An author's story of not having a seat at the table, so she built her own table

As a first time self-published author and while starting to dip my toes into the non-profit pool, I was quickly introduced to Charity. She has written over 15 books, runs a non-profit, and has a publishing company! Truly a star!! I am so excited that Charity wanted to be a part of Bigfoot Books as well and now we get to sit down together to learn a little bit more about the woman behind Purple Diamond Press and Charity's Readers for Tomorrow.

Kayla: Thank you again Charity for having this interview with me and partnering with Bigfoo Books. I am so excited for everyone else to get to meet you, can you give a quick introduction about yourself?

Charity: Hi! I’m Charity M. Harris—children’s author, publisher, and founder of Purple Diamond Press. I wear a lot of hats, but at my core, I’m a storyteller who believes books can shape how children see themselves and the world around them. I started my journey as an author and eventually built a publishing company and nonprofit to expand the impact beyond just my own books.

Kayla: That is so amazing and I love watching your journey. Can you tell us more about your books, business, and your nonprofit for anyone who doesn't know about all of your endeavors?

Charity: Yes! My books focus on social-emotional learning, kindness, inclusion, and representation. I’m best known for my What If We Were series, which encourages kids to think about empathy, friendship, honesty, generosity, and more—all in a way that’s age-appropriate, engaging, and hopeful.

Purple Diamond Press is my publishing company, where we publish inclusive children’s books and support other authors who want to make a positive difference through storytelling. Alongside that, I founded a nonprofit called Charity’s Readers for Tomorrow, which helps get books into classrooms and communities that may not otherwise have access to them. Everything I do—business or nonprofit—centers on access, literacy, and impact.

Kayla: I seriously love everything that you do. What inspired you to become such an avid writer?

Charity: Writing became my voice before it became my career. I faced a lot of barriers early on—especially in the traditional job market—and storytelling gave me a way to create opportunity where none existed. I realized that if I couldn’t find a seat at the table, I could build my own table—and invite others to sit with me. Writing children’s books felt natural because stories can reach hearts early and stay with kids for life.

Kayla: Yes! Your advocacy is so important and I am sure inspiring to many! I have read about half of your boos and just love them all. Which book was your first book? Can you tell us about your writing process?

Charity: Thank you! My first book was What If We Were All The Same! It came from a simple but powerful question that children already ask—and adults sometimes forget to answer thoughtfully.

My writing process is a mix of intuition and structure. I usually start with a message or feeling I want a child to walk away with, then build the story around that. I write fairly quickly, but I spend a lot of time revising—making sure the language flows, the message is clear, and the story still feels joyful, not preachy.

Kayla: It's all about the children! What has been the most challenging part of becoming an author and small business owner?

Charity: Wearing all the hats. Creative work is one thing—running a business is another. Learning logistics, contracts, printing, distribution, marketing, and team management has been challenging, especially while staying true to my mission. But every challenge has pushed me to grow as a leader and build something sustainable, not just successful.

Kayla: I am pretty sure I will forever be learning how to run a business haha What have been the best moments you’ve had as an author and small business owner?

Charity: School visits—hands down. Seeing kids light up when they recognize themselves in a book never gets old. Another huge moment was when my book was donated to thousands of students through a professional sports organization and later featured on international platforms. Those moments reminded me that stories can travel farther than we ever imagine.

Kayla: What an accomplishment! And to be able to see how your stories bring joy to kids must be the best feeling ever. Any sneak peeks on what’s next? Or your most recent book?

Charity: The What If We Were series is continuing to grow, and each new title explores a different value kids need today. My most recent releases focus on kindness and generosity, and coming up next are books centered on honesty, mindfulness, curiosity, and emotional awareness. I’m also expanding beyond picture books into curriculum-based resources and classroom programs—so the stories don’t just get read, they get lived.

Thank you so much Charity for doing everything that you do! Your advocacy, stories, and determination to spread kindness to the world is beautiful and I am so thankful to have been connected to you.

To check out Charity's books, non-profit, and publishing press, check her out: https://www.cmharrisbooks.com/

And to buy some of her books through Bigfoot Books where a portion of the proceeds helps us donate books to schools, check them out here: https://www.bigfootbooks.org/category/all-products

Happy Reading!

Kayla

Bigfoot Books