In 2023, mother of two Catherine Tally added author to her resume with Charlotte the Shark Won’t Go to Sleep. A year later, she contacted Argyle Fox Publishing with more good news: She had a second book idea and was expecting another baby! Thrilled for her on both counts, we got to work and were able to bring her second book to life before baby arrived.
Read on to learn more about her second book, Charlotte the Shark Goes to the Dentist, and a simple way she landed four speaking engagements.
Charlotte the Shark Goes to the Dentist is a follow-up to your first book, Charlotte the Shark Won’t Go to Sleep. What inspired Charlotte the Shark Goes to the Dentist?
After writing Charlotte the Shark Won’t Go to Sleep, I always knew if I wrote another one that it would be about the dentist, so that seed had been planted long ago! I have found that my inspiration for Charlotte the Shark comes from real life, so naturally the ideas in the second book stem from my daughter’s own experiences at the dentist—even down to Dr. Tortie, who is modeled after our own amazing dentist, Dr. Torie!
Once you had the idea for the book, how long did it take to write, and did you write it all at once or work on it slowly over time?
Unlike my first book, which had a first draft written on scrap paper in less than an hour, this one took a bit more time to write. I had to pick and choose how much and which parts of a dental visit I wanted to get into. I saved the document on my phone and would add a bit every few weeks or so. It definitely took a lot longer to write. Maybe it was finding dental words that rhyme and flow correctly!
How was the publishing experience different for this book compared to your first?
Things went a bit quicker this time because I knew what to expect. I knew after editing that I better get to work on exactly what I wanted to see on each page, and then the subsequent steps that would follow.
Also, my amazing illustrator had already brought Charlotte to life in the first book, so we were established as far as what the main characters and basic color scheme would look like. Overall, it was just as great an experience as the first time!
What goals do you have for Charlotte the Shark Goes to the Dentist, and how do these goals compare to the goals you had for your first book?
As someone who wanted to be a dentist growing up, I find dental health really important. I absolutely loved the dentist my whole life, even as an adult when I got my first cavities! But I know this is not the case for a lot of kids.
My goal this time around was for Charlotte the Shark to help kids understand that sweet treats are okay sometimes, but it’s important to take care of those teeth. The best way to avoid an unwanted trip to the dentist is to practice good dental habits. This was a bit different from Charlotte the Shark Won’t Go to Sleep, which had the subtle message to parents that eventually all kids will sleep. I find the first book is appreciated by parents more, the second by kids.
How are you marketing this book? Are your marketing efforts different this time around?
I haven’t really changed my marketing strategy. I have an amazing following of supportive friends and family on Facebook, so I knew I could count on them to pre-order or spread the word and they didn’t disappoint.
Shortly before the book release, I posted on my town’s Facebook page about the release while also saying I was available for author visits. I booked four visits from just that one post, as well as two offers from local businesses that I plan to follow up with in the spring.
I do think it’s getting to be time for me to start a website, so that’s definitely on my list after this release.
What feedback have you received so far on your new book?
People are probably too nice, because I’ve been overwhelmed with so much positive feedback. It really makes me feel special!
Our own dentist has been supportive and kind and is selling copies in her office because she loves it so much. I read at Literacy Night at my old elementary school for the second year in a row. It worked out perfectly, as the book was released just the day before, and I was able to have copies ahead of time. There was so much positive feedback there! Several said they had family members in the dental field, and they couldn’t wait to share with them. I thought that was really cool!
Your second book released weeks before you welcomed your third child. I imagine there was the temptation to wait until after giving birth to work on a second book. What inspired you to push forward while in the midst of pregnancy? Would you recommend others do the same?
It was actually the pregnancy that fueled me to go ahead with my second publication. I had been sitting on the idea for this book for a bit and felt I had a pretty good rough draft. I knew if I waited until after having this baby that I might never find the perfect time. Having three kids is a whole different ballgame from what I hear! The only problem now is, I will have two children wondering why their names aren’t on the covers of my books.
I think the right time to publish depends on so many factors. The beginning of pregnancy is always very difficult for me, as I get very sick. Once I got through that part, I realized this was something I really wanted to pursue and get done before the baby was born. I just always encourage everyone to follow their dreams, and it will happen when the time is right.
Thanks again, and we can’t wait to hear about more readers falling in love with Charlotte!