In every corner of the world, children look for a source of imagination—a source of light and joy in their lives that will bring happiness no matter the circumstances. And that is exactly what multi-award-winning children’s author A.M. (Amber) Berkowitz aims to do. Known for her ability to weave tales that capture the hearts of many young readers, Amber began her journey in 2018 and has continued to grow her brand, spread love and imagination, and keep the wonder of childhood alive.
With BookBaby, Amber has published three titles, which include Gigglet and Wigglet’s Alphabet Hop, The Magical Farm Mysteries, and Welcome Baby Wigglet. These have gone on to win multiple awards, build a strong fanbase, and have a positive impact around the world. However, despite her growing success, Amber hasn’t always envisioned herself as a children’s book author. In fact, her inspiration struck in the oddest of places—a spam email. Having worked in corporate America for over 25 years, Amber felt a creative void in her life. But one faithful morning, a singular misread subject line in a spam email forever changed the trajectory of her life.
[This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.]
BookBaby: We wanted to talk about your motivation. Did you always know you wanted to have a cute pig character or just know that children’s books were something you dreamed of exploring?
Amber: I had no idea I was going to be a book author until I woke up one morning and it happened. And in my past life, I was an opera singer, a musician, and a performer. I was really missing that side of life. I was missing the creativity.
So, I went to bed one night, and I had tears streaming down my face and a really heavy heart. But when I woke up the next morning, I got a spam email. In the subject line, it said “lit gadget,” but my brain read “Gigglet.” And so I wrote Gigglet at the top of my notepad, and out came the first story in about seven minutes.
And that’s how Gigglet was born. I was writing, and it was like my pen took on a mind of its own. I finished writing within seven or eight minutes, took the time to read it, and said, “Oh, my gosh, I just wrote a children’s book!”
Many have a lifelong dream of becoming an author, but some never think about writing until later in life. However, the idea of writing a book on your own can be daunting to some, which is why at BookBaby we strive to make the process of publishing and distributing as easy as possible. Before Amber began her journey with BookBaby, she did her research on her options and quickly realized that self-publishing was the best way to keep creative control and truly get her vision out into the world. So, when she was recommended BookBaby by her illustrator, she was thrilled.
BookBaby: We know that many have lifelong dreams of becoming an author; however, some authors spontaneously decide to write a story. But both want to have full creative control. So, self-publishing offers a nice, easy way to do just that!
Amber: Yes, for sure, and that’s why when I found my illustrator and she recommended BookBaby, I was thrilled! They offer such personalized service, and you’re not going to feel like just a number or just like another fish out in the pond. If something happens, something goes awry—because something always does—you get great service from them.
By calling BookBaby, Amber connected with one of our publishing specialists who was able to guide her through the process and make the creation of her books as smooth as possible. Not going through an unknown process alone brought peace of mind to Amber as she could “…easily reach out to BookBaby and could rely on them to respond to [her] right away… normally within 24 to 48 hours.” For Amber, BookBaby not only made her feel secure but also allowed her to have full creative control over everything, ensuring that she made the book she really wanted.
When she finally had the first copy of her book in her hands, Amber compared it to opening her very first Barbie as a child—a moment full of excitement, joy, and pride. From that point on, she knew her main character, Gigglet, was going to be a star.
BookBaby: I think a lot of our authors would like to promote their work and merchandise their books, similar to how you have. You have done a great job with all of your merchandise. So, how did you get your ideas off the ground?
Amber: I partnered with a group in Las Vegas. It’s a big organization called Spread the Word Nevada, and they help get books in the hands of children who are in underserved communities. They put books in schools because a lot of these children who go to these schools don’t have books to take home to their families to practice reading.
With her books making such a big impact in communities, Amber realized that the children enjoying her books yearned for something more. Something like Disneyland. So, she created mascots of her characters, Gigglet and Wigglet, so she could bring Disney to them!
Interactions with children only furthered her desire to bring joy into children’s lives, leading to the creation of her adorable merchandise, such as a plushie! Working alongside a manufacturer, Amber was able to create an object any child could carry around, cuddle, and love. And the reactions to her cute little creation only strengthened her brand and dream. She “…realized that [she] needs to keep going with this, with [her] storefront, and make things accessible and more relatable to children so that they can find the joy in reading… in imagination.” During her journey with Gigglet, she discovered she had a strong passion for keeping the wonderment alive for children—and that’s something she wishes to continue for a long time.
Her advice to other authors, whether thinking of self-publishing a book or questioning how to promote their products, is to find what works best for you. Do the research and find what will allow you to create the book or merchandise you want to create. For Amber, it was BookBaby. BookBaby guided her in a way that allowed her to keep her vision alive while also ensuring that her book became real. By utilizing the resources provided by BookBaby, Amber never had to worry about issues that arose during production, as BookBaby was always there by her side.
Amber: I have BookBaby there by my side, so I feel very fortunate that I found you all and to be able to keep a hundred percent of my creative rights around the work that I create.
Just like Amber, anyone can achieve their dreams with BookBaby. With our amazing team, we can guide you along the way, ensuring that your experience is as amazing as possible. No matter your story, your inspiration, or your vision, BookBaby aims to bring your ideas to life—while letting you keep creative control. Connect with BookBaby and begin turning your imagination into reality today!
