Today we’d like to introduce you to Cyndi Harvell.
Hi Cyndi, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
From early childhood, I’ve loved art, books, and writing. At 8, I would fill notebooks with drawings. At 15, I was filling notebooks with poetry and short stories. And when I left my hometown to study graphic design at the University of Georgia in Athens, I decided to also channel that artistic passion into music (singing and songwriting). For 15 years, I worked as a freelance graphic designer and wrote stories in the form of songs that were licensed for TV, film, and commercials for clients including Burt’s Bees, Coca-Cola, Oakland A’s, HBO, MTV, and FOX.
When my husband and I had our first son, I took a break from music to focus on motherhood. After a few years, I felt the need for a new creative outlet and returned to art, diving in full force into growing my skills in visual art. I studied painting and drawing with various mediums, learning pattern design, hand-lettering, and digital drawing before finding my true love in the children’s book industry.
Now I’m an author-illustrator of children’s picture books, and I work as a freelance illustrator and book designer, helping other authors realize their own vision for their projects.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I don’t know if there’s enough space to list all the struggles and challenging detours! Balancing motherhood and work is a huge challenge. I want to be there for my kids–but also to model for them what it’s like to follow a passion and build something from scratch. They are a huge motivator for what I do and how I show up, and it’s also tough to give every aspect of life the care and energy that it needs to thrive. I know I’m not alone in feeling that way.
And being an entrepreneur is not an easy path. My husband and I have been self-employed for a long time, and adjusting to the ebb and flow of projects requires a lot of patience and consistency. Being in charge of your own journey and success is equally thrilling and terrifying!
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I’m an author-illustrator of children’s books. I love magical, adventurous stories that highlight the curiosity, creativity, and wonder of childhood. I also illustrate picture books and book covers for other authors, as well as do book design for self-published children’s authors. There are a lot of details involved in getting a book finalized and ready for print that many first-time authors are oblivious to, so I get books set up in the proper template for print, choose type and adjust it for readability, ensure the book has the correct layout, and guide the author through all the necessary steps to be ready for publication.
I love creating stories for children, and I adore helping others get their own stories out into the world. In our tech-heavy world that’s speeding towards AI use for everything under the sun, I find it tremendously important to let children know that their creativity, their curiosity, and their ideas are important. I want them to continue to find magic in books and art.
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
I have to credit my 2 sons for being my biggest motivators and biggest cheerleaders. They are constantly inspiring me and reminding me to keep going, even when things are hard. I also have an amazing writing critique group of three other fabulous children’s book authors. I was lucky to connect with them at the start of 2025, and they are a treasure trove of feedback, support, constructive criticism, and inspiration. I have learned from many, many other authors, agents, and editors in the past year–I’ve attended conferences, webinars, and workshops from so many wonderful humans that have offered up their time, energy, and expertise in ways that have truly educated and inspired me on this journey. I would not be able to go on this path alone!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.cyndiharvell.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cyndiharvell
Image Credits
Bonnie Heath
