Mother-Daughter Magic: Stephanie and Katelyn Guzman on Creativity

Rich & Wendy 0:00
Hey, everyone is Rich Bennett. Can you believe it? The show is turning ten this year. I am so grateful for each and every one of you who've tuned in, shared an episode, or even joined the conversation over the years. You're the reason that this podcast has grown into what it is today. Together, we shared laughs, tears and moments that truly matter. So I want to thank you for being part of this journey. Let's make the next ten years even better. Coming to you from the Freedom Federal Credit Union Studios. Harford County Living presents conversations with Rich Bennett. 

Today, I'm going to get kind. 

No, no, no. The truth is. 

Stephanie Guzman 1:00
go get my water real quick. 

Rich Bennett 1:02
When's the last time you were on? Was it two years ago? 

It was after COVID, right? 

Stephanie Guzman 1:10
Like right after COVID. 

Rich Bennett 1:11
Okay. 

Stephanie Guzman 1:12
Yeah, I 

Katelyn Guzman 1:12
I 

Stephanie Guzman 1:12
know. 

Katelyn Guzman 1:12
know. 

Stephanie Guzman 1:13
Right. And then I did tell you I was like, Yep, next book has Caitlin. 

Rich Bennett 1:18
Oh, you did tell me that. 

Katelyn Guzman 1:20
I don't know. 

Stephanie Guzman 1:21
I'm looking for my purse. I put it in this bag. 

Katelyn Guzman 1:24
Like, where is that? 

Stephanie Guzman 1:26
Again. I'll be right back. 

Katelyn Guzman 1:28
Get my work. 

Rich Bennett 1:30
So feel free to pick. I mean. 

Toilet design. 

Katelyn Guzman 1:37
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 1:38
What made you decide? 

Katelyn Guzman 1:41
Um, I really like 3-D stuff. I like making things. 

Uh. 

Rich Bennett 1:49
You're the first person I've ever heard of that said, I mean, I've heard of game, you know, game design, 

Katelyn Guzman 1:54
But 

Rich Bennett 1:54
but I've. 

Katelyn Guzman 1:54
I've never heard of it. 

Rich Bennett 1:56
To do toy design. 

Katelyn Guzman 1:59
I think it just wraps up all aspects of what I'm interested in because you have to make the packaging and everything and you have to make the toy itself and. 

Rich Bennett 2:08
Really? You got to do the packaging and all. I don't know it. 

Katelyn Guzman 2:13
And you have to come up with like a plan of what toy you want to do and. 

Rich Bennett 2:18
You probably got poor type. 

Katelyn Guzman 2:20
Okay. 

Rich Bennett 2:22
That is. Wow. I. 

Katelyn Guzman 2:25
You also got. 

Rich Bennett 2:26
Not just design the toy, but the packaging. 

Stephanie Guzman 2:28
Oh, my. It actually sound. 

Katelyn Guzman 2:29
It's really cool and really. 

Rich Bennett 2:30
Yeah. 

Stephanie Guzman 2:31
Because it really is art and engineering. Like. It really is all of all of that stuff. 

Rich Bennett 2:37
bet that art and engineering go together a lot. 

Stephanie Guzman 2:40
Mm mm mm mm mm mm. Yeah. It wasn't until the fighting came and she's like. I think I have an idea of something I might really want to do. I was like, 

well, that. 

Katelyn Guzman 2:51
Makes a lot of sense. 

Stephanie Guzman 2:53
Because you could really use both of the sides of the brain. 

Rich Bennett 2:56
Yeah. 

Stephanie Guzman 2:57
I sort of feel like one of them if one side of the brain rate and then the other part is the other side of the brain. I tell you. 

Rich Bennett 3:03
I can't find either side. 

Stephanie Guzman 3:04
You know. 

Rich Bennett 3:06
I think when I. I think it's all on the top. Has to be 

Stephanie Guzman 3:11
It all squishes together. Yeah, 

Rich Bennett 3:14
so. 

Stephanie Guzman 3:14
that's what happened. 

Katelyn Guzman 3:17
Did you buy into any of this? 

Rich Bennett 3:19
guy thinks he's Santa Claus. He seems really smart. 

God, Mom. What you get me into? This guy who's like a wacko is. 

What was. 

Katelyn Guzman 3:33
My first book was What? 

Stephanie Guzman 3:35
All right. So first. Rotation slip up, right? They can put them in order. 

Rich Bennett 3:39
Invitations. 

Stephanie Guzman 3:41
I act acting cool. 

Katelyn Guzman 3:44
We were probably talking about it because it was. 

Stephanie Guzman 3:46
Two years ago. 

Rich Bennett 3:47
I think 

Stephanie Guzman 3:47
The. 

Rich Bennett 3:47
we talked about both of 

Stephanie Guzman 3:48
When 

Rich Bennett 3:48
them. 

Stephanie Guzman 3:48
the second edition came out. 

Rich Bennett 3:49
Right. 

Stephanie Guzman 3:50
Right. This is Sticky Fans, the third book. 

Rich Bennett 3:54
That's right. Because what I love about it also, it's 

Katelyn Guzman 3:57
It's 

Rich Bennett 3:57
not. 

Katelyn Guzman 3:57
not even though it's a. 

Rich Bennett 3:58
children's book. Adults can learn. 

Katelyn Guzman 4:00
It. 

Stephanie Guzman 4:00
Right. 

Rich Bennett 4:01
That's what I loved about. 

Stephanie Guzman 4:02
Yeah. And then what? I changed the back of the book and stood at the front of the book just based on kids feedback. Is. The ten things you might not know this time is about a mermaid, right? And then the parenting sandbar. So this is the part that's really for parents in the back and then get to know the author 

Rich Bennett 4:20
Did 

Stephanie Guzman 4:20
and illustrator. 

Rich Bennett 4:20
you have that and the other? 

Stephanie Guzman 4:21
Yeah, it's in the front. 

Rich Bennett 4:23
Oh, okay. 

Stephanie Guzman 4:24
Right. Those two things and then the story. But the 

Katelyn Guzman 4:26
The 

Stephanie Guzman 4:26
kids 

Katelyn Guzman 4:26
kids. 

Stephanie Guzman 4:27
asked for it in the back. So I was like, I can easily do that. 

Katelyn Guzman 4:30
So 

Stephanie Guzman 4:30
So 

Katelyn Guzman 4:30
that. 

Stephanie Guzman 4:30
that's what's changed with this one. Besides the fact that I just needed to reprint the book and I'm like. 

Rich Bennett 4:35
Right. 

Stephanie Guzman 4:35
We like that cover with all the white and like. My biggest problem with the covers were that. 

Katelyn Guzman 4:40
That if you put them. 

Stephanie Guzman 4:41
All together now. 

Katelyn Guzman 4:43
They all look like the same 

Stephanie Guzman 4:43
Same book because 

Katelyn Guzman 4:44
because 

Stephanie Guzman 4:44
they 

Katelyn Guzman 4:44
they. 

Stephanie Guzman 4:44
all had the white. 

Katelyn Guzman 4:45
The thing and I'm like, I need this to look a little. 

Stephanie Guzman 4:47
Different. 

Katelyn Guzman 4:49
Everybody thought. 

Stephanie Guzman 4:49
thought it was the same book. I'm like, No, it's actually three different. That's 

Katelyn Guzman 4:52
That's 

Stephanie Guzman 4:53
why. 

Katelyn Guzman 4:53
why. 

Stephanie Guzman 4:54
I want them to look different. 

Katelyn Guzman 4:55
So 

Stephanie Guzman 4:55
So these 

Katelyn Guzman 4:55
these 

Stephanie Guzman 4:55
two 

Katelyn Guzman 4:55
two 

Stephanie Guzman 4:55
come. 

Katelyn Guzman 4:55
covers will be. 

Stephanie Guzman 4:56
Updated at some point. This will probably be the next one updated because I don't have many copies. 

Rich Bennett 5:01
So the first three of The Adventures of Oliver Clownfish had this. The illustrator was the same, right? 

Stephanie Guzman 5:06
No different illustrate. 

Rich Bennett 5:07
Death. 

Stephanie Guzman 5:08
One. 

Rich Bennett 5:09
For all five books. For books. 

Stephanie Guzman 5:11
Well, yeah. These four books each have a different illustrator. 

Rich Bennett 5:15
So what made you do with the fourth book, which is called What Again? 

Stephanie Guzman 5:20
Which is. 

Rich Bennett 5:21
Clownfish. 

Stephanie Guzman 5:22
Bit of grit. I mean, I'm glad, but I'm glad we have it all. 

Rich Bennett 5:26
What? 

Katelyn Guzman 5:27
What made you decide? 

Rich Bennett 5:28
Side Go. 

Stephanie Guzman 5:29
With. 

Rich Bennett 5:31
In all honesty, and I'm not saying this just to touch your horn here, Caitlin, but to go because in all honesty, this one, a bit of grit. The new one is the best illustration, I think. 

Stephanie Guzman 5:43
Oh, me too. Completely. 

Katelyn Guzman 5:44
Completely. 

Rich Bennett 5:45
So what made you decide to go with Caitlin? She came up and said, My. 

Stephanie Guzman 5:50
I need a job. 

Right. That was it. Mom, I need a job. No, not. 

Rich Bennett 5:59
What's. 

Stephanie Guzman 6:01
But. But she did need some money, too. It was like, Well, hey, now I can help you out. Now, I just knew that she's been doing artistic work. I mean, even when she was younger, I could already make out when she was three. Well, Doc McStuffins, you know, Dora and different things that she was doing. So I already knew she had like a talent in, like, the creative art field and being able to see colors that people don't normally see and, you know, just. 

Katelyn Guzman 6:27
To be able to actually. 

Stephanie Guzman 6:28
Really draw. 

Rich Bennett 6:30
I. 

Katelyn Guzman 6:30
I can't do it all. 

Rich Bennett 6:31
Before before we get into the illustration is I got a lot of questions. 

Stephanie Guzman 6:36
I can't wait. 

Rich Bennett 6:37
A bit of grit. What? 

Katelyn Guzman 6:39
Is. 

Rich Bennett 6:40
What's the. 

Katelyn Guzman 6:41
The story behind 

Rich Bennett 6:41
And this 

Katelyn Guzman 6:41
this one. 

Rich Bennett 6:42
one with Oliver. 

Stephanie Guzman 6:43
So with this one, I realized after COVID just in general, that when things get hard, the kids want to give up. So basically what I wanted to do with this book is trying to kind of push them. Little bit in order to try again and to keep trying and not give up. The first time they try something and something gets difficult. So Millie, the mermaid, who's actually really good. 

Rich Bennett 7:06
New character, right? 

Stephanie Guzman 7:07
New character. Yep. He was really good at octo push. Ever heard of that before? 

Rich Bennett 7:12
One. 

Stephanie Guzman 7:13
Uh huh. Auto push. I did research to find out what could a mermaid do underwater. That's like a real sport that people could actually play. 

Rich Bennett 7:22
Oh, come on. I. 

Stephanie Guzman 7:23
I did so then. 

Rich Bennett 7:25
think it is. 

Stephanie Guzman 7:26
Probably. 

Rich Bennett 7:27
Push it. Octopuses. 

Stephanie Guzman 7:28
Oh, no, It's underwater hockey. 

Rich Bennett 7:31
Oh. 

Stephanie Guzman 7:31
Oh, octopus. Reason why, like I. That would be pretty funny, though. So it's really popular over in the UK. 

