Story & Lesson Highlights with B. E. Padgett of Stanwood

We’re looking forward to introducing you to B. E. Padgett. Check out our conversation below.

Good morning B. E., it’s such a great way to kick off the day – I think our readers will love hearing your stories, experiences and about how you think about life and work. Let’s jump right in? What is a normal day like for you right now?
Great question! As a writer, “normal” days are rare. Habits and processes are what keep me grounded and productive. There are too many distractions in this world! If you search “best writing habits,” you’ll find plenty of advice, such as stick to a strict schedule, write only in the mornings, and so on.

Personally, with this type of creative work and business, I think more in weeks than in single days. I create a checklist of tasks for each week and spread them across the days.

My typical morning starts with chores. Strange, I know, tidying up helps me clear my mental and physical space before I work. On my business-focused days, I respond to inquiries, plan social media, and schedule events. And on my project-focused days, I review other authors’ books before their releases and give peer feedback.

When it comes to my own writing, that usually happens late at night. Once the world is quiet and distractions fade, I can settle into the creative space I need to build stories.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Sure! My name is B. E. “Brittany” Padgett, and I’m a middle-grade and YA author. I currently have five published books, four in my middle-grade fantasy series The Reeds of West Hills and a co-authored workbook, My First Novel: A Story Plotting Guide for Tweens & Teens.

Growing up, I struggled to read until about fifth grade. At the time, I thought it was my own fault, not realizing I was navigating a reading disability. When reading finally clicked, it felt like a world opened up. Books went from intimidating to magical, and soon I was not only devouring stories but writing my own. That moment of discovery set me on the path to becoming an author.

Before being published, I worked in higher education, teaching leadership and soft skills to college students. This experience, along with my personal journey and years of studying the craft, inspired me to mentor young writers. Alongside my co-author, I’ve developed workshops, resources, and mentoring opportunities for tweens and teens. This work feels like a love letter to my younger self, a reminder that the next generation of creatives deserves accessible tools and encouragement.

As a business, we’re continuing to expand resources for beginning writers and developing support for teachers and educators. As an author, I’m still writing whimsical, spooky adventures that explore how young characters face both inner challenges and external dangers.

Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. What did you believe about yourself as a child that you no longer believe?
This question gets right to the heart of why I do what I do. As a child who struggled in school and often fell behind my peers, I told myself it was because I wasn’t smart enough or capable enough.

I still remember the embarrassment of standing in front of the class to read out loud and not being able to get through it. I’d be the only one with the teacher standing behind me, whispering prompts as I tried to sound out words. At that time, I couldn’t imagine myself as a reader or a writer. The idea of becoming an author was beyond my wildest dreams.

I’d love to say that this insecurity disappeared in high school or college, but it didn’t. I had to prove to myself again and again that I was capable—and in many ways, I exceeded my teachers’ expectations. But eventually, I realized the only expectations that truly mattered were my own.

When I finally began to trust myself, to cheer myself on, and to allow myself to follow my passion, I started to see results. That experience taught me a lasting truth, that the way we speak to ourselves and the way we treat ourselves has a direct impact on the outcomes in our lives.

If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
I would tell myself: You’re smart, you’re brave, and you’re not alone. Many people share the same struggles, and even if you don’t have the tools yet, you’ll find them because you are resourceful.

Don’t let what makes you unique convince you that you don’t belong. Let it shine, and it will draw the right people to you.

Doubt will only hold you back. Instead, question the methods, not your abilities, and never stop learning from everything and everyone around you.

I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
A belief I am deeply committed to is that human-made stories are just as relevant and important today as they have ever been. There are millions of stories in books, poems, movies, and other forms of media, but there will always be stories that have not yet been told.

While many narratives may feel familiar, each is unique because it is built through a lens only the writer can see through. We can create stories today that history has never seen, shaped by who we are and the cultures we live in. At the same time, those stories can feel timeless because they touch the soul of what makes us human.

This belief is so strong that even if people lose sight of the value of human storytelling for a time, they will feel the absence. And when they do, they will seek it out again with even greater desire.

Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. Could you give everything your best, even if no one ever praised you for it?
Yes. This was a lesson I learned as a young professional. More often than not, the work I was most proud of was not the work that drew attention or praise. It was the work that felt right but remained invisible.

That understanding connects directly to what it means to be a writer. The first book I published was one I began more than fifteen years ago. It took me nearly a decade of on-and-off writing to make it the best it could be. There was no guarantee it would ever be published, no contract waiting, and no critics lined up to give their approval. I wrote it simply because I wanted to write a book, to create the best story I could, even if I was the only person who ever read it.

Eventually, the book did get published. But the true satisfaction came long before that, in knowing I had completed it and given it my all.

Praise feels good, and it can keep you going when you want to give up, but it is temporary. What is not temporary are the times you put your heart and soul into something no one else may see. Resilience is built in those moments when you can say you did your best and feel proud of it without outside validation.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.bepadgett.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bepadgett/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bepadgett
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bepadgettwriting

Image Credits
Image 1 – Theresa Jaramillo