Leona Forde - "Milly McCarthy" & Diversity in Children's Books

On today’s episode, Daniel is joined by an acclaimed Irish children’s author Leona Forde. Leona is someone Daniel has had the pleasure of knowing already through the literary world and I’m thrilled to finally have her featured "Creatively Me". She is the author of the “Milly McCarthy”series of books, a series that has seen acclaimed across Ireland and has been nominated for multiple awards at the AnPost Book Awards.A teacher as well as a successful author, Leona’s inspiration for the Milly McCarthy came from wanting to create a children’s story as beloved as the likes of "Diary of a Wimpy Kid", but with Irish sensibilities, that have made it all the more relatable to children all around the Emerald Isle.On today’s episode, Leona will be sharing the factors that made her have an early passion for storytelling, will chat about the importance of diversity in children’s books and give an insight into her writing routines.Plus, she’ll discuss her views on award nominations and reviews of her work and how she manages stress and writer’s block when writing.Leona Forde on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/leonaforde1/?hl=enMilly McCarthy Series of Books - ⁠https://www.dubraybooks.ie/product/milly-mccarthy-is-a-complete-catastrophe-9780717196135Vote for Leona Forde for the An Post Book Awards - https://www.irishbookawards.ie/Daniel's Book "Breanne 1975" -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.amazon.co.uk/Breanne-1975-Daniel-Heaphy/dp/1804392030⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Connect with Daniel on Instagram - ⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/d.heaphymedia/⁠⁠⁠⁠Connect with Daniel on Facebook -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://m.facebook.com/100067449105174/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Connect with Daniel on LinkedIn -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ie.linkedin.com/in/daniel-heaphy-4984381a3⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Daniel on IMDB -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.imdb.com/name/nm13256427/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_1_nm_7_q_DANIEL%2520HEAPHY⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email - [email protected]“Creatively Me” Theme Music by Bukky -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/artist/1v7rqTLaVA3Ce6Q9R98dSq⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