Rich Bennett 7:40
Oh, 

Stephanie Guzman 7:40
So 

Rich Bennett 7:40
it's very. 

Stephanie Guzman 7:40
that's why that's why I have these other additional pages in here, too, Of what is octopus? Because I don't go into it really. In the story. Caitlin's illustrations show what it is, but I don't really break it down so that here when you get to the end, then you can see what it is and it's really just underwater hockey that really became. 

Katelyn Guzman 7:59
Big over 

Stephanie Guzman 7:59
Four 

Katelyn Guzman 7:59
in 

Stephanie Guzman 7:59
in 

Katelyn Guzman 7:59
the 

Stephanie Guzman 7:59
the 

Katelyn Guzman 7:59
UK. 

Stephanie Guzman 7:59
UK, but it's something that really hasn't caught on here yet. So. 

Rich Bennett 8:03
World do you play underwater? What is it? What do they use? And can't be 

Katelyn Guzman 8:08
Be 

Rich Bennett 8:08
a 

Katelyn Guzman 8:08
a 

Rich Bennett 8:08
park. 

Katelyn Guzman 8:08
part. 

Stephanie Guzman 8:09
They do have a puck, actually. Yeah, the puck. It weighs about £3. 

Rich Bennett 8:14
Oh, okay. 

Stephanie Guzman 8:15
Ice 

Rich Bennett 8:15
So 

Stephanie Guzman 8:15
hockey. 

Rich Bennett 8:15
it's not floating, 

Stephanie Guzman 8:16
Nope. So it's weighted down. So it's about £3 and they have to make sure that they have their diving mask on along with their snorkel. And the reason why they need the snorkel is because they, of course, have to go up for air at some 

Rich Bennett 8:27
right? 

Stephanie Guzman 8:27
point. Right. But then they can still stay in the water and see the game going on at the same time. So they go up, take their puff of air and then go back down again. 

Rich Bennett 8:35
And how did you find out about this sport? 

Stephanie Guzman 8:38
I was just on my computer one day doing some googling, doing some like. 

Katelyn Guzman 8:42
Like searching. 

Stephanie Guzman 8:43
Saying, I wonder. 

Katelyn Guzman 8:44
What you could 

Stephanie Guzman 8:45
Do 

Katelyn Guzman 8:45
do. 

Stephanie Guzman 8:46
you know? And I thought it was kind of cool that we don't really have it over here because it's like, Oh, this actually could be a real thing. I mean, these are kids, right? A real kid. 

Rich Bennett 8:53
Right. 

Stephanie Guzman 8:54
Over in the U.K. that actually plays the sports. And then these are adults. 

Rich Bennett 8:58
It's just 

Katelyn Guzman 8:59
Just amazing because. 

Rich Bennett 9:00
You being a. There. You're I mean, you hear of people like do going that deep into research for like novels and everything 

Stephanie Guzman 9:09
Right. 

Rich Bennett 9:10
but you're do. 

Stephanie Guzman 9:10
But. 

Rich Bennett 9:11
Balk. But you teaching, unless you're teaching them new things still. 

Stephanie Guzman 9:15
Right. That's why I'm like, I don't want it just to be like any. 

Rich Bennett 9:18
Yeah. 

Stephanie Guzman 9:18
You know, and honestly, I haven't found my. Great. I mean, even just searching grit and children's books up. I didn't see much of anything that was out there at all. 

Katelyn Guzman 9:29
Sounds like. 

Stephanie Guzman 9:29
And this looks like it's a good book that we need 

Rich Bennett 9:32
I should be honest. 

Stephanie Guzman 9:33
many. 

Rich Bennett 9:33
Did you guys try to play out to push? 

Stephanie Guzman 9:35
We have not. We have not. But we should have in our theater. Look closely at this. This is. Look at the mermaids that are the ten things you might not know about a mermaid. 

Rich Bennett 9:47
I forgot my glasses of. 

Katelyn Guzman 9:49
The. 

Stephanie Guzman 9:49
Textures. Right. So that's is that. 

Rich Bennett 9:51
That's two different. Oh, that's both of you. 

Stephanie Guzman 9:53
We're the one in the middle is a real mermaid. Mermaid? Tasha, Just like you're a real Santa Claus. A real mermaid. 

Rich Bennett 10:01
Where did you guys find? All right. So they should be listening in the back. In the book, there's a picture of Stephanie and her daughter Caitlin, dressed as mermaids with the hole we're in, We're. The fin tail 

Stephanie Guzman 10:13
Well, 

Rich Bennett 10:13
and. 

Stephanie Guzman 10:14
I being an author, right, have connections with other authors. And I said, Hey. 

Katelyn Guzman 10:20
My. 

Stephanie Guzman 10:20
My friend Tasha, who writes books about mermaids and like ocean conservation and things like that. She actually teaches classes like, mm, something like pad classes. It's I think it's basically in order to, like, teach you how to use the fin to truly be a mermaid, to really swim like a mermaid and do all that kind of stuff. So anyway. 

Rich Bennett 10:44
For that, 

Stephanie Guzman 10:45
There is. I may have to Google it myself to tell you what it's called. So. 

Rich Bennett 10:48
Okay. You are teaching. 

That is pretty wild. 

Stephanie Guzman 10:53
But yeah, no there's actual like you would legit you can get certified. 

Rich Bennett 10:58
To swim like a mermaid. 

Stephanie Guzman 11:00
Swim like a mermaid, I guess. Yeah. I mean. 

Katelyn Guzman 11:03
I may not have. 

Stephanie Guzman 11:03
Have. 

Rich Bennett 11:04
So, Caitlin, when your mother came to me and said, Hey, I got this idea. Let's put a dress like mermaid. What was your first thought? 

Katelyn Guzman 11:11
In the world. 

So. 

Rich Bennett 11:15
It was your idea, not hers. 

Stephanie Guzman 11:17
Oh, completely. My idea. Yes. 

Katelyn Guzman 11:19
She waited too long because I used to want to be a mermaid when I was little. But then she's like, Oh, that's so stupid. 

Never let me get a mermaid tail. But when it was her idea. 

Rich Bennett 11:29
It was okay that. 

Katelyn Guzman 11:30
Her book. It was completely okay. 

Rich Bennett 11:36
And you said there's one more book. 

Stephanie Guzman 11:38
Yes. 

Rich Bennett 11:39
So guess what, Caitlin? Next time, you're going to have to dress up as a crab. 

Stephanie Guzman 11:45
Wouldn't that be fun? 

Rich Bennett 11:47
We're 

Stephanie Guzman 11:47
Right 

Rich Bennett 11:47
squid. 

Stephanie Guzman 11:47
now, we we think right now in the last book, we're going to have a sea turtle. 

Rich Bennett 11:53
You're going to dress up as a sea turtle. 

Katelyn Guzman 11:57
Not willingly. 

Rich Bennett 12:00
Just 

Katelyn Guzman 12:00
Just. 

Rich Bennett 12:00
look at look at it as you're dressing up as one of those Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. 

Katelyn Guzman 12:06
Oh, yeah. 

Stephanie Guzman 12:08
Right? Could be. 

Rich Bennett 12:10
He'd. 

Stephanie Guzman 12:12
Oh, I think we could definitely make. 

Katelyn Guzman 12:13
Make it happen. I mean, I 

Stephanie Guzman 12:14
I 

Katelyn Guzman 12:14
have. 

Stephanie Guzman 12:14
have so many costumes of which Caitlin has, like, raided. Like we have a storage unit that's that. I wouldn't say partially. A little bit. Has a couple of boxes filled with costumes of different things. But, you know, being a teacher, there's just lots of things that you dress up as all the time. So. 

Rich Bennett 12:32
Yeah. In all your books are self-published, right? 

Stephanie Guzman 12:34
Yes. Yep. And it's been a journey because. Publishing world of 26 is much different from the publishing world right now of 2024 going into 2025. 

Rich Bennett 12:48
And we've talked about this before. I'm not with you, but I mean on the podcast. 

Stephanie Guzman 12:52
Mm hmm. 

Rich Bennett 12:53
Have you, especially since you have an artist on your hands. 

Stephanie Guzman 12:58
Mm hmm. 

Rich Bennett 12:58
Have you ever. Or have you created, like, book trailers? You know, like movie trailers, but book trailers. 

Stephanie Guzman 13:05
Not yet. 

Rich Bennett 13:05
Not yet. 

Stephanie Guzman 13:06
But they seem really cool. And I. 

Rich Bennett 13:08
Yes. 

Katelyn Guzman 13:08
Stout. 

Stephanie Guzman 13:08
couple of different people to see, you know, if they would do them or how we could do them. So. 

Rich Bennett 13:14
Well, do you have a. Would your computer at home is an Apple or PC? 

I think there isn't a program out there where you can do that. I won't forget the name of it now. 

Stephanie Guzman 13:26
Yeah. Now I feel like there is something. So that's like the next area of researching. I mean, we got the, the e-book that's like ready to go. So 

Rich Bennett 13:35
Right. 

Stephanie Guzman 13:35
the new one has the e-book on Amazon and then acting. 

Katelyn Guzman 13:39
Cool has the. 

Stephanie Guzman 13:39
The e-book on Amazon right now. 

Rich Bennett 13:42
Crazy question. I've never asked this of a children's author, but in a way it makes sense to 

Stephanie Guzman 13:47
All 

Rich Bennett 13:47
me. 

Stephanie Guzman 13:47
right. Go ahead. 

Rich Bennett 13:47
Have you thought about taking the books? And combining them into like a I don't know, not a novel, of course, but. 

Katelyn Guzman 13:59
Like a. 

Rich Bennett 14:01
self-help book because you. 

Katelyn Guzman 14:03
You're teaching a. 

Rich Bennett 14:04
lot in these books. But for adults. 

Stephanie Guzman 14:08
Hmm. I mean, I feel like that could definitely work. Taking 

Rich Bennett 14:12
I think 

Stephanie Guzman 14:12
something simple, you know, that you would say for kids. But then also thinking about the information that I have at the end of each chapter, each book could even be like a separate chapter on each. 

Katelyn Guzman 14:24
Different, like. 

Stephanie Guzman 14:25
Area. Right. And then you could go to that area that you wanted to like, learn about a little bit more, you know, like. 

Rich Bennett 14:30
Or even workbooks like workbooks to go with. 

Katelyn Guzman 14:33
Each one. 

Rich Bennett 14:34
And to where the. 

Katelyn Guzman 14:35
The parents of the kids can have something to do together. We've. 

Rich Bennett 14:39
coloring pages before with 

Stephanie Guzman 14:40
So 

Rich Bennett 14:40
the. 

Stephanie Guzman 14:40
yeah, I have some coloring pages for them. And 

Katelyn Guzman 14:43
And 

Stephanie Guzman 14:43
then. 

Katelyn Guzman 14:43
then some. 

Stephanie Guzman 14:44
Like worksheets, I guess you would say that kind of like activity pages 

Rich Bennett 14:47
Yeah. 

Stephanie Guzman 14:48
that go along with the books. 

Combine it all together. 

Rich Bennett 14:54
The ladies want to believe they have a bit of grit. 

Stephanie Guzman 14:57
Yes. 

Rich Bennett 14:58
How long did that one take to write? 

Stephanie Guzman 15:00
That one probably took about it about a year. 

Rich Bennett 15:02
Really? 

Stephanie Guzman 15:03
Say with all of the the and the ins and outs of all of it, 

Rich Bennett 15:06
Right. 

