We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Shyreen Lowe. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Shyreen below.
Alright, so we’re so thrilled to have Shyreen with us today – welcome and maybe we can jump right into it with a question about one of your qualities that we most admire. How did you develop your work ethic? Where do you think you get it from?
I can credit my work ethic to growing up around working mothers. Whether it was my mom, or my aunts and older cousins, I have always had an example of hard working woman. I wanted to continue that cycle, and I promised myself I would always make them proud of me. So, I started working fresh out of high school and I haven’t stopped. I don’t see myself slowing down anytime soon either. Now that I have created something that I am proud of myself for, I am working twice as hard and I love it.
Challenges? Having to prioritize your dreams can sometimes feel like you are missing out on enjoying life, it’s hard to push past that feeling and remind yourself that empires take longer to build when you are starting from scratch. It’s important to give yourself some grace but also practice self-care and make time to enjoy your hard work because it is easy to put crippling pressure on yourself and burnout.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
I just like to write. I didn’t think I was any good at it. I started university and took a few English Language and literary courses. I remember one assignment was writing to the Greek goddess Hera. Hypothetically, she offered you a choice between, wealth, fame, or power. It was an argumentative class but I chose a creative answer. Instead of choosing one and arguing why I chose it over the others, I chose none and convinced Hera why her choices did not sit well with me. It was a memorable moment for me because it was the first time my creativity was validated. So I wrote more, and more but I never had the courage to share but I have always wanted to.
Writing made me happy. I was able to take my negative emotions and turn them into something beautiful, Poems, random lines that made sense to no one but me, and story ideas. Working with kids I wanted to try my hand at writing a children’s book. So I wrote, A Promise I Made and dedicated it to the daughter of a friend of mine. Then, These Hands. A story celebrating traditions and food. The Cozy Cozy Cardigan came next, a story dedicated to working, deployed, and traveling parents and the children they love but reluctantly have to leave behind. I have witnessed too many episodes of separation anxiety in my field of work, I hope that this book will help give words to the emotions our little ones have trouble with. It is my most sentimental book and it is dedicated to my mother. Now I love bringing joy to a page. When a kid points to elements in my story or laughs at a line, it’s the most amazing feeling!
These days I am working on other children’s books. My next release There is a Piggie in My Pocket is scheduled for release in March 2025 and my young adult novel The King of Wicked Monsters is available on Wattpad and Kindle Vella.
I have been enjoying the summer. Reading my stories at local bookstores and partnering with the non-profit Stand Up To Hate to bring my books to audiences across Chicago.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Learning that it is okay to reinvent yourself. As humans we are constantly evolving and changing. Don’t be afraid of new experiences, exploring different techniques, voices and styles.
Pushing your boundaries. I’ve always been crowd shy but one thing you have to do as an author is read your book in front of other people. It’s sometimes scary and my anxiety gets the better of me but we breathe through it and prevail.
Write for yourself. You will never silence all the critics and not everyone will like your art but it is yours, so own it.
My advice to new writers is to take the time to find the right services for your projects whether it’s editing or illustrating. Plan your vision for your book, so you can confidently direct and instruct those who are helping you bring your vision alive
On a quick tip to save money. Invest in Canva Pro or Grammarly Premium. I do the majority of my marketing materials by myself. Not an ad. lol.
How can folks who want to work with you connect?
Omg yes! I am always hoping to collaborate with other authors or illustrators. I would love the challenge of writing someone’s story or bringing their ideas to life through words.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Splowe.com
- Instagram: S.p.Lowe
Image Credits
Berto Photography
Stand Up to Hate Playdate
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
