Kerry Docherty, SOMEWHERE, RIGHT NOW
[0:02]Hi, I'm Zivi Owens, the creator and host of the award-winning podcast that you're listening to right now
[0:07]Thank you so much. Called moms. Don't have time to read books
[0:10]It is a daily podcast
[0:12]365 days a year and each day we talk to an author about all of the things related to their career
[0:18]Their book their life and more in 30 minutes or less because who has time?
[0:22]I am now an author myself
[0:24]Although I wasn't when I started this podcast and you can get my new memoir book ends
[0:29]A memoir of love, loss and literature wherever books are sold starting July 1st and my children's book prints is charming
[0:36]You can learn more about me at zimbyones.com
[0:39]But really you're here to learn more about the authors and that is what we're going to do
[0:43]Also be sure to check out all the other podcasts in the zcast podcast network
[0:49]You can learn more at zcastnetwork.com and definitely check out those shows as well
[0:58]Carrie, Docherty is the author of somewhere right now
[1:01]She is a founder and chief impact officer of fairty brand a lifestyle clothing brand centered on sustainability
[1:07]Craft and community which by the way is one of my all-time favorite brands and in many pictures on Instagram
[1:12]I am wearing fairty brand clothing including in my bio
[1:16]The one with the check dress and so many other pictures
[1:19]I'm obsessed. It's so comfortable and fits really well and anyway, just love fairty
[1:24]Then they're popping up all over prior to starting fairty. Her background was in law human rights and mindfulness
[1:29]She's passionate about using creativity and community as a tool to cultivate joy
[1:34]She lives in Brooklyn with her two kids husband and an orange trait. This is her first book
[1:38]Welcome Carrie. Thank you so much for coming on mom's don't have time to read books
[1:43]So happy to be here. Oh, this is so fun for me
[1:46]And we did the launch event for princess charming together along with some other fabulous women children's book authors
[1:54]Which of course is only one little aspect of all of us and particularly all of you
[1:58]But I was able to talk to you about your book then and now I'm excited to dive in
[2:02]Even more to the book and your life and everything exciting
[2:06]All of things all of things
[2:10]And of course the best part will maybe not the best part
[2:13]But what great part is that we have the same
[2:15]publisher flamingo books and the same editor Margaret Anastas
[2:19]So I feel like we are book siblings in a way which means we're family. So there you go
[2:24]Mutual friends from the Sanders
[2:27]Yes, yes, yes, of course that too, which is also I probably could have led with that I guess but anyway
[2:34]Okay, so let's talk about your book to start tell listeners about your book
[2:39]How it became the book?
[2:41]What the main messages are which kids should definitely read this book blah blah blah
[2:47]Well as my four-year-old says rigs he says this book is about feelings
[2:52]Which pretty much sums it up
[2:54]But I work with both during COVID when you know we were stuck inside and dealing with a lot of stresses
[3:01]And during the day, you know each of us was having difficult feelings
[3:05]And so the book is really about a family a son a daughter and parents who throughout the day either are frustrated angry
[3:15]sad or exhausted and
[3:17]The family members acknowledged that in each other and then also remind each other that's somewhere right now
[3:23]Something beautiful still happening. That's the title my book somewhere right now. I think I have had all four of those emotions
[3:29]Even this morning before nine o'clock
[3:32]And you know for me it was really important to have a kids book where the parents had feelings
[3:37]So the data sad the mom's exhausted because I think it's important for our children to know that
[3:43]You know their parents
[3:46]Are also human and also go through everything and this idea of normalizing how we feel and I even have noticed that with my kids
[3:53]You know, I have a six-year-old and four-year-old a lot of temper tantrums going through all the things that when I'm like
[3:58]You know what I too get frustrated at that I see something shift in them
[4:04]Like oh wow these feelings don't just belong to me. This is a part of being human
