Meet Catherine Ann Russell

 

We recently connected with Catherine Ann Russell and have shared our conversation below.

Catherine Ann, we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.

Hearing God’s voice speak to your heart is a powerful motivator!

In 2019, two years after my older sister and only surviving immediate family member met a sudden death, which was then followed by a strange two-year period of significant difficulty, I woke up from a dream hearing a voice that said, “write this down.” So, I did.

It was the beginning of The Pond of Reflection, the first book in The Pearls of Wisdom Series: Stories Inspired by a Biblical Proverb written to pre-teens and the young at heart. But finding my purpose didn’t begin and end with publishing this book. The book was a catalyst to spearhead, the Basketful Relief Project (BRP): Beautiful Children’s Books to Feed Young Tummies and Minds. The BRP uses proceeds from book sales to help support infants and children in critical need. The initial spark in 2019 that set me on this path has only grown. I will be publishing my 8th children’s book, (a middle grade series of four books to date, and four children’s picture books), and I am now in training to be the founder of the BRP Books private Foundation (501c3) that will manage proceeds from my book sales to help infants and children long after I am gone.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

For sixteen years, 1986-2002, I was a research scientist at the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). During those years, I was often referred to as “the balloon lady.”

From 2002 until 2019, I owned my own digital video company, Spike Productions. During this time, my husband and I also started a small hobby farm with Nubian goats. It was a daily routine to walk our goats up the valley. I was often referred to in those days as “the goat lady.”

I never considered myself to be an author, much less a children’s book author, until waking up from a dream in 2019 inspired me to write a story. Even then, I didn’t think I would ever publish a book until I soon became determined to help infants and children in need with the proceeds from my book sales.

The trajectory of my life changed dramatically from that time forward. I have started the Basketful Relief Project, LLC: Beautiful Children’s Books to Feed Young Tummies and Minds, as a platform for my children’s books and to share my vision of supporting infants and children. Five years and eight books later, I am working to establish the BRP Books Private Foundation (501c3) to manage the transfer of book proceeds to reputable relief organizations. It was registered in the state of Colorado in May. There are more hurdles to clear before the foundation is up and running, but the state registration and board selection are big steps toward this goal. I sincerely hope that by now, people will refer to me as “the book lady.”

Speaking of books, I have published three children’s picture books: Get to Bed!, The Little Book of Why and award-winning Picco and Wren Three, with an upcoming fourth book, Boo Bear’s Light: An ABC Rhyming Picture Book for Children, due out this December.

I have also written fantasy-adventure books for tweens and middle grade called, The Pearls of Wisdom Series: Stories Inspired by a Biblical Proverb. Books 1-4 of this series are published: multiple award-winning The Pond of Reflection, award-winning The Hyrax Song, The Zoe-Chai Seed, and award-winning The Last Storyteller.

What I am most proud of: The Pond of Reflection, book one in The Pearls of Wisdom Series, is a Book Excellence Award Winner recipient in the Pre-Teen category in 2024, a Readers’ Favorite gold medal recipient in Children’s Audiobook in 2023, and a Readers’ Favorite gold medal recipient in the Children’s Adventure category in 2022.

Picco and Wren Three, a children’s picture book, is a 2023 Readers’ Favorite silver medal recipient in the Children’s Fable category. All books can be found in various formats on Amazon.

I’m also super excited about my latest children’s picture book, Boo Bear’s Light: An ABC Rhyming Picture Book for Children, due out this December. It is beautifully illustrated in water color by the very talented, Jessica Harkey, and will soon be available for Pre-Order on Amazon.

The biggest event I have coming up is an in-person book signing at the Boulder Barnes&Noble for The Pond of Reflection, Sunday, October 6 from 11 am on. I would love to meet anyone who would enjoy a visit! Thank you for considering!

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

Universal Qualities

Passion. Every person is graced with talent and unique ability. I believe the greatest positive impact you can have on other people is acting out of what you love to do. Whatever it is, if you love to do you it, you will naturally be enthusiastic to share it, pursue it, perfect it, and stick with it. Pursuing your passion can bring immense beauty, love, hope, and good things to this world. When you are filled with passion in what you do, others will catch your joy-spark and desire to share it with you. You have much to offer. The world needs you, now!

Patience and Perseverance. These two qualities are essential in pursuing a purpose-driven life. Very few are well-connected enough to skate directly to the top in their endeavors. For the rest of us, we require grit to lay our foundations one stone at a time. The hidden beauty in the patient persevering while pursuing a dream is the thorough development of essential skills and wisdom required to master it. There are no short cuts to enduring success. It also takes time for the world to take note of what you have to offer. There is a fun quote we book authors say, “I worked ten years before I became an overnight success.” Therefore, enjoy the journey along the way because the goal posts move and we never fully arrive.

Hard Work. It’s the only way forward.

Integrity. Being true to yourself, your mission, and to others is foundational.

Love. I sincerely believe that we are put on this earth to have the opportunity to make it a better place for others. If not now, when? Ambitious striving without considering how we can positively impact our world in all of its diversity is a tragic waste and a lost cause.

In view of these qualities that I believe are the essential building blocks to success, here is my blessing for all who read these words. I just love these words and pray them each morning. Here they are for you too. Take in this blessing and live in it today! “May the Lord give you the power to accomplish all the good things your faith prompts you to do.” Amen!

Okay, so before we go, is there anyone you’d like to shoutout for the role they’ve played in helping you develop the essential skills or overcome challenges along the way?

Since the morning I woke up from a dream back in 2019 and hearing a voice speak to my heart to, “write this down,” my relationship with and faith in my heavenly Father has grown. So much so, that the richness of this relationship permeates every aspect of my life. I love the book of Proverbs because it is a collection of wisdom verses applicable to everyday life. Thus when it says, “commit all your acts to the Lord and He will bring you success,” I believe it.

So as a foundational principle, my greatest helper guiding me through current challenges and developing my skills to overcome new ones is the Lord. This sentiment may serve as both my foundation and overarching umbrella, but I am also a practical being navigating a practical world. Ever since I started my children’s book author journey I have never walked alone. The Lord has filled my life with helpers. I am surrounded by helpers, continually, with every single person contributing to my success. I have become fast friends with all of my helpers, and I am forever in their debt.

Here are just a few of them! Book editors: Katie Chambers, Tracy Gold, and Bonnie Solomon. Illustrators: Morgan Sooy, Brooke Connor, Janell Robisch, and Jessica Harkey. Proof Readers Fern Beattie and Leona Skene. Cover designer and formatter, Alejandro Martin, and countless coaches such as Ramy Vance and Barbara Hartzler to name just two at SPublishing.com, an online school for self publishers. Not to mention supportive book author friends such as Kim Kinney and Marsha Tufft.

I will only succeed in a community. As people lift me up and make me better, there will always be someone slightly more novice than I am whom I can, in turn, lift up. We are better together.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Danielle Elkins (farm pics), Readers’ Favorite (stage pic), Andrea Mann (speaking with kids pic).

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