Author Interview: Lizy J Campbell

*This edition’s featured author is Lizy J Campbell. Lizy is a self-taught artist and author. After you have finished reading her interview, please take a look at her social media pages and catch a glimpse of her beautiful artwork!

Who are your favorite authors?​

I have a wide variety of authors that I read, so to pinpoint it is difficult. But, if I had to choose​, I would say Harlan Coben, Mo Hayder, J.R.R. Tolkien, Dean Koontz, James Frey, Robert Munsch, John Grisham,​ and Stephen King. ​

​What are your greatest sources of inspiration?

For one, my kids. They motivate me to dream big and lead by ​example. ​Other sources of inspiration are my constant need to learn and grow as a human being. So anything that contains ​sources of information that will rewire the conditioned thought process to a positive way of thinking is amazing. Mindvalley is one of many sources I have studied. It helps me to focus on my goals and keep my focus. ​

​Do you have any current or future projects?​

I do, actually; I have a few. ​One is another children’s book, and another is a fantasy novel that has been in the writing stages for a while. I write poetry all the time, however, and have a current collection that I am growing to possibly be turned into another book as well. ​

​Do you have any blogs?

​I do, yes, it’s Liz Who the Funk, which has various articles about different subjects that I touch on. It also contains my​ artwork and price points for those who wish to become future clients. ​

​Where can people find your work?

You can find me at a lot of different sites. My most common name to look for is, LizzywhothefunkC Creations.​ I have Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and many other social media accounts. I also have an Etsy storefront where people can purchase artwork or custom art, such as pet portrait paintings, real estate watercolor artwork, and more. All are listed under the LizzywhothefunkC Creations name. My books, however, are available on Amazon under my Pen name, Lizy J Campbell. ​

​If you could feature just one title, what would it be? 

I would say my latest book, My Forgetful Mom. ​It is a very relatable and significant book for me as it reflects the kind of work I am trying to convey. I want people to relate and have a connection with the book. I want it to be the go to book after a busy day with work for the kids so they know just how much we love them and why we do the things we do. It is important that kids know that even though our time is sometimes limited, we love them and we are doing our best to give them what they need—both Mom and/or Dad. ​

​Do I have any other interests besides writing? ​

Yes, I am a writer, but I am an artist first. I love creating works of art that speaks to people. It fulfills my dream to know that my work makes people happy and heals them. My motto is, Making people smile, one creation at a time. And a little bit of me goes into each piece of artwork.

​Tell us something interesting about yourself. ​

Well, everything up to this point, I have done completely on my own. I am a self-taught illustrator, artist, writer, etc.—all through reading and online courses. I learned Photoshop through trial and error and am constantly pushing myself to do better. I carved my way into this industry with hard work and a lot of dedication. I never gave up on my dreams of becoming an illustrator, author, or anything I have set out to do. It hasn’t always been easy but, at the end of the day, this is exactly what I wanted to become, and I have made it possible my own way. ​

Anything else you want to share?

Well, I am an advocate and extremely passionate about children with special needs and mental health care. I believe that we need to be more understanding and compassionate when it comes to this issue. With that being said, I think people need to stop looking at physical signs for what people might look like when they are suffering with something. They are not always sad, and they are not always non-verbal, so seeing beyond the physical is essential. We really need to take the time to listen to others closely. And everyday smiling at someone, just saying hi, or giving a compliment and validating someone could be a significant thing for them, and it takes nothing at all to do that. Judge less and love more. I try and do that as much as possible because we all deserve to smile and enjoy this life we live now.