Social Media Manager Cat Galeano celebrates the book birthday of Xavier’s Voice with author Ashley Franklin (illustrated by Tatiana Gardel.)
Watch the conversation or read the full transcript below. (You can see closed captions by hovering over the bottom of the video and choosing the “CC” icon.)
More about Ashley:
Instagram: @AshleyFranklinWrites
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ashleyfranklinwrites
Twitter/X: @differentashley
To order signed copies of Ashley’s books: Two Friends Books
Full Transcript:
Cat Galeano:
And yeah, I’m just overjoyed that we’re doing this. Fun fact for anyone that doesn’t know, we actually at the Highlights Foundation had the immense honor of doing the cover reveal for this beautiful, beautiful book.
So to do the book birthday with you is so full circle and I’m so, it’s just honored that you trusted us with such a big moment in your life, two moments in your life. So we’re just overjoyed to celebrate you.
And for all of you who are tuning in tonight, thank you so much. I think we’re going to just get started because I feel like we’re going to have a really good time. So we should just get started. A big hello to our Highlights Foundation family.
We’re so happy to have you here with us tonight. Thank you for joining us. For those that may not know me, I’m Cat Galeano. My pronouns are she/her. I am the social media manager here at the Highlights Foundation, also known as the person most likely resharing your posts and also giving you blue and green hearts. That’s sort of my signature thing that I started. So I am the face behind the account. And I’m joining you from Western New York on the traditional lands of the Seewanoy people.
And apart from all the very fun things I get to do at the Highlights Foundation, one of my greatest joys and something that I had advocated for for a very long time is to celebrate these book birthdays of our community members, faculty, and friends. Because all of your wins are our wins. And today I have the honor of celebrating the new picture book, Xavier’s Voice, written by our dear friend Ashley Franklin and illustrated by Tatiana Gardel.
We are so excited to have you.
Ashley Franklin:
I’m excited to be here.
Cat:
Yay! And I also saw that you mentioned that you haven’t done an interview in a while. So I’m just like, I’m hoping I can make this fun and comfortable and we can laugh and celebrate and like all the love that’s happening in the chat. I see all the love. So thank you so much, everyone, for being here. So talk to us. How are you feeling now that Xavier’s Voice is out in the world?
Ashley:
I kind of want to equate it to when my kid went to kindergarten for the first time. Super emotional, super happy, super proud, and a little bit sad at the same time. You know, picture books take so long to come out, like two years or more sometimes. And it’s just when it finally happens, it’s just like, it’s out in the world, it’s out of my hands, and you just wish it the best. So I have all the emotions right now.
Cat:
That’s such a perfect way to describe. I mean, I don’t have kids, but I’m an auntie and I used to be a nanny. So like, I understand that feeling of like leaving your, your loved one and like watching them kind of grow up. And that’s essentially what this is. It’s like a birth into the world and now they’re going to be on the shelves and in hands of kids all over the place. So thank you for sharing that. I’m sorry?
Ashley:
That’s what I’m hoping.
Cat:
Oh, absolutely. This is such a beautiful book. It definitely will make it into the hands of all the kids. And we’ll talk a little bit about it after. But my second question is, in your book, Xavier wishes his small voice could be bigger and the anxious feeling he gets when trying to make friends was smaller.
But why was it important for you to highlight anxiety and emotions and these like big feelings that Xavier has in the school setting?
Ashley:
Well, to be perfectly honest, that was a bit of an autobiography. I have social anxiety. And so I really have to hype myself up or step outside of myself in order to talk in front of people. Ironically, I’ve always felt more comfortable talking in front of kids. I feel like, you know, they don’t hide their emotions or how they feel.
They like you or they don’t, you know? And so I wanted to explore that because even as a kid, you know, I have some friends that, you know, I didn’t talk a lot around or I talked more to just depend on the situation. And that’s carried over into my adulthood. You know, some people think I barely talk at all ever. And some people like, oh my God, she never shuts up. And I wanted to bring that out. And I think I’m going to segue into the question for you: Highlights is a big reason that I wanted to talk about social anxiety.
