EP #76 Stories That Spark Reading At Home

A tiny cricket with big feelings, a sleepless mouse with too much excitement, and a mission to bring books back into bustling homes—this conversation with children’s author Tammy Christian is a warm reminder that reading is one of the simplest ways to raise confident, curious kids. We dive into the heart of her stories, from Too Excited To Sleep to Eric The Colorful Cricket Starts Kindergarten, and get a sneak peek at a festive new adventure where Santa’s crash landing turns into a forest quest to find missing reindeer.

Tammy shares a candid path from her early drafts in 2008—written while working in IT—to launching her debut years later. You’ll hear how she found the right editor, chose an illustrator who matched her voice, and used read-aloud feedback to tighten pacing and tone. That process doubles as a blueprint for aspiring authors: start before you feel ready, expect revisions, and build a small team you trust. Along the way, Tammy explains how picture books can coach bedtime routines, soothe first-day jitters, and model courage and listening in kid-sized ways.

We also talk about life in Fredericksburg, the creative spark that comes from farmers markets and family game nights, and why early reading habits matter more than any app. Tammy believes the reading journey begins at home—with a lap, a lamp, and five minutes of attention. If you’re looking for practical steps to launch your own children’s book or a gentle way to make reading the highlight of your evening, you’ll leave with ideas you can use tonight.

Subscribe for more Fredericksburg stories, share this episode with a parent or teacher who could use fresh inspiration, and leave a review to help neighbors find the show.

Tammy Christian

TC Books 

tammycauthor.com

Episode Transcript

Speaker (00:01):
This is the Fredericksburg Neighbors
Podcast, the place where localbusinesses and neighbors come
together.
Here's your host, Dori Stewart.

Speaker 2 (00:13):
Welcome back to another episode of the FXBG
Neighbors Podcast.
We have a very special guestjoining us today.
We have a local children'sauthor, Tammy Christian of TC
Books.
Tammy, welcome to the podcast.

Speaker 1 (00:29):
Oh, thanks, Dori.
Thanks for having me.
Glad to be here.

Speaker 2 (00:32):
I'm excited to dive in and share everything about
what you've been doing with yourwriting of children's books.
So let's start there.
Share with us about your books.

Speaker 1 (00:45):
Okay.
So I write fun, colorfulchildren's books that teach
general life lessons.
My mission is to bring love ofreading back into homes.
My first book is Too Excited toSleep.
It's about a little mouse namedJack who rather played and take
nets.
So it teaches kids aboutcourage, friendship, listening,
and the importance of sleep.
And Eric The Colorful Cricketstarts kindergarten is about

(01:08):
starting school for the firsttime, overcoming fears, first
age eaters that all kids gothrough when they start school.
Eric's mom encourages him thatit's okay to be afraid because
as adults, we also get scared.
So it helps kids along withstarting school for the first
time.
And I also have a new bookcoming out.
It's called Eric to ColorfulCricket Saves Christmas, and

(01:28):
that's coming next month, justin time for the holidays.
And it's about um Santa Claus,he crashes uh in the back of uh
Eric's house, and Eric helps himthrough the forest uh to help
find the reindeers because thereindeers come up missing.
So it'll be a fun Christmasholiday book uh for the
Christmas year.

Speaker 2 (01:47):
That's exciting.
Congratulations on the launchof two books now.
That's very exciting, and Iwould love to learn more about
you and your journey.
Tell me what led you to makethe decision to write children's
books.

Speaker 1 (02:05):
Sure.
Um, I've always loved storystorytelling since I was a
child.
Um, my sister and I used toplay um uh make-believe, and of
course, I was a narrator andalways created our characters.
I would give her a name andthen myself a name.
Um and we just had fun uh doingthat.
And I always said to myselfthat one day I wanted to write a
story.
I wanted my book to be on ashelf.

(02:26):
Um, and after uh years in IT in2008, I wrote my first draft,
um, which was Erica Cova Cricketuh Stars Kindergarten.
And in 2013, I wrote my seconddraft.
Um, and of course, life got inthe way.
Uh, 2021, I picked up the penagain and started writing.
Um 2023, my first book was uhlaunched in 2025, and so on.

(02:49):
Um and seeing the joy onchild's uh our parents' face,
um, when they look at books, itmakes it worthwhile, um, which
inspires me to um to write everyday.

Speaker 2 (03:02):
Yeah, yeah, that's amazing.
And uh I I bought a book fromyou for my granddaughter, and I
have to say it's written sowell, and the illustrations are
just beautiful.
And so share with us a littlebit about the process.
And um, I know it was hardwork, so share with us a little

(03:24):
bit about that journey.

Speaker 1 (03:26):
Um, that journey, um, well, in 2021, I met an author.
Um, so I was telling her aboutmy books and my my draft, and
um, that I wanted to uh writechildren's books.
So she looked at it and shehelped me along the way um to
get started.
Um, she did the editing.
I had to find an illustrator.
So after a few searches, Ifound a great illustrator to

(03:49):
work with, and she's actuallyworking on my third book.
Um, so it's basically justfinding um the person that you
connect with um for yourstories.
Um, but it's it wasn't an easyjourney, but I mean it's worth
every bit of it.

