Interview with Melitta Tchaicovsky

Author of Jyoti, The girl from Varanasi, India

Where are you from originally and where do you reside now?

I’m originally from Rio de Janeiro and now residing between the San Francisco Bay Area, Rio de Janeiro and Israel.

If you currently reside somewhere besides where you were born, what’s the story that lead from there to here?

I met my two children’s father in Rio de Janeiro, he was an American. We got married and I came to the states with him to visit his family. My son Amos, was born in Rio but Amanda was born in Mill Valley, California. I got divorced when Amanda was 1 year old so I went back to Rio with my kids there for four years and came back to Marin County, California.  My son traveled to Israel to work as a volunteer in a Kibbutz when he was 18 and ended up getting married to an Israeli. He currently is happy married with five children. My family has been living between Brazil, USA and Israel ever since.

What made you decide to write and publish your first book?

As a mother of two children and grandmother of five, I feel that it is especially important for children to learn about different ways of life of people and places around the world. I believe this knowledge leads to acceptance and appreciation of the other, and ultimately to a better world.
My daughter Amanda was a huge creative support for me to finish the book. Our idea was to continue creating books like this traveling around the world together,in her vacation, but unfortunately our plans got derailed earlier this year when she suddenly fell ill and passed away from an unusual and aggressive form of neuroendocrine cancer.
Amanda loved children and worked with inner city youth. She was a strong advocate of listening to the solutions young people had to solve problems and empowering them with tools and support to bring their solutions to life. She was driven by the belief that a sustainable and equitable just future requires the full participation of our youth today.  She co-founded and co-directed the NGO Youth Impact Hub Oakland.

How would you describe your books to first time readers?

The book is written for kids aged 8-12 and their parents who are interested to learn about Hindu culture and how different life is for children in other parts of the world.

Who do you feel is most likely to connect with the topics you write about?

Anyone who is curious about other children and how they live in different parts of the world. How hard they work and how they manage living with so little. I also think that the Indian immigrants community will connect showing the book to their children to learn about their culture in India.The book gives children great appreciation for what they are accustomed to in more developed countries.

What unexpected or surprising thing did you learn during the process of writing and publishing?

We decided to write in the voice of Jyoti to make it more personal so the child feels like Jyoti is talking to them directly. We had planned to have a whole series of these books featuring children. We have two other girls we photographed from an Indian Reservation in Brazil, and a Rajasthani Dancing Gypsy Girl that are in the works. Despite my daughter’s passing, I still plan to bring these books to life and continue to document the beautiful children I find around the world in Amanda’s memory.

If you could, what advice would you give to your past self before embarking on this journey?

I went with Balboa Press to help me stay accountable to complete the book. working with Balboa pres was helpful in this aspect only. From the aspect of transparency I am very disappointed. After one year that have not paid any royalty even though I created a video promo of the book that has rached

How many people would you ideally like to reach with your books?

I would like to reach kids ( and their parents) all over the world who are curious about other kids from other culture and how they live.

What has been the biggest challenge and frustration during the process to date?

Marketing and selling the book has been the biggest challenge and frustration. The result of sales when hiring a marketing specialist doesn’t cover the marketing costs . The publishing business in this way is challenging, so often I wonder how to reach those who would love it.  The biggest challenge and frustration is the lack of transparency from Balboa press. I have created a video to promote the book that has had 467 viewers (http://bit.ly/347vWHG) on Facebook and 266 viewers on youtube @( https://youtu.be/q4qiDgh1Qnk) and so far after one year I have not receive no royalty payment.

What’s your biggest strengths when it comes to book a) writing, b) publishing and c) marketing?

The creative content, the ideas, the photos and the story line are by far what we thrive on.

What’s your biggest weakness when it comes to book a) writing, b) publishing and c) marketing?

The publishing and marketing has been very challenging and is our biggest weakness.

When do you think you will write your next book?

We had two books in the series in the works when Amanda passed. Her death has obviously changed my life dramatically but I do plan to complete them and focus on them this coming yea in her memory.

Are you self published or did you use a hybrid publisher, or a traditional publisher?

I used Balboa Press for my first children book because I was very busy, I am also a graphic designer and video editor.My book was almost ready. I just needed a push and a professional to go over the text and edit what was necessary to look professional with no mistake. I will not work with Balboa Press again, because I lost control on my own created book, after one year of its release I have not been paid any royalty money. From now on I will self-publish unless I find a traditional book publisher interested in my series of CHILDREN FROM AROUND THE WORLD Books.