I had never actually shared that in a group before, a group setting. And it was at the Muslim Storytellers Fellowship. And I had already like hyped myself up, like I said, like, okay, I’m going to be around other Muslims. It’s going to be great. Okay, I’m going to have to talk to these people. I can do it. I can totally do it. Because it’s like three or four days. I’m like, I just can’t sit silent. I have make the most of this opportunity.
And that’s all I really tried to do. But one of the last times we went, because we went like twice or so, they were asking for people to do like spotlights. And the prompt was “What I Found at Highlights Found.”
And I was like, okay, I’m going to do it. I’m going to make myself do it. And again, like I said, I’m like very robust and talking all the time at these, you know, at these meetings and things. So if you didn’t know for sure, you would have no idea of social anxiety.
But I went in there to do the video. And it was just like me, maybe three other people. And I was literally shaking. And they’re like, are you okay? I was like, I can do this. I was like, it just takes me a minute.
Like I have to get in the headspace for it. Because I wanted to say what I found at Highlights Found was Community, you know, and I found a safe space. And the funny thing was like a switch went off, like you flipped a switch, like I was just shaking like I can do it, I can do it, and then just like that I was like” okay I’ve got it, do it now and I went and said the line like we can’t miss it.
This is the moment. No other takes because I don’t know how I’m gonna be able to pull it together again. You know, I felt comfortable enough to share that. And I know that’s not a singular experience, you know, because I’ve always dealt with social anxiety.
But the thing is, it’s not something that is really talked about in children’s books and picture books. And mental health issues don’t start as an adult, many times. And so I feel like that is extremely important to explore for children as well, just to get the conversation started, even if they don’t know or have all the right words yet.
Cat:
I love that. Thank you for being so candid and for sharing all that. And I also want to point out that like, it’s kind of a little taboo, but the pandemic really did a number on us, and I feel like there’s going to be a long time before we actually process everything that we experience and live through.
And I think books like this, that are just so important, especially for those, for those children that had to, you know, their entire I mean, we’re adults, and it was a lot for us. I can’t imagine like being little and having to leave school and then be in school and then like all these, you know, situations about whether they’re in school or not in school like online learning and what so it just like all of these feelings are just so big for someone so small.
So the fact that your book exists and like that you were just so transparent about that social anxiety for this character. And then, you know, talking about you, yourself about it. And I love that you kind of talked about you because it is so important to see children to reflect themselves in someone else and like, you know, maybe you do grow out of it, maybe you don’t.
And it’s okay whether you do or don’t. Either way, it’s okay. And someone out there is cheering you on and will have a career path for you no matter which way or no way. So I can’t thank you enough. And I had, spoiler alert, I had the honor of reading this way in advance from all of you.
So if you haven’t run to the bookstore to get your own copy yet, please do. It is an incredibly important story. Xavier. Yes. Oh my God. And the illustrations are just absolutely gorgeous. Truly bring your words alive with the vibrancy.
I love what the illustrator did with the vibrancy of the colors that they chose.
Ashley:
Amazing. Absolutely amazing. Just beautiful.
Cat:
Anyway, let me jump into my next question because I feel like we could talk for a little bit.
So again, I’m not going to spoil the book. but Xavier’s arc in this story is so incredibly endearing and you cannot help but literally like cheer him on you’re like: yes yes yes you’ve got this! um because that’s how I felt. Tell us more well I guess you kind of touched on it because it did come from um a personal experience but just like I don’t know, tell tell us more, like why did you decide that this was like the story you had to tell, why was it the social anxiety aspect that you wanted to tell? Just kind of tell me a little bit more I want to hear more about the process. Right now, I want the T,
Ashley:
So the thing is, being Black in our community, mental health is not always openly expressed you know it can sometimes actually it can many times be expressed in a way that sweeps it under the rug or just makes light of it completely and I wanted to tackle it head on as someone who honestly had family members. I have family members with mental health issues; there’s not a level of comfortability in society for everyone to freely express themselves so if it’s difficult for adults it’s that much harder for children.
And representation it matters so much. It not only matters it is a necessity and we need to see all types of representation you know skin color orientation mental health disability all of it we need to see all of it because everyone deserves to know that they matter; not just that they matter but that they are important; that they’re super. You know, that was another reason for the superheroes–it’s like I’m not only just here; like I’m out of this world in so many ways even if those ways don’t align with how you think that they should.
