Carylee Carrington - Author, Entrepreneur & Founder of Read With Carylee Inc.

When Carylee Carrington, also known as the Tutu Queen, stepped onto the playground that day, she didn't expect her life's path would take a sharp turn towards authorship and advocacy. Yet, here she is, sharing her inspiring transformation from a young girl shaped by her mother's educational influence to a beacon for diversity in children's literature. Our heartfelt conversation uncovers the pivotal moments that drove Carylee  to pen stories that not only reflect her son's experiences but also resonate with children of all backgrounds. She details her jump into self-publishing with a fervor for fostering literacy and arming kids with the life skills they need to thrive, wrapped in stories that celebrate their identities and encourage empathy.

Moving beyond the written word, Carylee captivates us as she recounts how embracing her Tutu Queen persona has added an unforgettable flair to her brand. With anecdotes from her vibrant Instagram page to tales of her unforgettable "Wheel of Fortune" appearance, she illustrates the potency of authentic marketing and the importance of crafting genuine connections with your audience. Whether you're an aspiring author, entrepreneur, or someone who cherishes the power of storytelling, Carolee's insights on creating content that dances off the page and into the hearts of children—while staying true to your vision—will leave you inspired to put on your own metaphorical tutu and make your mark on the world.

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:30

I am Carolee Carrington, the Tutu Queen, and my business is Read with Carolee. I am an author, a children's author, and advocate for diversity in children's literature, and I also help other authors to be able to craft their story and even market their children's books.

Speaker 2: 0:54

I love that. Tell me a little bit about your story as a child and how you got to this point.

Speaker 1: 1:01

Well, yeah, going back from when I was a child, my mother was a teacher.

Speaker 2: 1:06

Okay, make sense.

Speaker 1: 1:06

Yes, my mother was a lifelong educator and she retired as a literacy coach in Brooklyn, new York. So education was always instilled and, of course, even reading. Definitely Every summer I had to write book reports. You know like sometimes I was in summer school, but even if we were off or in summer school, it was always definitely a push for reading and I started writing early and my mother actually wanted me to write and publish and I told her no. Okay, I said, you know, I heard the JK Rowling stories and I didn't. I don't like to be told no.

Speaker 1: 2:02

So I wanted to make sure that I had something that was stable for my family and I didn't think that going into writing was going to be the thing for me. I, you know, I didn't really look into writing children's books until my son, when he was five years old, he was told on the playground by another classmate, another classmate of color, that he should only be playing with children of the same color. So I was just like, okay, all right, that's not what we teach, that's not what our family is about. So I was trying to find a book that was on his level. I thought it was mainly like a bullying thing. So I went into. I went into it as, okay, let me find a book on bullying on his grade level. And then I started to think about it. I was just like they don't have books on bullying for early elementary. They usually start in middle school. And of course, what we were hearing was that, you know, kids are getting bullied and taking their own life in middle school. So I'm just like, okay, it's a little bit too late if we're teaching it in middle school. And of course, you know I couldn't find a book for him. And my mom was just like, okay, well, if you can't find it, write it. I was just like, okay, women, stop, exactly.

Speaker 1: 3:40

And so I, you know, mulled it over and one night I just woke up with this idea for my first book of a little boy with glasses that thinks he's going to be laughed at or bullied, and I could not go back to sleep. So I was just like you know what? Okay, all right, I'm going to get my phone and write it down. Did that, sent it to my mother the next day. She was just like you need to publish this. I'm serious Again.

Speaker 1: 4:15

So I told her I was just like you know, I don't want to get told no, and I don't want my book to sit on a bookshelf. So she said why don't you think about self publishing? I've never heard about self publishing in my life. So I said okay. So I Google self publishing and I found a few Self self publishing help agencies and one of those were was archway publishing and that was from the From Simon and Schuster. I knew Simon and Schuster so I was just like okay, all right, let me go with that. And that's how Wow published. What a story there. Yeah.

