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Artist of the Month: Local author Kaila Clancy finds her niche with a little help from her 3-year-old daughter

Kaila Clancy

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We all have books that fill us with nostalgia, taking us right back to childhood. Local children’s book author and stay-at-home-mom Kaila Clancy finds the inspiration behind her works from her 3-year-old daughter. 

From her days working in summer camps, and courses taken in human development and family studies, Clancy brings a lot of experience to the table working with children and emotions. 

“After I had my daughter, everything changed, and I saw the world differently … she has taught me more than I’ve taught her,” explains Clancy, who is from Bellefonte and now lives in Williamsport. 

Her first publication, You Should Know: An Affirmation Book For Kids, is filled with messages of encouragement and themes that reassure self-confidence. As Clancy curates the layout of her thoughts into pages and pictures, she also keeps in mind the greater messages she aims to convey to all children who come across her book. 

“Now more than ever, the world is heavy and children need to be reminded that their feelings should be heard,” Clancy says.

Producing her works during quarantine, she had to get creative with the art that was to be incorporated in You Should Know: An Affirmation Book For Kids. She set out around Williamsport and the surrounding areas, taking pictures as she went along of note cards with handwritten messages, keeping the pages of her book filled with vibrant colors and positivity. 

Her second book, published in late September and titled Love, Me, is written to a child from a parent’s perspective. The project allowed Clancy to get even more creative with the photographs.

“My friends were in the pictures for my second book … it was a really fun experience,” she explains.

For any new author, especially a children’s book writer, it can take a while to find the groove. However, Clancy seems to have figured hers out.

“I come up with the writing first, and I finish it all at once; then sit on it for a few days, edit, and see what others think,” she explains.

Clancy’s third book, My Emotions are Okay!, is centered around the idea that no matter how children feel after any situation, that feeling is acceptable and understood. 

The biggest takeaways Clancy hopes people get from her books are that “kids deserve to have their voice honored and validated,” she says.

To grow excitement around her works, she has been placing her books in the bird-house looking structures called little free libraries that are popular, especially around the State College area, hoping they will spread light-hearted messages.

Clancy publishes her books through Kindle Direct Publishing, which works in partnership with Amazon, offering a service where authors can seamlessly publish their works by filling out a template similar to a PowerPoint. It gives newer authors the chance to publish works for free.

“Another stay-at-home mom, who always uses this software, introduced me to [Kindle Direct Publishing]. For my first book, my husband helped me … but the more you work with it, the easier it gets,” she explains. 

Currently, all three of Clancy’s books are available to purchase in paperback on Amazon, creating a gift for any occasion while supporting a local author. 

Looking down the line, Clancy hopes to write an inspirational book for mothers, to assure them that no matter the outside pressures they feel from society, they are doing a great job. 

While Clancy has not yet collaborated with any other local authors, she hopes the future brings opportunities to meet with other writers, illustrators, and mothers alike. She also looks forward to reading her books in person to students at local elementary schools. 

Clancy knows the market for children’s books is filled with talent and topics, but feels she’s found her niche.

“I haven’t written any ‘once upon a time’ stories,” she says. “I just want them to be inspiration from my experiences and serve as keepsakes my daughter can carry with her throughout her life.”

 

Elizabeth Molek is a freelance writer.