Cat:
And I love that I mean–again not to spoil–but Xavier found like his superhero world and just thought like he would, he could be the only one that sort of lived in that excitement and that being seen world and then when he allowed himself to put himself out there it didn’t quite work out exactly as you know like every movie it’s like oh it worked out the first time.
No; he did have to try and when he tried and failed and kept trying somebody else was like hey I like that world too and then that sort of like blasted open the doors for all these other curious little characters to be like: hey what’s going on over there?
And I just want to say the way you wrote that I loved it because you–I guess in theory you could have just done the the Disney sort of like happily ever after edition because it’s the first time. Hey! Best friends! Yes, but I love that you had the like trying and the failing and the, you know, being too scared to even keep trying and you played that out so beautifully and I just think this book is such a gift.
It’s truly such a gift for all the things we talked about and I’m just so happy that other kids will be able to get their hands on this and read it.
Ashley:
It was important to me, basically, if you’re familiar with my first book, Not Quite Snow White, you know, Tamika was over the top. I wanted a character completely the opposite of that. Tamika learned that it was okay that she had just enough of all the right stuff, you know, that’s everybody’s favorite line in that book. I wanted the same for Xavier.
He had just enough of all the right stuff, even if the stuff wasn’t the same. Completely different personalities, just living in and appreciating your own uniqueness and that’s all you have to be. To be someone else, you don’t have to act a certain way.
Just being who you are, that’s your gift to the world. That’s your superpower.
Cat:
I selfishly wish there was like multiples of this story. Like I could, you know, wink, wink if you want to do a sequel or maybe just like multiple stories of Xavier because him and the superheroes, I just feel like you created a universe that I wanted to like continue to live in.
And so I’m like, if me, a whole grown adult, feels this way, I’m sure children will be like, I want to keep reading about Xavier and the superhero and his friends from school. So I’m like, you know, if you ever end up writing a sequel, let me know.
Well, just saying, I think so. I think so. Publisher, wink, wink. And so you kind of touched a little bit on Highlights and I do want to kind of bring it back to that question and kind of dig into how the Highlights Foundation has played such a part in in your, in your career and I know we talked a little bit about the Retreat Center and how you put yourself out there but tell me how like you kind of blended right into our family.
Ashley:
Well like many others, I did used to read Highlights as a kid and sy this particular time in my adult writer life I really didn’t know what I wanted to do I was like: I love to write I have a book out okay now what?
Next step is you know I wanted to learn more I wanted to, you know, have more of a writer’s community because writing can be so lonely and isolating. I knew I wanted something different and I wasn’t sure where to get it and my good friend Jamilah Thompson Bigelow, She told me about Highlights and the fact that they had the Muslim Stories Fellowship, Muslim Storyteller Fellowship.
It’s a lot of words; that really trip me up. So she told me about it and she said, Oh, I think you should apply. So I did. I looked at it. I’m going to be honest. I applied at the last minute. I was like, yeah, I’m going to do it. I’m going to do it. And then it was like the day was like, Oh, yeah, I need to go ahead and do that. I need to do that for real. Because, you know, I like to be a person of my words. Like I said, I was going to do it.
I was so, I was so over the moon when I learned that I was going to be a part of that cohort of Muslim Storytellers because I had never experienced something like that before. Just being around a group of other creatives and like-minded people sharing the same values.
You come away from that feeling so rejuvenated and so alive. It’s, it’s something that I hold dear to me. And this honestly is something I hope that I never ever forget. And that’s how I got connected to Highlights.
And of course, you all also offer some of those freebies, those little freebie webinars. So I had to come into some of those things, I love free things.
Cat:
Free ninety nine is my favorite price.
Ashley:
So it was just nice to be even more a part of that and to meet some of the people I had seen in the pictures before. To be afraid in the dark on campus because it’s really dark there, going to… But like I said, it was just a wonderful experience and it was something that I wanted to continue on. And so every chance I get I’m trying to be like, okay, what else can I do? and so, of course, when I saw that you guys do like cover reveals and all that’s like, I have to ask, I have to ask. It just felt full circle because my first reading that I did of Xavier’s Voice, I literally did it at our open mic night.