[4:09]And so that's really something that I I want it to convey my background had been in mindfulness
[4:15]And so I read a lot of kids books a lot of kids book about mindfulness and this was just kind of my lens and
[4:22]In my offering in the world of I guess parenting and and yeah visualizations and
[4:27]acknowledgement of feelings and and all the things
[4:31]Well, thank you for helping out the rest of us with this
[4:35]Giving something for a tool to put in our toolbox when our resources
[4:40]Emotionally are completely diminished. I feel like this book really really comes in handy and it's so helpful for everyone
[4:47]Wait go back to your career and mindfulness
[4:49]Because that's so cool to even have as a career and to go back to growing up like give us your back story where you grow up and
[4:56]What you wanted to be when you grow up and how you ended up in this field
[4:59]I grew up in Buffalo, New York. My mom was a yoga teacher
[5:03]I feel like really before yoga was so mainstream
[5:06]And so she would always make us listen to chanting on our way to school
[5:11]And I always had a gratitude journal like all the things
[5:15]And I think at a young age then I was in you know embedded in some of these
[5:19]resources that I didn't know were mindfulness at the time, but they were
[5:23]And then went to college played a sport it felt like
[5:28]You know very competitive all the time that like type A part of me was always on high alert
[5:34]Wait, what's what's wrong?
[5:35]Well, wait, so then I put it off. Look at us. Okay. I went to cross
[5:40]Then I went to law school and I think it was in law school when I realized
[5:45]You know, wow, I
[5:46]Stressed a lot
[5:48]And so I went to Pepperdine Law School
[5:50]But UCLA has an institute on mindfulness called the Mindfulness Awareness Research Center
[5:55]And so I started training there just on my own accord
[5:59]And I had been working with human rights and social justice
[6:03]And so having that mindfulness tool just for myself felt really grounding
[6:07]And then after law school I was talking for a judge
[6:09]And my judge said to me one day, you know
[6:12]Would you ever do mindfulness with some of these defendants?
[6:14]We have a bunch of young defendants who are charged with, you know, drug crimes
[6:19]And it might be helpful for them
[6:21]And so I started doing mindfulness with some of the defendants
[6:24]And then my judge said, you know, my daughter actually has performance inside
[6:27]And she said, for the SATs, would you do mindfulness with her?
[6:30]And I said, sure
[6:32]And then there was an opportunity to teach mindfulness for continuing legal education for lawyers
[6:38]So by the time I ended my clerkship
[6:40]I had this full-fledged mindfulness business
[6:43]Which I called the mindful mentors
[6:45]And this was I guess in 2010
[6:48]And I did that for two years
[6:50]And really I thought that would be my trajectory
[6:52]And then as you know, my husband and brother-in-law
[6:55]Their dream was to start a clothing company, therapy brand
[6:58]And so the month they started, they just looked at me and they said, we need help
[7:02]And that really shifted my career and mindfulness to retell
[7:07]And so now we have
[7:09]We have a clothing company
[7:11]It's not just a clothing company
[7:13]It's not just like one of my most favorite brands ever
[7:17]She just slid that in really casually
[7:19]Fayeredybrand.com
[7:21]F-A-H-E-R-T-Y
[7:24]B-R-A-N-D-D-dot-com
[7:26]Go check it out
[7:26]And Fayeredybrand is our number one ambassador
[7:29]I'm probably keeping your business afloat during the toughest times
[7:36]But it's so great, I love the clothes, they're so comfortable
[7:39]I just finished packing it for the weekend
[7:41]And I was like, oh, I love the shirt
[7:42]And I love these things
[7:45]It's like high quality, it's comfort
[7:47]And I think, you know, we're at a place
[7:49]And I know you'd be like this too
[7:51]With your business and all your different passions
[7:54]It's like we're no longer compartmentalized
[7:56]You know, in terms like
[7:58]How we show up is how we show up
[8:00]And whether it's in our writing or whether it's in the businesses we're running
[8:04]Or whether it's like with our team
[8:06]Like, all of us are
[8:07]I don't know, especially if the pandemic
[8:09]Like, we're all just in it at all times
[8:11]And so for me, it's like
[8:12]How am I showing up as a leader?