Speaker 2 (04:06):
I love that.
So if someone came to you andthey said that they were
thinking about writing a book, achildren's book or any book,
what advice would you givesomeone?

Speaker 1 (04:18):
Um, that's a great question because I get that all
the time at my events.
Um, I have authors or you know,people who want to become
authors ask me questions all thetime about how to get started
and always let them know if youhave an if you have a story to
tell, there's someone out therethat's wanting that story.
Uh so go ahead and start.
Don't wait till it gets youknow a perfect draft because

(04:40):
there's no perfect draft becauseduring the storytime or
editing, there's always changes.
But start, no matter how oldyou are, just start.
And there's always people tohelp you along the way, just
like I did.
I mean, reach out.
I've always left my contactinformation.
If you have any questions, umreach out to me on my website
and I'll be happy to help youget started because I know how

(05:00):
hard it is to start the processbecause it's not easy as an
author myself.
I'm still learning.

unknown (05:07):
Yeah.

Speaker 1 (05:09):
So it's a learning curve.
But you'll get there, juststart.

Speaker 2 (05:14):
That's really good advice.
Um in in business as well aswith books.
Um, just get started.
And I love that you said if youhave a story to tell, there's
someone out there who needs tohear it.
So I really love that.
Thank you for sharing that.
So clearly you work reallyhard.
So tell me when you're not busywith your books.

(05:37):
And and you just said you'vegot a third one in you as well.
So tell me, what are you doingfor fun when you're not writing?

Speaker 1 (05:43):
Um, I love going to local farmers markets.
Um, I love going downtown,Fredericksburg, um, walking
around, uh, spending time withfamily.
We have game nights.
Um, sometimes we we play gameson Fridays, or we'll have a
movie night.
Um, just getting around, justgetting outside, doing things.
Um, because sometimes I stay inthe house mostly because I'm

(06:05):
writing and then you know,sometimes I work from home, um,
so I stay um busy.
But just getting out and justlooking, looking at the birds,
you know, the trees, justenjoying life.

Speaker 2 (06:16):
Yeah, I love that.
I love a good family night.
What are some of the the gamesyour family loves?

Speaker 1 (06:23):
Um, Monopoly.

Speaker 2 (06:24):
Oh, oh my goodness.
That could be so fun, but itcould end in a fight.

Speaker 1 (06:29):
Exactly.

Speaker 2 (06:30):
Oh my goodness, that's so much fun.
I love it.

Speaker 1 (06:33):
And then there's this game is called um the guessing
bands where you put this bandson your head and you gotta
figure out what that otherperson has.
You try to give clues if theycan guess uh what's on their
band.
Um, but I like playing that.

Speaker 2 (06:47):
That's fun.
I'll have to try that one.
It just sounds like a lot offun.
I love it.
So, what is something that youwish the listeners knew about
you or your books?

Speaker 1 (07:01):
Um about me.
I'm very um passionate in whatwhat I do.
Um, I'm very helpful.
Um I just want to be the personwho brings the reading back
into households because withtechnology, I think some parents
have got away from the readingpart.

(07:21):
Um, you know, asking your kids,you know, do you want to read?
Um, it should be something thatyou start at an early age.
And that way by the time theyget to school, um, they're ready
to read and ready to learn, andthey're above their uh their
grade level by the time they getkindergarten.
Um many parents think thatreading starts in school, but it
doesn't.
Think that reading starts inschool, but it doesn't.

(07:42):
It starts early.
Every bedtime story and bedtimestory, build a child's
confidence and vocabulary.
So my myth is just start early,put books back into households.
And that's my goal.
I wish I could just drivearound and just knock on doors
and say, hey, here's a book.

unknown (08:00):
Right.

Speaker 1 (08:00):
I have a great book for you to read.
You know, check it out.

Speaker 2 (08:03):
I love that.
It can start as early as asbabies, you know, setting a
routine.
Pick out your favorite book,let's read.

Speaker 1 (08:12):
Because you can, you know, they're they're listening.
Um, you know, when my my childwas uh was very young, um, you
know, I read to him all thetime.
So he would get his book andsit on the couch and he would
just read a story.
I'm not sure, you know, maybehe understood what he was
saying, but you know, we didn't.
But he was, you know, he wasreading his book, you know, in

(08:33):
his own way.
And by the time he was inkindergarten, he was above his
grade level.
You know, right now he's uh 14,he's um straight A student.
Uh and we just instill him,instill in him that you know
learning is important andreading is important.

Speaker 2 (08:49):
Yeah, yeah, I like I love that.
And it can be so much fun whenthey're kids to read.
I love that.
Thank you for sharing that.
So if the listeners want toconnect with you, where can they
find you?

Speaker 1 (09:03):
Sure, you can reach me on my website, it's
TammyCArthur.com, or you canfollow me on Instagram at
TCKidsbooks2023.

Speaker 2 (09:12):
Amazing, amazing.
Tammy, thank you so much forjoining me on the podcast today
and sharing your books with us.

Speaker 1 (09:20):
Thank you.

Speaker (09:22):
Thank you for listening to the Fredericksburg Neighbors
Podcast.
To nominate your favorite localbusinesses to be featured on
the show, go to FXBG NeighborsPodcast.com.