And I was reading it from my phone because that’s all it was at that time. Like, that’s all I had and I got such and that was my first open mic night. I’d never done anything like that. So I was really pushing it, you know, out of my comfort zone. But again, because of the space that I was in, I didn’t feel as vulnerable as I would have in other spaces. And I think it, Highlights does just a phenomenal job of creating those particular spaces that writers and creatives of all types need at particular times in their lives.
Cat:
I second everything you said. I mean as–and I’m not talking as like the Highlights person as a workperson–I’m talking about as the writer myself who also went to Highlights straight out of my MFA program and kind of was like oh I got a scholarship let me go because I don’t know what I’m doing nor do I my community kind of disappeared with grad school and then all of a sudden it was like the most profound experience and you know it has happened every time I’ve gone back and I’ve gone back multiple times.
I also want to shout out a hello to Jamilah who’s in the, who’s in the chat so we were talking about her so I just want to say hi she’s here so we’re very excited to have her here um she was cheering a thumb from the chat.
Thank you for sharing that and yes um me as the person who is a writer and who has been a monitor and a resident assistant who has sort of like been such a part of every aspect of Highlights when it came to doing cover reveals and book birthdays that is something I advocated for because I felt like it was a place to celebrate our community members, our faculty, our friends so like if anyone is interested please like don’t be shy reach out–Ashley did and look all the fun things we’ve got…
Ashley:
It’s OK if you are shy still come!
Cat:
Yeah, it’s okay too like we will work with you we will work with you. It doesn’t have to be an Instagram live, it could be a blog. Like we just want to celebrate you because all,. like I mentioned all of your wins are our wins and our wins are your wins and essentially our online space is a family and I want to continue growing that as a family.
Ashley:
It doesn’t matter if you’re big and small.
Cat:
Yes, all voices matter and so my last question for you because we’re already wrapping up which makes me sad. Iss what do you hope kids will take away from your book?
Ashley:
I hope that kids just take away that the best part of themselves is the part that matters the most.
If everything starts with self-love, the second that you doubt yourself or you let other people make you feel like you need to be something or someone else, that is a hard place to come back from. So I think really just building that up, it’s okay to love on yourself.
You’re super just like how you are. I really want that to resonate with kids because that is a strong foundation, just for all of their other interactions with other children and just going along.
Cat:
Is there anything else you’d like to share? Because I’m going to check quickly. I don’t believe there were any questions. I think it was just an outpouring of love. Which is awesome so I love love so please continue the love fest in the chats.
Ashley:
I see so many people I see my mom I see Derek Barnes, of course we saw Jamilah like black Muslim girl fly. Just thank you all, you all have supported me, my sister Lexi was here, just it just shows that community shows up. Oh my sister did amazing thank you!
Cat:
Yes you did I second that. Iff there’s anyone who has a question please go ahead and type that quickly; if not we’re just gonna head into our, into our outro so I’m gonna give you a second if anyone wants to chat or write a question.
Question for you before we we start winding things down is there any specific bookstore that you work with or anything that we could get signed copies of or if you have like an indie that you work with so they’re definitely share that information so we can pop it into the blog.
Ashley:
There is a local independent bookstore that you can get all my books signed and they are Two Friends Books and they are so precious. I will actually be reading there this Saturday for my first storytime with real live children for Xavier’s Voice.
Cat:
Yay! So I definitely will include that bookstore in our chat, in our blog post so that way people can request signed copies and get them in their homes because this one is so special I definitely want to have this one on my bookshelf. So um so I’m gonna hear it wrap it up and say congratulations to you to Xavier’s Voice, to Tatiana for her art, because all of it art so vibrant so colorful so just elevates your word to another place.
And I love when the art just takes the words and the words take the art. It just, I love when those two things really just sort of elevate everything. And so we’re very lucky that this book had everything that was just beautiful.
And for those that may want to order a copy, like Ashley mentioned, the bookstore. And also if you want, you can get some at our virtual bookshop, powered by bookshop.org. Thank you so much, Ashley, for joining us.
Thank you. Thank you, everyone, for tuning in. Thank you for all the love in the comments. We don’t always get to do a nighttime one. So this is so special to me that we were able to do it. Thank you, thank you, thank you. And be well and good night.
