By VozEs
“Reading offers the chance to connect with your children; sitting down to read a story creates a physical and emotional bond.” So says Venezuelan writer Carol Van Pampus, who moved to the United States with her husband in 2012 to work as an export manager.
In addition to her current job, Carol is a children’s story writer; she tells us that she has loved reading since she was a child, used to write stories and poetry, and that it has always been a hobby that helped her escape, find peace, and connect with herself.
When Carol arrived in the United States, she went through a difficult experience that led her to writing: “I became pregnant with twins in 2014 and had a premature birth in which I lost my twins. That experience forced me to confront many things within myself, to explore aspects of myself I didn’t know existed; in the end, I found the strength to carry on,” the writer recounts.
She later became pregnant again, and found that children's stories were a way for her to bond with her baby and stay focused on what was important during her pregnancy.
While pursuing her certification as a holistic life coach, the author discovered the importance of early childhood, how children learn, and how their brains develop; as a result, her writing is based on stories that simply illustrate the use of emotional tools.
Her first book is titled *Living with Our Little Coachee* and includes a collection of stories that explore the challenge of being both a parent and a coach at the same time; her second book , *Ramón, Camila, and the Fairy Godmother*, aims to introduce children to the concept of visualization; it is intended for children from the prenatal stage through age 6.
“The Hispanic market needs more books like this in the children’s literature genre,” says Carol, who aims to make parenting easier through her writing.
"The main challenge of living and writing while adapting to life in the United States as a writer and mother has been organization and time management. In this country, doing what you love doesn’t necessarily mean you can make a living from it. However, through her writing, she aims not only to inspire parents but also to show her daughters that you can achieve your dreams by reinventing yourself and finding a way," she says.
“The United States is a country that gave me a second chance to start over; that has always made me love it dearly and not feel like an outsider, even though I miss my country, my people, and my culture.”
Carol tells us that she writes down everything that comes to mind every day, and that helps her clear her head and stay more focused, especially during these pandemic times. She also practices meditation; “the combination of writing and meditation is the perfect mix,” she emphasizes.
Four more books are in the works; in 2020,*Venezuela en Libertad* will be published, a book that shares the perspective of a girl whose parents are Venezuelan migrants. It describes what life in Venezuela would be like. “It’s a bit like the nostalgia you feel when you miss your homeland,” says Carol.
"Between You and Me " is a storybook for expectant mothers to read starting from the moment the baby is in the womb, and it includes a section for notes that can later serve as a keepsake to share with their children.
Carol is also planning her first book in English—which is still untitled—as a test for the English-speaking market; it will be aimed at parents of newborns. The story is about a boy who searches everywhere for his mother and finds her meditating inside a closet, where she explains the importance of meditation to him.
Follow the writer on her website and Instagram.
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