Kathy J Perry - July 2025 Featured Author
As a former classroom teacher and homeschool mom, Kathy J Perry always had a heart for educating youth. She set her mission and formed her own publishing company, Chickadee Words, LLC where she strives to impact children and teens through wonderful stories full of timeless character struggles. Kathy J Perry would love to visit your school!
Congrats on your recently released early reader chapter book series, Oakwoods, which was released in April 2025. Tell us a little about it!
“We work on diligence every single day,” said a homeschool mom. This led me to write Pip O’Possum, where Pip thinks chores are BORING. He’d rather play than work. He grows up realizing there’s always time for play. Work, Then Play.
Sally Skunkskin came to me from a critical relative, actually. Unpleasant at first, Sally grows to be a kind, friendly neighbor. Grumbles to Grateful.
Benjamin Bat is boastful—full of himself. He grows to realize he’s part of a bigger world, for better or worse. Humility.
Nuts is a story about a greedy squirrel which is based on actual observations from our office window. Two squirrels argued over a nut, while a third squirrel ran in and stole it from them both. Ha! In this story, Poppy discovers a better way. Teamwork.
Jeremy Jay has a claw defect and is hard on himself about it, though everyone else encourages him. He grows to understand that no one is perfect and that everyone has strengths and weaknesses. He makes the best of it and becomes an encourager himself. Resilience.
Bonus! Each book has discussion questions, a glossary, and facts about the main animal after the story.
How did you get started? Did you always want to be a children's author?
One of my favorite classes in college was Children’s Literature (aka Kiddie-Lit). I even relaxed sometimes by reading A. A. Milne’s Winnie-the-Pooh. After teaching, raising a family, and working for decades, I decided to semi-retire. But I still wanted to help youth develop good character.
One day, my daughter and I browsed around a Strawberry Fling festival, and I noticed the artwork of a talented artist. She painted the cutest alphabet animal cards. “Wouldn’t those be cute in a children’s book?” I said. The idea was born! Ideas can come from anywhere, can’t they?
How have you stayed connected to the writing community?
I have joined a few local writing groups over the years, Alliance of Independent Authors, The History Quill, SCBWI, and have mentored two other authors to get their books published. My YouTube channel features interviews with other authors as well. My bi-monthly blog and my email subscribers receive these posts. I’ve entered giveaways and awards. Pip O’Possum just won the International Firebird Award for the first quarter of 2025. I’ll enter Sally next. Sally Skunkskin was a Finalist in The Wishing Shelf Awards.
How has networking with other writers helped you along the way?
There’s always so much to learn, even now. My writer friends are priceless. Besides encouragement, they offer helpful advice via beta reading, critiques, and other helpful publishing/marketing tips.
Who would you say influences you and your writing?
I observe and listen to others—especially children. I take note of problems that prevail in the realm of character and study them.
What do you love about being a writer?
I love it all: the research (can get lost in it), the drafts, revisions, working with others (editors, proofreaders, designers, printers), and in-person events later.
What do you do when you are not writing?
I still work three days each week in the office with Van’s Fence. I love working there and my salary enables me to continue writing and publishing. I’m a wife to my husband of 44 years and mother of our two grown daughters. I also enjoy gardening, painting, and fixing up houses, when I’m not helping other writers with their work. ☺
What are you currently working on? Anything else upcoming you'd like us to know about?
My next project is Young Emeline—a prequel to the Emeline series—Christian historical fiction. Based in the 1880s, we will meet Emeline when she is 8-10 years of age, and both her parents are alive and well. It’s a story that’s been requested by readers of A Journey and Finding Strength: During the Panic of 1893. Look for it in 2026. ☺