[Podcast] Meteorologist Amy Sweezey on Writing Children's Books

By Melissa Parks and Dave Goetz

It's one thing to get up at 2 AM for something special like a long road trip to Disney.

It's quite another to get at 2 AM every day for your job. Yes, 2 AM. Every week day.

For years, meteorologist Amy Sweezey went to bed early in the evening and rose at 2 AM in order to do the 4:30 AM news. Her discipline and hard work paid off. In 2018, Amy was named "Broadcaster of the Year" by the National Weather Association.

Early in her career as a meteorologist, Amy started speaking at schools, helping children understand the basics of weather. She developed a passion for teaching children about her favorite topic and started to write a book. Then came motherhood, and Amy set aside her writing aspirations for more than a decade. When she picked up writing again, she self-published two books: a fiction book for children called It Never, Ever Snows in Florida and a nonfiction book, Let's Talk Weather.

Let's Talk Weather won both a gold medal and bronze medal in the 2018 Florida Authors & Publishers Association President's Book Awards. Be sure to visit Amy's web site for more information on her books and career as a meteorologist.

Sticking to Your Vision, Staying the Course

Today, Amy is a mom of three children and has spoken to countless groups of children about weather. Now she divides her time between mom duties, speaking, writing, hosting, and working as a Special Projects Producer for Growing Bolder.

In this episode, Melissa and Dave interview Amy on her book writing and self-publishing journey. You'll come away motivated to stick with your vision and to stay the course.