[8:14]How are we incorporating mindfulness
[8:16]Into, you know, retail and clothing
[8:18]And making smart decisions
[8:20]And whether I'm writing a book for sitting in a Zoom meeting
[8:23]About marketing, I think it's
[8:25]Bringing our full selves to all of these
[8:27]Decisions, 100%
[8:29]So important
[8:30]I feel like it really comes through
[8:32]No matter what the product is
[8:34]Right, you can tell
[8:36]That intention, yeah, for sure
[8:38]I love to hear that
[8:39]That's because it is
[8:40]We are obsessed kind of about the details
[8:42]And what we put out into the world
[8:46]But you are
[8:47]Chief sustainable
[8:49]The officer
[8:50]No, I did a run
[8:51]Chief impact
[8:52]So, so
[8:53]Chief impact
[8:54]Okay, okay
[8:55]Chief impact
[8:55]Officer
[8:56]So talk about that
[8:59]No, we do
[9:00]You know, making sure sustainability
[9:02]Our sustainability efforts are where we want them to be
[9:05]Which a lot comes out to supply
[9:07]Packaging
[9:08]Kind of all that non-sexy stuff
[9:10]But that's super important
[9:12]And then around our culture
[9:14]So what's it like to come to work at
[9:16]Farrity every day
[9:17]Our community events
[9:18]So we have an event series
[9:19]Called sun sessions
[9:21]Which is around like good people
[9:22]Spreading good vibes
[9:23]So we do a lot of stuff with musicians
[9:25]Workshop
[9:26]We've had it for free to in the past
[9:28]And do have my background law
[9:30]So still do that a little bit
[9:32]Although I'm like really ready to retire
[9:34]From the law
[9:35]But yeah, so those are all the things
[9:37]I have my hands in
[9:39]Love
[9:39]Yeah, and
[9:39]I'm not already
[9:40]My name on the brand
[9:42]So I think it's so important for us
[9:44]That we
[9:45]I never legally change my name
[9:46]But it's so important for us
[9:48]It's like a direct reflection of who we are
[9:50]The things that we put out into the world
[9:52]That's so funny
[9:52]There's so many people who didn't legally change their name
[9:54]But go by their husband's name
[9:56]Have you found that?
[9:56]I feel like more and more
[9:57]People are just like
[9:58]Oh yeah, I didn't change my name
[10:00]I mean, they do. They don't make it very easy. I did change my name both times, but, you know,
[10:06]probably because I really couldn't wait to like get rid of my original last name. I was like,
[10:09]I keep trading up here in my last day. But they definitely don't make it easy. But yes,
[10:15]I don't know. Maybe this is a new long-term trend that I don't know. And I relate to having your
[10:20]name on the brand as I'm trying to start this publishing company Zibi books. And I'm like,
[10:23]oh my gosh, like, if you wouldn't like the book, are they not going to like me?
[10:27]No, I know. It's so worried. Anyway, maybe I should have named it something else.
[10:34]But too late, I guess. Is it too late? Maybe I could still change it.
[10:38]Okay, Jeff. I think, yeah, I think it's great. I think it helps people trust brands and trust
[10:44]companies when someone is the face of it. And it's also more pressure, but I do think that human
[10:50]element is so important. I mean, I have so many people adore and love you already and like
[10:56]and trust your voice and trust the people you're interviewing in the podcast and the work that
[10:59]you're putting out. And so I think it only adds value. I hope so. I mean, I love our books,
[11:05]you know, just everything has to be so perfect. You know, it's just that there's so many elements.
