Each month I’m chatting with a creator and gathering tips to help me with my career and yours! This month I’m welcoming debut picture book author Ronni Diamondstein. Her book Jackie and the Books She Loved* illustrated by Bats Langley is out TODAY!
Read on to read how Ronni created opportunities for herself and a special moment at a children’s book festival.
Welcome to Creator Chat, Ronni! Tell us about your background and how you became an author.
Thanks for having me on Creator Chat, Christine! I have been writing since I was a child. I wrote stories and wrote for my high school newspaper. When I was in college, I took a children’s literature course and for my final project I wrote and illustrated a picture book. As a school librarian I was surrounded by books and had many ideas for books of my own. I plugged away, participated in writing workshops and was fortunate to have an Op Ed published in The New York Times that got me accepted into the Breadloaf Writers Conference. I wrote for some magazines when I lived in the Netherlands and when I came back to the States continued to write. I created writing opportunities for myself including pitching a column written by my dog, Maggie Mae Pup Reporter for a local magazine!
What would you go back and tell your beginner-writer self if you could?
I’d tell her to believe in herself and keep doing it because you love the writing. Getting published isn’t necessarily the outcome. Enjoy the journey because eventually something will happen.
“Enjoy the journey because eventually something will happen.’” - Ronni Diamondstein
What’s been the most rewarding moment of your creative career so far?
Considering the many rewarding moments of my creative career as a writer and photographer, it happened at the Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival in September where I had early release copies of Jackie and the Books She Loved. Putting the book in the hands of young readers was a thrill. And to top it off several former colleagues and two of my former students came to see me. Frannie, now 35 years old and the mother of twin two year old girls and Emma who just finished her Masters in Education. It truly meant the world to me and to sign a book for them!
Do you have any I-need-to-pinch-myself-to-make-sure-this-is-real moments that you can share?
When I received the email from the Director of the Kennedy Foundation letting me know that Ambassador Caroline Kennedy was happy to give me permission to reprint “Sea Joy” a poem her mother wrote when she was 10 years old.
What three pieces of advice would you give any creators hoping to get published?
Read! Read! Read! Read as much as you can.
Write because you love the writing.
Be patient!
“Read! Read! Read! Read as much as you can.” - Ronni Diamondstein
Do you have any rituals (eg light a candle, make tea, go for a walk) that help you get a creative session started?
Not really, but I do walk a lot with my dog Maggie Mae and have gotten some great ideas along the way. Thank goodness for Siri on my iPhone who takes a lot of notes for me!
Is there something else creative that you’d like to learn how to do? (e.g. illustrate books, play an instrument, embroidery etc.)
At this stage of my life I have done so many creative things: paint, draw, photography, knitting, baking– I have my own secret recipe for Amazing Double Chocolate Brownies.
I played the piano and violin too. I think now I want to just keep writing and continue to arrange flowers, that’s something I love.
Thank you for joining me today, Ronni. Now I want chocolate brownies…
Ronni Diamondstein spent her life surrounded by books and immersed in the world of children’s literature. An avid reader since childhood, libraries, books, and writing are her life’s work. As a school library media specialist and teacher of gifted and talented students in the United States and abroad, Ronni nurtured her students’ creativity by sharing her love of reading with them. Ronni served on the Board of the Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival and is a past President of the Chappaqua Library Board of Trustees. Jackie and the Books She Loved* is her debut picture book. Ronni lives in Chappaqua, New York with her toy poodle, Maggie Mae.
You can find Ronni online in these places:
Facebook- Ronni Diamondstein
Instagram @maggiemaepupreporter
Twitter @MaggieMae10514
Thread @maggiemaepupreporter
Post @ronnidiamondstein
Bluesky @ronnidiamondstein.bsky.social
P.S. links marked with a * are affiliate and may earn me a small percentage of the sale at no cost to you.