1KHO 528: At Some Point, You Just Need to Start | Melissa Ferguson, Our Friendly Farmhouse

Summary

Podcast Summary: The 1000 Hours Outside Podcast | Episode 1KHO 528: "At Some Point, You Just Need to Start" with Melissa Ferguson of Our Friendly Farmhouse

Release Date: July 18, 2025
Host: Jenny Urch
Guest: Melissa Ferguson, Author of Our Friendly Farmhouse

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Introduction

In the inaugural episode of The 1000 Hours Outside Podcast, hosted by Jenny Urch, listeners are introduced to Melissa Ferguson, an accomplished author and the creative force behind Our Friendly Farmhouse. Melissa shares her unique journey from experiencing a decade of rejection as a writer to achieving semi-successful status with multiple novels and a forthcoming children's book. The conversation delves deep into her inspirations, challenges, and the intertwining of her personal life with her professional endeavors.

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Melissa Ferguson's Authorial Journey

Overcoming Rejection and Finding Success

Melissa begins by candidly discussing her ten-year struggle in the literary world, humorously branding her journey as "10 years of rejection now semi-successful" (01:14). She emphasizes the persistence required to break into the industry, recounting how attending writers' conferences with her young twins was both a logistical and emotional challenge (05:19). Melissa's breakthrough came at a writers' conference where, despite numerous rejections, her work was ultimately recognized and rewarded, leading to her first agent and subsequent book deals.

Melissa Ferguson [06:08]: "You're totally successful. So my first agent from that and then went to more. More things. Wrote. I ended up writing a second book and then a third book. And it was the third book that got picked up for a three-book contract."

Transitioning to Romantic Comedies

Originally unprepared for the commercial market due to her unconventional first novel, Melissa pivoted to the romantic comedy genre upon her agent's suggestion. This strategic move resulted in her securing a three-book deal with My Dream House, marking a significant turning point in her career (11:34).

Melissa Ferguson [11:47]: "What's really popular is romance and why don't you try that? And I said, well, I don't like romance. And then I said, actually, I love you've Got Mail."

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Building Our Friendly Farmhouse

From Land Acquisition to Family Project

Melissa recounts the spontaneous decision to purchase property after her husband spotted an auction sign during a bike ride. This venture led to the creation of their farmhouse, a core element of her children's book. The process was fraught with high energy and uncertainty, especially navigating the auction environment and building relationships with neighbors.

Melissa Ferguson [26:30]: "Why not? Yeah, yeah, it was cool. It was exactly what you would have thought if you've ever thought about auctions."

Involvement of Her Children

Unlike traditional authors, Melissa incorporated her children into the creative process of Our Friendly Farmhouse. Their contributions ranged from providing input on the storyline to assisting with illustrations, making it a true family endeavor.

Melissa Ferguson [46:48]: "They got to be a part of the process every step of the way... They would have genuine feedback. And I think that's really valuable too, because this is a real kid's perspective."

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Our Friendly Farmhouse: A Children's Autobiography

Crafting a Relatable Narrative

Our Friendly Farmhouse serves as a blend of Melissa's personal experiences and creative storytelling, aiming to inspire children to embrace the outdoors and build meaningful connections with nature. The book is designed to encourage families to slow down, appreciate their surroundings, and foster bravery in taking optimistic risks.

Melissa Ferguson [45:41]: "The difference in this book and other construction books that I've seen is that it goes beyond it. It's built. But then now let's continue. Let's turn a house into a real home or like a real place where you're really making some great memories."

Word Choice and Illustrations

Melissa emphasizes the importance of rich vocabulary and hand-painted illustrations in her children's book, striving to introduce young readers to new words and concepts through engaging visuals.

Melissa Ferguson [40:53]: "I wanted to say Appalachian mountains and I wanted about the specific bird and I wanted to like not shy away from some specific word choices that were bigger."

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Adapting Books into Movies

Navigating the Film Industry

Melissa shares the exciting development of having her book adapted into a movie by Great American Family Media. She describes the proactive steps she took, including relentless messaging and leveraging her social media presence, which eventually led to the collaboration.

Melissa Ferguson [20:00]: "I messaged them a billion times until they finally were like, fine, send us your books. And I was like, yay."

Family Involvement in Filmmaking

While Melissa opted to delegate the scriptwriting to a professional, she ensured her family's presence by requesting that her children and herself could appear in minor roles or walk by in the background during filming in Canada.

Melissa Ferguson [22:36]: "Can the kids and I like, walk by in the background? So we just applied for our passports because apparently they shoot in Canada."

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Balancing Farming and Writing

Efficient Homestead Management

Melissa discusses her approach to farming, highlighting the importance of efficiency and systematization. She shares practical tips, such as implementing drip irrigation and automating routine tasks to maintain a thriving garden and livestock while managing her writing commitments.

Melissa Ferguson [15:02]: "Efficiency is really important in homestead life. So you get everything set up to make it as easy as possible."

Lessons from Mistakes

Reflecting on past errors, such as acquiring chickens before a proper coop, Melissa advises aspiring farmers to start slowly and learn from their mistakes without being discouraged by setbacks.

Melissa Ferguson [51:20]: "Just start, but for me, we started slowly. You know, we got one animal at a time."

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Advice for Aspiring Authors and Farmers

Taking Calculated Risks

Melissa emphasizes the importance of taking optimistic risks and not letting fear of rejection hinder one's ambitions. She advocates for perseverance and intentional action as key factors in achieving success.

Melissa Ferguson [27:23]: "I think the likelihood that you'll... you can probably, you know, you can maybe."

Leveraging Technology and Tools

To manage her time effectively, Melissa utilizes tools like the Opal app to limit social media use and maintain productivity, balancing her roles as a mother, farmer, and author.

Melissa Ferguson [28:18]: "It's a blocker. So I set, like, a time limit for 30 minutes."

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Conclusion

Jenny Urch wraps up the episode by celebrating Melissa Ferguson's achievements and the release of Our Friendly Farmhouse. She highlights the book's potential to inspire families to embrace outdoor activities and build cherished memories, reflecting the core mission of The 1000 Hours Outside Podcast.

Jenny Urch [58:44]: "This book encourages your family to slow down, enjoy the beauty around you, hug one another tightly and laugh loudly."

Melissa echoes the sentiment, expressing her excitement for the future projects and continued collaboration with her family and the literary community.

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Notable Quotes

• Jenny Urch [08:23]: "That is a lot of grit."
• Melissa Ferguson [22:07]: "I'm going to make them like, can I sit here? And it is such an interesting thing, I think, to be able to open up those paths for our kids."

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This episode underscores the profound impact of outdoor play and family collaboration in childhood development, aligning perfectly with the podcast's mission to inspire families to reclaim their childhood through nature.

Transcript

[Melissa Ferguson]

Hey, it's Ryan Reynolds here for Mint Mobile.

[Jenny Urch]

Now I was looking for fun ways to tell you that Mint's offer of.

[Melissa Ferguson]

Unlimited Premium Wireless for $15 a month is back.

[Jenny Urch]

So I thought it would be fun if we made $15 bills, but it turns out that's very illegal.

[Melissa Ferguson]

So there goes my big idea for the commercial.

[Jenny Urch]

Give it a [e-mail] Switch upfront payment.