Stephanie Guzman 15:06
like I would say, the whole like from probably a year and a half from writing to actually having the finished product. But Kaitlyn will tell you otherwise you will tell you how many years did it really take? 

Katelyn Guzman 15:18
Five. 

Stephanie Guzman 15:19
She's like, Are you writing it? No, not yet. It's coming. It's coming, right? Every. 

Rich Bennett 15:23
Just that book in. 

Stephanie Guzman 15:24
It's coming. Just in general. Yeah, well, there was definitely a big break in writing from really the third. Sticky fins cause like sticky fins. I think this one was a 2013 one right tooth. 13. Right. Was really the last time that I truly like wrote wrote because. Because after that, then I needed the money for the second edition of. 

Katelyn Guzman 15:49
Invitations. 

Stephanie Guzman 15:50
Slip up and then from the. 

Katelyn Guzman 15:51
the second. 

Stephanie Guzman 15:51
Invitation slip up. Then we had the second edition of. And then. 

Katelyn Guzman 15:57
Of course. Now we. 

Stephanie Guzman 15:57
We have the new book, but a lot of like I would think being a mom, you know, having a young kid, that was like because this one acting cool, it originally came out like right before she was born. And then that 

Rich Bennett 16:10
Really? 

Stephanie Guzman 16:10
was. Mm hmm. Initially, because that was 2008, was the, like, the original acting school when that one came out. So it was like six eight. 

Katelyn Guzman 16:22
And that's even this one. 

Stephanie Guzman 16:23
One was a little gap to 13. 

Katelyn Guzman 16:25
Six eight. 

Stephanie Guzman 16:26
13. And then the. 

Katelyn Guzman 16:28
This was. 

Stephanie Guzman 16:29
Again. And then we went up to like 23. There was definitely some gaps in time between doing it. But, you know, I like start it it really is just been like a. 

Katelyn Guzman 16:38
A part time thing. It's one of the things that. 

Stephanie Guzman 16:39
That I do because I love it. Not 

Rich Bennett 16:41
Right? 

Stephanie Guzman 16:42
necessarily doing it as a business, I'd like to eventually turn it into more of a business per se. Once I get done with teaching, which 

Rich Bennett 16:50
Yeah. 

Stephanie Guzman 16:50
will be in about six years, I can retire. 

Rich Bennett 16:53
Too young to read. 

Stephanie Guzman 16:53
I'm well, you know, they say retire, but I mean, basically it's moving on to do something. 

Rich Bennett 16:58
Exactly another. 

Stephanie Guzman 16:59
Is more, right? Yeah. So but I'm really excited about having this is the foundation of then the. 

Rich Bennett 17:06
Nor. 

Katelyn Guzman 17:07
Yeah, 

Stephanie Guzman 17:07
Really like focus in on this a little bit more. 

Rich Bennett 17:11
Which means 

Stephanie Guzman 17:11
But 

Rich Bennett 17:11
you 

Stephanie Guzman 17:11
yeah. 

Rich Bennett 17:11
definitely have to go to a local college so you can stay home and help illustrate all the other books she's going to be writing. 

Katelyn Guzman 17:17
Well, it depends on if she's writing them or not. 

Stephanie Guzman 17:20
Oh, I'll be writing. 

Rich Bennett 17:21
I look. Caitlin I think if you 

Katelyn Guzman 17:24
You 

Rich Bennett 17:25
just 

Katelyn Guzman 17:25
just. 

Rich Bennett 17:25
keep that fire under her rear end, she'll keep. 

Stephanie Guzman 17:28
Say. Now it's really more of like just having the time. 

Rich Bennett 17:32
Yeah. 

Stephanie Guzman 17:33
Like, I'm really more of like a a yes girl kind of person. It was even how this all came about was really saying yes, because my dad had a company called Self-publishing dot com and with his company that he had for many years, it was back in 2000, two when 

said that he wanted to look into how he could help people be able to publish a children's book. And this was after my first year of teaching. I said, well, from from this year of teaching, I sure have a bunch of ideas that could probably make children's books because I can't find the books like that at the library. Nowadays, there's definitely more books that deal with like character. 

Rich Bennett 18:13
I think you see a lot more children's authors out there 

Stephanie Guzman 18:15
You know? 

Rich Bennett 18:15
now to. 

Stephanie Guzman 18:15
Oh, definitely. Because it's definitely gotten a lot easier in order to be a children's author in the sense of being able to publish a book with Amazon has really made it much easier with the Kindle Direct publishing versus when. 

Katelyn Guzman 18:28
When you're really just going all. 

Stephanie Guzman 18:29
Go out on your own 

Rich Bennett 18:30
Right. 

Stephanie Guzman 18:31
and have to really figure it out. So I said yes to him and that was really where invitation slip up came up with. I wrote it just in 

Katelyn Guzman 18:39
In the 

Stephanie Guzman 18:39
the 

Katelyn Guzman 18:39
conflict. 

Stephanie Guzman 18:39
car or not in the car, but on the train, because at that point in time, 

Katelyn Guzman 18:42
conflict. 

Stephanie Guzman 18:42
he still lived in New York City. So. 

Katelyn Guzman 18:45
On the train on the way home. 

Stephanie Guzman 18:45
Him. I wrote the first book and I was like, All right, now what? 

Rich Bennett 18:48
Just in that one trip. 

Stephanie Guzman 18:50
Hmm. 

Rich Bennett 18:50
Wow. 

Stephanie Guzman 18:50
Wow. Yep. Now, of course, there is editing and all It happened to it. But as far as like the idea of the book was actually. Based on a situation that happened to me when I was in third or fourth grade. And the cool part was because I went to William Paca or Post Road, which is now just old Post Road. So when I did an author visit over there at the well, actually it was the William Paco building. Then I told the kids I was like, It was right out here, actually in the hallway where this situation happens and it stuck with. 

Katelyn Guzman 19:24
With me all these 

Stephanie Guzman 19:24
Years 

Katelyn Guzman 19:24
years. 

Stephanie Guzman 19:25
later because I thought that that would be a good idea for a book. Try. 

Rich Bennett 19:29
There had to be. To go back to the school that you went to and to read the book and. 

Stephanie Guzman 19:35
Yeah, it was even more exciting for the people who had worked there for a long time to hear me sing like the theme song of Old Post Road. Like the school song of We were talking like in the 1980s and nineties, you know. So. 

Rich Bennett 19:53
The song has. 

Stephanie Guzman 19:54
Oh, gosh. 

Rich Bennett 19:57
I sent a. 

Katelyn Guzman 19:58
You. 

Rich Bennett 19:58
You all. Espy Caitlyn, I didn't say I want to put your mother on the spot. 

Stephanie Guzman 20:02
It's kind of like a William. Take the old post road. We got the spirit to explode. William, you were awfully proud of Old Post Road, but shout it out loud. William. Fully proud of you. Doo doo doo doo doo doo doo. 

Rich Bennett 20:22
So as I say. 

Stephanie Guzman 20:24
It's got to go along with something else. 

Rich Bennett 20:26
It does 

Stephanie Guzman 20:26
Just kind of like part. Yeah, there is definitely more to the song than that, but I just sang a tiny little bit for the kids and they were laughing. And of course, some of the 

Rich Bennett 20:35
going to be 

Stephanie Guzman 20:36
some 

Rich Bennett 20:36
a. 

Stephanie Guzman 20:36
of the teachers were. Oh, my goodness. That was such a long time ago. I remember that. So. I know. Kind of cool going back to where you came from. You know? 

Rich Bennett 20:46
While I show Caitlyn with you. You did read these when you were younger, right? 

Katelyn Guzman 20:55
Unfortunately, I had no choice. 

Rich Bennett 20:58
Unfortunately

. What? 

Katelyn Guzman 21:01
Wow. I feel like I can recite them from my memory. 

Rich Bennett 21:05
Okay, good. 

Katelyn Guzman 21:07
Okay, Pull 

Rich Bennett 21:10
Roy, 

Katelyn Guzman 21:10
your 

Rich Bennett 21:10
Apparently 

Katelyn Guzman 21:10
pin. 

Rich Bennett 21:11
you must have loved them. Otherwise you wouldn't have wanted to illustrate the bit of grit. Right. 

Be honest. Why did you want to illustrate a bit of grit? 

Katelyn Guzman 21:23
Because I hated the illustrations that were done in her old books. 

Rich Bennett 21:29
She has other stuff. That's good. 

Stephanie Guzman 21:31
Is honest. That's for sure. 

Rich Bennett 21:33
ISO as in God. As an illustrator, you're. I think you're the first illustrator. 

Because you have to. 

Katelyn Guzman 21:43
Write the word. 

Rich Bennett 21:44
Kurds first. 

Stephanie Guzman 21:45
Yes. And that's where she's like, Well, I can't do anything unless I have those words from you. I just can't do anything. 

Rich Bennett 21:50
How hard is it as an illustrator? Because you can have like seven. 

Katelyn Guzman 21:54
Have a word. 

Rich Bennett 21:55
One on one. 

Katelyn Guzman 21:55
One page read. You 

Rich Bennett 21:57
you got 

Katelyn Guzman 21:57
got to 

Rich Bennett 21:57
it 

Katelyn Guzman 21:57
read 

Rich Bennett 21:57
right. 

Katelyn Guzman 21:57
the 

Rich Bennett 21:57
The. 

Katelyn Guzman 21:57
right. You got to draw. 

Rich Bennett 21:58
Draw the. 

Katelyn Guzman 21:59
Illustration. Like a. 

Rich Bennett 22:02
Point. How how hard was that? 

Katelyn Guzman 22:05
It was pretty hard. But what made it easier was because she is my mother and anything I will do, she'll be like, We'll fix this and fix this. So I told her to draw me a little diagram for each page of what she wanted basis wise of. Like, I want this to be in a classroom. I want this to be in a lunchroom. Just so I had a little bit more of an idea and I didn't follow it all the time, but I needed some sort of basis so she would not bug me all the time because she knew if I was just the doorway away from her bedroom, if she didn't like anything, she could just walk on over and be like, Hey, change this and keep changing it. And that happened a few times, but it definitely happened less with her giving me a base of of what to go off of. 

Rich Bennett 22:57
This is the only book you've illustrated so far. 

Katelyn Guzman 22:59
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 23:01
Have. And don't get mad at me, Stephanie. Have you thought about offering your services to other children's authors? 

Katelyn Guzman 23:08
I have, and I really. You're just. 

Stephanie Guzman 23:11
Talking 

Katelyn Guzman 23:11
Just. 

Stephanie Guzman 23:11
about that yesterday. 

Katelyn Guzman 23:12
We were talking about it last night, actually. But I really do want to explore more different art styles and illustrate other children's books because I kind of just got stuck with the style that this was. And it's not my personal art style or what I would personally choose, which also put another like obstacle on my way. 

Rich Bennett 23:33
Oh, Amy, don't tell me you're our style is like that. Anime stuff is. 

Katelyn Guzman 23:37
No, 

Rich Bennett 23:37
Oh. 

Katelyn Guzman 23:37
it's not. 

Rich Bennett 23:38
All right. Just. You know, to me, that made it all looks. I'm sorry, all the cartoon. 

Katelyn Guzman 23:47
And then. 

Rich Bennett 23:47
Now look like Speed Racer. 

Katelyn Guzman 23:48
Sure. 

Stephanie Guzman 23:49
You. 

Rich Bennett 23:49
You remember? You're probably like, who? Chim chim and. 

Katelyn Guzman 23:56
Not 

everybody. 

Rich Bennett 23:59
You probably wouldn't know where all the seats are. So with. 

Katelyn Guzman 24:03
In 

Rich Bennett 24:04
In 

Katelyn Guzman 24:04
all 

Rich Bennett 24:04
all honesty, 

Katelyn Guzman 24:04
honesty, 

Rich Bennett 24:04
I 

Katelyn Guzman 24:04
I. 

Rich Bennett 24:05
think 

you admit you're a senior this year or. 

Katelyn Guzman 24:11
A junior. 

Rich Bennett 24:11
You're a junior this year. 

You have a part time, you have a job on your hand already. Sure, you could make good money doing this just from talking to the children's authors. 

Katelyn Guzman 24:23
There's I've spoken with a lot of them that. 

Rich Bennett 24:25
That's their biggest struggle. Besides marketing is trying to find the right. 

And I love the fact that you asked your mother to sketch out what she wanted in a page. That's. 

Katelyn Guzman 24:38
That's smart. 

Rich Bennett 24:39
That's the illustrator asking for an outline. I. And it's 

Utah. 

Katelyn Guzman 24:47
You taught her well. 

Stephanie Guzman 24:49
Never. 

Rich Bennett 24:49
You. 

Stephanie Guzman 24:50
He is her own entrepreneur. Like not. 

Rich Bennett 24:53
I was just going 

Stephanie Guzman 24:53
Does 

Rich Bennett 24:53
to say 

Stephanie Guzman 24:53
she do 

Rich Bennett 24:54
that 

Stephanie Guzman 24:54
this? 

Rich Bennett 24:54
she. 

Stephanie Guzman 24:54
But she has a couple of different businesses and things like that to. At 16. 

Rich Bennett 24:59
What's. 

Katelyn Guzman 25:02
crochet. 

Rich Bennett 25:03
Oh, come on. I get at a. 

Stephanie Guzman 25:05
You. 

Katelyn Guzman 25:06
I crochet stuffed animals and will go to the same event and we'll usually have different booths and I'll sell my crochet stuff while she sells her books. 

It's one of mine. 

Rich Bennett 25:21
Keep going. What else? 

Katelyn Guzman 25:22
And then I don't have a nail tech license, but I 

Stephanie Guzman 25:25
I 

Katelyn Guzman 25:25
do 

Stephanie Guzman 25:25
do. 

Katelyn Guzman 25:25
do nails for people. 

Stephanie Guzman 25:28
At our house. Usually it's people that go to her school or like Bel Air High. 

Rich Bennett 25:33
What other surprises? Don't tell me you're also a tattoo artist. 

Katelyn Guzman 25:37
No, I'm not. 

Rich Bennett 25:40
Well, sit down, Raj. I'll try it. I know 

Katelyn Guzman 25:43
Wow. 

Rich Bennett 25:43
how. You're still doing the crochet? Yeah. Okay. That's great, because when I saw you guys at the. 

Stephanie Guzman 25:51
Oh, right. Yes. 

Rich Bennett 25:53
You had your stuff. Did you have that big. 

Stephanie Guzman 25:55
Mm hmm. 

Rich Bennett 25:57
Forgetting the name of the thing. 

Katelyn Guzman 26:01
You know. 

Stephanie Guzman 26:02
No, that was somebody else that. 

Rich Bennett 26:03
Okay. 

Stephanie Guzman 26:03
Got us. 

Rich Bennett 26:04
What did you. 

Katelyn Guzman 26:04
You had. 

Rich Bennett 26:05
Crusader. 

Stephanie Guzman 26:08
I know she had. 

Katelyn Guzman 26:09
I remember. 

Stephanie Guzman 26:11
Bees and Yoda. And. 

Katelyn Guzman 26:14
Joel. Yeah, baby. Yoda. 

Stephanie Guzman 26:17
And this is this is thinking back a couple. 

Rich Bennett 26:18
I remember to be. 

Katelyn Guzman 26:19
Now, then. 

Stephanie Guzman 26:20
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 26:22
Are you having Crusade an Oliver yet? 

Katelyn Guzman 26:24
I have. 

Rich Bennett 26:25
Oh. 

Stephanie Guzman 26:27
In fact, tell them what you're working on right now. That is not finished yet. It was my my Christmas present. That's not. 

Katelyn Guzman 26:34
Finished yet. 

Stephanie Guzman 26:34
You got. 

Katelyn Guzman 26:36
So. 

Rich Bennett 26:36
Say Christmas this year. 

Stephanie Guzman 26:38
True. 

Katelyn Guzman 26:39
So we have a docs and I'm working on crushing our docs in a sweater that looks like a clownfish 

Rich Bennett 26:45
Oh, 

Katelyn Guzman 26:46
all. 

Rich Bennett 26:46
come on. 

Stephanie Guzman 26:46
I can take you with me. 

Rich Bennett 26:49
Oh. 

Stephanie Guzman 26:53
Mm. 

Rich Bennett 26:54
While. 

Stephanie Guzman 26:55
Coming. But now it's really it's really cool to see that brain at work. 

Rich Bennett 26:59
What's the biggest thing? Your cruciate. 

Stephanie Guzman 27:04
Was that the Pokemon thing? 

Katelyn Guzman 27:06
Yeah, I've crocheted a big pokemon. 

Stephanie Guzman 27:08
What does that. What is that one called? 

Katelyn Guzman 27:09
Dragonair. 

Stephanie Guzman 27:10
Dragonair Pokémon Dragonair It was based. 

Rich Bennett 27:14
No way. 

Katelyn Guzman 27:14
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 27:15
How long did that take you? 

Katelyn Guzman 27:17
A while. 

Rich Bennett 27:18
How big was the thing? About two foot. Three foot two. 

Stephanie Guzman 27:23
Yeah. Probably 

Katelyn Guzman 27:24
Yeah, about 

Stephanie Guzman 27:24
about two 

Katelyn Guzman 27:24
two. 

Stephanie Guzman 27:24
foot. Mm hmm. 

Katelyn Guzman 27:25
Two feet. 

Stephanie Guzman 27:26
To. 

Katelyn Guzman 27:27
Yeah. 

Stephanie Guzman 27:28
And then it was like, kind of long, though. 

Katelyn Guzman 27:30
Yeah. Like, wrapped around. 

Rich Bennett 27:32
Where does she get her? Well, I guess she gets her entrepreneur or mine from you. 

Stephanie Guzman 27:36
She gets that part for me. But as far, I just feel like she was born with this amazing brain that just sees things in a different way, which. 

Rich Bennett 27:44
So you don't crochet. 

Stephanie Guzman 27:45
No, I don't crochet. My grandma tried to teach me how to do it and, well, I did not have grit when it came to crochet. I am. And also my grandmother painted my aunt painted also that, you know, they weren't any world renowned artists. 

Katelyn Guzman 28:00
But they had. 

Stephanie Guzman 28:01
That mind 

Rich Bennett 28:02
Yeah. 

Stephanie Guzman 28:02
too, of being able to like, see things in more than one color and all of that. So they liked oil. Painting was their their fave. And then my aunt did ceramics. So my now. 

Rich Bennett 28:13
Have you done serum? I've never do it, sir. Of them. 

Stephanie Guzman 28:17
Right. 

Katelyn Guzman 28:18
Besides the elementary school stuff now. 

Rich Bennett 28:22
So what's the next thing you want to do? Now, I'm not talking about college right now. 

Katelyn Guzman 28:27
I'm not sure. 

Rich Bennett 28:28
What do you like to do that you haven't done yet? 

You know, So those of you listening, first of all, she blew me away when she came in because of her jacket to Chesapeake Synchro and I in all honestly, I thought it was swimming. I didn't know they were synchronized skating. So you do. 

Katelyn Guzman 28:49
That. 

Rich Bennett 28:50
You crochet. You draw. You're an awesome illustrator. You do nails. Except for me, because I have none. 

She 

did dance before song No 

Stephanie Guzman 29:04
She's done gymnastics and dance with all which kind of led to them the the synchronized skating. All of that gave her some good 

Rich Bennett 29:12
No, you play sports as well. 

Stephanie Guzman 29:15
Uh, no. That was some things you never got into. 

Rich Bennett 29:17
Well, figure skating is. 

Stephanie Guzman 29:18
But figure, yes, that kind of sport. But if you're talking about like, you know, softball, soccer or basketball now, those kinds of things have never really been her thing. She's definitely more like gymnastics. 

Katelyn Guzman 29:29
She 

Stephanie Guzman 29:29
She did 

Katelyn Guzman 29:29
did that 

Stephanie Guzman 29:29
that. 

Katelyn Guzman 29:30
all. 

Stephanie Guzman 29:31
Growing up up through sixth grade. 

Rich Bennett 29:33
So where where is the place where children's authors go to to find illustrators? Is it fiver fever? Is 

Stephanie Guzman 29:41
Five 

Rich Bennett 29:41
it. 

Stephanie Guzman 29:41
or sometimes. Mm hmm. 

Rich Bennett 29:42
Okay. 

Stephanie Guzman 29:42
That's the place to go. That was a place that I went to trying to get the book layout done. Because that's what. 

Katelyn Guzman 29:49
I don't know how to do. 

Stephanie Guzman 29:49
Do yet. 

Rich Bennett 29:52
And I just spoke to some that started a children's authors, illustrators, 

group. 

Stephanie Guzman 30:02
Okay. 

Rich Bennett 30:03
They meet at Wegmans. After. 

Stephanie Guzman 30:06
There we go. Sign her up. 

Rich Bennett 30:08
You be. I'm 

Stephanie Guzman 30:09
Right. 

Rich Bennett 30:09
telling you, you would be. But no, you probably wouldn't be surprised and. 

Katelyn Guzman 30:15
Some 

Rich Bennett 30:15
Some children's 

Katelyn Guzman 30:15
churches 

Rich Bennett 30:16
authors 

Katelyn Guzman 30:16
all. 

Rich Bennett 30:16
really desperately need a good illustrator 

of a. 

Katelyn Guzman 30:21
They do. 

Rich Bennett 30:22
Yeah. You could pay for college. 

Especially if you want to go to a fight. 

Stephanie Guzman 30:29
If 80. 

Rich Bennett 30:30
If you want to go to. 

New York City. 

Katelyn Guzman 30:34
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 30:35
New York City is not cheap. 

Katelyn Guzman 30:37
No. 

Rich Bennett 30:38
A sub costs $20. 

Katelyn Guzman 30:39
It does. 

Rich Bennett 30:41
Really? Oh, I was just. 

Katelyn Guzman 30:43
Depends on the sub you get. 

Stephanie Guzman 30:44
True. 

Rich Bennett 30:46
Good ones. 

Katelyn Guzman 30:47
The near $20. 

Rich Bennett 30:51
Seriously. 

Katelyn Guzman 30:52
Yeah. I once paid 20 bucks for a tuna sandwich. 

Rich Bennett 30:54
What? 

Katelyn Guzman 30:57
$20. 

Rich Bennett 30:58
Up in New York City for. For a tuna sandwich, 

Katelyn Guzman 31:02
And it wasn't even that good visiting 

Rich Bennett 31:04
I think. 

Katelyn Guzman 31:04
made out of. 

Rich Bennett 31:04
Gold. 

Katelyn Guzman 31:06
I. I would think so, but it wasn't. 

Rich Bennett 31:10
You're listening in on the conversations with Rich Bennett. We'll be right back. 

Are you looking for a place where voices from all over the world come together? Well, look no further than the Chesapeake podcast. We've got podcasts in every genre, from comedy to health interviews to news. There's something for everyone. And for all you podcasters out there, it's free to join. Plus, we're more than just a network. We host monthly virtual networking meetings where you can connect, collaborate and grow with fellow creators. So sign up today at Chesapeake Podcast Network AECOM and get ready to join a global community. 

Stephanie Guzman 31:56
Yeah, New York City can definitely be expensive, but it's gotten expensive around here the way things have gone. 

Rich Bennett 32:00
I bet next time you go to New York City, you pack your own tuna fish sandwiches, aren't you? 

Katelyn Guzman 32:05
Yeah. I learned from then. 

Rich Bennett 32:08
She gets into fights, she goes. 

Need another care package. Send some more bumblebee or something. I went to the store to pick up a candy and they wanted $50. Yeah. As I said, you're illustrating the last book in the series as well. 

Stephanie Guzman 32:27
Yeah. 

Katelyn Guzman 32:27
Yeah. Has. 

Rich Bennett 32:28
Is going to work with. College if she goes to a fight or the other one and doesn't stay. 

Stephanie Guzman 32:33
Well, she did the illustrations for a bit of grit during the summer 

Rich Bennett 32:37
Okay. 

Stephanie Guzman 32:37
this past summer, because with school she was busy from sunup to sundown. So there really wasn't a lot of time to squeeze it in. So I. 

Rich Bennett 32:44
Right. 

Katelyn Guzman 32:45
Then. 

Stephanie Guzman 32:46
You working on it over the summer? Because my goal, right, is to try to have the next book written this school year so that she can start illustrating. This summer to get that one done. But the big goal really is, is that the last book will be done in 2026, that. 

Rich Bennett 33:04
Of the series of the Oliver Series. 

Stephanie Guzman 33:07
Yes, because that will be 20 years of Oliver. And as much as I love Oliver, I'm also excited to move on to. 

Rich Bennett 33:13
Right. 

Stephanie Guzman 33:14
From characters and stuff to and just different different styles. And I kind of want to see where Caitlin wants to go with it. You know, when we get. 

Rich Bennett 33:21
Are you going to stick with children? 

Stephanie Guzman 33:23
Yes, 

Rich Bennett 33:23
Okay. 

Stephanie Guzman 33:23
our next series. But I would like to do chapter books for children. And even like, I feel like there's still a need for first grade and second grade kids 

Rich Bennett 33:33
Yes. 

Stephanie Guzman 33:33
to get chapter books in their hands. But a lot of the chapter books you see these days just. Aren't write for them just yet, 

Rich Bennett 33:39
Right. 

Stephanie Guzman 33:40
you know, And they want to be reading these big kid books. So I think it would be kind of cool for us to be going in that direction, to be writing some big kid books that are some chapter books for our younger kids. 

Rich Bennett 33:52
So, Kate. And no, you cannot say your mother's book. But growing up, what was your favorite children's book? 

Katelyn Guzman 34:02
Emily Winston. 

Stephanie Guzman 34:06
Well, that would be a chapter book. 

Katelyn Guzman 34:07
It's a chapter children's book, the first one. If you look back on it, it's really easy reading. But I think I started reading them in second or third grade. 

Stephanie Guzman 34:17
Mm hmm. 

Katelyn Guzman 34:18
It's about a mermaid. 

Rich Bennett 34:21
wonder where the idea. 

Katelyn Guzman 34:25
Um. 

Rich Bennett 34:26
Why she went to. 

Stephanie Guzman 34:28
I know, I know. 

Katelyn Guzman 34:29
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 34:30
Said no 

Stephanie Guzman 34:31
Well, 

Rich Bennett 34:31
reaction 

Stephanie Guzman 34:31
guess what? She got 

Rich Bennett 34:32
yet. 

Stephanie Guzman 34:32
the plastic fin. She got the. 

Katelyn Guzman 34:34
Plastic. The plastic one that chipped in broke, and then I wasn't allowed to use in our pool anymore because it would rip the liner. 

Rich Bennett 34:43
Well, yeah, I would imagine. 

Stephanie Guzman 34:45
Such scarred memories here. 

Rich Bennett 34:47
You got to be careful when you guys playoff to push in there. 

Katelyn Guzman 34:49
I know, I. 

Stephanie Guzman 34:50
I know this summer we're going to be like October, pushing it up. 

Katelyn Guzman 34:53
That's if she'll get her hair wet. 

Rich Bennett 34:58
Oh, God. 

Stephanie Guzman 35:00
Oh, I get it. You are, too. 

Rich Bennett 35:02
What was it, Emily? Emily? What? 

Katelyn Guzman 35:04
When snap. 

Rich Bennett 35:05
I want to go over is yours. What? Yours. 

Stephanie Guzman 35:08
Um, 

I would say my favorite children's book was Wacky Wednesday. That was. Dr. Seuss book, Wacky Wednesday. 

Rich Bennett 35:20
In the last. 

Stephanie Guzman 35:22
Then you had to find all the things that were wrong in the room. And then there was more wacky things that happened every day. That was probably my favorite book that I wanted to read over and over again. 

Rich Bennett 35:34
You have no desire to write. 

Katelyn Guzman 35:37
Not really. 

Stephanie Guzman 35:38
Except. 

Katelyn Guzman 35:40
Oh, I was thinking about making my own crochet pattern book. 

Rich Bennett 35:44
You should. 

Katelyn Guzman 35:45
Yeah, because I already know how to illustrate it and all the self-publishing and whatever, so. 

Rich Bennett 35:51
Actually. How does that work? 

Katelyn Guzman 35:53
So 

Rich Bennett 35:53
So when 

Katelyn Guzman 35:53
you're. 

Rich Bennett 35:53
you're. With these 

when you put it together. Yourself, Paul. 

Katelyn Guzman 36:00
Publishing. 

Rich Bennett 36:02
How does that work? I mean, I know. When you're doing a just like a novel, it's all words. So 

Stephanie Guzman 36:09
Right. 

Rich Bennett 36:09
how do you. 

Katelyn Guzman 36:10
you putting the art on the. 

Rich Bennett 36:13
Because you got to upload. Are you doing it through Amazon or just another self-publishing company? 

Stephanie Guzman 36:18
No, I mean, the two big ones are Ingram SPARC, 

Rich Bennett 36:21
Right. 

Stephanie Guzman 36:22
right. And then Amazon. The Katy Perry program. Both are good for different things, right? Ingram Spark that will actually be live on the 30th of December when Ingram Sparks you'll be able. 

Rich Bennett 36:37
Okay. 

Stephanie Guzman 36:39
At that point in time, that is good for hardcover books. And that also gives you the the outreach as far as being able to get your book into like, well, Barnes Noble. They also have their own platform. 

Katelyn Guzman 36:54
But you can still. 

Stephanie Guzman 36:55
Still just use Ingram. But if you wanted 

Katelyn Guzman 36:58
To 

Stephanie Guzman 36:58
to be 

Katelyn Guzman 36:58
be. 

Stephanie Guzman 36:58
like it walmart.com, you know, any of those kind of like just places that it's there that the different stores can go ahead and buy the book and most of the time they go ahead and buy them from Ingram SPARC. They're 

Rich Bennett 37:10
Right. 

Stephanie Guzman 37:10
not going to be buying anything. Even there's like some in 

Katelyn Guzman 37:13
Independent 

Stephanie Guzman 37:13
Japan. 

Katelyn Guzman 37:14
bookstores 

Stephanie Guzman 37:14
Stores 

Katelyn Guzman 37:14
that. 

Stephanie Guzman 37:14
that they won't get your book if it's just on Amazon, like they want to see that. So there's lots of different people have lots of different rules and they there's like, there's good reasons. 

Rich Bennett 37:23
I never. 

Stephanie Guzman 37:24
Different things. 

Rich Bennett 37:25
You're still an independent author. 

Stephanie Guzman 37:27
Right. 

Rich Bennett 37:27
No matter where. I mean, in all honesty, Amazon's helped a lot of businesses. 

Stephanie Guzman 37:32
Yeah, no, it definitely has. So then that being the hardcover, it would be going through them. The e-book goes through Amazon and then also the paperback goes through Amazon also. 

Rich Bennett 37:42
Okay. 

Stephanie Guzman 37:43
So. But what I was able to do, which some authors do this and others don't do it until later, but since it's a series that I ordered, then 500 copies of this. And then I also had the new acting cool cover. I had 500 copies of this also printed over in China working with somebody. 

Rich Bennett 38:04
Right. 

Stephanie Guzman 38:04
And it really worked out to be absolutely wonderful. This is the first time that. 

Katelyn Guzman 38:10
I. 

Stephanie Guzman 38:10
I have a book of which will lay flat. So it's all sewn together. And the quality of the book, to be completely honest, is much better than the quality you would get from Ingram 

Rich Bennett 38:21
Not 

Stephanie Guzman 38:21
or. 

Rich Bennett 38:21
come in separate, like glued pages. 

Stephanie Guzman 38:23
Mm hmm. Or from, you know, for Amazon. So when I go on author events, or if people are buying books through my website, then they're getting the book that has the best quality. 

Katelyn Guzman 38:34
Wait a minute. What is that? Puffer fish as 

Rich Bennett 38:38
As a. 

Katelyn Guzman 38:38
a. No, not. 

Rich Bennett 38:39
The puffer. Good. 

Stephanie Guzman 38:42
To. 

Katelyn Guzman 38:42
Seahorse. 

Rich Bennett 38:43
A seahorse. I have got seahorses at. 

Stephanie Guzman 38:51
You. 

Rich Bennett 38:52
That character. 

Stephanie Guzman 38:54
Well, see, the seahorse was. 

Katelyn Guzman 38:55
Original. 

Stephanie Guzman 38:56
These were the original. 

Rich Bennett 38:58
Okay. 

Stephanie Guzman 38:58
Which was Paul, who was the Pufferfish. 

Rich Bennett 39:00
Did you succeed? 

Katelyn Guzman 39:01
She. 

Rich Bennett 39:02
When she drove. 

Stephanie Guzman 39:02
But when she did, because I said, like, we got to make her look a little better. 

Rich Bennett 39:06
Yeah, but. 

Stephanie Guzman 39:07
But also 

Katelyn Guzman 39:07
So 

Stephanie Guzman 39:07
I 

Katelyn Guzman 39:07
I 

Stephanie Guzman 39:07
feel 

Katelyn Guzman 39:07
feel. 

Stephanie Guzman 39:07
like that's kind of the advantage of having her with me versus my first illustrator was from India. So the only communication was really through email. 

Katelyn Guzman 39:16
Sometimes it's hard. 

Stephanie Guzman 39:16
Hard to always communicate what you want. You know, in words. It's sometimes easier to actually see a person face to face to. 

Rich Bennett 39:23
I could never pronounce was Axolotl. 

Stephanie Guzman 39:26
Yeah. And axolotl. 

Rich Bennett 39:27
you? 

Katelyn Guzman 39:28
No. 

Stephanie Guzman 39:29
No, we do not have an axolotl, but. 

Rich Bennett 39:31
I know a lot of people like. 

Stephanie Guzman 39:33
I have a. 

Stuffed axolotl on a little keychain and when people purchase the book for. 

Katelyn Guzman 39:43
For me. They get. 

Stephanie Guzman 39:44
Get the axolotl because in this story, a bit of grit, Oliver wants to be able to pull an axolotl out of a hat. So he wants to be. 

Rich Bennett 39:53
Right. So. 

