From America’s Next Top Model contestant to published poet, B.C. Hatch can now add children’s book author to her list of amazing accomplishments. We’re thrilled to feature this empowering female author as this month’s First Friday as she debuts her book, Beyond Pretty, on tour. This alphabet book that encourages both children and parents to look further than superficial beauty, especially when talking to and about their little girls.
Learn more about B.C.’s career, the challenges she encountered, and her advice for young authors who hoping to be published. Then, catch B.C. in person while she is in Philadelphia on May 26 at Big Blue Marble Bookstore in Mt. Airy!
PPRG: Share with us your background and how you got to where you are today.
BCH: I’ve always loved writing. When I was 9 or 10 years old, I remember starting a newspaper with my friend Kate, the same friend who later convinced me to audition for Top Model. I think we sold them for something like a quarter a copy. When I was 21, I auditioned for America’s Next Top Model and was called by a casting director a few weeks later. After Top Model happened, I moved to NYC and eventually Paris, which worked out well for me; I guess my “look” fit that market.
When I came back to The States, I had some family stuff going on around that time that took precedence. So I ended up moving to Georgia then Idaho, where I spent a lot of time teaching myself things. I taught myself to reupholster furniture, screen print, play guitar, and a lot of time writing. It was during this time that I started submitting poetry to various publications. My first piece that was accepted by a publication paid a whopping $1. I remember getting that check. I never cashed the check, feeling it was more valuable to me as a keepsake than a cup of coffee or whatever the dollar would have bought.
Then, I moved to Georgia when my dad’s declining health got even worse. After he passed away in the summer, I stayed in Georgia. A few months later, I became pregnant with my daughter. Now, she’s my whole world, and I love being a mom.
PPRG: Did you picture yourself as an author growing up? What motivated you to write a children’s book?
BCH: I was always a “writer.” Both my parents really encouraged me in that way. My mother still teases me about the first book I wrote as a child. It was about a giraffe. I had asked someone how to spell giraffe, and they had misheard me and spelled it D-R-A-F-T. I ended up writing this whole story about a Draft with the very long neck. Under “future plans” for my senior yearbook, I put “write a book.” I always wanted to be an author… I just never expected to be an author of a children’s book. My daughter inspired that.
My dad had always told me he thought I should write kids books because of my poetry, but I had always thought they were not “literary” enough. Thea, my daughter, made me look at children’s literature from a different perspective. As a parent (especially a new parent), you spend a lot of time analyzing things like what you’re supposed to feed your child, what goes into their body. Then, I began to worry about what goes into her mind as well.
PPRG: What were some of your biggest challenges while writing a book as a first-time author, and how did you overcome them?
BCH: Overall, I think the biggest challenge was time. I’m a single parent, so finding time to do anything on top of my regular work schedule and caring for my daughter on my own feels nearly impossible. The other huge challenge I faced with the book was actually following through. I have ADHD, so I’m great at starting projects with a lot of enthusiasm. However, I’m not so great at completing them. The illustrator, Victor, was a big help in keeping me on task at the start of the project by scheduling phone calls to discuss art work and which vocabulary words we were using. It was very helpful!
PPRG: Describe the process of what happens once you finish writing your book. How do you go about sharing your book with the rest of the world?
BCH: Once the book was written and the mock-up was completed with Victor’s initial sketches, I started to write my query letter to pitch to agents. I knew it was hard to get a book in front of publishers as a first-time author. Since I really believed in the book and its message, I decided that I would self-publish. It took a lot of effort to get people to even look at my book when they’d ask if it was self-published.
When I spoke to a few friends, they provided me some guidance on how to go about setting up a company so I could publish other writers and other titles with girl-positive messages. I was lucky to have my friend, Stefanie, who works in PR. She and another new mom agreed to work with me on the project, and they have taught me so much about marketing books. I wouldn’t have even known where to start with getting the book out there without them.
