Episode 10

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Published on:

15th Jun 2026

Carolyn Leiloglou

Episode 10 – Carolyn Leiloglou

When her picture book about libraries launched in May 2020, when not a single library was open, Carolyn Leiloglou didn’t give up.

In this episode of My First Book Story, Meredith Davis talks with award-winning middle grade fantasy author Carolyn Leiloglou about the long road to her first published book, Library’s Most Wanted. Carolyn shares how childhood dreams of writing went dormant until motherhood reignited them, how a COVID launch when libraries were closed made her fear her publishing career was over, and how finishing her first novel on her 40th birthday opened the door to her award-winning series, The Restorationists. Carolyn shares her journey with candor, warmth, and hard-won wisdom.

Books mentioned

  • Library’s Most Wanted (Amazon – https://www.amazon.com/Librarys-Most-Wanted-Carolyn-Leiloglou/dp/1455625175)
  • Beneath the Swirling Sky (Amazon – https://www.amazon.com/Beneath-Swirling-Restorationists-Carolyn-Leiloglou/dp/0593579542)

Links

  • Carolyn Leiloglou (https://www.carolynleiloglou.com)
  • Meredith Davis (https://meredithldavis.com)
  • Sarah Pogue (https://www.sarahpogue.com)
  • Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators (https://www.scbwi.org)
  • 12x12 Picture Book Challenge (https://12x12challenge.com)
  • Cricket Magazine (https://cricketmedia.com)
  • Highlights Magazine (https://www.highlights.com)
  • NaNoWriMo (https://nanowrimo.org)
  • Read Aloud Revival (https://readaloudrevival.com)
  • Waterbrook (https://waterbrookmultnomah.com)
  • Episode Webpage (https://open.substack.com/pub/meredithdavis/p/carolyn-leiloglous-first-book-story)

Theme music by Nate Davis

Produced by Clay Davis

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About the Podcast

My First Book Story
Interviews with successful authors about their journeys to their first published book
Welcome to My First Book Story, where I interview successful authors about their journeys to their first published book. Whether you’re still chasing your first book contract, going after the next one, or pursuing some other dream, these short interviews will inspire you to keep going.

Have you ever wondered how to break through an editor’s slush pile and breach the publishing wall? There are many paths to success, and each one is different. Mine was more than a decade in the making, others happened almost overnight. But the one thing each of these stories has in common is that it ends with a published book in the hands of readers.

I’m Meredith Davis, a traditionally published children’s book author living in Austin, Texas, a hotbed of talented book writers and illustrators. I’ve been in this world for thirty years, I’ve heard some great stories, and I can’t wait to share them with you.

About your host

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Meredith Davis

Meredith Davis is the author of THE MINOR MIRACLE and THE MINOR RESCUE, books one and two in THE AMAZING ADVENTURES OF NOAH MINOR series (Waterbrook, 2024/25) and co-author of HER OWN TWO FEET: A RWANDAN GIRL’S BRAVE FIGHT TO WALK (Scholastic, 2019). She once worked at an independent children’s bookstore, started the Austin Chapter of SCBWI, and earned her Masters of Fine Arts in Writing for Children and Young Adults at VCFA. Her superpowers include reading, grandmothering, and finding ways to fit more books in her Austin, Texas home.