Invite a little Zen into your life! In Sanjay Nambiar’s [amazon_link id=”0983824304″ target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Maybe (A Little Zen For Little Ones)[/amazon_link], you get exactly that. These are children’s books that offer a simple story with a big message that inspires children and adults to sit back and think about their life events, positive and negative alike, in a whole new light.

Sanjay, who grew up in California, is a graduate from the University of California, Berkeley with degrees in Economics and Neurobiology. He also earned a Masters in Business Administration from the University of California, Los Angeles. Having had a broad professional journey – that now includes children’s picture book author – Sanjay is currently a freelance copywriter in Los Angeles … when he isn’t practicing a lifestyle of Zen, that is.

Please welcome award-winning picture book author Sanjay Nambiar to the Spotlight!

MCA: Namaste! and welcome to Celebrating Mom’s Choice, Sanjay! Maybe is the first title in your picture book series A Little Zen for Little Ones. Can you share with us what motivated you to create these children’s picture books?
Sanjay: While many ancient Zen stories are powerful and poignant, they feature farmers, monks, traditional prose, and other elements that make it hard for modern audiences to relate to them. Through children’s  books we can tell a wise fable through the lens of today’s world. We have kids as the characters instead of farmers or animals.

I hope that makes the beautiful themes within the story more accessible for our modern culture.

MCA: Now that you have an award-winning picture book, what are your goals for the next year?
Sanjay: My goal is to honor this wonderful MCA medal by creating more exposure for [amazon_link id=”0983824304″ target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Maybe (A Little Zen for Little Ones)[/amazon_link] and releasing two more children’s books in the A Little Zen for Little Ones series. My focus is on both creative work and marketing.

MCA: Are there any specific ways that your Mom’s Choice Award® will help you attain your goals?
Sanjay: Well, it’s pretty simple actually. First, having earned an MCA Honoring Excellence seal, we have gained significant validation for our picture book.

The award also gives us access to important co-op advertising and marketing opportunities. Third – and somewhat related – it has connected us with valuable social media, online, and offline communities to highlight our book, as well as the great products and services of other MCA honorees.

I feel we have many important messages to deliver with our children’s books of Zen stories for kids and adults! The MCA medal is significant support in this endeavor!

MCA: Can you share with us what you learned about yourself as an writer in creating your award-winning product?
Sanjay: I learned to let go of fear. So much of the creative process in writing a book involves vulnerability. Will people like my book? Will they buy it? Will they care?

I had to push those fears aside and simply focus on my writing, have faith in the process, and have confidence in my abilities. Through this experience, I learned to be more courageous. I hope to share this perspective with my family, friends, and readers.

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?
Sanjay: I feel that we have developed a product that is positively impacting parents, children, and communities. So many moms and dads have told us that they love the messages in Maybe (A Little Zen for Little Ones), and that their kids identify with the concepts.

Through our children’s picture book we are making Zen accessible to the next generation. For me, this is rewarding enough for a lifetime! I am excited to see what kinds of reactions and interest the other children’s books in the series will bring. 

MCA: As a new honoree, do you have any questions you’d like some of the “old hands” to answer for you?
Sanjay: Yes! What unique strategies did you employ to leverage this wonderful honor? Also, how has the MCA honor impacted your work and life years after you were first recognized?

MCA: Tell us MCA honorees – how has earning the Mom’s Choice seal affected you and your work?

Mom’s Choice Awards® Honors

Maybe
A Little Zen For Little Ones
by Sanjay Nambiar
Children’s Picture Book
Silver 2011 – Growing Up/Personal Growth

Contact, Connect, and Network with Sanjay

The Alumni Spotlight is a periodic feature on the official Mom’s Choice Awards® blog. It is part of our ongoing effort to “shine the spotlight” on you and your award-winning, family-friendly products, services, and media.