[11:09]This is a lot more challenging than I thought. But anyway, okay, so go back to then
[11:15]you were going through this experience. But why write a book? Why did you like, had you always
[11:19]wanted to write a children's book? Have you written other stuff? Have you written curriculums for
[11:24]mindfulness? Have you written curriculum? I wrote curriculums for mindfulness. I've always been
[11:29]an avid writer, like a journal or I think I wrote my own obituary when I was like eight years old.
[11:34]I'm a Gemini. So there's a part of me that's like optimistic and compassionate and mindful and
[11:41]then like deep down. I'm like a sick fuck and like breaking about like horror stories and
[11:48]ghost stories and all that kind of stuff. But I had met our mutual publisher and editor Margaret
[11:54]when I was had a mindfulness blog. And she said, you know, I think you have a kid's
[11:58]book in you. And I said, I think I do too. But that was 2011. And so 10 years had passed. And then
[12:05]during COVID, I wrote a Instagram post on Saturday brand. And it was a picture of a whale swimming
[12:11]with her calf through the sea. And I said, I know things are hard right now. But somewhere right now,
[12:16]this is happening. And Margaret called me and said, that's the name of the book. I know the illustrator
[12:21]new six weeks to write it. I was like, okay. And then I wrote a draft. And she was like,
[12:27]this is not what I want. Start over five weeks to write it. And so it felt like this book was
[12:35]both, you know, 12 years in the making and also fell onto my lap at the same time. So
[12:42]Margaret is like the fairy godmother sprinkling. It's the dust around the world.
[12:48]It is. Everybody gets a book. You write a book. You write a book.
[12:53]It's amazing. Yeah. But I am. And I know we've talked about this a little bit. But I do,
[12:58]I'm a part of Brooklyn Writers Collective, which is an amazing writing group based in Brooklyn.
[13:02]Although it's now be assumed for anyone who wants to join. But I do feel like I have another
[13:08]adult book in me. And I don't know if that's a collection of essays or if it's poetry,
[13:13]or if it's a memoir. I don't even know if it's ever going to be something I put into the world.
[13:18]But it is something on the side that I like find joy in writing. But that's who knows,
[13:24]you know, could be two years from now or 15. That's really exciting, man.
[13:28]And I feel like without a deadline, it's just like, you know, you can just keep
[13:34]keep writing away. Would you like me to give you a deadline?
[13:40]Four months ago. I'm like, how does she any? I just don't know what it is yet. I mean,
[13:47]when you were writing bookends, I know you've written a couple different iterations. But
[13:52]how do you know what you're writing or it became clear? It was a memoir. A good question.
[13:57]No, I mean, I wrote bookends came out of this memoir I wrote called Forty Love about falling
[14:04]in love again at 40. But that was only part of it. And then it also came out of a memoir
[14:07]wrote called Off Balance, which was about a different part of my life from what you had talked about
[14:11]Stacey earlier, like when she had passed away in 9-11 and all of that. And I had like,
[14:16]and then of course there was my whole life in between. And I was trying to make sense of it.
[14:19]So I had two discarded memoirs. And then I was like, there has to be a better framework.
[14:25]So I tried to sell it on proposal. And then that didn't work a couple times.
[14:29]Because I, you're right, I didn't know how exactly to do it. I knew the story. But the story felt
[14:33]so big at times until I figured out this way of introducing books and for whatever reason
[14:38]that made it all click for me of how I would do it as a theme. But I don't know. I mean,
[14:42]the first drafts, everything I did, I had to write like four times. The first time was just like,
[14:47]I think I want to do this. Well, okay. Well, now that I did that, I can see that really the
[14:51]books would look like this. So I'm going to try that. And then do it again. And then you're like,
[14:55]oh, well, now that I've had one, it would actually be really great if it was like this,
[14:59]or maybe now it should be a novel or whatever. So yeah, I think the first draft you just have to
[15:04]get up. But what do I know? How do you structure it? Like, is it chronological or is it
[15:09]thematic or is it bookends is chronological? And it's structured around the books I read at the time.