[Melissa Ferguson]

Of $45 for a three month plan equivalent to $15 per month. Required new customer offer for first three months only. Speed slow after 35 gigabytes of networks busy. Taxes and fees extra. See mintmobile.com Here we go.

[Jenny Urch]

Welcome to the 1000 Hours Outside podcast. My name is Jenny Urch and I have a guest on today who has such a cool story, just like, built a farmhouse. She's an author, just came out with her first kids book. Melissa Ferguson, welcome.

[Melissa Ferguson]

Hi. Thanks for having me on.

[Jenny Urch]

Okay. This is such a cool story. It is so cool that you basically did your autobiography into a kid's book. That is really unique. The book is called Our Friendly Farmhouse. Now this is on the tail of several novels that you've written and that are turning into movies. So I would. I mean, people always want to know about authors. What's your author story?

[Melissa Ferguson]

Oh, wow. Well, that is a long story. I'll try and keep it short, but, you know, the super short version is 10 years.

[Jenny Urch]

No, no, this is long. We got time. Everybody wants to know it.

[Melissa Ferguson]

Okay, well, if I had a tagline for my life story, it'd be 10 years of rejection now semi successful. Yay. You know, but if we're like, wait, I love it.

[Jenny Urch]

10 years of rejection now semi. You know what? I would say that's probably mine too. 10 years. Because I had 10 years where people were like, 1000 hours outside is really a dumb idea. And I would say that at this point, I would consider myself semi successful. That is hilarious.

[Melissa Ferguson]

You're totally successful. So I actually am part of a homeschool mom's hiking group, Wild and free. You probably heard of it. Anyways, number of times they have mentioned 1000 hours outside from you is many. I could collect many nickels if I got a nickel every time I was in. So no, I'd say you're very successful. But yeah, with regard to writing, you know, I am an extrovert. I never thought to myself, you know what sounds fun? Being alone and writing for like 10 hours a day and sending emails off into the abyss and then never getting any positive interaction back. Right. That was not my goal. That's not what I went to school for, but I had a unique experience where I graduated with my master's and my husband had a surprise job that was only supposed to be six weeks in Ohio. And he said, do you want to come with me for six weeks while I remodel this low income apartment housing or do you want to like move on to this new town? And I said, well, I want to go with you. But it was, it was a low in my life, but it turned into the best thing because basically I had no money, no friends, no job, and no attempt to get a job. So I had literally nothing to do. I was living in an extended stay next to a Walmart and he worked like 12 hours a day and I had super intensely nothing to do. Of course at the time Twilight was a big thing, right? So I had a sister 10 years younger than me and she was like, oh, I love it. And of course I'm very cool and I'm like, I just finished my masters, I love textbooks, right? And so, so but about 15 minutes of it came on television one day and then Ben came back and I turned it off. But sure enough, I was hooked by like whatever. I had seen those 15 minutes. So I walked next door to the Walmart and then I read all the books and then I went to, of all things, a grocery store and I saw a girl checking out a movie from a red box back when Redbox were the thing. And she had, of all things, like a Twilight themed tattoo on her neck. And I thought to myself, in that really important moment, you know, it's incredible to me that this author is so influential that her message has reached around the world that this person is making these choices, right? So, so she has really impacted the world at large. And then I thought, well, I wonder if I have any messages that I could give through fiction myself, because I was actually on track to go get my doctorate and then become a professor. But basically I came home and I had nothing to do. And I started writing because I had a computer and that six week job turned into a year. So it was an unexpected year of living there with nothing to do but write. And so that's how I got started. So I wrote for four years, one book secretly, you know, on my bed and had side jobs. And then I tried to go sell it. I went to writers conferences and I went to my first writers conference because that is the way people ask me all the time, how do you become a writer? And I say, get yourself to a writer's Conference. In fact, my newest rom com is called the Perfect Rom com. Because I'm apparently very prideful. No, because I wanted good SEO and I thought people will Google wait.

[Jenny Urch]

No, I love that. Because my latest book is called Homeschooling, right?

[Melissa Ferguson]

And like this, let's really get good SEO. It'll show up. So, yeah. So anyways, it showed. My latest one called the Perfect Rom com, showed the opening scene at a writer's conference, and basically the. The most insane experiences and insane experiences I had through fun fictional form. So basically, I did go to my first writers conference. I had. I had twins. They were three months old. And I said, you know, I've been rejected online long enough. I think it's time to go be rejected in person. And so my husband was like, let's do it. So we drove through the night with my twins, and, you know, nighttime was great because for sleep or whatever.

[Jenny Urch]

Yeah, that is brilliant. That's brilliant parenting.

[Melissa Ferguson]

It's brilliant. It's brilliant. But we were super late because I went to, like, a FedEx store to print, like, whole books. So I had, like, you know, the hundreds of pages. I had no idea what I was doing, and it took them until, like, 10pm so to leave. So basically, no sleep. I'm nursing twins. Every few hours, I roll up and to have my first pitch appointment. And the pitch sessions are nuts. It's really exciting, really crazy. But basically, like, 20, 20 people who are the gatekeepers for your future are basically sitting there and, you know, you might have an appointment, they're 15 minutes long. You might get two or three appointments per conference with one person, and there's a timekeeper, and there's this room, and it's really intense. You basically sit down face to face, and they say, okay, what's your pitch? Like, what do you have for me? So I did that. Got resoundingly turned down by everyone. But at the very end, I was really preparing myself for, like, what to do next. But the final conference, in the final moments, right before we were leaving, I'm wearing my son in a carrier, like, we're about to go. When they sure enough had the conference wide award for, like, the best writing. And it was something you submitted in early. And sure enough, they started reading my book. So I won. And that was exciting. And I got to go on stage and get a check. And then immediately afterward, some of the agents who turned me down, literally, comically, one said, like, so you're gonna send me that, right? And I was like, you just. Just turned me down. But okay. So anyways, I got my first agent from that and then went to more. More things. Wrote. I ended up writing a second book and then a third book. And it was the third book that got picked up for a three book contract. And from that moment on, wow, you know, good things have been happening.

[Jenny Urch]

I just. Right before you talked to this author named Amanda Dykes, and her story is so similar. It was her third book that got picked up. She also went to the writers conference and that's where things ended up happening for her. But what a thing. That is a lot of grit.

[Melissa Ferguson]

Yeah, it's a lot. Also, I'm pretty sure Amanda and I have been at conference together. Like.

[Jenny Urch]

Yeah, maybe it seems like. I mean, it would seem like it. I mean, she's writing these novels too, so. Yeah, what a thing. Okay, so 10 years of rejection and now semi successful. You have these movies coming out. This is something that I would struggle with. So you say, okay, you look at the lady who made Twilight. Was it a woman?

[Melissa Ferguson]

Stephanie Meyer. Yeah.

[Jenny Urch]

Okay. Okay. So I, in sort of similar fashion, I look at like, you know, the Harry potter books. So J.K. rowling. I mean, we've been to the Harry Potter place in Florida. I mean, it is just unbelievable. Unbelievable. And you think someone writes this set of novels and it turned. They make it into a world. I mean, there's Harry Potter stuff obviously everywhere. I feel the same way about Hunger Games.

[Melissa Ferguson]

Yep.

[Jenny Urch]

I would never, ever think, oh, I could do that. I think it's amazing that you saw the tattoo and you were like, I'm trying it.

[Melissa Ferguson]

You know what happens? I want a tattoo. I, Well, I mean, what did I have to lose? I, you know, I had a computer and that was it. So I had to spend my time somehow. And it was very addictive. So from the very. And so suddenly all I needed were imaginary friends for that whole year. So it was.

[Jenny Urch]

I love a question. Do I have any messages to give through fiction? Okay, so then tell us about your books. I have the book called Meet Me in the Margins. These are romantic comedies, which. That's an interesting thing too. Like, which direction do you go? There's obviously so many different genres of books. Did you start off with romantic comedies?

[Melissa Ferguson]

No, I spent four years plus then a couple more years of rejection. So those first six years. So Twilight, remember, was the one I saw and thought, oh, I wonder if I could create inspirational messages and fun fictional form through adventure. And so basically my first book was like Gilmore Girls Get Avenger Powers on a camp college campus. And it was Quasi academic. So it was a weird mix of it all. I'm not surprised. It was turned down resoundingly for a few years because in the commercial market it just was wonky. But eventually after being turned down repeatedly and I think it might have gotten an offer from a small house. And that's also a challenge because you gotta weigh. The reality is, you know, will another publisher, they're gonna look at your sales history. If you only sold this many books, they won't risk taking you on, even though it's not necessarily your fault at all. So there was a lot of iffys, but basically my agent at the time said, you know, what's really popular is romance and why don't you try that? And I said, well, I don't like romance. And then I said, actually, I love you've Got Mail. Like I love comedy. I love the quirky, like funny things. So I was like, I'll give it a shot. And then I wrote the second book and that did get a two book offer from a smaller house. A good house, but a smaller house. And then I wrote the third book though at the same time. So I got a simultaneous, almost simultaneous offer from the My Dream house. So for that third book. So that's one I went with.

[Jenny Urch]

Wow. And that was a three book deal. So tell us the names of all the books that are out. Well, Dating Charade, the Cul de Sac War. How many are there?

[Melissa Ferguson]

I don't know.

[Jenny Urch]

Tell me what you did. And you're like, I don't really know.

[Melissa Ferguson]

Here, I can list them. We got, let's see, it's kind of one a year, sometimes two a year. But it's the Dating Charade, the Cul de Sac War. Meet me in the margins. Then we have a novella called this Time Around. Then we have on the Way to Christmas. That was my favorite. It was Christmas one. And then, although that one's a novella too. Then we have Famous for Living how to Plot a Payback, the Perfect rom Com. And then this coming February, I'll have a murder mystery rom com, which is it's like 90% rom com, 10% murder mystery, but it's called Without a Clue. And then I'll have a couple movies coming out next year. So. So I'm going to be writing a Christmas book right now that will be turned into a Christmas movie coming out with Great American Family Pure flicks.

[Jenny Urch]

Oh yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Melissa Ferguson]

So it's going to release with them and my kids and I get to be in it. That's what I Ask when they send off what.

[Jenny Urch]

What. I want to talk about all this. Oh, my goodness. We have to get to the fact that you had a kids book. We will do that. We've got time. We were only 15 minutes in because you do have a kids book that just came out called Our Friendly Farmhouse. And that's actually like the discussion originated because this book was coming out. Okay, I love. I just did a thing with pure. What's it called? Pure American. Pure flicks.

[Melissa Ferguson]

Great American media.

[Jenny Urch]

Yes.

[Melissa Ferguson]

Family. You did something with.

[Jenny Urch]

Well, oh, my gosh, like an interview, you know, so. No, that was all I did.

[Melissa Ferguson]

That's great.

[Jenny Urch]

I did an interview. Okay, this is to me then that's like the dream. Because when your thing becomes a movie, then you're going to get to walk the red carpet.

[Melissa Ferguson]

I don't know if they do red carpets with Great American. Right.

[Jenny Urch]

Oh, well, they should. Let's talk to Candace Cameron.

[Melissa Ferguson]

Okay, well, let me just tell you, my dream is, and that I've already informed people that they're doing is that we are going to have a pajama themed Christmas watch party. So that for sure is happening. And I'm really excited about that because I, like, love Christmas so much. So it's been a dream of mine. It's been a dream of mine to do Christmas books forever. But in the publishing world, give you a little insider information on. What I've learned is that they're really, really, really hesitant. They would never give me a Christmas book because they publish from Chris or from like October 1st to like December 25th. So it's such a short, really competitive time that basically you have your super big hitters. Yeah. And there's really space for you. So the fact that they said, hey, we want to do a Christmas movie with you gave me the leverage to go. My agent went to my publisher and said she wants to do a rom full length Christmas and they said yes. So that was the most exciting thing ever for me.

[Jenny Urch]

Okay, so there's two movies coming out. One comes out in February. Which one's that?

[Melissa Ferguson]

Meet Me in the Margins.

[Jenny Urch]

Oh, yeah, that's right. You told me that. Because I have Meet Me in the Margins. And you said, oh, that one's going to be a movie. Okay, so Meet Me in the Margins is a movie coming out in February. What in the world? So it's one thing to be like, okay, my husband's on this job for six weeks, so I'm going to shoot my shot and try and write a book to be like, okay, now how much involved are you with the writing of the script and like, how do they come to you and say we think this would be a good movie or do you go out to other people? Like, it's amazing that you have stacked skillset upon skillset because you're also a farmer.

[Melissa Ferguson]

Well, I mean farmer. When I think of farmer, I think of the most hardcore. I, you know what I've done and I realized this on a podcast, actually I did the other day. I've realized that efficiency is really important in homestead life. So I got everything set up to make it as easy as possible. You get that auto run going for your chickens, you get this great system going down for your turkeys, you get this great fencing set up for your sheep. And then a drip irrigation system. Oh, everyone should get a drip irrigation system. It's the best.

[Jenny Urch]

What do you use it for? Just your garden?

[Melissa Ferguson]

Yes. But you know, every year in the past I'll be like, yay, I'm doing so good. And then you know, two day, two July days and I accidentally kill all my plants. Right. I'm like, no. So anyways, my garden's thriving, so I'm anyways in the farm life. I love it. But I also feel like what I have done is really be intentional about do it right on the front end. And I learned because I've failed many times with my husband. But try to do it right or get it, get the system so it's as easy as possible. You know what I mean?

[Jenny Urch]

Yeah. So you're stacking skills upon skills.

[C]

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[Jenny Urch]

Talk to us about the skill of having a movie made from a book.

[Melissa Ferguson]

Oh, well, you know, this is so new information. They called me last week and they were like, we officially want to do this. So I met them in New York. Basically, I think the goal as an author is to stalk whoever you want in a friendly way, not in a bad way. But I would DM them so often and I'd be like, please, I would love to work with you, please. You are like my dream. And as I was growing my social media account, you know, it's like I had something to offer where I was like, if you sign with me, if you like my books, I would love, love, love to do a movie with you. Now, I don't know if that actually made a difference or not. I just know I messaged them a billion times until they finally were like, fine, send us your books. And I was like, yay. So I did, but I didn't hear anything else. And then eventually someone from Great American, they have a book club and they said, we'd really like for you to be on our book club. And I don't know if that was related to the DMs or just happened to happen. But while on the book club, I reiterated a few times I would love to, to have a movie with them. And then that started a conversation. And then in one of the conversations with my publisher and them, they happened to say like, well, you know, if you're ever in New York, we'd love to see you. And I was like, I'm going, I'll be there tomorrow. And I bought tickets and we went two weeks later and this.

[Jenny Urch]

I happen to be here.

[Melissa Ferguson]

I'm here. Yeah. And so my agent's up there too. So it was a long time coming. It's okay. You can do it. Yeah.

[Jenny Urch]

Oh, we like Bluey too. Die.

[Melissa Ferguson]

And to say hi.

[Jenny Urch]

We like Bluey.

[Melissa Ferguson]

How about you get a popsicle and say. And get outside. Okay, fine. You can watch a few minutes. Bluey. Good luck.

[Jenny Urch]

I love it that there is also a duck. When you turned, there is a duck stuffed animal.

[Melissa Ferguson]

Yes. You're not surrounded by Stuffed animals, like on your back.

[Jenny Urch]

I wouldn't have seen it except for when you turn just a little bit. And I was like, there is a stuffed animal on her chair.

[Melissa Ferguson]

Well, I've had, I've been. I found myself. It's like a comfort duck at this point. It's my daughter's, but out during podcasts, I'm like, so anyways. Which is funny when it's video too. But anyways, all that to say, I did go up and I met with them. We had dinner together. It was incredible. It was the most wonderful. It's meeting with them. My daughter went with me and that was a wonderful trip for her to like be a part of it. And. Yeah. You know, so anyways, and then this happened. So I'm hoping good things. This is real fresh.

[Jenny Urch]

Real fresh.

[Melissa Ferguson]

And with regard to how involved I get to be, I said, frankly, between the children, between children's books and continuation of like maybe a children's book every year, an adult book every year. And then now apparently a Christmas booked movie potentially every year. I'm maxed out. So I said, they found a writer, an adapter. And I said, I don't want to learn that. Please, please hire that wonderful person. And then I support it. I support what they do. I appreciate and respect their, like, vision for things. And they are, they respect me too. So I don't. I'm not worried about it all. I think it'll be great. And all I said was, can I. Can the kids and I like, walk by in the background? So we just applied for our passports because apparently they shoot in Canada.

[Jenny Urch]

Oh, interesting.

[Melissa Ferguson]

I know. So which makes sense for Christmas, you know, like getting the cold stuff. I don't know if they all. I don't know if it'll be there or not, but I'm just being prepared and I'm pumped.

[Jenny Urch]

What a thing, what a thing, what an experience for your kids.

[Melissa Ferguson]

I know well. And my daughter is super. That's why I made the book Our Friendly Farmhouse, written by me and my children and I hope my dream, because one of them is super. I've never met more of a bookworm who loves art. And I would love if one day, let's say she's 10 now, if like three or four years from now she's ready, if I could help her step into get connected to writing her first book, that would be a dream because she's so, so talented, so creative.

[Jenny Urch]

You know, I just talked to this man who wrote a book called the Family Economy.

[Melissa Ferguson]

Okay.

[Jenny Urch]

And I don't Think this is anything that people talk about too much. But he talks about how in like 100 years ago, 200 years ago, that the on ramp toward adulthood and adulthood work started younger through the connections that your family, extended family, community already have. And he talked about how pretty much in this day and age, everybody starts over from scratch as soon as they hit adulthood because they go their own individual direction. And he was talking about, well, that's so hard. And what if it didn't have to be that way all the time? Like, what if you don't have to start from scratch because there's already a foundation laid there? So I think that's wonderful. I just talked to this woman. Her name is Heather Thompson Day. Heather Thompson Day. And she has a daughter who is 11 and is coming out with her first. So the mom's an author and her daughter's coming out with her first kids book. It's called can I Sit Here? And it's in about an experience where she. No one would sit with her at lunch. And I was like, oh, my goodness, is that like the most human experience ever? But can I sit here? And it is such an interesting thing, I think, to be able to open up those paths for our kids. So what an incredible thing. So everyone's going to be in this movie and, you know, even if it's just a cameo, who else does that? The guy who wrote like Sixth Sense, do you know that one? He wrote the one called the Village. M. Night Shyamalan, he's in. He has a cameo in all of his movies, I think.

[Melissa Ferguson]

Oh, really? Isn't that. Aren't like the creator of Marvel or something? Someone does that too, I think so. I think the main guy, he ends up in it. I know my. So I've got a friend, Sheila Roberts, and she's had a few movies from her Christmas books. She does that. Denise Hunter did that. Who I know. Rachel Hauck, I believe did that. So I've, you know, they're all friends from the author world and they've all done it and I think it's super cool. Yeah. And what a fun experience to like, take your kids to. And for them.

[Jenny Urch]

What a fun experience. I mean, that is an unforgettable experience and it just gives them exposure to a whole different world. So I love what you have going on here. So much going on here. All right. Besides all of that, your husband went on a bike ride and he saw an auction sign and was like, hey, we should buy this property and build a house. And you said the question you kept asking was, why not?

[Melissa Ferguson]

Yeah, yeah. And that really sums up a lot of what happened in the book. I do think I. I realized that a few years ago. And that's part of what this children's book is about is. Is taking calculated but optimistic risks. And like, you know, don't do. Don't say why not to everything. Why not jump out of an airplane without a parachute? Like, that's. There are several reasons why not, but there were a few years ago. There was a few years ago where I just started saying that to myself about various things and realizing, you know, there are plenty of reasons not to do something, but being afraid of rejection is. Should not be one of them. Or thinking. Or thinking that something can work for somebody else but not for you. If you have the intention and the willing to persevere. You can probably, you know, you can maybe. I think, you know, there's a likelihood that you'll.

[Jenny Urch]

You can probably, maybe.

[Melissa Ferguson]

I know why. Why is Melissa Ferguson not a motivational coach? You can probably maybe do okay, depending on the weather. No, but I really do think for pursuing something, a lot of people give up. Nine times out of 10, people just give up stuff. So I've been doing TikTok for a while, and that was the reason I did TikTok, or content creation as a whole, is because I had to in order to be an author. And they said, you can't have a platform. You can't get contracts, you can't sell books, you can't sell book unless you have a platform to reach the world. So you gotta get on social media. They said that at my first writers conference. So I got on it, and that was where I realized, okay, with some time and dedication, I can do that. That being said, I recommend the Opal app to everybody. Have you heard of it?

[Jenny Urch]

Clearly not. Oh, so Opal.

[Melissa Ferguson]

Yes. And it's a blocker. So I set, like, a time limit for 30 minutes. Okay. It's a part of my job. So I get in and I make my post, and then it blocks me out after 30 minutes, so I can't accidentally doom scroll or, like, fall into. And that's across whatever apps you want.

[Jenny Urch]

What?

[Melissa Ferguson]

I know, isn't it? Right? It says, what would you like to be monitoring for blocking? So I've had it for my mail. So you can be more present with your kids. You know, it's very easy to make a post and then. And then for them to begin and get you. Before you know it, you're like, how do I make that smoothie? Even, or whatever.

[Jenny Urch]

And with yours, I'm like, maybe I should be walking on a treadmill while I walk more.

[Melissa Ferguson]

Do you do that? I do that.

[Jenny Urch]

I know. What I'm saying is when I see yours, that. Because I see you do it.

[Melissa Ferguson]

Like, I was like, I have one.

[Jenny Urch]

I know you do. I mean, I have one, too, but I don't use it.

[Melissa Ferguson]

I know. Listen, on the 2.5 little stroll, it's been life changing. So those are two things that have been super great for me.

[Jenny Urch]

And while you're doing it, 2.5.

[Melissa Ferguson]

I write my books. Yeah. And I can. I can just go along. You can do your voice calls. You can set your phone. I just learned this from my agent because she lives in New York City where the cabs and the taxis are going by, but she has work calls all the time. So apparently you can press a button on your settings and like, voice isolate, and then you can't hear anything else even in New York City. So anyhow, between all that, it's life changing.

[Jenny Urch]

You are like a lifelong learner.

[Melissa Ferguson]

Oh, maybe. I don't know. I am learning a lot. I am about to pick okra in about 30 minutes and figure out how to pickle it.

[Jenny Urch]

Yeah. Yes, you are. You're in the world. I mean, that's what's so funny is we start the conversation with. Because like I said, I had just got this novel of yours, meet me in the margins. You're like, that one's going to be a movie in February.

[Melissa Ferguson]

And.

[Jenny Urch]

And you know, we have this whole conversation before. It's like, well, wait a minute. You built a farmhouse from scratch and went to an auction? I mean, I wouldn't even know the half of that. What do you do? I've never been to a house auction.

[Melissa Ferguson]

I had neither.

[Jenny Urch]

Or a land auction, whatever it was.

[Melissa Ferguson]

Yeah, yeah, it was cool. It was exactly what you would have thought if you've ever thought about auctions.

[Jenny Urch]

Which were they, like 10 to 4, $10? Oh, it was.

[Melissa Ferguson]

In fact, I'm looking at the exact spot where the guy stood on, like, the truck and did the cowboy hat thing. And everyone's on there. In fact, where my house is sitting, they covered it with just trucks because it's all good old boys across our county and everyone's coming to see. And it was super interesting, a little bit scary.

[Jenny Urch]

But is that high stress? I mean, I would think an auction is so high stress. You're like, because then what? Someone's bidding against you, you know, do I hear 15? Do I hear 20? You're like, no, stop. Everybody stop. I don't want to go. Do I go higher? And you have to, like, decide in them in the second.

[Melissa Ferguson]

Yes. No, I. Yeah. And they actually sold off our land. And there was. There was other land next to it someone else bought. So it was all this bidding. In fact, my neighbor who just offered me a bunch of rabbits yesterday, she said, hey, I got 30. You want me? She said, I don't know what's going on, but they keep breeding. I'm like, they're together. Okay.

[Jenny Urch]

Anyway, I will tell you what's going on. I know that's where the Fibonacci number comes from. Do you know Fibonacci? Like, it's like, if you have one. One rabbit, and then they. And then the two together, and then there's four, and then there's. You know. And you keep adding. No, it's like, 1, 2, 3. Then you keep adding the number previous. So 5, and 5 plus 3 is 8. It's called Fibonacci. Anyway, it makes a spiral, and it's, like, all in nature. Anyway, they came up with it from rabbits breeding because it basically just like, explodes at some point. Right?

[Melissa Ferguson]

I know.

[Jenny Urch]

That's why she has so many.

[Melissa Ferguson]

Well, I immediately. Oh, my gosh. I have it right here. I immediately thought of this book. I love that I'm not holding up my book during this. I'm like. But this book, I thought of Double Puppy Trouble by Danika.

[Jenny Urch]

Wait, is she the one That's Winnie from. Who is Danika?

[Melissa Ferguson]

Yeah. She's at Great American Family Media.

[Jenny Urch]

Right. Okay. We met her because my youngest daughter is Winnie. And we went to the premiere of that Jesus movie that came out at Christmas. I think it's called the Great.

[Melissa Ferguson]

Oh, it is. Pageant Ever the thing.

[Jenny Urch]

No, I love the pageant one, but it's not that one. It was the cartoon one. It was the cartoon one, and it came out, and it was. It's about Jesus. Okay. So we went to the red carpet premiere. My mind is just, like, not working. So we went to this red carpet movie premiere. It was with Angel Studios. I want to tell you what the name of it is, because I have a funny story. I'm just going everywhere. Okay. It's called the King of Kings. The King of Kings.

[Melissa Ferguson]

Okay. Okay.

[Jenny Urch]

So the King of Kings. It's about Jesus. So we go to this movie premiere. We got invited to go, and I was like, this is super fun. Like, that kind of stuff is fun. I brought all our kids, and there was this red carpet. It's a kids movie. So they were like asking questions, you know, and so they go to our kids, they're like, who now? They hadn't seen it yet, but they were like, who is your favorite character in the movie? And it's a movie about Jesus. Like they knew that. So, you know, one of my kids says John the Baptist and someone says Jesus. Of course you're like, okay, these are good answers. Anyway, then my 15 year old daughter, she goes, the main character. Why? What did you say that? Like, that's a really ridiculous answer. I was like, can you take that one back? I don't know. I'm like, don't post that.

[Melissa Ferguson]

The main one.

[Jenny Urch]

The main one.

[Melissa Ferguson]

I was like, oh, she wasn't like the villain.

[Jenny Urch]

Anyway, so we went to this king of Kings and that Danica McKellar was there and her name is Winnie in. Was it Family Ties? I didn't watch a ton of TV growing up. Okay. And you're younger than me, so you don't know.

[Melissa Ferguson]

All I know is she's in the Great American now.

[Jenny Urch]

Okay. Now. I mean, she was like really popular. Like when I was growing up. Her name was. Oh, it's the Wonder Years.

[Melissa Ferguson]

Oh, the Wonder Years.

[Jenny Urch]

The Wonder Years.

[Melissa Ferguson]

Is that her?

[Jenny Urch]

That's her. She's from the Wonder Years. And her character was named Winnie.

[Melissa Ferguson]

Yes.

[Jenny Urch]

And we have a Winnie. So they got their pictures together. Anyway, that was a total rabbit hole. But you just. I didn't even know she had a. But she apparently has a book called and you had it sitting right there by your duck.

[Melissa Ferguson]

And I love that you spiraled it to a rabbit hole from our conversation and we're ending it right there. And that's the point this book was about. It made me think about it because it's about math and like the doubling. And I was like, I need to give this to my neighbor because she.

[Jenny Urch]

Why do I have so many bunnies? Well, we can tell you why. Okay.

[Melissa Ferguson]

Yes. I don't know where we were going with that though. What were we talking about?

[Jenny Urch]

Okay, well, we were talking about the fact that you went to the auction and your neighbor, the other land gets auctioned off, but you ended up getting some land apparently and then built a home.

[Melissa Ferguson]

Yeah, we bought that land back from that person because I think they originally, you know, like maybe bought it and then under the hype.

[Jenny Urch]

Yeah, you get caught up in it.

[Melissa Ferguson]

Then never did anything. And actually the neighbor with all the rabbits, I was a little worried at first, like, are we going to have a good relationship? Because we went back and forth. She wanted all of it. And we really went hardcore back and forth until she got edged out and she got the land across from us. But anyways, now we're friends and we share rabbit.

[Jenny Urch]

That's interesting too, that there ends up being this like underlying. There could be this underlying conflict because you lost, right? Someone's the loser of it.

[Melissa Ferguson]

And I felt really bad. But like, we really wanted this for our house and they can have that. Anyways, it all works out. Now we're at the point where, you know, we're texting each other and we're like, the skunks are at the coop. You know, and like, we're like running out there in our bathrobe.

[Jenny Urch]

I have 30 bunnies. Do you want any?

[Melissa Ferguson]

Yeah. And I'm like, hold on, let me ask a friend. Anyway, so, yeah, so we have a good relationship now, but it is. The auction was really high energy and very country and very fun and very like, he's really an auctioneer, you know.

[Jenny Urch]

The Jack Welch Management Institute at Strayer.

[Melissa Ferguson]

University helps you go from I know the way to I've arrived with our.

[Jenny Urch]

Top 10 ranked online MBA.

[Melissa Ferguson]

Gain skills you can learn today and apply tomorrow.

[Jenny Urch]

Get ready to go from make it happen to made it happen and keep striving. Visit strayer.edu Jack WelchMBA to learn more. Strayer University is certified to operate in Virginia by Chevin as many campuses, including at 2121 15th Street north in Arlington, Virginia.

[Melissa Ferguson]

On WhatsApp, no one can see or hear your personal messages. Whether it's a voice call message or sending a password to WhatsApp, it's all just this. So whether you're sharing the streaming password in the family chat or trading those late night voice messages that could basically become a podcast, your personal messages stay between you, your friends and your family. No one else, not even us. WhatsApp message privately with everyone. It's summer time to enjoy long days, lazy nights and great food. Because Uber Eats has deals all summer long. So when hunger strikes, don't sweat it. Delicious deals are just a tap away on Uber Eats. Enjoy all your favorite grocery items delivered straight to you. Get ice cream, soda and snacks from your favorite stores like Wegmans and cvs and make the most of every moment. Now that sounds like a good summer order. Now on Uber Eats terms apply. Product availability varies by region. Seattle for details but yeah, once we got it. So my husband is a builder. So he was the the builder with this house and it he had built several houses before it dawned on me hold up. This might be something we could do. And that was. That's kind of how that started.

[Jenny Urch]

And then here it is. You get this. It's, you know, your own little story in this children's book. Talk to us about the difference between writing a novel in a children's book. I just read recently, and I can't remember where, but they were talking about when you go to speak at things, and someone asked this famous person, you know, how long does it take you to prepare for a speech? And he said something like, if I have to speak for five minutes, it will take me a week. If I have to speak for 20 minutes, it'll take me a day. If I get an hour, I could do it right now. So basically, like, the tricky part of narrowing down, you know, you have a lot more words. And I don't know if it's similar for children's books, but talk to us about going from these long novels to a book for kids.

[Melissa Ferguson]

Okay, so I'm gonna give you a little backstory. So my first sales conference for my adult rom com, I went to the publisher. I met. I went to the publishing place in Nashville. I met with, like, 200 salespeople, and I had to go on stage after the one other author they invited to this event, who happened to be Kathie Lee Gifford, was really her children's book. And so I am, of course, all nerves. And she gets up there, but she says the funniest thing that made me laugh really hard in the back because it was the answer that I think you're not supposed to give. And now that I have experience, I'm like, oh, it's so true. But she's, like, obviously successful enough that she can really be honest. And she was like. She said something to him. And I think the angle on the question was, like, you're supposed to say, this has taken me so long to write. Yeah.

[Jenny Urch]

Like, I wrote it yesterday.

[Melissa Ferguson]

She said, it takes 10 minutes. It took 10 minutes. And I laughed so hard because, of course, like, you're not supposed to say that. You're supposed to attach a wonderful story about it, you know? But, yeah, so that's what it was for her, which flash forward several years. Of course, that's not the case for me with my adult books. My adult books take me, you know, six months to a year, and then, like, a year of editing. I did this children's book, and I. I think I wrote it in an hour or something. But at the same time, I also feel like I had four years of. I I've wanted to write this book for four years. And so I was ready to go. I was raring to go, you know, and say, look, let's do it, let's have it on paper. And so I love. And of course we tweaked it a ton. We changed the POV to be from my son and I thought that was really special instead of an omniscient pov. Like, here's just the general idea of this family. It's, here's this son sharing his experience so children can read from their experience. And of course, some word choices I really like. Like that living library, Charlotte Mason. Like those types of books, Asha Tudor, Jan Brett. Those types of stories that have like, they're not afraid to shy away from big words.

[Jenny Urch]

Yep.

[Melissa Ferguson]

And like you learn through, you learn about nature, you learn about specific animals, you learn whatever. And so I did have a little bit, tiny bit of tension with word. Word usage where I wanted to, I wanted to not, I wanted to say Appalachian mountains and I wanted about the specific bird and I wanted to like not shy away from some specific word choices that were bigger. And yes, a 4 year old can't read that. But like that's not a problem. That's good for them to read up, that's good for them to listen up and, and be read to. So it worked out. I was able to keep pretty much whatever and, and write it as I wanted to. And my publisher and I did, like we had a great relationship. It worked out really great. But I definitely kept saying I really want hand illustrations. Like I don't want computer generated art. And I actually end finding this illustrator. They showed me a few and I was like, I really love the dedication of, of real, real talent in hand, hand painted. And so I found Gretchen online and I messaged her and they agreed. It was very unconventional, the agency and I'm sure for Gretchen, but I love.

[Jenny Urch]

It is unconventional because I reached out to an illustrator one time and she was like, I'm booked out for like seven years or you know, I mean, it's a lot. They're often very booked out.

[Melissa Ferguson]

Yes. Yeah. We had another illustrator that I also respect and I. There was, there were like a few down at the end and she was just like you, there's no way I can get this book final beautiful illustrations at this level. She was very Jan Brett style. Like, there's no way I can get this to you in six months. That's what, 17 spreads and it's like 17 masterpieces. And I was like, that's so interesting. So I never thought about from children's books, if you're seeing hand illustrations, just realize, like, that's a lot of real talent. Those are individualized kind of painting. And they shipped them and I was like, oh, please don't let them get lost or damaged in the mail. Like they come in this one package. So anyways, it was just, it was an interesting, awesome experience and I hope I get to do it again and again.

[Jenny Urch]

Yeah, I do love the words because the word choices. Because Sarah McKenzie from Read Aloud Family, she talks about that. I learned that from her that when your kids get old, you think, well, I shouldn't do picture books anymore. But she said, no, they always, not always, but the good ones have a lot of vocabulary in them that you wouldn't normally say in everyday conversation. And so even as your kids grow, once they can read to themselves, she said you still read to them because they're still learning all those words. So obviously you talk about the Appalachian mountains right at the beginning, but there's words in here like boisterous and murmured, you know, different things that you wouldn't necessarily hear in a day to day. I mean, who says murmured, you know, or boisterous? But then you do start to learn those words. And this has something special too, just as a cute part of the design, but you have different, the. Some of the words are in different fonts and different colors and that's a really cute thing.

[Melissa Ferguson]

Yeah, no, I thought they did a great, a great job adding the, the like font design to it. And they would ask me too. They'd be like, hey, we have a couple choices. Do you like this style or this style? And, and of course both styles to me were awesome. But I love, I love personally how it turned out. I thought it was so high quality as far as a children's book goes. Like to see the front has shiny as. I don't even know what that is, but the shiny aspect to it, like the little shiny people. Oh, it's just, it's just a dream come true.

[Jenny Urch]

Yeah, because it's like almost like it's 3D. It's like you can feel it, it feels different. Yeah, I don't know what that is either. But yeah, it is a really high quality book. And it's called Our Friendly Farmhouse. And then in sort of a similar topic, you know, it fits along with you talking about being in a movie and you write books and maybe your daughter, she's gonna have an opportunity to write books. You've got four kids in here. You're talking about. Well, they also got to help with this house build.

[Melissa Ferguson]

Yeah, yeah, that was really fun. They got to help with the house build with my husband and so like my son put in the water line and I mean we were out here. We got to put our handprints, I remember in the cement, like the foundation I think we got. But yeah, there were various things that the kids really got to help with. Now the biggest things they were able to help with were once and I thought was a important maybe difference in this book and other construction books that I've seen is that it goes beyond it. It's like it's built. But then now let's continue. Let's turn a house into a real home or like a real place where you're really making some great memories. And like. And that's really where it was heavy handed of on like you know, building the chicken coop and the ducks, like adding animals one by one, adding the garden, then the campouts, then the, you know, and so.

[Jenny Urch]

Oh, I love it. It is really a precious book. It's a book that gets you to dream.

[Melissa Ferguson]

Oh, well, I appreciate that. I really, this book was my dream, so. And I love the pictures we got to put on the back like that I'm gonna have this forever. You know what I was thinking yesterday I ought to do. My family will hate it. But they gave, they sent me 25 books and I was like, I should just slap a bow on each one and be like, and here's a book for you. And here's a book for you, Aunt Joey, Aunt, you know, whatever. And of course that's a terrible idea. It's like giving a picture frame of your own face. But I'm like, this is so exciting though.

[Jenny Urch]

I think it's so cool though that they at the very end they put in pictures of you actually doing it because it is, it's like your little family autobiography. So when it says written by Melissa Ferguson and her children, because I think people will love that and they can find you at our friendly farmhouse online. You have a big account there because there's kids that listen in. How would you describe that? You say written by Melissa Ferguson and her children. Like did they just give some input, that type of thing?

[Melissa Ferguson]

Well, I can't tell you how many times because there are so many steps to the process. Right. You first write and then we did a lot of touches and editing to it. So I'm asking for input. They got to be a part of the process every step of the way. What do how should we write this? Then we're writing it. And then also with regard to pictures, especially my one daughter, it was like, draw, you know, what do you think of? In fact, I wanted that to be a picture on the back, but we had to limit it from space. But, like, draw a picture of what you think we should add. And then word choices. And then they would read every edit that we would get because there was a lot of editing on with my editor as far as, like, what do we think word choice and cadence here? And. And then I would talk to them about it and. And they would. They would have genuine feedback. And I think that's really valuable too, because this is a real kid's perspective, so. And then every time they would get in a galley copy or the digital copy or the whatever. I mean, I can't tell you how many times they've read this book.

[Jenny Urch]

They wow. It's really an interesting thing because probably our kids are involved in so much more than maybe we normally even give them credit for.

[Melissa Ferguson]

Yeah, yeah.

[Jenny Urch]

Written by Melissa Ferguson and her children. It's interesting too, because I talked to this man who does book editing, and he was talking about how he was like, well, I came up with this word or that word, but, like, they don't ever get credit. So, you know, they get like a one thank you shout out in the back, and that's about it. And so, you know, the kids get credit. They get credit for being a part of the process. So I love that. Melissa Ferguson and her children. That's a really unique thing. So people have kids in their home that are writers or are illustrators. I mean, what a cool thing to see that kids were involved in this one. And you say this overall message. I hope this book encourages your family to slow down, enjoy the beauty around you, hug one another tightly and laugh loudly. To be brave and ask what if to ideas that are wonderful, glorious, and a little bit scary. Do you have any farm advice? I mean, you. And you added in all these animals. Garden, chicken, ducks, kittens, rabbits, sheep.

[Melissa Ferguson]

Yeah. Well, my tip is, I would say maybe two tips. One, I would say I was reading Goats for Dummies or Sheep for Dummies. I was listening to the most. It could not be more boring. I don't read aloud audiobook of like a textbook about sheep for like six months before pursuing some of this. And I would say at some point, you just need to start. There's no way you can really understand. So first of all, maybe, maybe have a backup plan or give yourself grace to Know if farming is, there's life and there's death on the farm. So if you are, if you get some chicks and some chicks don't make it for whatever reason, understand that it's okay. Like, you just try again, right? Like you go to the store, you try again, you learn from your mistake and you try again. And don't beat yourself up because that's just part of farming and that's part of figuring it out. So, you know, I would say just start, but, but for me, we started slowly. You know, we got one animal at a time. I didn't tell myself, you know what we should get, get a garden and sheep and cats and you know, like, we shouldn't get 13 things at once because then I would have been, then I would have accidentally killed everything, right? And so, you know, start with one thing. Chickens are the gateway. Start with chickens. Go to Royal king. They're. They're $2. Go get yourself some chickens after you have your coop. I did make the mistake of I don't believe. I was super excited. And I'm pretty sure I got chickens before I got the coop. And so they lived in my toy room in my house for far too long in November.

[Jenny Urch]

They're messy.

[Melissa Ferguson]

Also, I didn't think ahead actually, now that I think about it. I was pregnant with my fourth. It was Christmas, they were four weeks old, and we were going to see my mother in law who loathes animals. And, and so. But I'm like, I'm pregnant. What are you gonna do? Like, I get anything you want. I got your grandchild. But I was like, we gotta go. So I had, I took like 20 chickens in the car ride, pregnant with my other kids and family. And we're like, I'm like, we're here. And then we put the chicks, of course, like in the, in a, in a garage for the time. But I was like, probably don't get chickens around the holidays in Christmas time. Maybe wait till the summer. I know you're excited, but maybe wait, I don't know. Or do it if you're excited. But anyway, that's what I would say.

[Jenny Urch]

So many stories. What a cool life. What a cool life you've built for your family. I am so inspired. So this book is called Our Friendly Farmhouse, One of many books that you've written lots of novels of.

[Melissa Ferguson]

Lots.

[Jenny Urch]

Lots of fun things to read before the movies come out because that's exciting. So get them now. Yeah, I just, I don't know, I'm super inspired. You just like do stuff Like, I'm just gonna do that and then you see how it kind of compounds and also how it opens up doors for your kids. So I love it. I'm so honored to meet you. And I do think that this book is absolutely delightful. Our from friendly Farmhouse. It does. It fits right in with all the like, living books and the Jan Brett books and the ones that teach your kids things. And the illustrations are phenomenal. I like the books where the illustrations have a lot of little things that you notice over the top over time.

[Melissa Ferguson]

Yeah. Like there's a cardinal. I said, please put something on every page.

[Jenny Urch]

Yeah.

[Melissa Ferguson]

So there's a cardinal for that one. So. Yeah, I agree. I like different things. You can go back over and over and find something new.

[Jenny Urch]

Yeah.

[Melissa Ferguson]

Carl's books. I love those. Carl's books.

[Jenny Urch]

Afternoon park and the ones that have no words.

[Melissa Ferguson]

Yeah. But I think they're super.

[Jenny Urch]

Yeah, they're so good. You're like, wow, that guy really is on something. But they're fantastic. They facilitate so much talking.

[Melissa Ferguson]

Yeah, they do. Especially when your kid is like. Especially when you have like a two year old. She's like, no, read it. And I'm like, nothingness. No, read it, read it.

[Jenny Urch]

But then he's always taking care of the baby, so. Yeah, it's such a wonderful. I love those. Those are some of our favorites.

