Choosing Paths through Obstacles and Loving Planners with Jessica Santiesteban

Please welcome Jessica Santiesteban to “Getting to The Heart of Why We Write!” Today we are hosting an illustrator takeover edition.  Jessica and I talk about her background in art and story. After having her first art show at 21, she later had her daughters and from there grew the seed of inspiration that sparked her first story. She published her first book, My Favorite Fairy, originally in Spanish before later translating it into English. Her recent book which she illustrated is Always Flying Bobby written by C.S. Boyll. If you’re anything like me and enjoy using planners, bullet journals, or stickers, check out the link to Jessica’s site and Etsy below where she offers her custom stickers, journals, and more!  I so enjoyed talking with Jessica about creativity, rules, and breaking them when needed. We covered a lot in this episode, check out some highlights below and enjoy listening. 🙂 Highlights: Starting from an image that wouldn’t let her go to the floodgates opening and the rush of creativity and story. Continuing to create and build her career as an illustrator and author while moving with her children from Mexico to the United States.  The supportive and beautiful community of the Rocky Mountain SCBWI. Doing the thing you want to do even when you’re afraid and not sure you can do it. Reading entrepreneurial nonfiction to manage an author career and inspire creativity. How obstacles can be a good thing. “Obstacles may slow you down, but maybe they’re good because they show you different paths to take. They’re just a challenge. I’m very perserverant…And maybe it’s just me, but I think I’m often my greatest obstacle.” Links mentioned:  Jessica’s website, Going Places Studios Going Places Studios on Etsy Always Flying Bobby by C.S. Boyll and illustrated by Jessica Santiesteban on Amazon Thanks for listening! In the meantime, catch up on last week’s episode in case you missed it with Acadia Editing’s Paulina S. Cossette Ph.D. for an editor’s takeover edition. Up next, C.S. Boyll, the author of Always Flying Bobby.