An Exclusive Interview with Dr. LaVern McCants, the Highly Recognized Author
Dr. LaVern McCants, an education expert and author of numerous books on educational issues, says that “the lives of students, educators, and school support staff should outweigh other factors.”
In a recent statement, McCants expressed that “schools should only provide remote learning during the pandemic. The virus will continue to spread if schools reopen.
It is unrealistic that students would continuously practice social distancing while at school. Schools are a hot spot. Lives are precious. One person infected by the virus is too much!”
Dr. LaVern McCants is a success and role model for today’s youth.
GrindSuccess Magazine recently caught up with McCants to discuss her journey to authorship and here’s what went down:
Table of Contents
Could you please tell our readers a brief background about yourself?
My name is LaVern McCants. I am an author, motivational speaker, and School Improvement Consultant. I have been writing books for many years. My late mother was also an author. I was exposed to the world of writing as a young girl. Besides following my late mother’s path, I also have a great passion for writing.
Most of the books that I have written are either self-help books or education-related books. I have written many books for both children and adolescents. I spent many years in the educational field and pursued higher education in the field of education. I hold two master’s and a doctorate in education.
I believe that having the insight to write on relevant school-related issues reaches deeper than research and my decades of experience in education. I had numerous exceptional leaders and role models in education that I learned the essentials of reaching students and guiding them in a direction that provides countless opportunities toward a successful future.
These leaders include outstanding school administrators, exceptional professors, and great teachers that were role models and advisors that demonstrated high-quality and fine teaching. They made significant impacts during my advancements.
These individuals provided significant contributions that supported and expanded my knowledge on effective methods of effectively educating diverse student populations.
I have spent most of my adulthood, enabling youth to reach their potential and live their best lives. It started as an educator and extended as a writer. I live my life, providing guidance and direction for youth.
Most of my books for parents and teachers are heavily researched-based and geared toward providing solutions on how to move schools forward to produce high-quality schools, whereas students reach their potential, thus are in a strong position to compete in today’s society.
The books that I write for men and women range from books on relationships, inspiration, and more. Writing books is one of my greatest passions. I love to read, research, and provide findings related to my theories. I usually write with an effort to expand one’s knowledge. Newly learned knowledge that is implemented often changes circumstances.
How long have you been writing?
I have been writing books since the early nineties.
Which of your books is your favorite?
I have three books for youth that are my favorite books. These books are as follows: Wise Girl Talk; What Every Teenager Needs to Know: Choices That Lead to a Promising Future and From Boy to Manhood: Every Boy Has an Opportunity to Become a Great Man.
These books are highly recommended because they are life-changing books for youth. These books address issues that many youth face throughout their childhood and adolescent stages.
How long does it take you to write a book?
Most of my books are research-based. A book could easily take me a few years to write.
How many times in your career have you experienced rejection? How did they shape you?
I welcome this question. It is very realistic. As an author, after spending years doing a massive amount of research and writing, it is likely to assume that a book would automatically become a success, which is often not the case for most writers.
If an author is a renowned or a novice writer, if he or she creates a written work, such a person generally believes that their work would succeed. It would be challenging to spend years working on a futile, pointless project with such a notion.
In essence, when I first became a writer of literacy works, I was overly optimistic that each book that I wrote would become an overnight success. I liked what I wrote, so I thought my books would be well received by anyone who read the titles. Instead, I was unpleasantly surprised to discover that it took many years to become recognized as an author.
Since I have a passion for writing, I do it for the love of writing, hoping that my work would positively influence many, but at the same time realizing that some books will sell, or other books will only be purchased by my family members.
It took many years for me to become recognized as a professional writer. According to Statista, there were over 45,800 writers in the United States in 2019. There are more than 45,800 because this number only includes writers in the U.S. and does not include many self-publishers.
Being a professional writer is an incredibly competitive profession that usually offers more disappointments than accomplishments, but there is always a feeling of accomplishment to complete a book.
Where do you get your ideas?
I honestly believe that the Lord inspires my ideas. When I write and often during the pre-writing stage, my writing ideas feel like a gift from God.
I may be in the middle of cooking, exercising, or doing something that I consider worthless, and ideas for a book and the necessary contents to write the book would be revealed to me as a. passing thought.
What was the biggest challenge you faced in your journey to becoming a widely recognized author? How did you overcome it?
The biggest challenge I faced was spending years working on projects that some publishers were not interested in reading, which became incredibly discouraging at times.
However, after many years of being an aspiring author, my work finally became noticed by individuals with power and influence.
After some time, I started getting both national and international attention. I am not an overnight success. I was a working progress for many years.
What challenge or failure did you learn the most from in your writing career? What lessons did you learn?
As an aspiring author, I learned that I could not depend on book sales to pay my mortgage. I needed to have a full-time job and remain a part-time writer.
I also learned that even once a major trade publisher shows interest in your books, that they often only pay between $1.00 and $1.25 per book sale in royalties, and they do not typically offer an advance on a book until an author becomes a writer that produces salable writing material.
It often takes many years for an author to reach a level in his or her career, whereas he or she becomes financially stable as a writer.
Can you share a little about your recent books?
I have two books that just recently went on the market. Both books were released in December 2020. One of the books is titled, Single Lady Wise Talk: The Rule-Changer. I find this book an excellent read for single women.
It forces single women to appreciate their worth and make good choices because they deserve nothing but the best. Additional information about this book and ordering information can be found at www.singleladywisetalk.com.
My other recently published book is Wise Girl Talk. Wise Girl Talk was written for an audience of teenage girls. It stresses significant and widespread issues that most teenage girls face despite their ethnicity, race, or culture.
I worked with the teenage population for many years, and I have had much success with this population. More information about this book can be found at www.wisegirltalk.com.
These books can be purchased on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, www.lavernmccants.com, or by phone from the publisher at 212-692-0000.
What are you most excited about working on the next book?
I have two books going on the market later this year, but pre-orders can be placed at www.lavernmccants.com. Drafts of the books are currently in the editor’s hands.
These books are titled, Every Girl Deserves to Live Her Dreams and From Boy to Manhood: Every Boy Has the Opportunity to Become a Great Man. In both of these books, my primary objective is to inspire and influence youth to follow their dreams.
In these books, I empower youth to become whatever they choose to become in life. I enable them not to have any doubts or any fears. My desire is for our future leaders and youth who are not desirous of becoming leaders to realize that they can obtain what they desire and never place limitations on themselves.
I highly encourage parents to encourage their youth to read these two excellent books. Readers can read more about these books and place pre-orders at www.everygirldeservestoliveherdreams.com and www.fromboytomanhood.com.
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