CHS alum publishes book on new motherhood

This story originally appeared in the September 23 edition of the Canton Citizen.

New parents are characteristically proud and excited about their babies and their changed status. In the early months, very few, however, are able to even consider starting to write a book about the experience. Emily Krueger Malaquias, a 2008 CHS graduate, stands out as an exception. Her baby, Coral Lucia, is 8 months old, and her new book, … Said the New Mom, is one month old.

Emily Krueger Malaquias with her new baby, Coral Lucia

Now a Bellingham resident, Malaquias has a passion for books and reading. “I love how powerful books are,” she said. She herself has long enjoyed writing, but aside from some blogs in college, she hasn’t had many chances to write. After majoring in hospitality at University of Massachusetts Amherst, she embarked on a career in that field following graduation, first in Boston and then Philadelphia. When she realized the work wasn’t a good fit, Malaquias pivoted to the health and wellness field.

Working at Anytime Fitness Canton, Malaquias enjoyed helping people to become healthier. She wanted to find more ways to provide support and decided to write a book on health and wellness but was uncertain about the best way to approach it. That book took a backseat after Malaquias gave birth in February.

Managing her newborn, she felt “a lot of self-doubt” and wondered how other women felt. After connecting with friends, Malaquias noticed that those with children had many of the same worries. She started writing down some of their comments about what being a new mom felt like. Inspired by the kids-book-for-adults cult favorite Go the F**k to Sleep by Adam Mansbach, she structured the quotations into a whole. Her husband and friends, including Cece Belfon-Childs, also from Canton, supported and assisted her with the writing process.

Working with a book design company, she was connected to an illustrator in Las Vegas, Geo Aquino. Malaquias said that the work to finish the book was a “fun, collaborative process.” She used Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing, which meant from start to finish the book took only six months, much faster than the traditional publishing route.

On top of tending her daughter and working as a personal trainer, Malaquias handles all the book marketing, using social media and contacting area libraries with programming for young children. She has benefited from connections made through Boston Business Women. One helpful piece of advice she received was to create a brand, since, she said, “I knew I wanted to write more books.”

Her brand, “Sweet Kind and Wonderful,” is also the name of her blog and derives from a phrase her mother, Marianne Krueger, often used with her children and their friends. Malaquias noted that it expresses her goal of “creating a community of people with positive attitudes, sharing down-to-earth wisdom, and trying to be better.”

Malaquias hopes that her book is one that other mothers will keep and perhaps make their own by adding notes and comments. While the book’s format is that of a kids’ book and appeals to young children, its primary intended audience is new mothers. A book for fathers, … Said the New Dad, is currently in the works; both it and the health and wellness book are projected to be completed by the end of 2021.

Getting the first book into the hands of new mothers is a major priority, Malaquias noted. She is donating copies to the maternity ward at the hospital where she delivered her baby and plans to connect with other hospitals as well. The book is currently for sale on Amazon, and she is working on getting it into local bookstores and gift shops. She said it has been well received: “Every person said they love it, and moms say they really relate to the journey and love the ending.”

Malaquias will be doing a book signing at Bellingham Public Library on Monday, October 4, at 9:45 a.m. during Baby Time.

To purchase the book and for more information, visit sweetkindandwonderful.com.

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Posted by Candace Paris on Oct 9 2021. Filed under Features. Both comments and pings are currently closed.