Today we’d like to introduce you to Veronica Green.
Veronica, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
About three years ago, I started to seriously question the nature of the food I was consuming. I’ve always considered myself an animal lover, but I began to wonder “What is the difference between the animals I welcome into my home and the ones that I eat? Do farmed animals not have feelings just like dogs & cats? Do they not suffer or feel pain?
What am I really paying for when I buy animal products?” This was the beginning of a new chapter in my life. I began researching the factory farming industry, and I watched in horror as the very animals I consumed on a daily basis screamed, fought, cried and bled… all so that I could enjoy the taste of their flesh. I was disgusted and no longer wanted to be a part of it.
Slowly but surely, I learned about the benefits of a plant-based diet, and I began to transition. I began to incorporate lots of fresh fruits and veggies into my diet, and I experimented with veggie burgers, tacos, wraps, pastas, salads, and even pizza! I learned that plant-based living was extremely satisfying! I was eating healthier and kinder versions of the foods I already loved.
As my transition continued, I began to long for creative outlets. I wanted a way to share my new found passion with the world, and more specifically, with children. I realized that a whole new generation of people is forming… I call it “the conscious generation.” They are children who will grow up having never consumed animals. They will hold a deep seeded moral belief that animals are not here FOR us, but rather, WITH us.
So, I decided to begin writing a children’s book about a vegan superhero who rescues the animals. I wanted to empower vegan kids and encourage them to openly discuss their lifestyle with non-vegan peers. Upon publishing my first book, I discovered that there’s a huge demand for vegan kids literature! So, I just kept on writing. I feel that I’ve truly found my calling.
I’m on my 5th book now, and I’m still learning and growing with each one. The community of vegan parents have embraced me in such a heart-warming way. It’s truly humbling.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Certainly not. Pursuing your passion is never easy, regardless of how someone’s life might appear on social media. Our society is set-up to create robots…worker bees…not artists and free thinkers. Deciding to pursue your passion is an act of rebellion against the system. For me, discovering my passion was half the battle. I was approaching 30 years old and just really feeling a bit lost in terms of what I wanted to do with my life. I had tried a variety of things but always felt that I was just trying to live out someone else’s dream. I spent a lot of time, energy and money trying to start up businesses that I thought might be profitable. In hindsight, I can see that chasing dollars was my first mistake. Once I finally began to focus my energy on writing, which is my true passion, then things began falling into place…opportunities began to appear.
Even then, I still faced challenges. For example, I desperately needed to reduce my monthly expenses so that I could work less (for someone else) and dedicate more time to my new endeavor. I sold my home and many of my belongings and downsized to a small apartment that would allow me the freedom I needed. The thing about passion is that it leads you to your purpose…your life’s work. So when challenges occur, it feels more like a puzzle to be solved rather than a horrible problem, because your eye is on the bigger picture.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Veronica Green Publications – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
I’m best known for my children’s book series titled The Adventures Of Veggie Vero. It’s about a vegan superhero who rescues the animals and teaches kids about compassionate living. Veggie Vero lives in the town of KalesVille and has a sidekick who is a flying piglet named Cashew. The series takes a light-hearted approach to a heavy subject, which I think sets me apart from others. Many non-vegan parents have purchased my books as a way to get their kids thinking about where food comes from. It’s a good way to create dialogue, especially if you’re considering transitioning your family to veganism.
I also have a children’s yoga book published, which is called Little Yogi Journey. It’s a rhyming interactive poem that takes kids through an easy yoga flow. Yoga is a great way for children to channel their energy and learn to hear their own inner wisdom.
All of my books are made with one intention; to empower the conscious generation. Living consciously can be easy and effortless if a child is raised that way. What’s difficult is being the minority. Seeing people you love make destructive lifestyle choices every day is difficult. That’s why conscious kids literature is so important. Vegan children should feel like superheroes, not outcasts. As the world shifts towards sustainability, I hope that my writing will inspire children to find their voice in this movement of compassion.
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
I’m currently working on a children’s book about recycling. It will be a rhyming story told from the perspective of a plastic water bottle. Super excited about that! I also have some ideas about creating an under-water Veggie Vero story, which will address the issues with industrial fishing and also water pollution.
I have a long-term vision of turning Veggie Vero into a cartoon animation. I don’t know much about how that’s done, but I’ll cross that bridge when I get there! For now, I’m listening to my intuition and I intend to keep writing children’s books until I feel it’s time to move on. I have profound admiration for authors of novels. I would love to eventually create a Young Adult chapter book about Veggie Vero for older kids. Teaching kindness and compassion to the youth is something that can be taken in many directions, so I try to keep an open mind and rule nothing out!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.VeggieVero.com
- Email: VeggieVero@gmail.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/veggievero
- Facebook: facebook.com/veggievero
- Twitter: twitter.com/veggievero
Getting in touch: VoyageMIA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
