It’s my great pleasure to welcome Shawn Simon, debut author with 4RV Publishing to visit here today. Make yourself comfortable, Shawn, and we’ll get down to business.
First of all, let’s have a look at the cover of your book.
Can you tell us something about yourself that isn’t included in your author bio?
Yes, in addition to my step-parenting books, I’m also working on a book about differences. I was born with one arm, so I know what it’s like to feel odd and left out. From working with kids with learning differences, I realized their stories are similar to mine. This prompted me to include all kinds of differences in this book, which will be a similar style to my stepmom book. It will include my stories as well as the stories from the people I interviewed. My goal is to shed light on people identified as different in the hopes of helping the world see we are more alike than we realize.
What was the biggest obstacle you had to overcome?
In terms of writing, I think it’s believing in myself as a writer and believing that I have something worthwhile to share with the world. I’ve always been a helping kind of person, wanting to encourage others to see their worth. My hope is for my books to be like support groups in writing.
Without going into too much detail, what was one of the most difficult challenges in your stepmom journey?
Feeling connected to my stepkids and dealing with their mother. Those two areas caused me the most distress and ultimately prompted me to write my book.
How long (or has it happened yet) did it take for you to feel completely accepted by your stepchildren?
I feel connected and close to both my stepkids now. My stepson and I have always gotten along and have always butted heads. We are a lot alike, in both good and not so good ways. But my stepdaughter had a harder time connecting with me. She ran hot and cold for the first five years or so of our relationship. Now, I’m happy to say; I am her go-to person when she needs advice or help.
About the author:
Shawn Simon, MA, is a Board Certified Educational Therapist who works with children. Therefore, when she met the man of her dreams, who just happened to come with a couple of kids, she thought being a stepmom would be a breeze. She was wrong. However, as someone born with only one arm, she’s learned to overcome obstacles. Thus, she knew she could face the challenges of step-mothering. Shawn is published in the Association of Educational Therapists’ Journal and is an award-winning inspirational speaker in her field. She lives in Southern California with her husband, two step-kids, two rescue dogs, and one sixteen-year-old cat. Shawn is currently at work on more books for stepfamilies.
You can follow Shawn on:
And you can buy her book here: