by Amanda Davis
Hi Tara! Thank you so much for hosting me on your blog. I’m super excited to be here and can’t wait to share my Storystorm Success Story with everyone.
In case you’re not familiar with me or my work, I’m an author, artist, and high school art educator who uses my art and writing to light up the world with kindness. After losing my father at the age of twelve, I turned to art and writing as an outlet. It became my voice. A way to cope. A way to escape. And a way to tell my story. Because of this, I was inspired to teach art and pursue my passion for writing and illustrating children’s books. Through my work, I hope to empower younger generations to tell their own stories and offer children and adults an entryway into a world of discovery. A world that can help them make sense of themselves, others, and the community around them. A world where they can navigate, imagine, and feel inspired—over and over again.
As you can see, art and writing have been a part of my life ever since I was little, but let’s fast forward to September 2011. The new school year was upon me, and I was searching for a lesson I could do with my high school art classes to teach them about the tenth remembrance of September 11, 2001. Each year, I touch upon 9/11 in my curriculum. We learn about the events and do an art project in remembrance. This year, while browsing through some magazines, I came across a little blurb about an American flag that flew over Ground Zero in the days after 9/11. The flag became torn and tattered and was taken down and stored away. Seven years later, the flag emerged from storage and was brought down to a small town in Kansas, to be retired. But instead, the flag was patched back together and later traveled to all all fifty states to be fully restored; returning to New York on the tenth anniversary of 9/11 as a symbol of hope and unity.
“Wow! This was it!” I thought. I’d found my lesson. So, that year, students learned about the National 9/11 flag, and we created our own patchwork flag that was inspired by the story of the National 9/11/ Flag. It was a beautiful project and a beautiful story that stuck with me long after the lesson was complete.
Fast forward again to January 2018. It was a new year, and I was reflecting on my writing and illustrating goals. Was I doing enough? How can I improve? What new resources are out there? Etc., etc.,. This is when I came across Tara’s Storystorm challenge—30 ideas in 30 days. This was the perfect way to commit to my creativity at the start of the new year. I was in!
Each day I collected my ideas in my special A.A. Milner Winnie the Pooh journal. On Day 5, there was a post from Corey Rosen Schwartz titled Begs, Borrows, & Steals. The post was all about borrowing ideas from YOURSELF. She talked about re-examining past ideas, pondering over them, and picking them apart. She suggested going back into your files, notebooks, and sketchbooks to see what was lingering. AHA! How brilliant! This led me back to the flag. The story always lingered in the back of my mind, but Corey’s suggestions brought it to the forefront again. I got to thinking, “Why not make this a kid’s book?” So, I noted this in my trusty journal, scribbled an idea for a pitch, and continued with my Storystorm journey.
Lo and behold, I ended up being a Storystorm Grand Prize Winner and now had the chance to pitch five of my Storystorm ideas to agent Jennifer March Soloway. I was blown away and super stoked! I polished up my pitches (the story of the flag being one of them… then called ONE STITCH AT A TIME) and sent them off to Jennifer. In her response, she encouraged me to focus on the flag story, calling it “a marvelous idea with great potential.” Hooray! With Jennifer’s insights in mind, I now had the confidence to forge ahead with my story idea, begin my research, and later query agents and editors with the story.
Now, ten years since I first conducted my high school art lesson on the National 9/11 Flag, two years after Storystorm’s inspiration, and many, many, many drafts later, 30,000 STITCHES is the story that landed me my first agent and is set to be published with WorthyKids/Hachette Book Group on May 4, 2021.
It will enter the world twenty years after the tragic events of 9/11. The beautiful spread that is pictured here, illustrated by Sally Wern Comport, shows the flag coming to its last stop in Joplin, Missouri before returning to New York. The image showcases the people and places the flag touched throughout its 120,000 mile journey across the United States—criss-crossing borders and cross stitching lives. With today being Election Day, I think this image perfectly captures the power of the people when we come out and come together. At the core of this story, are seeds of hope, seeds of unity, and seeds of strength. It’s about the power of working together to overcome hard things. It’s about kindness, compassion, and service to others. I hope that anyone who reads 30,000 STITCHES will be reminded that we are connected through our shared stories. Our stories are stitched together. Our stories are the fabric of America.
Thanks so much to Storystorm and to you, Tara, for giving writer’s opportunities to get inspired and share their work. Storystorm comes around again in January 2021!
Oh yes, one more thing, GO VOTE!
You can check out some of the 9/11 remembrance projects I’ve done with students here: 9/11 Remembrance Projects and stay tuned on my website for classroom activity guides for 30,000 STITCHES.
Amanda Davis is a teacher, artist, writer, and innovator who uses her words and pictures to light up the world with kindness. After losing her father at the age of twelve, Amanda turned to art and writing as an outlet. It became her voice. A way to cope. A way to escape. And a way to tell her story. She was thus inspired to teach art and pursue her passion for writing and illustrating children’s books. Through her work, Amanda empowers younger generations to tell their own stories and offers children and adults an entryway into a world of discovery. A world that can help them make sense of themselves, others, and the community around them. A world where they can navigate, imagine, and feel inspired—over and over again. When she’s not busy creating, you can find her sipping tea, petting dogs, and exploring the natural wonders of The Bay State with her partner and rescue pup, Cora. Visit her online at amandadavisart.com, on Twitter @amandadavisart, Instagram @amandadavis_art and Facebook.
58 comments
Comments feed for this article
November 3, 2020 at 2:13 pm
chardixon47
Congratulations Amanda! You are an inspiration to all of us. I look forward to reading your book.
November 4, 2020 at 6:17 pm
adavis6385
Thank you so much! I’m so happy it inspired you!
November 3, 2020 at 2:15 pm
Lisa Riddiough
Oh my gosh, I love this so much! Congratulations, Amanda!!
November 4, 2020 at 6:17 pm
adavis6385
Thank you so much, Lisa! 🙂
November 3, 2020 at 2:21 pm
lorisherritt
I can tell you are an amazing artist, writer, and artist educator! I love turning poignant and unusual historic events into publishable stories. Your book and process are inspirations! What a great resource and way to introduce young audiences to the tragic stories and found hope behind 9/11. Genius! Congratulations. You also reaffirmed my belief in serendipity!
November 4, 2020 at 6:19 pm
adavis6385
Wow! Thank you for those kind words! This flag is definitely a reminder of hope during dark times. I can’t wait to share the story with the world!
November 3, 2020 at 2:29 pm
ptnozell
Wow! Such an inspiring story! Thanks so much for sharing – I can’t wait to read 30,000 Stitches!
November 4, 2020 at 6:20 pm
adavis6385
Thanks for reading! I feel so touched by all the encouraging comments on here. Cheers!
November 3, 2020 at 2:58 pm
Amy Healey
Looks beautiful Amanda! I was in NYC and saw the building collapse from my window. I wondered what happened to that flag. Can’t wait to read it!
November 4, 2020 at 6:24 pm
adavis6385
Hi Amy! Thank you 🙂 Wow! I can’t imagine witnessing that. It seemed so surreal to watch it on tv never-mind in person. I’m glad 30,000 STITCHES can offer you some insights into the story of the flag. Can’t wait to share it!
November 3, 2020 at 3:01 pm
Matt Forrest Esenwine
Congratulations, Amanda! I always love hearing the inspiration and process behind books, so thanks for sharing these details – sounds like quite a book!
November 4, 2020 at 6:26 pm
adavis6385
Hi Matt! Thank you for reading! I’m grateful to Tara for the opportunity to share the back story here and yes, it was quite the story to research and write! I can’t believe it’s finally going to be to out in the world! Hooray!
November 3, 2020 at 3:19 pm
Jilanne Hoffmann
Such a fantastic story in different ways, the story itself and the author’s journey. Congrats!!
November 4, 2020 at 6:29 pm
adavis6385
Hi Jilanne! Thanks for your kind words and sharing your thoughts! Much appreciated!
November 3, 2020 at 3:23 pm
Kim A Larson
So inspiring! Congratulations, Amanda! What a wonderful story!
November 4, 2020 at 6:32 pm
adavis6385
Thanks so much, Kim! It’s definitely a special story 🙂
November 3, 2020 at 3:58 pm
Evelyn Bookless
It was so interesting reading the origin of this beautiful book. Congrats Amanda!
November 4, 2020 at 6:38 pm
adavis6385
Thanks, Evelyn! I love a good origin story as well 🙂 Thanks for reading!
November 3, 2020 at 4:12 pm
rosecappelli
Thanks for sharing your journey, Amanda! I look forward to reading this book.
November 4, 2020 at 6:39 pm
adavis6385
Thanks for reading, Rose! I can’t wait to share it with everyone!
November 3, 2020 at 4:32 pm
Mary McClellan
This is an amazing story. Both of the actual event and the (student) education of and contributions to the remembrance of 9/11. What a meaningful way to teach students. This is a lesson they won’t forget. Congratulations, Amanda!
November 4, 2020 at 6:40 pm
adavis6385
Hi Mary! Thank you so much! I try my best to infuse meaning into all the work I do with students. I’m glad that shines through in this post! Thanks for your support! 🙂
November 3, 2020 at 5:59 pm
Krista Harrington
Very encouraging, Amanda. Thank you.
The book sounds wonderful!
November 4, 2020 at 6:40 pm
adavis6385
Thanks for the kind words, Krista! I’m glad you found the post encouraging!
November 3, 2020 at 7:37 pm
rindabeach
I always love “the story behind” the story. Thanks for sharing yours, and giving 10 lucky people the chance to win a copy.
November 4, 2020 at 6:41 pm
adavis6385
Me too! Thanks for reading mine and fingers crossed for you in the giveaway 🙂
November 3, 2020 at 7:49 pm
kiwijenny
Amanda what an inspiration. Most of all I like you teach and want to inspire children. I love that we can get to do this most hopeful thing. I am smiling on this election day thanks to you.
November 4, 2020 at 6:42 pm
adavis6385
Aww! Thank you! Im so happy this made you smile amidst this nerve wracking election!
