I’m an author. It feels strange to say it out loud, as if I made it up. I always thought an author was somebody who went to graduate school, read all the classics, and spent months locked in a room with just a typewriter, a bottle of whiskey and a dose of self-discipline. Other than the whiskey, I never thought I had what it took.

Then, in November of 2014, my husband and I self-published the book You, the Magician. No typewriter was involved, but we ended up with reams of scribbly notes.

“Since you are reading this book, it is written for you.”

All throughout the process I thought, “Are we doing this right? Is someone going to notice we don’t have a clue and tell us to stop, put our hands up and step away from the book?”

Eventually, we put all the right pieces together and were blown away by the result. We had written something that excited and empowered us, and when we shared it with others, we could see the spark in their eyes too. The message was so universal and beneficial, we couldn’t keep it to ourselves. We had to make it available to everybody. Now.

I had no idea what to do next. My brain was flooded with questions:

Should we self-publish?
Who will illustrate?
What’s an ISBN number?
If we mail it to ourselves, will the date stamp make it ‘legit’?
Who’s our audience?
What about a website?
Once we publish, how do we get it to Oprah (wink,wink)? I mean, how do we promote it on a budget?
Why’d I do this to myself?

“As a daily reminder, tell yourself this, ‘I believe in myself. I create what I wish.’”

In 2011, Josh and I got married and went on a tour of Egypt, which happened to coincide with the Arab Spring movement. The air was charged with upheaval, uncertainty and wonder as people were fighting to make their lives better. I was so grateful to witness this firsthand, and I was certain I put myself there on purpose.

The experience was a deep reflection for me. I became aware of my own complacency and the fact that I wasn’t putting myself “out there” by any substantial measure. I was absolutely unfulfilled and frustrated to my core that I was taking so much for granted. I realized I was living predictably and stifling any remotely creative ambitions.

“Quest and be curious, there’s nothing to lose. Try out new directions, like trying on shoes!”

By the time I got back to Brooklyn, something inside me was consciously activated. Instead of asking myself, “What should I do?”, I started asking myself the more honest question, “What do I want to do?”. I was ready to find my excitement by exploring the inklings I had been too afraid to previously consider.

Over the next year, I drop-kicked myself out of my familiar routine. I tried things I never thought I was capable of, which not only included working on the book, but also setting off in a new direction as a stand up comedian. Comedy is the most challenging practice I’ve ever committed to. It demands that I continually return to the present moment, and as a result, I’m more appreciative of everything I do in my life.

I’m so thankful we were composing the text for the book while I was taking my first comedy steps. It’s as if I was giving myself daily reminders of my capabilities. The book was not only the impetus to step on stage, but a huge reason I continue to get up.

“What if this is a dream? Are you sure you’re awake? Follow your joy, for there
are no mistakes.”

Creative collaboration of any kind has challenges, and I knew writing with my husband would bring some of our differences to the surface. We wanted a positive experience, so while establishing our particular writing approaches, we’d check in with each other to make sure we were navigating a similar wavelength. Josh was continually shooting us to the outer limits and, although fun, I’d start pulling the conversation back into orbit by looking for the friendliest ways to convey the concepts we were considering. He encourages the notion that leaving your comfort zone is exciting and rewarding, and while I appreciate this philosophy, I advocate that people are more willing to explore the unconventional with a tether to the familiar.

The final text is a true expression of our cooperation and connection. The result is an interactive involvement for the reader. Each page contains a mantra to personalize and make your own. It’s all encompassing, and still individually unique.

“Observe your performance, your daily routine. You make yourself up to teach yourself things.”

Kids love You, the Magician, with it’s captivating colors and rhyming messages which convey that you are your own cheerleader, guide, and friend. It’s a book I wish I had in my personal collection growing up. It strengthens children’s natural inclination to exist without perpetual self-judgment and also encourages independent thinking, which is priceless.

I acknowledge that the book is positive and supportive for young readers, but it feels too limiting to call it a children’s book. Of course I love the thought of helping kids become conscientious creators, but a big objective of the book is to actually encourage the removal of filters and social norms that we apply during youth. The world is constantly sending us messages that we need to seek happiness outside ourselves, so as adults, we often have loads of multi-layered conditioning to undo.

It’s absolutely possible to retrain your inner voice, no matter what your age. When adults read this book, we remember that it’s okay to consider various viewpoints, listen to our instincts, change our mind, daydream, make-believe, and let go.

“Talk to your gut, don’t be afraid. It wants you to trust it. What does it say?”

While many of the concepts in our book can seem vast, the goal is to offer that they’re actually simple and tangible. We chose our own illustrator because we wanted people to feel safe and excited when stepping into an exploratory mindset. We knew the illustrations would be the key, so we were fortunate that our friend, Kendra Shedenhelm, is an incredibly talented and imaginative artist and, is also on board with our book’s message.

When she agreed to take this project on, our only guidelines for her were: “Have fun and follow your instincts.” The patterns and textures she developed within each illustration are multi-layered and expressive. The rich colors communicate life. We were excited to witness the theme of freedom she created through the bird element. It maintains the notion that the more you let go, the better your view of the big picture.

“If you’re stuck in a maze, just change your mind. You’ll realize it’s YOU who’s in charge at all times.”

Since I’d rather be creating, I have an honest aversion to the business side of any project. Once we decided to do this on our own, I resolved to put on my production boots and figure it out, step by step.

We opted to self-publish after looking at a range of possibilities. We didn’t want to compromise the content of our book or our choice of illustrator and it was important for us to move forward while the excitement was thick.

We purchased a pack of 10 ISBN numbers, one for each current and future book platform.

As it turns out, mailing the final draft back to yourself is not a legal substitute for registration (fine with me, the lines at the post office in Brooklyn are brutal), so I registered with the Library of Congress website, and although it’s not a mandatory requirement, it’s now ‘legit’.

We found various printing options and had them send proofs, making sure the quality of the illustrations would be upheld.

I’m currently learning how to promote on a budget (but, pssst, hey, Oprah!).

When I couldn’t teach myself how to build a website in a week, I outsourced easily and affordably. It was a great lesson in letting go and it turned out just fine.

All throughout, we had design help from our amazing and generous illustrator to ensure the look and the integrity of the book were preserved.

“YOU are the language of Mystery and Magic. There’s no reason to worry, for life is FANTASTIC!”

I’m an author. I’m also a comic, a wife and a conscientious creator. I put this whole experience together to teach myself that I’m capable. You, the Magician has become a reference guide that helps me to put things in perspective. It gets me out of my head and aligns me with a truer version of my being. Sometimes I pick it up, flip to a page and read it. It’s deeply personal. It reminds me that life is malleable and the only limitations are the ones I place on myself.

Everyone is taking the world in, shaking it around and readjusting to it. We make slight modifications. We transform. We do it all day, every day.

We’re magic.

Jodi’s article is the first in a series, You, The Magician, just for CWG’s readers! Look forward to more of Jodi’s humor and creative insights in the near future!