Today we’d like to introduce you to T. Y. Somerville.
Hi T. Y., so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
My love of writing began in 5th grade at Snowden School when our class participated in a poetry collaborative with the Brooks Museum of Art and a local poet named Phyllis Tickle. For 2 years, we visited the museum and participated in poetry writing workshops. I will always remember laying on the floor of the Brooks listening to classical music and then writing about everything our senses could pick up. Our writings were later published in a book and given to each student participant. I was super proud of having my poems in that book. After that experience, I began to write almost every single day. Reading and writing became my favorite pastimes.
Somewhere between college and high school, I decided that I wanted to write a children’s book. Perhaps the idea came to me when I began babysitting. It soon grew into a dream. I even dreamed of being like Stan and Jan Berenstain or Dr. Seuss because I loved rhythm and rhyme.
Fast forward to recent years……As an elementary teacher, I strive to pass my love for books and writing to each of my students on a daily basis. I read stories, poems, and chapter books to them as much as I possibly can. I strongly encourage my students to read by giving them time in class to read independently and allowing them to take home any book they want to borrow. Nothing makes me smile bigger than seeing a class full of kids sprawled out all over the room reading on the carpet, on beanbag chairs, partnered up at a table, etc. Curl Up and Read Days were my favorite, because the kids would wear pj’s, bring stuffed animals, and spend the whole day reading. Ahhh… Good Times.
After reading, I would challenge my students to create and write their own stories. They would come up with some of the most imaginative stories ever. I would tell them that they are authors too and that one day someone could be reading books written by them. I started buying blank hardcover books and giving them to the students to fill. As I watched them become better readers, great thinkers, and awesome writers, I remembered a long forgotten dream of my own. I wanted to be a children’s book author.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The biggest challenge for me on this journey was simply getting started. As I mentioned earlier, I started writing when I was 10 and becoming an author of children’s books entered my heart in my late teens/early twenties. While I was in college, I researched how to get my books publish and how to publish them independently. Neither option seemed like something I could accomplish. I didn’t know where to start and I didn’t know who to ask for help. The dream faded, but I never stopped writing.
My dream resurfaced when it became more than just my dream. I was now dreaming for my kids, my students. I couldn’t just keep talking the talk by telling my students that they could be authors, illustrators, or whatever they aspired to do. I had to walk the walk and show them that it can be done.
Of course, it still didn’t happen overnight. Yes. I had the stories, but I didn’t have an illustrator. After many attempts, I finally found Illustrator Jacolyn Wingo of Nashville and asked her to share my vision for my play/reader’s theater titled The Wicked Who? Of the What? I wrote this play for our school’s Black History program in the early 2000s and the kids loved it. It seemed perfect to be my first book. While I waited for illustrations, I worked on other projects. I edited books for a friend and taught during the summer to help overcome past obstacles. I had no idea at the time that this so-called waiting period would bring forth another great opportunity for my students to see how to put their dreams in motion.
While teaching the summer program, I continued to encourage reading and writing while we did research on the bridges in Memphis for our summer project. The final product of our research was a rap song titled Memphis Bridges and a group of writers/performers now called The Bridge City Kidz. As I poured my energy into this great bunch of kids, I pushed pause on my books again. The kids were able to perform the song at school, at the 2019 BRX Marathon for Peer Power, and the Celebrate Shelby 200 event in Shelby Farms. Things were looking so bright for 2020, that I wrote a second song for the kids.
Then…….The Pandemic Hit!
Finally, with the whole world on pause, I sat down to finally publish my first book. You know how we always say….if only I had time. Well… in the spring of 2020, I had nothing but time. So, I sat down and wrote Dear New Teacher to test the publishing waters. As of August 5, 2020, I am finally a published author. Five months later, my 2nd book dropped (December 31, 2020) and my 3rd book was released July 2, 2021. Book 4 is coming soon (January 2022).
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Currently, I am an author, a first-grade teacher, a tutor, a lyricist, a manager/producer for The Bridge City Kidz, and a freelance editor. I feel like I am just getting started, because I now have the confidence to pursue the other ideas swimming around in my brain. You can find me doing at least 3 of these things at any given time.
If I had to name a specialty, it would most likely be motivating and teaching children to love reading and writing. I am all in for whatever it takes to inspire the children to be great readers, writers, thinkers, and doers. If that means writing silly stories, plays, poems, and songs, I will do it.
I knew I had to start publishing my children’s books when two of my former students put a beat to a silly poem I made up for them in class to get them to understand short vowels. It was their final days of elementary, and they were helping me after school. Madysun dropped a beat and Lauren started rapping. My jaw dropped. Apparently, that group of kids had been keeping my little rhyme alive over the years. I had no idea. ( I had them do it twice, so I could record and keep that memory.)
As a teacher, we can only hope that we are making a difference / a positive impact. When we see it come to life, it leaves us tearfully speechless and proud beyond measure.
The books that I write and publish will always be for my kids, my students, and the 10-year-old Me.
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
My mother deserves top billing for giving me books and teaching me to read before I even entered kindergarten.
Along the way to publishing my first book, I received helpful advice and guidance from Author Maria Hoskins, Author LaTrivia Welch, and Author Clarence Birdsong III.
My greatest appreciation goes to my illustrators Jacolyn Wingo and Devante Woodson. Their gifts and talents gave life to my stories.
My biggest cheering section along the way was filled with my home family, my school family, and lifelong friends. They constantly reminded of my dream and pushed me to persevere when things got tough.
Contact Info:
- Email: peepleville@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dearnewteacher2020/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DearNewTeacher2020
- Other: https://linktr.ee/AuthorTYSomerville?fbclid=IwAR1jHBLjC4Q7I6J2kWZqOwZaBUgtF4z5Ro3yH-XJzBdcPJoTvumkSfNs1gA
Image Credits
Sheila London
Candace Lester