November 3, 2020 at 9:49 pm
Emmie Werner
Ahhhhh❤️🇺🇸
November 3, 2020 at 10:24 pm
Cynthia Greene
How inspiring! Congratulations and I can’t wait to see the story.
November 3, 2020 at 11:06 pm
seschipper
What an amazing story! i love to see storystorm success stories!
Illustrations look fantastic! Looking forward to purchasing your book! Congratulations! 🙂
November 4, 2020 at 6:47 pm
adavis6385
Yay! Thanks so much! I feel so lucky to have Sally as the illustrator! Her work brings a whole other dimension of meaning to the story.
November 4, 2020 at 8:12 am
Lisa L Furness
Wonderful post about an important project inspired by Storystorm! So happy for your success, Amanda!
November 4, 2020 at 6:47 pm
adavis6385
Hooray! Thanks for reading, Lisa, and thank you for your constant support 🙂
November 4, 2020 at 9:18 am
romontanaro
Congratulations Amanda. Look forward to reading your book!! Continued success to you 🙂 Rosanna
November 4, 2020 at 6:48 pm
adavis6385
Hi Rosanna! Thanks for the congratulatory wishes and kind words! I can’t wait to share the story with everyone!
November 4, 2020 at 10:17 am
Suzanne Lewis
What an inspired and inspiring story of becoming–both you and your beautiful, important book 9/11 Remembrance Projects! Congratulations, Amanda!
November 4, 2020 at 6:52 pm
adavis6385
Hi Suzanne! Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts. I’m glad it left you feeling inspired!
November 4, 2020 at 10:58 am
Angie
You learn something new every day! I did not know this about the flag from Ground Zero. Thanks for writing this book so future generations can remember. Congrats!!!
November 4, 2020 at 6:56 pm
adavis6385
Hi Angie! I had never heard of the story either until I stumbled upon it in magazine ten years after 9/11. Crazy! I had that same thought! How did I not know about this?!? I think that’s part of the reason it always stuck with me and I wanted to share it more widely. I hope it can be a resource for future generations as you said. 🙂
November 4, 2020 at 1:00 pm
aliciaminor
We won’t forget 9/11 and you wrote something that future generations will be able to look back to. More power to you and we celebrate your success.
November 4, 2020 at 6:49 pm
adavis6385
Thank you for saying this. That means a lot. We are now into a generation that was not alive during 9/11, which feels strange to think about. I hope stories like these continue to live on, so we never forget.
November 5, 2020 at 11:41 am
Joannie Duris
Congratulations, Amanda! I can’t wait to see this book in the hands of young (and old) readers everywhere. Just your description of the Ground Zero flag’s journey of hope after such a national tragedy brought tears to my eyes. Why this never received greater news coverage is a mystery (I never knew about it), but I’m glad you’re sharing it with the world. What a perfect way to explore history with the next generation.
November 9, 2020 at 3:03 pm
Amanda Davis
Awww, thanks Joannie. Throughout the process of writing this story and speaking to those involved, I was overcome with so many emotions as well. I feel honored to share such a special story with the world. 🙂
November 5, 2020 at 1:32 pm
marty
Congrats, Amanda! So glad you’re telling this story. How inspiring for readers of all ages.
November 9, 2020 at 3:04 pm
adavis6385
Thank you, Marty! I do hope it inspires many! Cheers!
November 5, 2020 at 6:52 pm
teacherwriteracker
Such a beautiful story. I cannot wait to read the book!
November 9, 2020 at 3:05 pm
adavis6385
Thanks for the excitement and support, Monica! Can’t wait for it to enter the world!
November 6, 2020 at 1:23 pm
LenoraBiemans (@BiemansLenora)
Congratulations! This is a phenomenal success story. Changing lives, changing lives, changing lives!
November 9, 2020 at 3:07 pm
adavis6385
Wow! Thanks, Lenora! I hope my success story and 30,000 STITCHES can inspire others as you said! 🙂
November 6, 2020 at 6:42 pm
Stephen S. Martin
Wow. I need to know more.
November 9, 2020 at 3:08 pm
adavis6385
Thanks for reading and for your intrigue 🙂 Stay tuned for more to come! Can’t wait to share the book with everyone!
November 8, 2020 at 5:38 pm
kathalsey
Amanda, what a wonderful success story and PB you have created. I wouilslove to win this book. The are is beautiful, too. Congrats. And yes, our votes counts. Today is Nov. 8 and I am basking in Prez.-elect Biden & Madam VP-elect Harris’ win.
November 9, 2020 at 3:10 pm
adavis6385
Thanks, Kathy! I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you with the giveaway. The people spoke and made their voice heard 🙂
November 9, 2020 at 2:33 pm
housecleaningbendigo.com.au
Amazing blog post. I always prefer a quality read glad that I fund your post…
November 9, 2020 at 3:11 pm
adavis6385
Glad you enjoyed reading about my success story and debut! Stay tuned for more 🙂
December 29, 2020 at 11:11 pm
ourgrief43
I apologize if this posted multiple times. Not seeing my name.
Karen A Kelly
January 30, 2021 at 11:22 pm
doreenrobinson
This is so inspiring! Congrats Amanda