Speaker 2: 5:03

Oh, my goodness, I love how you took matters into your own hand, you know what, and with the help of mom a lot of help from mom telling you. You took matters into your own hand because you saw an issue and you want to remedy that exactly. I love that. And why do you think that writing and reading is so important for kids?

Speaker 1: 5:22

Well, I think writing and reading are important for everybody right.

Speaker 1: 5:26

You know like I tell my kids all the time reading is the bedrock of everything that we do. Even you know my, my kids, my. My eldest, he's strong in math and science, and my youngest he's nine. He's finding his way now, but he actually, after the pandemic, started struggling with reading, which I was just like okay, I'm an author, why aren't you reading? I know you love books, but he didn't actually want to Read the book himself. He wanted to be read too. So you know, I and he's great at math as well. But then he started to slump when he got to second grade, because in second grade they introduced word problems.

Speaker 1: 6:15

Oh so I started to say to him Okay, see, you know you have to, like it's not Just okay that you're great at adding and subtracting and multiplication. You know you, you're great with numbers, but sometimes you have to actually solve the word problems. And you know, I've heard about so many people who could not read like you know, entertainers that can't read that they got taken advantage of With their money and everything like that and people stole from them all because they couldn't read. So that is, you know, like I said, that's the bedrock of being able to sustain yourself in life. And you know reading. You know, just, like they say, reading is fundamental. So you need to make sure that you do have that knowledge and you may not automatically love it right away, but, as they say, you know, most, Most Americans definitely don't really go past a seventh grade level with reading.

Speaker 1: 7:28

And you know that's just the basics and fundamentals. And you know you're able to Possibly get a few big words in there, but just having the basic knowledge of reading and being able to understand, I think that definitely is. It's crucial, yeah, it's. I Can't, I can't even think where I would be Without reading some things and like even the fine print.

Speaker 1: 7:58

We don't want to read all of that, no we don't we have to go, because you never know who's trying to take advantage of you in that fine print, right?

Speaker 2: 8:05

There's power with that, yes, with that skill, mm-hmm. When you were growing up, do you feel like your mom was always like, like how you're saying right now, like it's fundamental? Did she instill that in your mind that you now want to pass that knowledge on to your kids and other kids as well?

Speaker 1: 8:24

Well, it wasn't so much that she instilled it in us, it was, it was just, you know, basic. I remember and I was born in Jamaica and and my mom actually moved to the US like a little bit before my second birthday. And I remember and and I don't know if they still have it somewhere, but my father and my grandmother would have me read to Microphone or you know, to a cassette and they would record me and send it to my mom Okay, audiobooks ahead of time, exactly, you know.

Speaker 1: 9:08

so it was. It was her making sure that I was getting that fundamental in and Because, of course, she was a teacher, so she needed to make sure even though she were, she was thousands of miles away that everything was progressing. And yeah, she really did. I would say not in a strong way, but you know, she pushed reading. You know, like I said, we had book reports during the summer to make sure that we did not fall behind. And my mom actually passed away four years ago I'm so sorry. Yeah, four years ago, next week actually and we were able to be with her because everything was shut down and you know COVID was going on. So we were able to be at her home in Georgia and when they announced that schools were gonna be closed for the rest of the year, like she was on oxygen, she popped up, took her oxygen mask off and she made me promise that I would not have her grandchildren fall behind.

Speaker 1: 10:25

I got chills when you said that oh my goodness, yeah, and like, I always remember that promise that I made to her and even though she's gone, that's something that my children even hold dear because they were there when it happened. Yeah, so she's still instilling reading in us and you know, I started Read with Caroly right before the pandemic, right before she passed, and she was actually able to be at the first taping of the podcast for the year of 2020. And you know, just to have that connection with her, and after she passed and during the pandemic, I was just like I didn't know if I wanted to continue this, but I said you know what? This is a part of her legacy as well. This is not just me, I'm not just doing it for my kids, I'm also doing it for her, and that is what helps me, like, whenever I feel like, okay, all right, am I really doing the right thing, that helps me to propel and to go on.

