Gigi Carter is founder and CEO of My True Self (mytrueself.com), a socially conscious nutrition and wellness practice, and author of The Plant-Based Workplace. The Spinach in My Teeth was created after author Gigi posted a story about having spinach stuck in her teeth back in college and then again recently at a supermarket. Gigi’s mom shared the story with her friends, and they all agreed that Gigi should write a children’s book. What a good idea! The first person she thought of to help her with the book was her friend Michael Grady, who shares her sarcastic sense of humor. Michael Grady, coauthor of The Spinach in My Teeth, is a musician and stained-glass artist.

LITPICK INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR GIGI CARTER

In her recent picture book, The Spinach in My Teeth, author Gigi Carter puts a funny spin on a potentially awkward "most embarrassing moment." LitPick catches up with Gigi to chat about her writing style...seriously.

When writing your first draft, do you like to write by hand or on the computer? My writing starts in my head with a theme and outline, and then goes on the computer.

What was your favorite childhood book? Green Eggs and Ham, by Dr. Seuss, which is a little amusing because all of my books have a plant-based vegan theme. 

What is the most exciting part about being an author? Creating something that hopefully helps others extend and improve their quality of life.   

What is the most challenging part about being an author? The actual publishing part. I'm a self-publisher, so taking it from manuscript to final product is labor-intensive.

What are three writing tips you've found beneficial? 1) Take walks in nature to clear your head of the daily distractions, and really think about what the end goal is for your book. Understanding your end goal will help you form a theme. 2) After you know your theme, create an outline or high-level narrative arc. 3) Create a daily routine in which you're doing something—even if you're only spending 10 minutes—to make some kind of progress. These seemingly small actions add up quickly.

What do you like to do when you're not writing? Cycling and hanging out with my doggies and hubby, Kevin.

And we're fairly certain Gigi will be eating her spinach....