Sarah Cullen is one of the children’s authors behind Ocean Tale’s Children’s Books. Together with her sister Carmen, she has penned Nellie the Narwhal, and Spike: The Penguin With Rainbow Hair. Ocean Tales Children’s Books was created to spread joy and hope to all the ocean-loving kids and parents around the world. If that weren’t exciting enough, these fabulous sisters own Majestic Whale Encounters, a company that takes people swimming with whales in beautiful places all over the world!
We’re talking to Sarah about being a mum and an author.
Amanda: When did you first get the idea to start writing children’s books and how long did it take you to publish the first one?
Sarah: The idea came a few years ago. It was something my sister and I spoke about while running our whale tour business, but it wasn’t until COVID came along that we shifted gears and really got things moving. The journey from conception to print took about 9 months.
Amanda: Can you tell me about some of the challenges you faced along the way and that you still face on a daily basis?
Sarah: Wow, there are so many learning curves in this industry! I think one of the biggest challenges is the fact that we’re in Australia, while our biggest market is in America. Dealing with things like postage costs, shipping, exchange rates, and even just the spelling in our book. For the second book, we decided to put it on Amazon with American spelling, but our hardcovers that will arrive in Australia in a few months’ time will have English/Australian spelling.
Amanda: I know what you mean. I’m in the UK and my biggest market is in America, too. Tell me, how does being a mum impact your goal-setting and achievement?
Sarah: When you’re a mum, you need to manage time more efficiently. But I have found that since time is more precious, I tend to work harder and not procrastinate as much as I used to. I guess the downside is when you have to work late at night or in the day with the little ones around.
Amanda: I can certainly empathise with that! What steps do you take to raise your profile both online and in real life?
Sarah: Instagram is where I have the most success. The key to building your profile is to network, network, network! I follow hashtags related to my topic and like, comment, and also share the work of others. Personally, I don’t ask too much of others. I find that if I build a good relationship with someone, they often come to me with an offer of help or to collaborate. It’s all give and take, so you need to be prepared to put in the time and also play the long game. I’m also going to be investing in Amazon ads. I also find that giving school presentations raise my profile a lot.
Amanda: Oh yeah, school presentations are fantastic. I love doing them myself. Can you tell us what has helped you become successful?
Sarah: It’s a combination of so many things: social media/schools/networking, etc. The most successful tactic I have is to not say no! As long as it’s not costing me money (although sometimes I will pay for something if it’s worthwhile), I will always say yes to something that’s going to get me seen. Even if it makes me feel uncomfortable, or if it’s something I’m not familiar with, I say yes and then work out how to do it. For example, I was asked to present for International Women’s Day and I had no idea what I was going to say. I said yes to it and, of course, it all worked out. I have spoken on the radio a few times, and the first time, I was so scared! But, you really need to push yourself outside your comfort zone, as it’s the best way to grow.
Amanda: Haha, I almost fainted during my first radio interview! But you’re right, pushing yourself out of your comfort zone is essential. What are you working on at the moment?
Sarah: Our third book is being illustrated (should be released in a few months), and we are working on a storyline for our fourth book, which will be out next year. We were recently approached by a company to do an audiobook, so this week I will be heading to the studio to produce the content for this. That’s another example of something I’ve never done before, but I said yes to.
Amanda: Wow, that’s so exciting! What’s the best thing that has come out of following your dreams?
Sarah: The best part is holding a book in your hands and knowing it’s yours. That you worked on it from start to finish and people actually enjoy reading it! Whenever someone tells me that their child loves our book, it makes my heart so full, and all that hard work is worth it.
Amanda: Yes, that always helps! Who has been instrumental in helping you achieve your goals?
Sarah: My husband has been the biggest support, and without him, I wouldn’t be where I am today. He is amazing.
Amanda: That’s so lovely. Is there someone you really admire in your life?
Sarah: I admire my mum. She raised four girls to all have great morals, and I find myself parenting in exactly the same way as she did. All ten of her grandkids adore her and respect her so much. She also inspired my love of rhymes for a very young age.
Amanda: How wonderful! What’s the best advice you can give to anyone who has a dream?
Sarah: Absolutely go for it! Put in the hard work, be patient, and just keep moving forward each day. It can be a long road sometimes, but it’s really worth pursuing.
Amanda: Thank you for your time and for sharing some of your amazing life with us. You can buy Sarah and Carmen’s fantastic books here:
Next week, we’re interviewing Sarah’s sister, Carmen Ellis, about founding the whale tour company, so join us again on Saturday for our next ‘Inspirational Mums’ interview!