Speaker 2: 11:39

That is so beautiful and such a powerful story there. My goodness, I love seeing like that thread that keeps you going from family. That's beautiful, and I saw that you wore your beautiful red tutu and today to tell me about that.

Speaker 1: 11:52

Yes, there we go. Yes. So when I started, after I wrote my first book, I was going to author visits and you know, as always as women, we stand in front of the closet and a closet full of clothes and like I have nothing to wear. And that was always. That was always the thing for me, and I was just like, okay, I didn't want to go dressed in a business suit. I mean, it was kind of like.

Speaker 1: 12:24

you know, even though and I'm not knocking any teachers- you know, they go dressed in jeans and everything and some probably tights and everything every day. That was never my mom. She always like. She even took on like the uniform that the kids would wear at her school. She basically had an adult version. She's like I'm one of you guys, Exactly, and you know she had the school colors that she would wear, but she was always dressed for her job. She was not like there was no, like casual Friday or anything like that with her.

Speaker 1: 13:03

So I was just like, okay, I don't want to just go in jeans or whatever. So I came up with my uniform. I love that, and the shirt too. Yes, and the shirt too. And I started. I started, you know the vintage 80s cartoons and everything. Those are the shirts that I wore until I was just like hold on, I'm promoting everybody else's brand, I need to promote my brand. So, yes, so that's where the read of Carolee shirts came in, came into play. But I love tutus. I felt that you know this would be something that kids would gravitate to. You know, the bright tutus.

Speaker 2: 13:44

I have probably about 30 something now, I love that, I'm sure in all colors. Yes.

Speaker 1: 13:53

All colors, different designs and everything, and I just anytime I put on the tutu, I could be having the worst day possible and you know I may have a podcast or a virtual reading to do. As soon as I put on the tutu, it's just like yeah, okay, yep, hello, I'm here to see you.

Speaker 2: 14:14

It's your super power, exactly. Yeah, I love that and I'm sure the kids get a blessing. Yes, they probably want to touch it and hold it and be like hi, yes, absolutely, and I'm actually.

Speaker 1: 14:25

I was speaking to a group yesterday and they said, well, the girls must love it. And I was just like it's not even the girls, it's the boys. The boys want to come and touch and feel and just like okay. The girls are just like well, I want to buy you more. How many do you?

Speaker 2: 14:42

love, I love they want to support you Exactly. Yeah, now, in relation to that, how are you marketing your brand and everything like online ads? How are you getting your clientele?

Speaker 1: 14:55

Well, I do have a big following on Instagram and you know I have worked with different people and I well, what was it? I think it was last summer. Last summer, I was working with a friend of mine who is a PR consultant and she said, karoly, you have something going on here Like you are the tutu queen. I'm like she's like you shouldn't just say it. You know, that is your brand and I have been able to showcase my brand on Wheel of Fortune. Wow, I taped an episode of Wheel of Fortune last summer where I did wear my tutu and you know, can we find that on YouTube? You can find it on YouTube. Y'all heard, yeah, pat say Jack even was just like you were a tutu. And I'm like, yes, I do, I love that. Yeah, and you know so it's not just calling myself the tutu queen anymore.

Speaker 1: 15:58

That is a part of my brand and everywhere I go representing my books or representing children's literature, I am in my tutus and I love it.

Speaker 2: 16:12

I love that for you too, and now tell me the name of a book that you've made, just so our listeners know what works we can find for you.

Speaker 1: 16:19

Yes, so I have three right now. Tell us Everyone, just like me, it was my first, my baby and I also have Pretty Hair and my latest, my Sings Country, which came out last year. But Miss Beyonce has been giving it a boost and she has put out country music and a lot of people are just like, oh, okay, well, let me, let me check this out yeah.

Speaker 1: 16:47

And we also have a song in it called Black in Country, which is just like okay, did Beyonce know what I was doing? But she's listening, but yeah, but you know, she says that she's been, you know, looking into this for about five years now and she is from. Texas. So it's you know, right, right song, right book, right time.

