, but I never tested well on my English tests in grade school. My grades got so bad, I was put in remedial reading classes with English Language Learners. What I wished my teachers had understood was that I simply didn’t understand how they wanted me to answer the questions. For example, they always asked me what the author’s purpose was: to entertain, to persuade, or to inform. I always felt that if an author can’t do all three then they weren’t a very good writer. It was much later in life that I found out that I am on the autistic spectrum (specifically SPCD), and I just think a little differently.

Currently, I am the librarian at Southside Elementary in my hometown but I have been working with kids for about seven years now. As an elementary school librarian, I love introducing classic and new works to kids, encouraging them to try different chapter books instead of relying so much on graphic novels. Needless to say, I am very familiar with children’s literature, and I would love to make a positive impact in this marvelous industry and in the lives of kids. I am a huge animal lover and that’s probably why all the books I want to write are about animals. I have five crazy cats and one reckless dog who fill my life with joy. I am also trying my hand at making read-aloud videos that I am posting on TikTok and YouTube.

MCA: Would you give us a brief synopsis of Cat Love: A Picture Book for Cat Lovers?

Cat Love is about teaching littles how cats love and how to give love to their cats. Through both these books, Dog Love and Cat Love, kids will learn that cats don’t love like dogs, but it doesn’t mean that they care any less. It also shows children that taking care of their pet is the way they show their pet love, which fosters empathy and makes the world a brighter place.

MCA: What inspired you to become an author, and how does your personal background influence your writing?

I have two bachelor’s degrees from the University of Texas at Tyler in accounting and English. After college, I spent three wonderful years working at a daycare where I learned that you can never run out of good picture books to read. It was the kids in the preschool class that inspired me to write picture books. They loved anything to do with animal science, but I had a hard time finding books where animals didn’t act like humans. I wanted to write a book that would not only teach them about animals but would also teach them empathy, and I believe I accomplished that with Dog Love. I hope to continue writing books like this in the future and already have additional manuscripts that I am writing and polishing.

However, I never would have actually had the confidence to try and publish my book without my Aunt Ashley. She never let me give up on my dream of being a writer, one that I’ve had since the third grade. That’s when I stumbled upon BiblioKid publishing, a company that gives courses on writing, marketing, and publishing as well as incredibly helpful critiques by Brooke van Sickle. I learned so much about writing picture books, the publishing world, and how much I loved it!

Books are so important to me because they have been proven to increase our empathy and there is nothing more important to have than empathy for our fellow man and animals. I have always wanted to be an author simply because I love writing, but I didn’t get truly inspired on what books I wanted to add to the world until I began working at a learning center and working with kids. I saw how much kids loved animals, especially their pets. That was my inspiration for Dog Love and Cat Love.

MCA: Was there a specific occurrence that moved you to write these two books?

Honestly, I wanted to teach kids how different cats and dogs were in how they showed their affections. And I wanted to teach them how to properly show love back to each pet individually. Pets are so important to me because of how easily they can brighten your day. Also, I feel that we have a responsibility to take care of our pets for their entire life. That’s why I intentionally chose “dog” over puppy and “cat” over kitty. Fostering a love for animals can help foster a love for mankind, which is my end goal. I am hoping that by showing how different animals can be in showing their love, it can represent how different people can show their love.

MCA: Can you share your creative process—how you generate ideas and bring them to life on the page?

Research, research, and more research. I know that my books are under the “fiction” category but everything in them is factual. Then you keep in mind your target audience while you’re writing, and from there it feels like the books writes itself.

MCA: Clearly, you know how to engage children. What do you hope young readers will take away from your books?

That love, empathy, and responsibility go hand in hand.

MCA: What do you find most rewarding about the writing process? Conversely, what are some of the challenges you face?

The most rewarding thing is hearing people come and tell me how much their kids love my books!

The most challenging thing for me is marketing, getting the work out there.

MCA: Can you share any memorable moments or feedback from readers that have touched you or reinforced the impact of your work?

I love when students at my school come into the library and find out I’m an author. It’s such an exciting moment for them to learn that when I say it’s “my” book—that I didn’t “buy” the book, I “made” the book.

MCA: Is there any advice you’d give aspiring authors who are just starting their writing journey?

Good writers are good readers first. Make sure that whatever you want to write, you have read plenty of examples.

MCA: That’s excellent advice. Finally, what are your future plans or goals as an author?

I plan on writing a series on the five senses of nocturnal predators that I am very excited about.

MCA: Sounds like a wonderful series—I can’t wait to read your new books! Thanks again for joining us today, and please stay in touch!