Getting a book published is not for the faint of heart. It’s kind of heartbreaking because you have this book you’ve poured your heart and soul into, and you’re hoping readers will love it, too. -Colleen Esposito
I’ve wanted to introduce my daughter, Colleen, to you for the longest time, and here she is! Recorded from the window seat in her home just outside of Boston, part 1 of this interview focuses on the process of writing our illustrated children’s book series, Nelson’s Garden www.nelsonsgarden.com. Colleen and I met Nelson McNutt when she was growing up. He lived in a falling-down farmhouse in Weston, Massachusetts, and we’d see him working in his garden every morning on our way to summer camp. One morning, Colleen asked if we could pull over and say hello. Nelson tipped his hat and said, “Top of the morning to you.” Colleen recalls, “You and I had this telepathy idea swap and said to ourselves: That sounds like a storybook character!” Years passed, and we filed this experience away, only to recall it decades later.
Co-authoring a series about a garden has inspired Colleen to become a gardener herself. This year, she and her husband Ben have expanded their backyard garden to include 10 raised beds, a fence to keep the critters out, and veggies and flowers in every color of the rainbow. Quite an accomplishment for a girl who had no interest in this kind of “get your hands dirty” work when she was growing up! These days, she’s surrounding herself with research that shows flowers make you feel good, and the microbes in the soil keep your body healthy. Fascinating, right?
The journey toward motherhood was not without its challenges, and in this interview, Colleen speaks candidly about the two-year road toward conceiving her first child, Elizabeth Ray, whose nickname is Belle. A PR pro at a top 5 advertising agency in Boston, Colleen is a lifelong reader with a unique writing style of her own. “I write how I talk, says Colleen, and I didn’t realize until I was in college that my style was okay. One of my college professors told me it’s very honest, refreshing, and easy to understand. When you are given permission from someone you respect, it’s very freeing.” In this interview, she shares the joy the series brings to Belle and Rosie, who join Nelson as the stars of our series. “Lastsummer, we were drowning in flowers, and the girls and I started snipping them and putting them in jars by the side of the road.” This act of kindness inspired book two in our series: Nelson’s Garden & the Free Little Flower Stand, scheduled for release in September 2025. Says Colleen: “This idea of giving away something that makes people happy is a real cool gift.” #writer #childrensbooks #kindness #flowers #veggies