Our December guest is Rebecca Wilson Macsovits.

An accomplished business leader and creative professional, Rebecca Wilson Macsovits, is the author of “Guion the Lion,” a children’s book that celebrates differences and encourages empathy. Throughout her career, Rebecca has led initiatives to help companies engage with clients in rewarding and productive ways, and her creative spirit has led her to extend her talents to the children’s literature space.

Rebecca is a Colorado mother of three, including her oldest son, Guion, who has Down Syndrome. He inspired her to create the world of Guion the Lion, which shows children – and adults, too – how being curious about others and opening their minds to different perspectives can lead to new adventures – and fun!

When Rebecca isn’t busy dreaming up new adventures for Guion the Lion, she’s Chief Brand Officer of Kemmons Wilson Companies where she supports corporate and the portfolio companies in their efforts to refine their brands, build awareness, grow sales, and strengthen their employee engagement programs. She also sits on the board of Kemmons Wilson Insurance Group.

Rebecca earned an MBA in Finance and Operations from Vanderbilt University and a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics from Wake Forest University.

Committed to improving her community, Rebecca is Secretary of the Board for the Denver Zoo, Finance Chair for the Kemmons Wilson Family Foundation, a member of Constellation – a philanthropic group focused on early childhood education in Colorado – and organizes a team for the Step Up Walk for Down Syndrome.

If you would like to purchase Rebecca Wilson Macsovits’, Guion the Lion, you can find a copy here.

Tell us a little about your writing journey. Have you always wanted to be a writer?

Honestly, no. I was a math major because I loved the black and white nature of the work – there is always a right answer. When I had Guion, I had the idea of a children’s book to really share my message and express my thoughts. I started studying how to write for children. I attended several writer’s conferences geared towards children’s books, participated in a few writers circles where we shared manuscripts and offered feedback and I read a ton of children’s books to get a better handle on how I wanted to approach my story.

Was there a certain point you remember where you felt empowered to call yourself a writer? Or have you always felt like you were a writer?

I really felt empowered when I finished the manuscript and published the book. That being said, I think I’m always evolving and striving to become better as a writer.

I really felt empowered when I finished the manuscript and published the book.

Your book, “Guion the Lion,” was lovingly inspired by your son Guion. When you initially thought of the idea to write about him, what does it mean to you that you chose the lion figure?

That’s a fun question. First, I love animals and children often connect with them so that’s how we got to animals as characters. Why a lion? These beautiful creatures are known for their courage and I wanted a character that would embody that characteristic – I got lucky that it rhymes with Guion.

The illustrations do an amazing job of showing your powerful message. What was it like to work with an illustrator, and/or were you able to help conceptualize the characters?

I was grateful to work with a local illustrator and working with Milena Kirkova was a dream - not only is she an amazing artist but she is extremely creative and thoughtful in her approach. She took conceptually what I had thought of these characters – all inspired by family members – and brought them to life.

Why did you choose to write a children’s book versus another genre?

I had a specific message to share and children are my audience. Judgements are formed at an early stage in children’s development. My goal was to reach out to kids when they are still forming their opinions to impress upon them the importance of staying open-minded and listening to others.

The bonus is that at this age, parents are typically reading the stories to their kids and learning along side them.

I thought a beautifully illustrated and written children’s book that engaged a child with adventure would be most impactful. I think we got it right, as the feedback we have received is that people can identify with the different characters and this allows us to get our message out even more.

Describe your writing and/or creative process.

We (I worked with my team) started with the end in mind. We asked ourselves what is our message and then asked how can we best get this message across? Once we identified our message, we explored a few different story lines before landing on the one we published. We always kept our goal in mind to ensure we had a meaningful and desired impact.

How long did it take you to write the book?

9 months or so – we were deliberate and wanted to get it right

I love the questions about the book at the end, and the family activities. What inspired you to include those pieces?

It’s a quasi-lesson plan to help parents better engage their children with the message of the book. I know for sure I wish I had more of these when my kids were younger. And we included the activities to encourage families to reinforce the learnings outside of the book.

What was your biggest writing obstacle and how did you overcome it?

Yikes! For me, the editing process. I view my work critically and am constantly challenging myself to make sure things are to the best of my ability. I found that self-imposed deadlines can be helpful to keep the process moving.

I found that self-imposed deadlines can be helpful to keep the process moving.

What is the part of your published work or writing process you are most proud of?

The publication of the book and the initial response to the book has been so rewarding.

What motivates you to keep writing?

I really want to make a positive impact on as many lives as I can and that inspires me to keep pushing my mission. As I shared, the initial feedback has been really positive and has encouraged me to continue on this path.

What is the biggest piece of advice you would give to aspiring writers?

Work on your craft. Conferences may not be as accessible today, but look into webinars, research writers’ groups, network with others in the same space, and be open to feedback. When you take the time to listen to someone’s perspective you might find your own improving. And schedule time in your calendar to actually write!

When you take the time to listen to someone’s perspective you might find your own improving.

If you would like to purchase Rebecca Wilson Macsovits’, Guion the Lion, you can find a copy here.

If you know an author (or of an author) you would love to read an interview with, email me at rachel@capturingyourconfidence.com or submit a suggestion here!

Interview with an Author: Rebecca Wilson Macsovits