Speaker 2: 17:10

Yeah, isn't that crazy how that works. It just like what? Like are we in sync or something?

Speaker 1: 17:15

Exactly, we are both born the same month, so Okay, just saying yeah.

Speaker 2: 17:21

Where can people find these books or purchase them?

Speaker 1: 17:24

They can find my books at readwithcaroleeorg. I am on Amazon and on targetcom Barnes and Noble but definitely, if you go to readwithcaroleeorg you can get your signed copy. Oh, signed, yes, absolutely.

Speaker 2: 17:42

And then, as far as marketing goes, when you're online do you put any videos of you like dancing with the tutu I have?

Speaker 1: 17:50

I used to you know what, and I need to bring it back. I used to have like a dance Friday. Oh, you need to bring that back if you stop. Yeah, I so need to bring that back, but it's just been not that I don't want to. Things have been busy over the past couple months, which is great. We love that. Yes, so you know you can catch me and my tutu dancing real soon again, but you know I definitely have videos up on Instagram of me dancing. I'm a tutu. What's your Instagram? It's readwithcarolee.

Speaker 2: 18:25

Oh right.

Speaker 1: 18:25

Yes, you can find me on TikTok, facebook, snapchat, twitter and Instagram at readwithcarolee.

Speaker 2: 18:38

Perfect. And then if you could give any business owners any advice, whether they want to start writing their own book, whether they want to start a venture where it's their passion, but they'd also want to give back to the community yes, what advice would you like to give them?

Speaker 1: 18:52

Well, you know, I do feel that any business that is start out of self will fail. Any business that that has been started out of a necessity or trying to help the community, those are businesses that succeed. And I would say to any business owner or any entrepreneur that's wanting to start out go out and do it, because once you are starting, once you have the drive and you will get the following. And I will say, you know, with this journey I have kind of felt like an one person on an island and you never know who is there really supporting you. I have been to some networking events of late and there are people coming up to me like, oh my gosh, you're real. Oh my gosh, you know I finally get to meet you and I'm like what Excuse me? Yeah, I'm like Are you talking to me? Are you looking for someone else? I'm like, of course they know me because I do. I'm always. You do uniform, that's right.

Speaker 1: 20:06

And it's just amazing to see the effect that I have been able to have on people not intentionally, and I'm not thinking that adults are coming up to me like, oh my gosh, I'm like, okay, I am not Taylor Swift, I am not Beyonce, but you know, yeah, I'm like there are definitely a lot of people who may be watching and they say that people are always watching you on your journey and it gives them a boost sometimes to be able to take that first step themselves. So, yeah, it's taking that first step, like I am not one that will tell anybody oh wait, wait to see if anybody else thinks of it, or anything like that. I'm like I came out here in my two twos reading to children, writing children's books, you know, to make a difference in diversity in children's literature. Did not think that it would be a career.

Speaker 2: 21:16

And now it has. That's amazing. Yeah, living the dream for you Absolutely Love that. And then this is my last question. It's a little bit deeper, but what kind of impact do you hope, like in the next coming years, that your books will have had on children when they grow up, or just even reading to them and being there in person with them?

Speaker 1: 21:38

Yeah, well, yes, the impact that I hope that children will have is that they will find themselves and know that it is okay to be themselves. You know, when I first started my first book, the hashtag for the book was embrace differences. I want children to be able to embrace the difference of themselves and others. With Maya Singh's country, it's all about stepping out of your stereotypes. So we are told so many times that we should, you know, do things like. You know. Our parents tell us what they think we should do. You know, be a doctor, be a lawyer, be whatever. You have to find it for yourself and you have to continue to have that drive, no matter what. And for children, I really hope that through my books, they find their identity, or they look to find their identity, rather than relying on what everybody else and what the media and what the world says that they should be.

Speaker 2: 22:59

I love that. That is a very strong message there, and a positive and great one. So thank you so much for what you do in helping our future generations with that. Thank you, thank you so much, thank you.