Stephanie Guzman 39:54
So I give the kids the axolotl and directions in the back. On how they can create this magic hat in order to pull the axolotl out of the hat so they can actually do the trick themselves. 

Rich Bennett 40:05
It Was that custom made for you or. 

Stephanie Guzman 40:06
This was not this was, again, Amazon, right? 

Rich Bennett 40:09
Right. 

Stephanie Guzman 40:09
When you see things on Amazon that I just thought this was. 

Katelyn Guzman 40:11
Is the coolest 

Stephanie Guzman 40:11
Thing 

Katelyn Guzman 40:11
thing. 

Stephanie Guzman 40:12
because 

Katelyn Guzman 40:12
The 

Stephanie Guzman 40:12
the axolotl in the book 

Katelyn Guzman 40:13
book 

Stephanie Guzman 40:13
is 

Katelyn Guzman 40:13
is 

Stephanie Guzman 40:13
pink 

Katelyn Guzman 40:13
Pink. 

Stephanie Guzman 40:14
and this is a cute little pink axolotl. 

Rich Bennett 40:16
If you 

Stephanie Guzman 40:16
kind of work. 

Rich Bennett 40:17
only knew somebody that could create one by ricochet one. 

Stephanie Guzman 40:21
Right. I know. Hmm. I wonder who that could be. 

Rich Bennett 40:27
Could 

Stephanie Guzman 40:27
So. 

Rich Bennett 40:27
be a nice giveaway. 

Stephanie Guzman 40:28
Right. It would be. So anyway, this was kind of the start of making sure I had something when I did the the paperback books. And so that when I had ready to go for Christmas. But this one, it. 

Katelyn Guzman 40:39
It took a little bit. 

Stephanie Guzman 40:40
Longer with just. Yeah. Just the back and forth. The 

Katelyn Guzman 40:45
The 

Stephanie Guzman 40:45
back 

Katelyn Guzman 40:45
back and 

Stephanie Guzman 40:45
end 

Katelyn Guzman 40:45
forth of. 

Stephanie Guzman 40:45
of. Trying to get things. 

Rich Bennett 40:47
Writing it the work. After, after editing and everything. How long does it. No, no, I can't really say that. Because then once it's just. 

Katelyn Guzman 40:57
But the day. 

Rich Bennett 40:58
All right. Right in this one again, how long did it take for just you, The story itself. 

Stephanie Guzman 41:03
Just for me to write the story. I mean, Caitlin says it'll take five or six years, but from the time that I actually started, like writing, I would say it probably took me less than a year. You know, Yes, definitely to go and write. And then it came to the illustration part. 

Rich Bennett 41:18
How long did it take you to illustrate? 

Katelyn Guzman 41:21
Well, when I actually started illustrating like a month. 

Rich Bennett 41:25
Oh, come on. 

Stephanie Guzman 41:26
But I would say at least three months. But that was mom going. It's really a blessing. And also 

Rich Bennett 41:34
When your 

Stephanie Guzman 41:34
not 

Rich Bennett 41:34
illustrator 

Stephanie Guzman 41:34
so. 

Rich Bennett 41:35
lives with you. 

Stephanie Guzman 41:35
Blessing when you live with your illustrator and you see that she's doing things, that is not what you want her to be doing, like illustrating your book. What are you doing right now? 

Katelyn Guzman 41:45
Remember we have. 

Stephanie Guzman 41:46
Illustrations. We have a deadline. You need to have them done by such and such day. And yeah, so we. We did our best, right? Uh huh. 

Rich Bennett 41:56
So. Who's the first person to look at this outside of the family? 

Stephanie Guzman 42:01
Hmm. 

Probably a couple of my closest friends, like Melissa Stout. She also works in the county, but she and she knows Caitlyn. But no, but she got a chance to serve. 

Rich Bennett 42:15
What did what did she say about the election? 

Stephanie Guzman 42:18
Oh, she absolutely love them. So I thought they were great. And then I had my other friend Alison Cook, who teaches third grade. She read the book to her class. 

Rich Bennett 42:28
Oh, really? 

Stephanie Guzman 42:29
And her third grade class to get feedback. And that was actually even part of last year when I was writing it. So were no illustrations that went with it initially. And I asked the kids, I was like, okay, what do you like about it? What do you not like about. 

Rich Bennett 42:41
Right. 

Stephanie Guzman 42:41
Should I really, like, make a little bit, you know, I guess give more detail to and what do I kind of need to make just kind of go 

Katelyn Guzman 42:48
Go 

Stephanie Guzman 42:48
away. 

Katelyn Guzman 42:48
away and. 

Stephanie Guzman 42:49
And that was very helpful. So then once the illustrations came, then she was able to read it with them and get feedback on illustrations to. 

Rich Bennett 42:57
Actually, you can go you can go and read in the schools, Can you? 

Stephanie Guzman 43:01
I do. But if I do go to a different school, I either go in the evening to do like a reading night, which I 

Rich Bennett 43:09
Right. 

Stephanie Guzman 43:09
have. Many of those through 

Katelyn Guzman 43:10
Through the 

Stephanie Guzman 43:10
the 

Katelyn Guzman 43:10
years. 

Stephanie Guzman 43:10
years. Or I take a personal day in order to do. 

Rich Bennett 43:14
Because, I mean, would this be good for, like, pre-K? 

Stephanie Guzman 43:17
Mm hmm. Yep. It would definitely be good for pre-K. I feel like the the the target audience is really first and second graders. But with kindergarten friends. I love doing stuff with the book and even like the preschools and things like that going around. And then the older kids, the grade like 3 to 5. Besides just it being like a good lesson that they learn. And then we learn more about the publishing process and how you actually can make money by publishing a book. And there was 

Katelyn Guzman 43:45
The 

Stephanie Guzman 43:45
a. 

Katelyn Guzman 43:45
student. 

Stephanie Guzman 43:45
During COVID that didn't go to my school where I work at Darlington, went to a different school. Her guidance counselor reached out to me and wanted to know if I could work with her and just have a couple of conversations with her about publishing a book. And the guidance counselor got back in touch with me and said that she did it. And then the cool part was, is that when I was at the epicenter in Edgewood, just a couple of weeks ago, one of the girls that was there said that she knows that book because her teacher was reading it. And now this at the epicenter, I believe they go up to eighth grade. So, yeah, so it was a middle school class that they are actually reading the book that was written by a student that went to Homestead Wakefield years prior. 

Rich Bennett 44:21
Why didn't you tell? 

Stephanie Guzman 44:22
Right. 

Rich Bennett 44:22
Put her in contact with me. 

Stephanie Guzman 44:25
I don't know. I guess now I'm going to have to, like, backtrack and say Hey. Right. 

Rich Bennett 44:30
You need 

Stephanie Guzman 44:30
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 44:31
push 

Stephanie Guzman 44:32
All 

Rich Bennett 44:32
your 

Stephanie Guzman 44:32
right. 

Rich Bennett 44:32
there. 

Stephanie Guzman 44:32
Definitely. Oh, right. All right. 

Rich Bennett 44:35
Actually. 

Stephanie Guzman 44:36
But no, I just think it's really cool that 

Rich Bennett 44:37
Yeah. 

Stephanie Guzman 44:38
that's what I'm doing with these older kids because, like, some of them are like, oh, it's kind of a baby book. Okay, sure. You can. You can think that because it's a picture book. And I don't believe that. I feel like picture books are for everybody. 

Rich Bennett 44:47
Hmm. 

Stephanie Guzman 44:48
But, um, but for those kids that are a little bit harder to get out. 

Katelyn Guzman 44:52
I said we'll think 

Stephanie Guzman 44:53
Think about 

Katelyn Guzman 44:53
about. 

Stephanie Guzman 44:53
the actual words. Think about like the business that you could make out of, like publishing a book or writing a something that you like to do. So it's just kind of cool. With them that way. 

Rich Bennett 45:03
It. Just since I've talked to children's authors, I believe to me, I believe what makes a children's book a very good book is when the parents are learning from it as well. 

Stephanie Guzman 45:15
Mm hmm. 

Rich Bennett 45:16
And to me, your books do that. I know whose D.A. Jennings. Her books do that. 

Katelyn Guzman 45:22
There is. 

Rich Bennett 45:23
Even Lindsey's. 

Stephanie Guzman 45:24
Mm hmm. 

Rich Bennett 45:25
There's 

Katelyn Guzman 45:25
There's. 

Rich Bennett 45:25
so many authors out there. And I 

Katelyn Guzman 45:26
I 

Rich Bennett 45:26
think 

Katelyn Guzman 45:26
think 

Rich Bennett 45:27
that. 

Katelyn Guzman 45:27
that's. 

Rich Bennett 45:28
That's. 

Katelyn Guzman 45:29
You may think it's because of the. 

Rich Bennett 45:30
Parents are. 

Katelyn Guzman 45:31
Learned something. Guess what? 

Rich Bennett 45:32
Parents are going to want to. 

Katelyn Guzman 45:34
The kids more. 

Rich Bennett 45:36
lot of times a kid. Let's face it, a lot of times have kids see a book. It's the book. Them. of them can't read it, but they're just going to look at the pages. They're going to make up their own story, whatever. 

Stephanie Guzman 45:48
Mm hmm. 

Rich Bennett 45:49
Mom and Dad. Mom or dad? Actually, Caitlin. Have you gone to any of the daycares or anything to read them? 

Katelyn Guzman 45:55
know. 

Rich Bennett 45:55
No. Why not? 

Katelyn Guzman 46:01
Never really want to do. 

Rich Bennett 46:03
Oh. 

Stephanie Guzman 46:04
But she's been with me for many, many, many events. In fact, she knows really good how to make fun of her mother and the things that. 

Rich Bennett 46:14
Like she's been. 

Stephanie Guzman 46:14
He's going to say this. He's going to do that. 

Katelyn Guzman 46:17
Yeah. 

Stephanie Guzman 46:18
But I mean, in her defense, she was not even a year old like I remember the first. What was it that the authors and artists thing in 

Rich Bennett 46:27
Yeah. 

Stephanie Guzman 46:27
Bel Air that we had the very first one. Many, many. It was many years ago. 

Rich Bennett 46:31
Right. 

Stephanie Guzman 46:31
She was tiny. Like I had her in a little pack in front of me. 

Rich Bennett 46:35
Wow. 

Stephanie Guzman 46:35
So it's been since she was born that she's been going and doing all of these different things. So in her defense, I can see why year after year after year, it would get a little bit, 

Rich Bennett 46:47
I 

Stephanie Guzman 46:48
you know. 

Rich Bennett 46:49
mean, if I were you, I'd have a blast at the school, especially going with Mom. Especially 

Katelyn Guzman 46:53
Especially 

Rich Bennett 46:53
if 

Katelyn Guzman 46:53
if the. 

Rich Bennett 46:53
that, like the. 

Katelyn Guzman 46:54
People. 

Rich Bennett 46:55
You do a Q&A afterwards? I. 

Stephanie Guzman 46:56
hmm. 

Katelyn Guzman 46:57
I would think a lot. 

Rich Bennett 46:58
lot of people would have questions for you, Caitlin, as. 

Stephanie Guzman 47:01
And see 

Katelyn Guzman 47:02
With 

Stephanie Guzman 47:02
this. 

Katelyn Guzman 47:02
this, right? It's just coming out. Which is. 

Stephanie Guzman 47:04
It's really cool. So I feel like this upcoming year is going to be really cool for Caitlin because now I feel like she's going to be invested in wanting to go to a couple of things. 

