At the age of fourteen, Amanda's original artwork was displayed and sold at her family's art gallery in Portland's Pearl District and lead to substantial private commissions. After graduating from the elite Gnomon School of Visual Effects in Los Angeles in 2009, she fell in love with the digital canvas and began working solely in this media.

 

Amanda returned to her beloved hometown of Portland in 2013 and began working as a freelance graphic designer and digital painter. While in the midst of growing her successful business and putting down roots with her husband, the dream of becoming a mother and published author was realized. Two months before the birth of her first child, she received word that her first children's book would be published. Amanda is now looking forward to reading her debut book, "The Greatest Wish", to her new son, after it's official release by Mascot Books in October 2016. She plans on writing and illustrating many more books in the future.

 

 

Joining LitPick today for Six Minutes with an Author is Amanda Yoshida. She has a background in art that has combined with her love of writing to bring us the highly rated The Greatest Wish. Many more ideas are floating around in her head. Be sure to check out the four Five Star Reviews on LitPick (https://litpick.com/books/greatest-wish).

***How did you get started writing?
As a child, I loved reading and would often write poems and short stories of my own. In November of 2016, I learned that my husband and I were expecting our first child, a little boy. This happy news inspired me to write and illustrate an original children’s book for my son, which I entitled The Greatest Wish. I poured so much love into the creation of this book that, once it was completed, I knew I wanted to share it with others. I approached Mascot Books and they enthusiastically agreed to publish it.

***Who influenced you?
My favorite authors as a child were Dr. Seuss and Shel Silverstein. I enjoyed the playfulness with which they wrote, and also the rhythm and rhyming aspect. As an adult, I appreciate the deeper life messages within their stories. I try to capture my favorite things about both of them in my own writing.

***Do you have a favorite book/subject/character/setting?
Because I have a young son, I currently read about five children’s books a day. This leads to me discovering and rediscovering so many fantastic books. Right now, my favorite one is The Lorax by Dr. Seuss. This book is so beautifully written and has such a powerful message about the dangers of being shortsighted when it comes to the future of this planet. I think this is a brilliant book for all ages.

***What advice do you have for someone who wants to be an author?
Write about something you care deeply about and it will translate to your audience. For The Greatest Wish, I wanted to convey a message of self-love and self-acceptance, something that is too often lost as children begin to grow up. This was a topic that I felt strongly about and I think that has contributed to the book receiving such a positive response from people.

***Where is your favorite place to write?
Currently, my favorite place to write is at Float On where you can float in a big saltwater, sensory deprivation tank. I float around in the dark and write down ideas on my Ipad as they come to me. The complete lack of distractions does wonders for my imagination.

***What else would you like to tell us?
I have always enjoyed working in creative fields but have never had a profession that was as personally rewarding to me as creating children’s books. I hope to write and illustrate many more down the line and am already hard at work on the next book in the Everchanging Story book series.

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Amanda, thanks for joining us to share more about yourself and your wonderful book. We love that you have followed your heart and poured it out for your son. What a treasure! You are the first author to mention Float On; it sounds like it would provide an interesting experience.