Dancing in the Kitchen w/ Elvis with Christine Webb
My guest on today’s episode is the wildly talented writer, Christine Webb, author of the forthcoming young adult (YA) book, The Art of Insanity. We dive into her fascinating story as an aspiring writer beginning in middle school; the roles that courage, tenacity, and the refusal to take ‘no’ for an answer have played in her writing career; and powerful advice she has received from teachers, writers, and agents along the way. Throughout the interview, Christine tells entertaining stories about her life and writing, and she offers a beautiful sneak preview of her delightful, new book.
If you’re looking for a dose of inspiration with a dash of humor, look no further. Simply hit the Play button above.
The Backstory
I first heard Christine Webb’s name more than a decade ago during a trip to Pensacola, Florida. My husband and I were visiting our oldest, dearest friends, and Christine happens to be one of their nieces. The heart-warming stories my girlfriend shared about Christine as a college student—then later as a young teacher, writer, and travel lover—were captivating. I looked forward to hearing these stories every time we got together.
Flash forward to 2022 and the making of this podcast. Our friends were visiting from Pensacola and sharing the latest news about their family, including Christine. Christine had recently achieved what only 1 in 6000 writers accomplish: She had secured a literary agent.* Additionally, she was slated to publish not one, but two of her books with one of the top 20 traditional YA publishers: Peachtree Press/Peachtree Teen.** All by her early thirties! I was thrilled for Christine and her family, and immediately knew I wanted to interview her. Unsure if she would consider the invitation, I grabbed my cell phone and emailed her anyway. After a follow-up Zoom call, she said, “Yes!” How many happy dances can a person handle in one lifetime? The answer is simple: infinite!
The Interview
In this charming, upbeat interview, Christine shares fascinating fun facts about her journey as a YA author and the deeply personal story behind her book, The Art of Insanity. Leveraging her own experience with bipolar disorder, she previews the tale of a young artist named Natalie Cordova who is struggling with the same disorder. However, unlike many books that deal with mental health struggles, even for teens, Natalie’s story is one of hope and resilience.
Three of my favorite parts of the interview are when she talks about the wildest, craziest risks she has taken as a writer; how she celebrates successes and responds to “rejections” (spoiler alert: more than 70 to date!); and how she’s paying it forward with the next generation of young writers.
You’ll enjoy hearing about her superpower and kryptonite, how she creates balance in her life, and what she does for fun and play. You’ll also find her advice for those who are pursuing a creative passion to be practical and priceless.
Fun Facts
- Has served as a teacher for 12 years, almost all of them in middle school
- Has written six full book manuscripts, two of them under contract now – she says the other ones were “practice books” – haha!
- Is studying to become a certified book coach
- Adores pugs and used to volunteer with Southern Nevada Pug Rescue when she lived in Nevada
- Loves to travel and write about her adventures on her travel blog
Cool Links
Christine’s Delightful Author Website
Christine’s Interesting Travel Blog
Quotes by Christine Webb
“Persistence in taking these risks sometimes pays off. Sometimes you end up looking dumb, but sometimes it works, so you might as well go for it.”
“I’m not a hundred-dollar bill. Not everyone is going to like me.”
“My best advice is to seek out people who are better than you, learn from them, then reach back down the ladder to help bring other people up, too.”
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*Source: https://literary-agents.com/odds-of-getting-a-literary-agent/
** Source: https://writingtipsoasis.com/young-adult-book-publishing-companies/
During an especially helpful podcasting consultation with Michael one day, I learned about his and Charlotte’s work building a company called Exactly Zero. Now, I was doubly intrigued. As a team, Michael and Charlotte were using a cancer diagnosis as a springboard to get amazingly smart about creating clean-living products (deodorants, lip balms, soaps, antibiotic ointments, and more) and selling them through farmer’s markets, subscriptions, creative partnerships, and online. Immediately, I knew they would be perfect guests for Tiny Sparks, Big Flames. No risk, no reward – I asked, they accepted. To this day, I’m over the moon. They said, “Yes!”
Amazing how much ground you can cover in less than 30 minutes, and we pack this interview jam full. In addition to their creation story, you’ll learn about the process Charlotte uses to reverse engineer the products they make, from the extensive research she does to the number of iterations she completes to get each product just right. You’ll also hear about the personal and professional strengths she and Michael bring to the business, what inspires and motivates them, and what it means to follow their purpose. Additionally, you’ll enjoy hearing what they do for fun and play as a couple and family.