Katelyn Guzman 47:12
Some do some things in the. 

Stephanie Guzman 47:13
The evening and even do like a little tutorial with kids like got a reading night showing them how to create the character like. Uh huh. I can see some of this stuff really happening. 

Rich Bennett 47:23
So, Stephanie. 

Stephanie Guzman 47:24
All right, I'm ready. 

Rich Bennett 47:26
Sure. 

Stephanie Guzman 47:26
Niall now. Actually, now. 

Rich Bennett 47:28
Because, I mean, you have a star. 

Stephanie Guzman 47:32
I do. 

Rich Bennett 47:32
I. You're not going to be upset if she decides. Well, Mom. 

College. I think I'm ready to just do this illustration thing full time. Plus you. Plus, you're a good. 

Stephanie Guzman 47:50
You. 

Rich Bennett 47:51
I think that was I don't think it was a sneeze. I think that was. 

Katelyn Guzman 47:54
Huawei. 

Stephanie Guzman 47:58
Well, I feel like, you know, people have different opinions about college. And for me, I'm one of those people. Maybe that's because that's just the world I live that like. You just do it well. But then my husband, on the other hand, he's like, You know what? She may not even go to college. She's already got all of these different job entrepreneurial things that she, like, you know, is getting herself invested in and. 

Katelyn Guzman 48:20
Doing this and doing. 

Stephanie Guzman 48:21
Doing that and we kind of go we go back and forth, but. 

Rich Bennett 48:25
Well. 

Stephanie Guzman 48:25
Ultimately up to what she wants to do. But I feel like, you know, it's only a couple of years of your life and depending on what avenue you choose, a lot of people, they just want you to have that piece of paper. It doesn't even matter what it's in. It's just the fact that you went to college and you checked that box and you move on. 

Rich Bennett 48:40
If you change your mind. Here's what I suggest. 

Stephanie Guzman 48:43
All right, here we go. The 

Katelyn Guzman 48:44
The 

Stephanie Guzman 48:44
real 

Katelyn Guzman 48:44
real 

Stephanie Guzman 48:44
advice. 

Katelyn Guzman 48:44
advice. 

Rich Bennett 48:45
Go to college, in all honesty, because you are an entrepreneur. 

Katelyn Guzman 48:48
Nor. 

Stephanie Guzman 48:49
What? 

Rich Bennett 48:49
But 

Katelyn Guzman 48:49
But 

Rich Bennett 48:50
even 

Katelyn Guzman 48:50
even 

Rich Bennett 48:50
if 

Katelyn Guzman 48:50
if 

Rich Bennett 48:50
you 

Katelyn Guzman 48:50
you decide, well, here's. 

Rich Bennett 48:51
airspace For me. I love to see the money coming in from what I'm doing. I love drawing. Go to college for business management and whatever. 

Katelyn Guzman 49:01
Take the business courses 

Rich Bennett 49:03
Because I think it's where a lot of people 

Katelyn Guzman 49:05
people. 

Rich Bennett 49:07
mess up the start. 

Katelyn Guzman 49:08
Locker room business. 

Rich Bennett 49:08
This. They don't know how. 

Katelyn Guzman 49:11
How to run a. 

Rich Bennett 49:12
A business. You can learn that in college. And there's even creative writing. 

Stephanie Guzman 49:19
I 110%. 

Rich Bennett 49:20
So we know some. 

Katelyn Guzman 49:20
The teachers created. 

Stephanie Guzman 49:23
I think we two, actually. 

Katelyn Guzman 49:25
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 49:25
You don't. But if you learn. 

Katelyn Guzman 49:29
Yeah. It's a right. It could have. 

Rich Bennett 49:30
Help with the illustration. 

Katelyn Guzman 49:33
Just 

Rich Bennett 49:33
Just saying. 

Katelyn Guzman 49:33
say 

Rich Bennett 49:33
You 

Katelyn Guzman 49:33
you. 

Rich Bennett 49:34
are. 

Stephanie Guzman 49:35
Lots 

Rich Bennett 49:35
You are. 

Stephanie Guzman 49:35
of opportunities. 

Rich Bennett 49:36
Born artist. I mean, whether you agree or not, are. You're. Well, you're already. An entrepreneur. I mean, there's she's going to be like. Do you whack? 

Stephanie Guzman 49:52
My jacket on, and I don't yet know. 

Rich Bennett 49:57
I just you. Plus you. You said she made the T-shirt you have. So Stephanie's wearing a t shirt of Oliver to clownfish. 

Stephanie Guzman 50:04
And then she had to draw the book that is coming out of. 

Rich Bennett 50:08
Oh, I love that. 

Stephanie Guzman 50:09
I know, right? We couldn't find anything like in Canva or whatever. It's like, Oh, I'm just going to draw it for you. So she drew the book of Oliver coming out, and then we got Millie, the Mermaid and Dolly the Dolphin, and of course, the new Sally the Seahorse. It's a little more sparkle. And of course, Paul, the puffer. And then we got Ozzy, the octopus. 

Katelyn Guzman 50:27
Right there. 

Rich Bennett 50:28
So when you draw this stuff, is it just is it on a computer? A pen and paper 

Katelyn Guzman 50:33
So I have a book 

Rich Bennett 50:34
only. 

Katelyn Guzman 50:35
here. It's on an iPad. So I bought an iPad and an Apple pencil and I draw on. 

Stephanie Guzman 50:42
And she really did save up her money and she bought it herself. 

Rich Bennett 50:46
Yeah. I don't know what I know what I. Pat. 

iPad is the apple. Just a regular pencil or. 

Katelyn Guzman 50:54
Um. 

It looks like a pencil. 

Stephanie Guzman 50:58
It's almost like it's kind of like a stylus in the way in which a stylus you can use to, like, move things or. 

Rich Bennett 51:05
Is it harder to draw the on that than, say, paper and pen? 

Katelyn Guzman 51:09
Yes. 

Rich Bennett 51:10
Really? 

Katelyn Guzman 51:11
I prefer not digital. I actually despise digital art. 

Rich Bennett 51:17
I then my next question is then why are you doing it on digitally? 

Katelyn Guzman 51:22
Because all of her previous illustrations were done digitally and to copy the style that was previously used, I have to use the digital platforms. And it's I've actually learned a lot, and I don't despise them as much as I used to. 

Rich Bennett 51:38
Get used to it. 

Katelyn Guzman 51:40
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 51:40
Yeah. 

Katelyn Guzman 51:41
It just it's very different to learn how to use an iPad and learn how to draw on that versus give me paper and a pencil and I can draw you whatever. 

Rich Bennett 51:53
So you besides these characters, do you still draw on paper? 

Katelyn Guzman 51:59
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 51:59
You know. 

Stephanie Guzman 52:00
She also does pet pet portraits, too. 

Rich Bennett 52:02
Oh, come. 

Katelyn Guzman 52:05
Are you serious? 

Rich Bennett 52:06
Here he is. 

Katelyn Guzman 52:06
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 52:10
All right. 

Stephanie Guzman 52:10
She does. It's been. 

Katelyn Guzman 52:11
Been a couple. 

Stephanie Guzman 52:12
Couple years into it steadily. There's just a lot of things that she's able to do. If people come up to her and say, Hey, could you do this for me? Yeah, sure, no problem. I can do that. All that creative stuff. 

Katelyn Guzman 52:22
She's 

Stephanie Guzman 52:23
She's 

Katelyn Guzman 52:23
done 

Stephanie Guzman 52:23
done some. 

Katelyn Guzman 52:23
some really good. 

Stephanie Guzman 52:23
Pet portraits. 

Rich Bennett 52:24
But I knew there's something you can't do. 

Katelyn Guzman 52:26
Okay. What? 

Rich Bennett 52:28
Give me hair. 

Now I'm not talking about on a picture. I'm not real. 

Stephanie Guzman 52:34
You're all for. 

Rich Bennett 52:34
No, never. It was the old hairspray stuff that you sprayed on. No, never mind. Look, I already tried putting chia seeds on it. Stay in the rain. It doesn't work. 

Katelyn Guzman 52:43
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 52:46
Tell everybody the. 

Katelyn Guzman 52:48
See how they can find. So. 

Stephanie Guzman 52:50
Source of the website is Oliver the clownfish dot com and all the books are there on the website. Another thing I'm really working on right now is to get reviews of a bit of grit because reviews really help out on Amazon. So the e-book is on there for 299. But if you get in touch with me, I might even reimburse you the 299 if you're able to. 

Katelyn Guzman 53:11
To leave a. 

Stephanie Guzman 53:11
A review. You don't necessarily have to buy the book. Just get in touch with me. And if you're interested in reviewing any of the books that I can see what I can do about making sure you have a PDF copy of it so you can read read the book ahead of time, of course. You so. 

Rich Bennett 53:28
Have you ever thought about doing it? The events read or copies? 

Stephanie Guzman 53:32
You know, I don't know as much about them with picture books as I do with, like, novels. Like, I feel like those arc copies. I don't know if it's specific just to novels or, you know, like, kind of. 

Rich Bennett 53:44
Yeah. 

Stephanie Guzman 53:45
But I'm sure they probably have that available for picture books. But I haven't gotten there yet. But I've done better. Like I've done a lot of reading of different blogs and things like that and different Facebook groups as far as like, you know, what you should do when in like gathering up a launch team and all of that. So, so I did that. And right now, actually, we're going to be spinning the wheel tonight on Facebook because it has. 

Katelyn Guzman 54:09
30 reviews. 

Stephanie Guzman 54:10
So far as of yesterday on Amazon. So for every ten reviews that I spend the wheel and somebody then gets themselves a paperback copy of the book and the cute little axolotl that goes along with it. So, so far we've had two winners. And two funny that the most recent winner happened to be Caitlin's a gifted and talented teacher when she was in elementary school. And of course, you know, the person said it's got to be signed by the illustrator. Hmm. So. 

Rich Bennett 54:41
How did that feel? 

Stephanie Guzman 54:42
Cool. 

Katelyn Guzman 54:43
Weird. 

Because. 

Stephanie Guzman 54:48
Cause I don't think she thinks 

Katelyn Guzman 54:48
Thinks 

Stephanie Guzman 54:48
of 

Katelyn Guzman 54:48
of herself 

Stephanie Guzman 54:49
herself. 

Katelyn Guzman 54:49
as an illustrator yet? Not really. Just because. Well, I've only done one book so far, so And it hasn't been out that long. 

Rich Bennett 54:58
You are an artist? 

Stephanie Guzman 55:00
True. And it is just coming out like right now. I mean, this is so 

Rich Bennett 55:03
Yeah. 

Stephanie Guzman 55:03
I think she's going to change her mindset within the next year or two. 

Rich Bennett 55:06
Oh. 

Stephanie Guzman 55:07
You know, 

Rich Bennett 55:07
In 

Stephanie Guzman 55:07
with 

Rich Bennett 55:07
the next 

Stephanie Guzman 55:08
having 

Rich Bennett 55:08
few months. 

Stephanie Guzman 55:08
the book. Yeah, with having the book out now, I mean, I'm excited for. 

Katelyn Guzman 55:11
For the 30th. 

Rich Bennett 55:13
Okay. Crazy question. Caitlin, do you have a website for all your stuff? 

Katelyn Guzman 55:18
Just social media. 

Stephanie Guzman 55:19
She has her Instagram. Watch your Instagram. 

Katelyn Guzman 55:22
Or what? 

Rich Bennett 55:25
You don't have an Etsy shop for all the stuff you crochet and everything. 