[15:17]So each chapter has different books that I read while I was doing it. There's a book list at the
[15:23]end. Oh, I love and I did it. I did it in sections. And I actually just by years, you know, like
[15:30]1976 to 1982 or something like that. And then I realized at the end, there were the exact number
[15:36]of sections as there were letter letters in bookends. So each section starts with one of those letters.
[15:41]I love that. I love that. And then each chapter title is the title of a book that I was reading
[15:47]in the chapter. So smart. So smart. Anyway, but who knows. I mean, you know, the first thing is just
[15:54]getting this story out. Like, what is it that's so compelling and why? Like, why? Like, I don't know.
[15:59]For me, I'm like, I have to tell this story. I have to, it was so crazy to me what happened with
[16:03]Stacey and everything. Like, I have to let other people know, you know, and I want her memory to live
[16:09]on. And, you know, there are all these reasons why you feel like the stories you want have to get
[16:13]out. So I feel like start with those. Like, what has, what do you have to get out? What do you feel
[16:19]like if this were cut out of the book, it's like not even worth doing the book. Like, then just start
[16:22]with that section. Yeah. And then it's like telling the truth the entire time, I think for
[16:28]young and writing. And, you know, sometimes time, the truth affects other people in our families
[16:34]in our lives. And I think for me, that's what I'm balancing is the best parts of stories are those
[16:41]when we're like in our raw, truthful form. And it's, but also we are a character in our own book.
[16:48]And like, are we a trusted narrative? Like, can we, you know, we're sharing what happened? But
[16:53]other people might think differently about what we're sharing. And it's like all the things I think
[16:58]about when I'm writing. But for now, I'm just like, be honest and right. Yes, I put in the beginning
[17:03]of bookends. I was like, if you were involved in any of these scenes and you remember it totally
[17:08]differently, you're probably right. I'm like, this is just how I remember it. You know, this is,
[17:14]this is my best guess at it. But sorry, you're, I'm sure you're right. But yes, you can always
[17:19]take stuff out. You can go in and do like a surgical extraction of any character you want.
[17:25]Yeah, but not until you write them. Right. Right. I don't know. Well, that's so fun. You're doing
[17:30]them. That's great. Amazing. What else do you have on your slate aside from, you know, basically
[17:35]running a business and writing a memoir and managing two kids? We're about to move. We're leaving
[17:41]Brooklyn. So I've been in Brooklyn for 15 years, moving out of Brooklyn to the Jersey Shore July
[17:47]1st. So that's I'm gearing up for that big move. What you're, you're going to live permanently
[17:51]on the Jersey Shore? Yes, we're moving in with my mother-in-law at our family house that we go
[17:57]to every weekend. So it's the town where my husband crops spring like. So it feels big. It
[18:03]really feels like I'm closing a chapter of my New York City life. But I think just during the pandemic,
[18:09]it was like our kids. We just need them to run. Mm-hmm. And you back yard. Yeah. It's like a lot of
[18:14]pressure. I feel like to raise a kid in the city. I get home from the city and I'm exhausted.
[18:21]Can we go to the park? Like, I can't take you to the park right now. But if I had a backyard,
[18:26]I could open up and you could run out. So yeah. So basically, this is all big. I'll be a big shift,
[18:33]but I think we're ready for it. What we will do to not have to go to the park at 638 night.
[18:40]If I have to go to this park and I've had to go to this park again, it's
[18:45]yeah. And you know, I think one of the things I'm also writing a lot about is just parenting and
[18:52]you know, mothering for me. I am obsessed with my children. But mothering for me is really hard.
[18:58]Like, I find it so boring.
[19:03]So boring. And I don't love things that have needs. And you know, like, kids always have
[19:09]needs. They're like, mom, we're hungry. And like, I get you four hours ago. They're like, I know,
[19:14]but kids eat three meals a day. And like, you know, what good point? Okay, here we go. So I think
[19:19]being in a small town where there's just more kids around and they have more, like, autonomy
[19:24]to be out and about will be, will be better for everyone. I love that. That's really funny.
