Lulu Buck is an award-winning author and dedicated public educator with a remarkable 25-year career focused on promoting educational equity. Currently, she serves as the Coordinator of Educational Equity and Family Engagement for a local school district, leveraging her extensive experience to foster inclusive and supportive learning environments.
Previously, Lulu was the English Language Development and World Language Senior Consultant at the Colorado Department of Education, where she also contributed to the Standards and Instructional Support Office. As a state trainer for cultural responsiveness and equity, she made a significant impact across 38 Colorado school districts.
With a decade of teaching experience in English and Spanish at public secondary schools, Lulu’s career reflects her deep passion for education and her unwavering commitment to empowering diverse communities.
Hello Lulu, welcome to BrandEducatiion! Where do you find inspiration for your books?
I am deeply inspired by children; their curiosity, imagination, and boundless potential fuel my passion for writing. My goal as an author is to create books that not only entertain but also help children grow, inspire them, and guide them to become wonderful humans. Creativity and art are at the heart of everything I do, and after 25 years as an educator, I bring a wealth of experience to understanding what truly connects with kids, motivating and inspiring them to be their best selves.
What themes or messages do you hope your readers take away from your work?
My hope is that from my debut books, kids take away being kind. I hope they are like the main character in my book of being kind like Sue is in the story. She is an upstander being kind to all of her friends who are “different”. She resonates with being accepting, inclusive, and non-judgmental. I hope that kids get the message that our world is much more colorful when we are kind to people. I hope from my newest book kids feel a sense of imagination. I hope that kids have magic back in their world and are excited to share what they feel after reading the story.
Can you share some insight into your creative process?
For some reason, my most creative moments come at 2 or 3 in the morning. I’ve learned to have a notebook or my computer next to my bedside. There was one time when an idea came to my mind, and I went back to bed. I couldn’t remember what it was at all. People who are closest to me know when I look tired in the morning, I must have had a very creative moment the night before. I’ll write a quick framework of the idea so I can fill the holes of it later so I can sleep. I am looking forward to the days of retirement and just being a creative person where there don’t have to be restrictions on time. That will be a true moment of creative freedom.
What do you enjoy doing when you are not writing?
I LOVE to paint. Painting for me is extremely therapeutic. My full collection tells a story that I only know. Sometimes I will write a piece that will go with my paintings. I paint my emotions or what I’m going through. Sometimes I paint for fun. I paint for myself. I just started stain-glassing. I really enjoy creating with glass. I’m in the beginning stages of stained glass art and am enjoying this new creative outlet. I also enjoy playing golf and tennis. My last time of zen is music. I also play the piano and flute and will play both. There is never enough time for all my passions.
What challenges have you faced as a writer and how have you overcome them?
Navigating the publishing world as a children’s book author, especially as a first-generation American and a person of color, is a journey filled with challenges. The industry’s focus on profit overshadows the true essence of storytelling that ignites the imagination and joy of children. The standards set by publishers feel so stifling to me, particularly when they prioritize what sells over what truly resonates with children. As a self-made and self-published author, I have made a path, driven by pure passion and the knowledge of being an educator for 25 years in creating stories and knowing what connects with kids. The financial barriers, like hiring agents and marketing teams, can be daunting, making it hard for voices like mine to be heard. But the moments when you’re reading to children, seeing their eyes light up, confirms to me that I have crafted something special. I know I am on the right path and I make my own rules, which is a trait for people like me. In a world where adults often decide what’s “marketable,” you have to stay true to what matters most and that is creating books that bring joy to kids. My journey is a testament to resilience, creativity, and the belief that stories should be chosen by those who matter most: the children themselves. I am looking forward to my next release this fall in continuing to break barriers and inspire young minds to make up their own rules and create their own success.
Do you have a favorite character from your books? If so who?
My favorite character is from my newest book “Magical Golden Whistle”. I gave a picture of my late husband when he was a little boy and she recreated him as the main character in my book. When I first saw him, it made me cry. She got every detail of him. His tender heart and sense of adventure are captured in the book. He is even named after him.
Can you discuss the role of research in your writing How do you ensure accuracy in your work?
25 years as an educator, I bring a wealth of experience to understanding what truly connects with kids, motivating and inspiring them to be their best selves. Thankfully I had the privilege and honor of working for the Colorado Department of Education. Working there I understand the standards and expectations of books that are considered for academic and child environments. When you are an educator you understand child development, child skills, and the full scope of developing all of these skills for children. I put all of that knowledge into my practice and my writing. Working in the school setting I live the trends and needs of children everywhere. I also consider that in my storytelling. I could write at length on this topic, but I don’t want to bore you with academia.
What advice do you have for aspiring authors who are looking to have their book published?
If you are hearing too many “Nos”, make your own yes. Self-publish your book. Gather some kids and test your story with a group of kids. Let them be your critique. Let them drive your work. If they are super excited after you read it to them, you know you have something. Find what fuels you in a writing world that is extremely competitive.
Do you have any upcoming projects or future writing plans?
I’m always writing and am always working on something. I have many projects in the works. One that is co-written with a fellow educator. All these future projects are exciting and can’t wait to get them out to the world. I wish I could get them all out sooner, but the process of developing a book to be published is such a heavy lift. Remember that notebook I talked about? I think it has 9 or 10 book ideas in it.
How has your writing evolved or changed over the course of your career?
There is something that is extremely special when talking about being experienced. Over the course of my life as an educator my writing evolved because of the constant writing. My mom is still stunned about my success as a writer. She says to me, “I just can’t believe you were my little girl I worried about the most because you couldn’t read or write.” I was completely illiterate in English until the 4th grade. I couldn’t read or write at all. I was always behind as a reader and more so as writer. It still rings in my ears a teacher telling my Mom at a parent-teacher conference, “Your daughter will NEVER be a good reader or a good writer.” Any amount of growth in my writing is such a victory, more so for a person like myself. When you live with that kind of emotional baggage, every victory of proving that statement wrong is so satisfying.
Find out more about Lulu Buck at: https://lulubuck.org/