Today’s blog post is a big highlight for us at TGW as we get to speak with an author and illustrator we’ve long admired, whose career has been a joy to follow, the talented creator of ‘The Adventures of Maddie and Albert.’ the one and only…Alexandra Adlawan! Stay tuned to learn about her writing process, how she deals with writer's block, and so much more!...

Hello and welcome to our blog! We have been eagerly anticipating this opportunity to converse with you ever since we were captivated by your debut book, ‘Wild Imagination.’

For those who may not yet be acquainted with your incredible work, could you tell us a bit about yourself and how you first discovered your love for crafting children's stories?

My name is Alexandra Adlawan, and I am an Autistic Author and Illustrator of the children’s book series, The Adventures of Maddie and Albert. Thank you to you and Golden Wizard for awarding my series your seal of approval.  I have been writing and drawing for as long as I can remember.  My love for books and reading is a blessing from my mother.  She always had time to take me to libraries, bookstores, and sit to read them with me.

What magical moments! We're fortunate too, that your passion for books has led to the creation of your incredible series. Every one of your stories is packed with excitement and fun! Do you consider yourself an adventurous person outside of your writing? 

I relate most to Albert.  Loves to read, very serious, follow the rules, and 100% accurate.  Maddie is like my mom, whom I want to be.  She is adventurous and with my Dad they always take me to many exciting places.  

How fantastic! Maddie and Albert are such brilliant protagonists. What’s your process for creating such extraordinary characters and storylines?

It is hard for me to say, because stories just pop into my head.  I love Maddie and Albert.  I created them when I was 14, along with a group of other characters that I plan to introduce in the future.  I have at least five more Maddie and Albert books planned for the series.

What great news! We can't wait! Now, it’s not every day you find an author who also illustrates their own work. Do you have a preference between writing and illustrating, or do you enjoy both equally?

Many have said that, and I think of myself as fortunate.  Because I write the stories and have the true sense of the characters, drawing seems to just fall in line as part of the process. During the Covid year I ventured out of the box when my father was asked by another author if I would be interested in illustrating her book.  At first, I refused because it was very hard for me to draw a set character, which I knew nothing about.  Plus being Autistic, it made it doubly difficult to step outside my box.  But my parents worked with me on the process, and it took six months to finish the first book, and, in the end, I illustrated the three-book series. I enjoy illustrating the most. The writing is the hardest part. Figuring out what each character is going to say. If the character is saying something factual, how do I write it in a way that the reader can understand? I sometimes come up with three different ways to say the same thing and choose the one that sounds the best. Once I’ve written it all out and roughly sketched and storyboarded it how I wanted, I start illustrating. 

With all that talent we’re also curious about your writing environment! How do you bring your books to life, and what strategies do you use to overcome writer's block?

No doubt I have writer’s block and sometimes it becomes frustrating when I second guess myself.  Most of the time when I am uncertain with a specific direction or concept, I will ask my parents or my mentor.  My parents think that this process is funny because they are of the opinion that when I do ask for their opinion, I will realize that my original direction has always been the better option.

That is funny and also heartwarming to learn how much you engage them in your endeavours!...Clearly your efforts are paying off, as your career appears to be thriving; you have a strong online presence and seem to be juggling a lot!

What would you say has been the highlight of your journey so far?

I go to many different conferences and events focused on disabilities and early childhood where I share my story of not allowing a disability to prevent me from going for my dream.  It’s hard, but with the support of my parents, who sacrifice and accompany me to all events, we share our family adventures. The best part for me and my parents are meeting other parents who have children with disabilities and see what we are doing.  They see that we are together and to them it is inspirational. The best part is when a parent or child sees me at different events and are excited to see another adventure for Maddie and Albert.

You are certainly an inspiring figure for many!...In reflecting on your contributions, which aspects of your work do you find to be the most fulfilling?And if you hadn’t embarked on this writing journey, what do you think you would be doing instead?

I love reading my books in local schools.  To see the reaction in the faces of the children as I read.  It just gives me a very warm feeling that I am touching their lives. Before writing my books, I went to a school for Autistic children who had an affinity for art and animation.  I wanted to be an animator.  In fact, you can see some of my animation on my website. Although my instructors said I was good at it, the process gave me more anxiety and stress on top of what I would normally have.

That is so interesting and we are glad you opted for what felt right. Speaking of your website, can you tell us more about your publishing company, Amazing Artists? What inspired you to start it?

When I told my parents that animation was not for me, my father asked me what I wanted to do.  I responded, “I would rather see my characters in books so people can hold the stories in their hands”. They accepted my decision, and my father promised me that if I completed a book, he would publish it. He created the publishing company for me.  He really believed in me and felt that self-publishing would be the best way to get my books faster than the traditional method. It took almost one year to finish Wild Imagination.  One day when picking up my dad at the airport from a business trip in China, as promised, he brought 250 copies of Wild Imagination.  My dream of holding a book that I created came true and I have not stopped.

Wow, and it’s amazing to see the significant strides you have taken since that time. In relation to your series, are there any exciting developments or future plans for ‘The Adventures of Maddie and Albert’ that you can share with us?

My father is working on creating a better online presence for me and is always trying to find ways to market me and stories. We are working on trying to gain some type of distribution in the UK.  Anyone interested out there?

Well, from our perspective, falling in love with the series is a given, so worldwide distribution is bound to occur. Considering your success so far, what advice would you give to aspiring writers looking to follow in your footsteps?

I have been very fortunate to a mom who is very supportive and always there for me regardless and a father who has the knowledge base to produce my books and merchandise such as dolls, stickers, book bags, etc. Bottom line, it takes a team.  Find people that know what you do not know and recruit them for advice and assistance.

That is amazing advice, thanks for sharing!...Lastly, where's the best place for our readers to get their hands on your sensational book series?

Currently, we offer the books for sale on our website. We are in the process of improving our Amazon presence and looking to extend our store to the UK. I would love to work with a UK bookstore/distributor to share The Adventures of Maddie and Albert, or perhaps an organization focused on Autism and Inclusion where I can share my story.

Well, here’s to hoping 'The Adventures of Maddie and Albert' achieve worldwide domination!

If you haven’t yet added this series to your collection, be sure to visit the website.

Plus, don’t forget to follow Alexandra on Instagram for the latest updates and a dose of inspiration!