Megan Rogers, a mother and dancer-turned-author, chatted about becoming a literary sensation with her children’s books.
Rogers also discussed balancing motherhood with her writing career, and being a part of the Internet age.
Background on Megan Rogers
Rogers is a mother of three and a former professional dancer for the NFL who has taken Santa’s sleigh by the reins to become a successful children’s book author. She has been able to sell over 13,000 children’s books by herself.
Her dance career took a heartfelt turn after the passing of her mother. This pivotal moment inspired her transition into the literary world, culminating in the creation of her beloved children’s book, “Rosie Finds Her Shine.”
Writing process as an author
On her writing process as an author, she shared, “My day-to-day writing is inspired by the season of life I am currently in; social media captions and prayer journal entries catch the brunt of that.”
“With my first published work, I was able to draw a lot of inspiration from my experiences in dance and stage performances. I also drew from a place of grief over losing my mom balanced with love for my girls. Writing that first book was quite the project, so interlaced with pain and peace,” she explained.
Future plans
Regarding her future plans, she remarked, “I would love to release a toddler board book, a Rosie coloring book, and the second story in the Rosie series. As we spread the word about Rosie the Reindeer, I am prayerful that more opportunities will open doors because Rosie is a shoo-in for a children’s television show or movie.”
“My big goal with Rosie is to see her as a Macy’s Day Parade float someday,” she added.
Balancing motherhood and writing
On balancing motherhood and writing, she noted, “I don’t. I am just a regular mom out here, killing it in the motherhood department some days and not so much the other days.”
“Some days, I work, and some days, I accomplish nothing except keeping the tiny humans alive. It’s a difficult struggle, and I have had to pace myself. It’s easy to compare myself to moms who seem to have it together on social media,” she said.
“I constantly remind myself that I can only take one step at a time and get things done as I can, and I shouldn’t compare my habits or journeys to someone else’s. There’s no mold,” she noted.
“I’m answering this seriously: I would love to say this is balanced, but I haven’t yet caught my stride with work/home equilibrium. To answer these questions, I agreed to let my two-year-old skinny dip with the dog in a plastic kiddie pool filled with bubble solution. Yep, you read that correctly; there’s no water involved. He’s distracted,” she elaborated.
The digital age
On being a part of the digital age, she said, “My feelings lie somewhere between ‘highly overwhelmed’ and ‘wow, that really made my life easier.’ It is pretty cool that you can keep up with everything at lightning speed, and it is also super scary how uncapped the amount of information we consume daily is.”
“I find it helpful and hurtful. I love that so many people can create and share or make a name for themselves by promoting their skill sets. At the same time, I feel mentally drained sometimes because technology never wants you to rest and reset,” she added.
Career-defining moments
On her career-defining moments, she revealed, “Changing careers in my mid-thirties has been highly defining.”
“As with any new season of life, this one came stocked full of emotion: grief, pain, anger, denial, fear, embarrassment, and doubt… Oh man, this is starting to sound like the plot for another Disney ‘Inside Out’ movie,” she acknowledged.
“I was active in dance for 33 years and a dancer for the NFL, then took a nose dive into the unknown (cue Elsa). You don’t know your strength until you strip everything away and start over,” she said.
“I laid everything down to write this story and make myself available to God and my family. It’s been a wild ride, but completely worth it,” she added.
Advice for young and aspiring authors
For young and aspiring authors, she encouraged them to “just start.”
“There’s plenty of space in the world for your idea. Look up local writers’ clubs in your town, join Facebook support groups, hire an author coach, make notes of the artists and authors you love, and follow their journeys for inspiration. Your story is worth telling. Don’t let fear of failure keep you from finding your shine,” she elaborated.
Success
On her definition of success, she said, “Success, for me, is being able to live in peace. Even though dance was always a passion and talent of mine, I had no inner peace from day to day. Stress followed me from work to home. It was seeping into every relationship that I had.”
“God called me out of dance and into a new creative space I had no clue how to navigate. It was scary, but the obedience has paid off. I’ve never felt such peace like this,” she added.
Fans and supporters
For her fans and supporters, she said, “We’re just so appreciative of the local love I’ve had from our small town. We are also so thankful for every school and boutique that has taken a chance on this new Christmas tale.”
“It’s a blessing to be a part of everyone’s imagination, dream-shaping, and Christmas traditions in some small way. I hope you’ll stick with us as we grow and shape Rosie the Reindeer,” she concluded.
To learn more about Megan Rogers, follow her on Instagram and visit her website.