threadTALK Blog Series 22: Thoughts of an Inspirational Speaker and Author with Sheri Fink

This month, we had the pleasure of interviewing Sheri Fink who turned her dreams into a reality, which has earned her multiple awards and recognition, and named her one of the top three authors in her local area. She continues to inspire audiences of all ages through her books as well as keynotes across the country. Read more to find out about Sheri's journey, her inspiration behind her brand Whimsical World, and advice for aspiring authors!

Q Please tell us a little bit about yourself and what you do!

A Hi, I’m an inspirational speaker, #1 best-selling author, and president of Whimsical World. I am best known for my beloved “The Little Series” books, including The Little Rose, The Little Unicorn, and The Little Dragon. 

An author of twelve best-selling books in multiple genres, I travel the world inspiring audiences of all ages to believe in themselves, dream bigger dreams, and take action to live their best lives. Featuring my unique blend of empowerment and enthusiasm, I share my inspirational journey along with strategies on overcoming adversity and how to live life with passion and aliveness. I’ve keynoted for some of the largest writers’ conferences, women’s organizations, and corporations in North America.

CBS Los Angeles selected me as one of the top three authors in my local area, a distinction I share with Dean Koontz. My books have been honored with multiple awards, including three gold medals in the Readers’ Favorite International Book Awards and four Gold Mom’s Choice Awards, honoring the best in family-friendly entertainment. My books have been featured in hundreds of articles, programs, websites, and shows, and my company was heralded as “An Empire to Inspire” by Localista Magazine. 

I live in Los Angeles (a childhood dream come true) where I make dreams come true daily with my husband and our delightful dog, Zander. Discover more at SheriFink.com.

Q Please tell us more about Whimsical World and your inspiration behind your brand.

A Whimsical World is an empowering brand that I co-created with my husband, award-winning author Derek Taylor Kent. Whimsical World’s mission is to inspire, delight, and educate children of all ages while planting seeds of self-esteem and high achievement. We aim to make positive change through the power of whimsy and imagination. 

I was inspired to write my first children’s book, The Little Rose, after an experience I had being bullied in the corporate world. In the story, the Little Rose grows amidst a bed of weeds and because she’s different, believes herself to be a weed. She discovers that she’s a beautiful rose no matter what anyone else says or thinks about her. I became passionate about helping kids improve their self-esteem at an early age so that they’d be better equipped to handle challenges throughout their lives.

My social-emotional learning books paired well with Derek’s laugh-out-loud / educational books. Our catalog of award-winning, fun-to-read children’s books have themes that include anti-bullying, being brave, asking for help, adapting to change, being authentic, and being a true friend. Our books expand children’s imaginations with whimsy and wonder from the depths of the ocean to the heights of the galaxy. 

Whimsical World brings joy, positivity, and wonder. Discover more at www.WhimsicalWorldBooks.com.

"It’s always an adventure!"

Q What has been your proudest moment of your career so far? 

A In 2016 I published my first romance novel, Cake in Bed. It was a big leap for me to write a book beyond my genre (I was known as a children’s author). I embarked on an ambitious goal of celebrating the release with a Cake in Bed World Premiere Party in Beverly Hills complete with a red carpet, long-stem red roses, and a gorgeous 5+ carat ring giveaway. 

So much work went into writing, editing, publishing, and marketing the book, not to mention planning and executing my vision for the party. Every detail was exquisite. My mom and sister flew in from Virginia to help with the event and 16 people flew in from out of town to attend. I felt like I was giving 90 people my dream date featuring live music, delicious Indian food, a champagne toast, and red velvet cake for dessert. 

As I looked around at all of the glowing faces of the partygoers that evening, I felt deep gratitude for my journey and for having the courage to fulfill a different dream. The night was one of the best of my life so far, made even more magical, meaningful, and memorable by the friends, family, and Fans who came to support me and my new book.

Q What is one bold goal that you wish to accomplish?

A It’s been a dream of mine for years to write a self-help / personal development book that could make a positive difference for women. I’ve been working on it for the past 2+ years and I’m delighted to share that InstaGrateful: Finding Your Bliss in a Social Media World will be debuting this November. 

InstaGrateful is a refreshing perspective on how you can turn within to connect with authenticity, stay focused on what really matters, strengthen your inner self to know what you want, stand in your power to get it, and be a beacon of light and love that inspires others to transform their lives in today’s hyper-busy, highly distracted social media world. My goal is to empower women to find their bliss and design an irresistible life filled with passion, peace, power, prosperity, and panache. I can’t wait to accomplish that bold goal and hopefully help a lot of women to find their bliss. 

"No matter what the hurdles required to overcome in the process, the end result of getting to hold my new book in my hands for the first time is worth it"

Q Huge congrats on your upcoming book InstaGrateful! What is the process of publishing a book like for you?

A It’s always an adventure! I’ve done it 13 times now and each book has its own unique challenges and opportunities. I like that the industry continues to evolve and that I write and publish in multiple genres. It makes it more difficult and a lot more exciting. 

For me, the most difficult part of writing is sitting down and getting it done. There are so many things competing for my attention these days and it’s easy to let the writing time slide if I don’t make it a priority. Scheduling writing days on my calendar and creating a book launch timeline really help me stay on track. 

Writing, rewriting, editing, cover designing, formatting, printing, and marketing can be an arduous process where practicing patience and paying attention to details are the keys to success. Working with professionals who can master each phase of the process makes the journey more rewarding and enjoyable. 

No matter what the hurdles required to overcome in the process, the end result of getting to hold my new book in my hands for the first time is worth it.

Q What advice would you give to aspiring authors?

A 1. Write the stories your heart wants to tell. The books that really resonate with readers are the ones that pour from the authors’ hearts. It can be tempting to chase a trend, but what’s popular now is unlikely to be as popular when your book finally debuts. Instead, I like to follow my inspiration and see where it leads me.

2. Network with other authors. I have learned so much from the process of writing, publishing, and promoting my book. One of the best things I did was go to conferences and events where I met people who had already been through the process. The insights from these authors have been so helpful to me and shaped my decision-making. And, many are delightful people who have shared my journey and became great friends.

3. Talk to people who’ve accomplished what you want to accomplish and learn from their experiences. I reached out to people in my network, told them about my book and my mission, and asked if they knew anyone I should talk with. I cultivated relationships with many incredible new friends by asking first how I could help and support them with their missions. As a result, people have been very generous with their time. That’s the best way to learn: from people who have already achieved your goal – they have so many great insights on what works, what doesn’t work, and what they’d do differently next time. It’ll greatly accelerate your learning and your success.

4. Hire a coach/mentor. Having a coach or mentor who’s successful in the area in which you want to succeed can be invaluable. They can serve as a guide and hold you accountable for stretching outside of your comfort zone in order to achieve your goal. It’s no coincidence that some of the highest achievers and most powerful people in the world have good coaches and mentors, they can dramatically improve your results.

Q Lastly if you were to give a title to your life story, what would it be and why?

A  “The Best is Yet to Come” because I believe that I’m following my destiny and creating a legacy that will continue to blossom, grow, and benefit many people for years to come.

Follow Sheri on Facebook and check out her Website for more!