[19:30]Well, I have high hopes for the memoir if you continue to write like that, talking about, like,
[19:35]parenting is boring. That could just be the whole chapter. I mean, I kind of want to write a book called
[19:42]The Lazy, The Lazy Wife. And like, talk about being both a lazy wife and a lazy mom and explore
[19:49]all of those things about it mean. But we'll see. Maybe I'll start with an article first.
[19:54]You might do it. Don't do lazy because there is a woman Kendra Adachi. And she is the lazy genius.
[20:00]then now she has the lazy genius kitchen
[20:02]and she's like a best selling author.
[20:04]So I would pick a different word.
[20:06]No it is.
[20:07]Okay, good.
[20:07]Yeah, she's like, she's claimed lazy.
[20:10]I think even though, of course, she's super productive.
[20:12]But yes, love it.
[20:13]I have to read that.
[20:14]I have to read that.
[20:15]Yeah, it's good.
[20:17]She has a podcast too on the same network as mine on a cast.
[20:20]So awesome.
[20:21]You're welcome, Kendra for the shout out.
[20:23]You can listen to me on your podcast.
[20:25]You can listen to her on my podcast.
[20:27]Love, love, love.
[20:28]Well, do you have any advice for aspiring children's book authors?
[20:32]Man, I think it's, I think there's the act of writing
[20:37]because it brings you joy and you have a story to tell.
[20:40]And I think that's the most important part.
[20:43]And it's sharing with the people you love.
[20:45]And yes, maybe you get published, maybe you don't.
[20:48]But I think so many people when it comes to writing
[20:51]is about getting the book out in the world.
[20:53]And there's also just ways to get the book out in the world
[20:56]without having a formal editor, formal illustrator.
[21:01]Actually, one of my kids favorite book
[21:02]is Laura Sanders' husband, did a children's book
[21:06]and published an Amazon.
[21:08]And I, yeah, I just think writing is such a beautiful gift
[21:12]and storytelling is such a beautiful gift
[21:14]that we don't have to pen the success of what we're writing
[21:19]on just getting it published.
[21:21]Because I think a lot of people have kids' books in them.
[21:22]And it's also really hard to get published.
[21:25]And then once you're published, then you have to sell the book.
[21:27]People are always like, are you writing another kid's book?
[21:29]I'm like, well, I guess it depends on many books I sell, you know?
[21:33]And so I think, yeah, right because you love to write,
[21:37]share it with friends, go to FedEx and print it
[21:40]and put a cover on it and spread the gift that way.
[21:44]And if you do, they're lucky to have an age
[21:46]in our publisher like that's amazing too,
[21:47]but it doesn't necessarily need a story
[21:50]you're telling us in worthwhile if that doesn't happen.
[21:53]Great advice, very good.
[21:55]Carrie, thank you.
[21:56]Thanks for coming on, Moms Don't Have to Read books.
[21:58]Thank you for, I love that our princess charming
[22:01]and someone right now are like living in the world together.
[22:04]I know, so cute, I love it.
[22:07]Amazing, thank you.
[22:09]Have a great day.
[22:10]Thanks, good luck with your move.
[22:11]Okay. Bye.
[22:16]Thanks for listening to this episode of Moms Don't Have Time
[22:18]to Read Books.
[22:19]Don't forget to follow me on Instagram,
[22:21]adsubi Owens and at Moms Don't Have Time to Read Books.
[22:24]Also sign up for my newsletter adsubi Owens.com
[22:27]and sign up for my virtual book club
[22:28]and meet lots of authors on Zoom every other week.
[22:31]Thanks so much to Steve and Ryan at Texturesound
[22:34]for the Sound Editing.
[22:35]And thank you to Morning Moon Productions
[22:37]for providing this fantastic intro and now trim music.