Local author, Morgan Matthews, being the #1 New Release in the category “Children’s Christian Early Readers Fiction” on Amazon last month.
“Establishing a career as an author has always been a dream of mine, yet not something I considered to be attainable. I want to give all the glory to God for any successes that I’ve had thus far, and for any I may have in the future,” said Matthews.
Matthews is the author of The Child Wore Pearls and My Eyes Don’t Work Like Yours.
The Child Wore Pearls is categorized as a “Young Adult (YA), Suspense” novel. It was published on Amazon in November of 2020 (Lagniappe Press, LLC).
Although rankings are constantly being updated and vary from day to day, The Child Wore Pearls, has been consistently in the top 100,000 books on Amazon since it was published in November of 2020.
She has also received numerous positive reviews of The Child Wore Pearls from book bloggers located throughout the United States, as well as other countries.
Her second book, My Eyes Don’t Work Like Yours, was published on Amazon in March of 2021 (Lagniappe Press, LLC).
My Eyes Don’t Work Like Yours is based after Matthews’ young son, Henry, who wears glasses.
My Eyes Don’t Work Like Yours became the #1 New Release in the category “Children’s Christian Early Readers Fiction” when it was first published on Amazon in March 2021.
“My 6-year-old son, Henry, has worn glasses since he turned two years old, and this children’s picture book was inspired by him and his story. With Henry being a very young child who wears eyeglasses, he is often asked why he needs them – to which he likes to respond, “My eyes don’t work like yours.” My hope is that this book will reach as many children who require vision correction as possible, and that they might relate to Henry and his experiences. However, the book really contains a much broader message of seeing ourselves the way that God does, which extends far past the scope of just the topic of children with eyeglasses. The story is told from a Christian perspective, and from the beginning I have felt strongly that it was divinely inspired. The book promotes inclusivity and social awareness in children. And, I pray that it would open a healthy dialogue between parents and their children regarding these topics,” Matthews said.
“The book is illustrated by a wonderful local artist, Rose Ann Holomon, who taught high school art for the Bossier Parish School Board for thirty-seven years. Rose Ann and I worked closely for several months as she helped bring my vision for the illustrations come to life,” she added.
Luckily, Matthews fans won’t have to wait long for another book. She is in the process of writing a second novel.
“I am currently in the process of writing a second “Young Adult” Suspense/ Psychological Thriller novel. It is not a continuation of The Child Wore Pearls, but rather another stand-alone story. I have completed an outline of the book and have written a rough draft of the first several chapters. I hope to have it published by the end of 2021. Please “Like” and follow my “Morgan Matthews – Author” Facebook Page for updates! You can also find a link to join my mailing list/ newsletter on the Facebook Page,” said Matthews.
Understanding how hard it might be to put yourself out there in the public eye, with a piece of your work, Matthews has some words of advice for inspiring writers. Write your book!
“My advice would just be to write your book! Try not to think too much when you first start out about the publishing process and how you’re going to get people to read your story – that will all come later. The reason most books are never published is because they were never finished. That was a promise I had to make to myself early-on – that I would finish the novel, no matter how long it took. You will never regret writing a story created entirely by your own mind and putting it out there into the world. It is scary for sure, and it is a lot of work, but you have the capacity to get it done, so long as you stay disciplined and committed to seeing it through,” said Matthews.
Matthews would like to thank, not only her family and friends, but the community, for their continued support with her career as a writer.
“Though I’m still very early in my career, I have been overwhelmed by the support I have received from so many. My husband, Trey, has been instrumental from the beginning in helping me to achieve my goals as a writer. Just knowing that my story has been read and enjoyed by so many already is so humbling. I would like to thank all of my friends and followers for their support and encouragement. The response to both of my books has been overwhelmingly positive, and that validation and support has meant the world to me. I hope to do this for the rest of my life,” said Matthews.