[Melissa Ferguson]

I'm always like, where are the parrots? But of course it's really funny, you know. Yeah.

[Jenny Urch]

Those are so cool. Isn't it an awesome thing? It's like, now you have your own book in that genre of children's literature.

[Melissa Ferguson]

Well, and I just. Here's my last thing, my last good news. So it only released yesterday, but.

[Jenny Urch]

Well, congratulations to you.

[Melissa Ferguson]

So, Cynthia Ryland, do you know who she. She is.

[Jenny Urch]

I don't think so.

[Melissa Ferguson]

She's my favorite favorite. She does Mr. Putter and Tabby, that whole series with Mr. Petter. She has so many books. She has. Oh, Silver Packages.

[Jenny Urch]

What's the last name?

[Melissa Ferguson]

Cynthia Ryland. R Y L A N T. I saw on the bestsellers list. I'm right next to her, which is like. It's me and Cynthia, my dream author. So anyways, it's.

[Jenny Urch]

That's actually a really, really cool thing.

[Melissa Ferguson]

Yeah, I'm really excited. I screenshotted it to save and probably make a desktop.

[Jenny Urch]

I actually don't have any of her books. So this will be something that we. Oh, we have when I was young in the mountains.

[Melissa Ferguson]

We have that one try Silver Packages. It won, I think a Caldecott. It's Is that what it's called? It's about the Appalachian mountains and a train ride that they go through the mountains and deliver presents.

[Jenny Urch]

So many. But I only have that one about. Yeah, it is called Silver Packages. That's right. Well, I'm so glad you told me about it. An Appalachian Christmas Story.

[Melissa Ferguson]

Yeah. Wow.

[Jenny Urch]

What a cool thing. And so then you have on the docket to create more children's books.

[Melissa Ferguson]

I mean, I have the dream. So if this book sells well, then I get published forever. You know, that's how it goes.

[Jenny Urch]

But isn't that the hard thing? People need to buy my homeschooling book.

[Melissa Ferguson]

Yes, I know.

[Jenny Urch]

This is the thing. I think people are like. I was talking to her friend Emily the other day. She wrote a book called really Very Crunchy, and we were talking about the.

[Melissa Ferguson]

Books, and she wrote really Very Crunchy.

[Jenny Urch]

Yeah.

[Melissa Ferguson]

I love her.

[Jenny Urch]

I know. I love her. Isn't she fun? So they're so fun. So she. We were just talking the other day about book sales, and she was, like, telling me how people will be like, I finally got your book from the library. I had to wait four months for it, you know, and I get texts like that, too. Or, you know, someone sends you a screenshot, like, I'm finally up. I'm waiting. I'm number 35 on the list. And she's like, just. Just buy it.

[Melissa Ferguson]

You know, maybe full price.

[Jenny Urch]

Just buy it. Spend the $15 or 20 bucks in it, because it does affect what that author can do in the future. It is a wild thing. You're pretty strapped by those things.

[Melissa Ferguson]

Yeah. Now, I will say, and I don't know if you know this, but in the library, you do get payment. So library sales account for, like, kind of a big market of. Of sales, especially in children's, I think, but, I mean, you do get paid per. I forget what it is.

[Jenny Urch]

Oh, per checkout.

[Melissa Ferguson]

Yeah. So they are only allowed legally. They pay, I think, a nice. A nice amount to get your book in the library. And then they're only allowed so many checkouts, I believe, until they have to re register it. So, you know, it's not all bad, but also, it would be nice if people also got that in person. I 1000% agree. It's like, do it, though.

[Jenny Urch]

Yes. Our friendly farmhouse just came out. It just came out yesterday. I love when I get to talk to the author during launch week. Huge congrats. This is, like, your busiest week ever, and I'm taking up all your time. Well, Melissa, this is such an honor. I Cannot wait to see the movies. If they do red carpet, I'm reaching out to the Pure American flicks. They're going to be like, I'm not where they can't come because she can't say the right name. Great American Media. Pure flicks.

[Melissa Ferguson]

Yeah. Great. Great American Family. You know what? You and me both. I'm not. I think it's Great American Media. And then I think under their umbrella is Great American Family and pure Flix. So I think you're right and I'm right and we're both wrong.

[Jenny Urch]

I'll come. We'll come. If they do a red carpet, I'm going to invite myself. This is so exciting, Melissa. We always end our show with the same question. What's a favorite memory from your childhood? That was outside.

[Melissa Ferguson]

Oh, my goodness. That was outside. Oh, I'm not prepared for this question. I'm not thinking about it. Let's see. Favorite. Okay, well, here's one memory, and this is not the best. This is like a hot seat question. But this. This is a pretty fond one. Is that when I was growing up, I grew up in apartment complexes and I had a best friend. And they would throw their Christmas trees over the porches, everyone. So imagine a ton of them. And then it would get picked up eventually from, I guess, the people that picked it up. But we would collect these Christmas trees, these dried out Christmas trees, and we would make a little forest for ourselves and decorate it with pine cones. And like, it was like ours. It was like our Christmas tree forest that we can enjoy. And so that was a really special memory and a good reminder. I will say to everyone that it doesn't matter where you grow up, it doesn't matter where you live. You can go outside anywhere and make some good memories.

[Jenny Urch]

Okay. That should be your children's book.

[Melissa Ferguson]

Oh, that would be fun.

[Jenny Urch]

Our Christmas Tree Forest.

[Melissa Ferguson]

I know.

[Jenny Urch]

Come on, that's totally a Christmas book. Our Christmas Tree Forest.

[Melissa Ferguson]

I mean, I support it. A Christmas. See, now you're giving me ideas. A Christmas children's book would be.

[Jenny Urch]

Well, Cynthia has one. Isn't that what the silver packages is? Yes, Cynthia Rylant has one.

[Melissa Ferguson]

That's right.

[Jenny Urch]

And look how this boy is standing in front of a Christmas tree. Our Christmas Tree Forest.

[Melissa Ferguson]

I know. So, okay, that's. I'm gonna do it. I'll go message my publisher right after this. Or agent. I'll be like, hey, I have a new idea. Heads up. Up.

[Jenny Urch]

You know, I think it's a really cool idea, though, because people talk a lot about getting their kids outside and nature exposure, nature experiences. And a lot of people ask, well, what if you're in an apartment? Or what if you're in a townhouse? We used to be in a townhouse. You know, you don't have your own yard or whatever the situation is. And it's like, there just are so many ways to engage with nature, and it can be so delightful.

[Melissa Ferguson]

Yeah. Yeah, I agree. That would be fun.

[Jenny Urch]

Yeah, I'm gonna. This has been so fun. You have got a fantastic personality.

[Melissa Ferguson]

Well, back at you.

[Jenny Urch]

I loved it. Well, thank you, Melissa, and huge congrats on your new book, our friendly farmhouse. I can't wait for all your movies and all the rest to come.

[Melissa Ferguson]

Well, thank you. This was super fun. I can see why. You have a podcast of a billion people. You meal prep, you check ingredients. So why not do the same for your dog? If your pup has a sensitive tummy or you're just done with mystery kibble, Ollie's got you fresh human grade meals made just for your dog, delivered to your door. No fillers, no weird stuff, just real food that helps them feel their best. Go to ollie.com pup60 and use code pup60 for 60% off. Your best friend deserves it.