Please welcome Dawn Stephens, author and illustrator for The Little Pot, to the Alumni Spotlight. As Dawn explains in our interview, her journey to becoming a children’s book author started with a love of teaching, moved into areas that added to her natural talents, and then brought her to writing.

In addition to writing, Dawn illustrates books and, as you’ll see in the collection of media included here, has become a social media maven. She is now sharing the fruits of her experience with other MCA alumni helping to build platforms that let them reach their full potential as well.

MCA: Can you please tell us about the inspiration for The Little Pot book?
Dawn: I guess you could say that my life was the inspiration for the book. I’ve had several jobs. I started out being a teacher then had to leave the profession to spend time with my daughter who was ill. While home, I began running a business and eventually took a job as a sales person for a publishing company. From there, I learned graphics and design and began using those skills to further a new career. With each job, I wondered what the real purpose was in doing it and why God had me there. I was always taught that He had a special purpose and plan for me to do something great. The Little Pot has a lot of different jobs and things that it holds in the story. It discovers exactly what I discovered, that “the potter” wants to use us to bear fruit, not hold things.

MCA: What are your goals for The Little Pot in the next year?
Dawn: I enjoy sharing the book with others and helping them understand that they need to bear fruit too. The book has allowed me the opportunity to share my personal story with others and have an impact on how they view the things that they hold in life. I plan to continue sharing that message this next year. I have a second book that will continue the story and help further the message that our fruit can only grow if we spend time with “the potter” and remain willing to give it away. I am hoping to have the books printed in English and Spanish this next year.

MCA: If someone gave you air time for a 15-second commercial, how would you entice people to try your book?
Dawn: Have you ever wondered why you hold certain things in life? Are your goals simply to be smart, rich, or beautiful? If so, you need to meet The Little Pot. A potter forms a new pot and declares that he has important plans. The little pot begins to wonder what its purpose is. You’ll discover that, like Little Pot, you’re designed to be a vessel that bears “fruit.” The Little Pot is a simple yet profound story about inevitable reversals. Its timeless message will be enjoyed by many generations to come.

MCA:  You started with an idea and now have a successful, award-winning book. Looking back on your journey, what was the easiest part? The hardest? What surprised you the most?
Dawn: The hardest part was waiting for it all to happen. I think it is part of why the story itself is so special to me. I can relate so well to Little Pot because it has to wait on the potter. Once I had the story written, waiting for a publisher to pick it up and then waiting on the publishing process itself was a constant test of my patience.

Winning the Mom’s Choice Award® was one of the easiest parts of the process for me. My publisher was very anxious and confident it would win the award. I only had to be willing to submit the book. The thing that surprises me the most is how the story speaks to so many people. I feel absolutely awed that God uses this book to teach His truths. And I can’t seem to get used to the idea that a picture book written and illustrated by me is considered something people want to own and share with their friends and family.

MCA:  Since launching your book what has been your most rewarding experience in promoting or sharing it with the public? Do you have a favorite memory?

Dawn: The entire experience has been rewarding for me. I have a lot of favorite memories, too. I remember meeting a couple at a festival who had just found out they were expecting their first child. They bought the book as the very first gift for their unborn baby. That was quite an honor. I’ve also had a chance to use the book to raise money for the Crisis Pregnancy Center at several events they have sponsored. In November 2009, I gave a teaching seminar to a group of teachers in Florida and had four times as many people attend than I anticipated. The comment cards I received after that event indicated that the book made a big difference in many of the teacher’s lives. My most favorite memories, however, are when I’ve shared the book with children at schools and book stores and watch them fall in love with Little Pot and begin to understand that they need to bear fruit too. I usually ask children what they want to be when they grow up, and after they’ve heard the story they’ll answer, “I want to be a Fruit Pot!”

MCA: Could you please tell us why you chose the Mom’s Choice Awards® program in seeking recognition for your book?
Dawn: My publisher encouraged me and submitted the book for the award. There are many award programs out there, but I like the fact that the judges in the Mom’s Choice Awards® program are the end consumers. I feel so honored to be among the winners. I love being able to tell people what the gold seal on the front cover stands for. That the book is one that moms and parents believe will be a timeless addition to their family’s libraries.

MCA: What does it mean to you to be a Mom’s Choice Awards® alumnus?
Dawn: It is such an honor for me. I had seen other great books that wore the seal, and I am now able to share that honor with them. I love that I am able to attend events as a “Mom’s Choice Award alumnus” and present my award winning product. I also feel so fortunate to be among other authors and business owners who support me and share an interest in my book.

MCA: What did you learn about yourself in the process of creating your award-winning book?
Dawn: The process took an enormous amount of commitment and effort. I discovered that I have a lot more drive and initiative than I realized. I’ve had to sacrifice a lot of other things in my life to do this book. I’ve made sacrifices with time and money. For me, however, the story became a testimony of what God did in my life. And giving up on it would have been like giving up on God or refusing to share my testimony. Therefore, I had to keep moving forward.

MCA: Would you recommend the Mom’s Choice Awards® to other entrepreneurs? If so, why?
Dawn: Absolutely, for three reasons! The Mom’s Choice Awards program first of all gives them additional recognition. Second, it provides a chance to meet others with whom they can network with and learn from. Third, it continues to provide excellent marketing and selling opportunities.

Dawn: I have had the opportunity to attend shows that I otherwise would have never been able to afford. It has also allowed me to have my product among other award winning items and become noticed by more librarians, consumers, and publishers. A specific example would be this past year when I attended a library show with the Mom’s Choice Awards® and was then asked to present my product at a university’s writer’s conference where several hundred people would be able to purchase my book. There are tons of great books out there and the Mom’s Choice gold seal makes my book stand out.

Mom’s Choice Awards® Honors
The Little Pot
written and illustrated by Dawn Stephens
bPlus Books, 2009
2009 Gold Recipient, Children’s Picture Books – Religion and Spirituality

Social Media and Ways to Connect with Dawn