Lindsey Pope is a U.S.-based author who is passionate about sharing laughter and love through writing.
A writer for as long as she can remember, she self-published an uplifting book entitled Found in Faith in August 2018. Her next book, Wisdom from the Womb, is more on the humorous side and aims to help give expecting moms something to laugh at during their pregnancy. Her first children's picture book, Sheldon's Time, was released in August 2022.
Outside of writing, Lindsey leads workshops related to mental health and writing. On a more personal note, she is the proud mother of an amazing daughter who keeps her on her toes. She also loves shopping (even grocery store shopping), positive energy movements like yoga, and dancing.
In this Q&A, we asked Lindsey a few questions about her inspiration, themes, and the message she wants to share with young readers.
1. What inspired you to write Sheldon's Time?
Usually, my characters "talk" to me in my head, and then I write down the story they're telling me. Originally, Sheldon started talking to me and telling me his story, and that came through as a poem. As I shared Sheldon's story with others, I received feedback that people had never read a children's story with such a theme (needing alone time). I also did research and couldn't find any other books like it. So I knew I had something special, which inspired me to bring Sheldon's story to life as a children’s picture book.
2. Why did you choose a crab as the main character?
I knew right away that Sheldon was a crab because that's how he came through as he was telling me his story. I didn't have a name for him at first, so I called him "Crabby"! But I knew the name Crabby didn't work well because he has a very nice personality. I eventually landed on Sheldon as I love fun wordplay.
3. What do you want to tell readers with your story?
I want the kids who sometimes want or need some time and space to themselves to feel like that is perfectly okay. In researching this topic, I found that if a character wants to be alone, they're often depicted as grouchy or unhappy. I wanted to show that you can have a healthy balance between spending time alone and with your friends and family and that this time alone is a healthy, accepted concept.
4. How do the illustrations complement the text?
My illustrator Nadja Bullis did a tremendous job of bringing Sheldon's Time to life through her gorgeous illustrations. You can see Sheldon and his friends interacting, and this makes the story more fun. I especially love the scenes where he is imagining himself inside the book he is reading—these scenes are so dynamic.
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