Creator Interview: Award-winning Author Dr. Maryam Kia’s debut picture book, A Suitcase Full

Welcome to the #GrowYourWriting 2026 Creator Interviews blog series. I’m thrilled to feature talented kidlit creators this year and spotlight their beautiful work and inspiring journeys. 

Maryam Kia is an award-winning psychologist and author. A Suitcase Full is her debut picture book. When she was young, her family immigrated from Iran to the island of O’ahu. Along the way, she experienced multiple countries, languages, cultures, and schools, inspiring her career as a resilience, wellness, and mindfulness expert. As an author, Maryam hopes to empower young readers to see the wonder and magic in their own suitcases and to appreciate the treasures others carry. Maryam lives in Southern California, where she and her kids are always on the lookout for shooting stars, rainbows, and waterfalls.

Find Maryam online at: maryamkia.com

Instagram: @drmaryamkia

Let’s get started, shall we?

1 – What inspired you to pursue a career in children’s literature, and when did you start creating?

Since I was little, I loved to read books, and to be creative in my own writing. As I got older and was picking a career path, I started out as a psychologist, because I wanted to help children and families get through challenging times. But, I also wanted to keep writing, because I realized that stories are what connect us to one another. From my own experience, books, and the characters in them, are incredible sources of wisdom and life lessons. So, writing has always been something I wanted to pursue and I feel deeply fortunate that I get to pursue it. I am so thrilled with my debut picture book, A Suitcase Full, which is a story about a little girl named Kimia whose family has to suddenly leave Iran and then move over and over again until they can find a new home. It’s ultimately a story about facing change and finding resilience! 

2 – Can you tell us more about your journey from ideas to publication?

A Suitcase Full is a story I wrote inspired by my own experiences. When I was young, my own family left Iran and I ended up living around the world. It also meant I had to change languages and schools quite a few times. I wanted to capture the story of moving and change from the perspective of a child who lived through it, not as an adult writing about what it might be like. It is also meaningful for me to add a Persian character to a children’s book. When I was growing up, I read a ton of books and never once ran across one with a Persian character, so it was a big deal to me in 2003, when Marjane Satrapi came out with her powerful graphic memoir, Perspeolis, and Firoozeh Dumas wrote a hilarious autobiography called Funny in Farsi. I’m happy to be in good company now with a few other Iranian American authors who have added picture books to kidlit. For my own book, I was incredibly fortunate to have the encouragement and brilliance of my literary agent, a thoughtful and intentional editor, and a talented illustrator, all of whom embraced my story and helped bring it to life! 

3 – What part of the process, from the first draft to submissions, do you find the most challenging, and how do you overcome that?

Writing is a marathon and not a sprint, and marathons require endurance and willingness to stick to something even when you think you are done. A helpful shift for me was realizing that even though writing is thought of as such an individual act, in truth, publishing is such a collective effort. If you go into drafts and edits with that in mind, that it’s an expected and beneficial part of the process, it transforms the experience from a challenge to an opportunity to keep getting better! 

4 – Who are your favorite children’s authors and illustrators that have inspired your work?

There are so many, it’s hard to narrow down. But, Christine Alemshah (BEA’S BALIKBAYAN BOX OF TREASURES), YOU are a favorite and an inspiration! I appreciate authors, like you, Grace Lin (THE UGLY VEGETABLES), Carole Lindstrom (WE ARE WATER PROTECTORS), and many others, who share their heritage and connect readers to traditions and values through authentic stories. 

5 – What advice would you like to give aspiring kidlit creators looking to grow their writing?

I can offer a few pieces of advice. One is to make time for being creative in multiple parts of your life, so that you can be creative when you sit down and write. I also believe in the power of your story, so my second piece of advice is to allow your own experiences to spark your ideas. My third piece of advice is to find and connect with a writing community! Kidlist authors and illustrators are such lovely humans, and so supportive of one another! 

6 – What’s next for you as a creator?

I am working on a few projects, including a series about mindfulness, and a longer adventure story that draws from some exciting tales from my family history. I have a non-fiction adult book in the works, and bunch of other ideas in the pipeline too. I am always writing and creating! 

7 – Are there any particular resources you’ve used or nurtured often that helped you grow as a creator?

I am a member of SCBWI and love connecting with the other creatives who are part of my publishing house, my literary agency, and at events. I have also tried some writing or author-focused webinars, which have all been helpful, and love to listen to podcasts. With podcasts, I don’t just listen to ones that are focused on the craft of writing, I just follow my interests, so that my thinking, curiosity, and ideas start flowing.  

 

Guess what? It’s giveaway time!

Maryam has graciously offered one lucky winner A picture book critique and 30-minute Zoom call

How to enter:

To enter the giveaway, simply leave a comment on this blog post below.

You can tell us:

• What part of Maryam’s interview resonated with you, or
• What inspires you!

Giveaway Details

• Entry period: Now through Sept. 7th, 2026 at 11:59 PM PST
• Winner announced: Sept 8th on this blog post and on Instagram
• Prize: One picture book critique and 30-minute zoom call from Maryam Kia

The winner will be selected randomly from the comments and contacted via the email used when commenting.

Good luck, and happy writing! 

Shine On,

Christine