PPRG: We love the power of PR! Tell us more about the meaning behind your book title, “Beyond Pretty.” What can parents, and more importantly children, expect when they read your book?
BCH: The title is very literal. Girls are so much more than just pretty. Every little girl is different, and each one has her own personality and identity. In the book, there is at least one example for each little girl that she can relate to as her “beyond” word. Some girls might relate to all the words, some might only relate to one or two, and that’s okay. I think kids can expect to learn a few new words as well. I didn’t shy away from using larger words because I think vocabulary is a beautiful thing. There are so many wonderful words to describe personality. For example, I didn’t want to use the word “smart” because I feel that trait is so much more complex. I wanted to use a word like “knowledgeable” because intelligence is really beyond just simply being smart; it’s taking the time to cultivate that knowledge. So K is for “pretty knowledgeable”—girls who are educated, well-read and informed.
PPRG: We love that you’re a true believer in girl power. Have you always had this positive and empowering mentality?
BCH: I’ve always been one to encourage everyone (male or female) to believe in themselves, to be positive, and to put positivity out into the world. I absolutely have always believed women and girls can do anything. Though I think having a daughter really caused me to be much more aware of what it means to be a feminist and how important it is as a woman.
It’s easier to overlook some of the inequality that exists as a girl because you become accustomed to dealing with it daily. Too often, women get taught to compete with one another rather than to empower each other. When I had my daughter, I think I became a lot more sensitive to women’s issues and felt more strongly about needing to be a part of the women’s movement for her sake. It doesn’t feel fair to me that she should be judged or treated any differently based on her gender.
PPRG: We completely agree. While you’re currently in the middle of your book tour throughout the country, what do you love most about it?
BCH: I really love getting to travel with my daughter and expose her to the various wonderful things and people in different cities. She’s very social for such a tiny human. She loves saying hi to people and showing them things. Watching her get excited about new people and places is amazing. She loved giving quarters to the buskers in New Orleans, and stomped her little feet mimicking a tap dancer in the French Quarter for close to an hour. We just stopped in New Mexico on our way out to LA and San Francisco and went camping at Elephant Butte lake by a town named Truth or Consequences. It was incredibly windy, so I got to show her how to fly a kite, which she was amazed by.
PPRG: What are you most looking forward to on your Philadelphia tour stop on May 26?
BCH: I’m definitely excited about the event at Blue Marble on May 26! I went to school just outside Philadelphia at Erdenheim and Abington Senior High. Philly is a city that is close to my heart. I’m excited to visit the area to let my daughter try water ice and show her some of the parts of the city that I loved as a kid.
PPRG: What advice do you have for authors writing their first book looking to get published?
BCH: First, if it’s a girl-positive book, I recommend submitting it to Little ChickLit — the publishing company I started with my book. Second, if you plan to pitch to larger publishers, look for an agent. A book agent can help you get your book in front of the right people. Third, before you look for an agent, make sure you have a strong query letter. You can find advice online on writing a query letter and how to format it.
The last step is to believe in yourself and your work, and don’t give up. I think anyone with the right motivation can do anything they set their mind to if they are willing to invest the time and effort into doing it. It might require copious amounts of coffee and a few late nights, but if you’re willing to work for something you can always achieve it with enough persistence.
PPRG: What’s next for you?
BCH: I finished another title “A dot called Girl,” which I’m having illustrated and edited. I’ll be working on completing that after my current book tour. I will also be looking for other titles from other authors/illustrators to develop and publish with Little ChickLit. Beyond that, I’m excited to watch my daughter continue to grow and learn, and for me to continue learning from her. She teaches me so much every day. Being a mom is the best adventure I’ve had yet.
To learn more about B.C. Hatch and keep up with her latest news, visit her website and follow her on Instagram.
Beyond Pretty by B.C. Hatch is available online through the publisher’s website including LittleChickLit.com, Barnes and Noble, Amazon, and various other online vendors. It’s also available from a number of different independent bookstores and children’s stores. If a store does not have the book stocked, they can order it for you.
