Q&A with Marissa Bader

How long have you lived in Linden Hills?
I have lived in Linden Hills since 2014 and we absolutely love it! My husband and I could not think of a better place to raise our three daughters. We have the most amazing community, neighborhood and enjoy walking or biking into Linden Hills with our kids for dinner, a trip to Wild Rumpus and of course ice cream at Sebastian Joe’s! It feels like a small, tight knit community within the city!
Although I grew up in Saint Paul and graduated from the now Two Rivers High School, one of my very best friends grew up in Southwest Minneapolis, just one block down from the house my family currently lives in. I loved spending time with her and her family in this warm and charming neighborhood – we enjoyed lots of sleepovers, walks around the lakes and hanging out in Linden Hills! – and I always kept Southwest Minneapolis in my mind as an area I’d love to settle in and raise a family one day.
I grew up in Mendota Heights, a suburb of Saint Paul, and my family always got the Saint Paul Pioneer Press. When I was much younger, I wrote a piece for the paper about suffering and surviving a brain bleed in my 20s.

When did you decide you wanted to be a writer?
I’ve been a writer for as long as I can remember. Truly, writing is so much more than what I do – it’s who I am. As a small girl I would spend hours upon hours journaling, writing short stories, poetry, creative non-fiction and more. For me, writing has always been my way of making sense of my thoughts, feelings, the world and my place in it; I often say that I don’t know what I think or feel until I write it down. For me, writing is like oxygen; it’s my lifeline!
That said, in a professional capacity, I’ve been working in the journalism and communications field since my early 20s: I’ve served as a grant writer and development associate for the Rockefeller University in New York City, a freelance writer both in New York and here in Minneapolis, a web copywriter and editor for Life Time Fitness. I’ve also worked in corporate marketing and public relations, and I currently serve as the Twins editor and mental health writer at Lucie’s List, a newsletter and website geared towards expectant and new parents.

Why children’s books?
I’m a huge lover of children’s books – I always have been. First and foremost, I love the way picture books can evoke such wonderful and warm memories; I have the fondest memories of snuggling with my mom as she read “Goodnight Moon” to me before bed. Now when I read that same book to my own children, I can still smell her perfume and feel her tight, loving squeeze. It warms my heart.
In addition, I just love the way children’s book authors skillfully weave important life lessons throughout the pages of their books in ways kids can understand and relate to. Three of my most favorite books that do this so well are “The Rabbit Listened” by Cori Doerrfeld, “The Invisible String” by Patrice Karst and Joanne Lew-Vriethoff and “I Am Enough” by Grace Byers. I love the way these books help children understand and manage emotions, build self-confidence and help them feel safe in an unpredictable world.

How do your children inspire your writing?
My children are truly THE inspiration behind my children’s book topics. I have a set of twins, now seven, and a singleton, now 11. My first book, “The Only Me,” was deeply inspired by the fact that though my twins are two different people with very different personalities, likes, dislikes, etc., people were constantly comparing and contrasting them. This led to them measuring themselves against the other and struggling with that. I wanted them to understand that though they are twins, they are still individuals with their own set of skills, talents, amazing qualities, and so on. In “The Only Me,” one of the twins, Stella, gains so much more self-confidence and assurance as she learns this lesson by book’s end.

“Stella’s Brave Voice,” a follow-up to “The Only Me,” is also based on a struggle in our home. We have a dynamic in which one of our children is more soft-spoken, while the other two are a bit louder and more assertive. We’ve been working hard to ensure everyone in our house knows their thoughts, feelings, opinions and voices matter. In “Stella’s Brave Voice,” Stella struggles with this, as her sister often interrupts and talks for and over her. She, too, is working hard to practice speaking up, and use her brave voice in her home, with her friends and at school.

How does your background in mental health factor into your children’s books?
I like to write about topics kids may be struggling with mentally and emotionally. As I mentioned, I see the challenges my children – and their friends – face, and find inspiration there. I also think it’s hugely important to help build children’s sense of self-esteem, worth and value; I truly aim to do that through my books, as well as in person any time I get to meet with young readers.

What does your writing process look like?
When an idea comes to me, I just… start. I pull out my computer or a notebook, wherever I happen to be, and begin writing. My first draft usually is… terrible. Ha! But that’s what first drafts are for. I like to get all my ideas out on paper – it’s almost like throwing every color of paint on a wall to see which hues work together and which don’t – and then re-reading and re-writing several times to determine which elements belong in the story, and which ones I need to scrap.

What’s next for you? Any new books that you’re working on?
Yes! I’m currently working on another children’s book about a little girl who struggles with always wanting to be and do everything perfectly. She is going to struggle with this sense of perfectionism, and learn that it’s okay – great and healthy, even! – to make mistakes! In fact, this book idea was, in part, inspired by my oldest daughter’s first grade teacher at Lake Harriet Community School, Ms. Bruce. She taught her that every time we make a mistake, our brain grows! We – my husband and myself included – remind each other of that every single day!
You can find my books locally at Wild Rumpus, Kiddywampus, Magers & Quinn and in Saint Paul at The Red Balloon Bookshop. You can also find them on Amazon and Bookshop.org: The Only Me & Stella’s Brave Voice.
Feel free to follow me on Instagram @MarissaBaderWriter and check out my website at: www.marissabader.com