Katelyn Guzman 55:30
at sea, but I don't really like it. 

Rich Bennett 55:34
I. 

Katelyn Guzman 55:35
You don't really like it? No, I think because 

Stephanie Guzman 55:36
They 

Katelyn Guzman 55:36
they 

Stephanie Guzman 55:37
end 

Katelyn Guzman 55:37
end 

Stephanie Guzman 55:37
up. 

Katelyn Guzman 55:37
up taking. 

Stephanie Guzman 55:37
Portion. 

Rich Bennett 55:38
Oh. 

Stephanie Guzman 55:39
love that, too. And being that she is a minor, you know, being that she's still. 

Rich Bennett 55:45
Yeah, I guess that does make a difference. 

Stephanie Guzman 55:46
All of that and, you know, like so the best thing for her, I think right 

Katelyn Guzman 55:49
Right now. 

Stephanie Guzman 55:50
now is really her Instagram so that because she has a nail account on Instagram. What's your nail account? 

Okay. 

Katelyn Guzman 55:58
Let me. 

Stephanie Guzman 55:58
How about we'll go. What's your. What's your crush? 

Katelyn Guzman 56:01
On Instagram. 

Stephanie Guzman 56:02
Graham. 

Katelyn Guzman 56:02
Kit Kat crafts. 

Stephanie Guzman 56:04
Like Kit, like Katie. Katie, because she used to be called Kit Kat when she was younger because that's what she called herself when she was a kid. Very little kid Scout 

Rich Bennett 56:13
Those 

Stephanie Guzman 56:13
herself. 

Rich Bennett 56:13
things 

Stephanie Guzman 56:13
Kit 

Rich Bennett 56:13
are. 

Stephanie Guzman 56:14
Kat. liked this. 

Rich Bennett 56:16
Catch. 

Stephanie Guzman 56:17
Yeah. 

Katelyn Guzman 56:17
Then my now account is Kate does nails. 

Stephanie Guzman 56:21
Kate does nails. I mean. There you go. Kate. 

Rich Bennett 56:24
What? 

Katelyn Guzman 56:24
Now. 

Rich Bennett 56:24
Side to start getting nails. 

Stephanie Guzman 56:27
Show him one of your pictures of nails, because I think he's just thinking about, like your nails right now. 

Katelyn Guzman 56:31
Yeah. My nails are there. They're playing for a competition. 

Stephanie Guzman 56:36
So she does competitions. 

Rich Bennett 56:37
You can't have painted nails for competition. 

Stephanie Guzman 56:39
You can't look different than the other people in your. 

Rich Bennett 56:42
Okay. Think. 

Stephanie Guzman 56:42
Like, yes, everybody's got to look as one. So you can have nails that are. 

Rich Bennett 56:46
I need a. 

Stephanie Guzman 56:47
Standout. 

Rich Bennett 56:48
Huh? 

Why did you get into doing nails? 

Katelyn Guzman 56:54
Because I got acrylics one time and they didn't turn out the best and they were really expensive and I thought I could do it better. 

Rich Bennett 57:03
Acrylics are fake nails. 

Stephanie Guzman 57:04
Yeah. Yeah. There we go. So you were. 

Rich Bennett 57:07
I don't buy that. 

Stephanie Guzman 57:08
We go a lot here. Now, she went, I think it was like homecoming or something, that she went and got her nails done and it was very expensive. And she just didn't love the way that they turned out. 

Rich Bennett 57:17
Wow. 

Stephanie Guzman 57:18
So then she said, I can do that. It doesn't matter which one you show them. 

Katelyn Guzman 57:21
Okay. Okay. 

Stephanie Guzman 57:22
Preston. 

Katelyn Guzman 57:22
So these are press ons that I've done, and they're coralline themed. 

Stephanie Guzman 57:31
So people could come to the house to get nails actually put on them from her, or she couldn't take the nails to school to give them to the person, and the person could then 

Rich Bennett 57:40
So 

Stephanie Guzman 57:40
apply 

Rich Bennett 57:40
you made 

Stephanie Guzman 57:40
them. 

Rich Bennett 57:40
the actual nail 

Katelyn Guzman 57:42
So you can buy just like 

Rich Bennett 57:44
a 

Katelyn Guzman 57:45
the 

Rich Bennett 57:45
plane. 

Katelyn Guzman 57:46
nails. And then I do the designs on top of them. 

Rich Bennett 57:51
okay. Why is that? Look three D. 

Katelyn Guzman 57:54
There are some 3D parts. 

Rich Bennett 57:56
Oh, come on. 

Katelyn Guzman 57:57
I. It looks 3-D because is 3-D. 

Wow. Yeah, it is. Are you looking at the swirl? 

Rich Bennett 58:06
Yeah. 

Katelyn Guzman 58:07
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 58:08
That is wild. 

Stephanie Guzman 58:10
Yeah. I mean. It's crazy. Crazy how she just able to look at something once and be like, Oh, well, I can do that. So that's why I know she will. She will be an artist of some kind no matter what. Her most recent thing also was doing a. Like life sized Polly Pocket. Do you know Polly Pocket at all? 

Rich Bennett 58:33
Right. 

Stephanie Guzman 58:33
The doll, right? Yes. So that's what she worked on last semester was her 3D Polly Pocket, because that's kind of like her other areas, 3D design. Like this whole idea of. Yeah, that's. It's pretty crazy. 

Rich Bennett 58:50
See this issue. Aerospace engineer and go to work for. 

Katelyn Guzman 58:55
So. 

Rich Bennett 58:55
Somebody makes rockets and paint them all nice designs. 

Third clown fish goes to outer space. 

Stephanie Guzman 59:04
Right back 

Katelyn Guzman 59:05
That could 

Stephanie Guzman 59:05
in. 

Katelyn Guzman 59:05
totally be another. But. 

Stephanie Guzman 59:06
Buck? Yup. Down the line. 

Rich Bennett 59:09
Have you ever thought of graphic design? 

Katelyn Guzman 59:12
Yeah. I don't want to do it. 

Rich Bennett 59:13
Okay. All right. You like doing everything? 

Katelyn Guzman 59:17
Yeah, 

Rich Bennett 59:18
And then next week you're probably going to have something else to start doing. You just 

Katelyn Guzman 59:22
It's 

Rich Bennett 59:22
like. 

Katelyn Guzman 59:22
like this. 

Rich Bennett 59:24
What I love about. 

Katelyn Guzman 59:25
She continues the. 

Rich Bennett 59:27
Do it. You don't lose focus on it. That's awesome. 

Katelyn Guzman 59:31
But then she's able to. 

Stephanie Guzman 59:32
To give up on the things that just don't work. Like she had a loom bracelet business back when she was in. 

Katelyn Guzman 59:37
Elementary school. 

Stephanie Guzman 59:38
Go. That works for a little bit. But, you know, it wasn't a long term kind of thing. She also had a dog food business during COVID. She was making dog treats in the house. And that one, sad to say that one didn't work out either. So you know what? She moved on. She had a cell phone case. I mean, this girl has been trying to make businesses her entire life. It seems as if cell phone case business. Yeah. It didn't turn out too well either. Okay, so let's move on. 

Katelyn Guzman 1:00:05
Then we got into. 

Stephanie Guzman 1:00:05
Crochet. And that one is the one that really stuck that she's been doing for a couple of years now. 

Rich Bennett 1:00:10
Get back to doing the pep portrait. A lot of people. 

Katelyn Guzman 1:00:13
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 1:00:13
Then you start to see. Like the designs on the shirts. Now. 

Katelyn Guzman 1:00:23
Yep. So. 

Rich Bennett 1:00:25
Stephanie or Caitlin, do 

Katelyn Guzman 1:00:26
Do either of you? 

Rich Bennett 1:00:26
you have anything to add? 

Stephanie Guzman 1:00:29
What would you like to add, dear? 

What's that thing? 

Katelyn Guzman 1:00:34
You have something for me to add for. 

Stephanie Guzman 1:00:36
For you to add? No, just. 

Rich Bennett 1:00:37
Buy your staff. 

Stephanie Guzman 1:00:38
Right. Just that you are like, super excited to illustrate the next book and you can't wait to go. 

Katelyn Guzman 1:00:45
Go 

Stephanie Guzman 1:00:46
Right. They 

Katelyn Guzman 1:00:46
make 

Stephanie Guzman 1:00:47
can 

Katelyn Guzman 1:00:47
it. 

Stephanie Guzman 1:00:47
book you book the illustrator 

Katelyn Guzman 1:00:49
Yeah, 

Stephanie Guzman 1:00:49
right 

Katelyn Guzman 1:00:49
right. 

Stephanie Guzman 1:00:50
to come to their event. It could even be birthday parties. Caitlin Go into birthday parties teaching how to. Illustrations making. Over the clownfish. Of course I can tag along if you like, but I can, you know, read the book. 

Katelyn Guzman 1:01:04
You know. 

Stephanie Guzman 1:01:04
You know. 

Rich Bennett 1:01:05
Caitlin, since your mother sang on this episode, and I didn't ask you to tell everybody listening why they should buy The Adventures of Oliver. A clownfish. A bit of grit. Actually, all of them. The whole series. 

Katelyn Guzman 1:01:22
Um hmm. Okay. So I think they just branch out into a different, like, area of children's books that a lot of children's books just don't offer

their stories that anyone can learn from. While some kids books are just for fun, or they don't exactly teach a story, or they teach a basic story. Like, 

don't know any basic story, but I think they can be integer. Well, I think they I think they can be interpreted to anyone. 

Rich Bennett 1:02:02
Right. 

Katelyn Guzman 1:02:03
And I think even people I go to school with need some reminders of some of the stories in the books. And I think they're very relevant. Back when they were made and what, 2006? 

Stephanie Guzman 1:02:16
The first one. 

Katelyn Guzman 1:02:16
With the first one end in 2024. So almost 2025 I. 

Stephanie Guzman 1:02:21
Are you trying to say that all over the clownfish is timeless? 

Katelyn Guzman 1:02:25
Maybe not the illustrations, but. 

Stephanie Guzman 1:02:27
No. 

Rich Bennett 1:02:28
What about the current illustrations? 

Katelyn Guzman 1:02:30
I think they're very. 

Rich Bennett 1:02:33
All right, so somebody wants an autographed copy from you. How did they get it? 

Katelyn Guzman 1:02:37
Uh, I don't know. Hey, look what you. 

Stephanie Guzman 1:02:42
You tell them to go to all over the. 

Katelyn Guzman 1:02:44
Oh, to all over the Columbus. If I look. 

Stephanie Guzman 1:02:48
Right. Or you can contact us on our Facebook page, which is. 

Katelyn Guzman 1:02:53
All over the globe. 

Stephanie Guzman 1:02:53
All over the clownfish Instagram, which is all over the clownfish. And Tick Tock, which is not doing so hot just yet because I don't really know how to do much on tick tock at all. But Oliver, the clownfish is kind of there, but that might not be the best way to contact me, right? 

Rich Bennett 1:03:10
Thank you for listening to the conversations with Rich Bennett. I hope you enjoy today's episode and learn something from it as I did. If you'd like to hear more conversations like this, be sure to subscribe to the podcast so you never miss an episode. And if you have a moment, I'd love if you could leave a review. It helps us reach more listeners and share more incredible stories. Don't forget to connect with us on social media or visit our website at conversations with Rich Bennett dot com for updates, giveaways and more. Until next time, take care, be kind and keep the conversations going.