Meet Jeanette Gil! (Author Success Stories)

Welcome to our latest Author Success Story! This month we're featuring children's book author, Jeanette Gil.

Meet Jeanette Gil:

Jeanette Gil is an award-winning Cuban-American children's book author, educator, doctoral candidate, and proud grandmother (Abuela Gigi ) based in Miami, Florida. Inspired by family, culture, and a lifelong love of storytelling, she wrote her debut picture book, Aloe Vera's Special Gift, to help children discover their unique gifts while celebrating resilience, kindness, and self-worth. Through her work as an author and founder of Zun Zun Press, Jeanette creates stories and learning experiences that connect generations through literacy, culture, and meaningful conversation. She is passionate about exploring how storytelling can support learning, social-emotional growth, and family connection both inside and outside the classroom.

Website: http://www.jeanettegil.com

AHA: Hi Jeanette! Let's start at the beginning. What inspired you to become an author?

Jeanette: My grandchildren inspired me to become an author. I wanted to create something meaningful that could be shared across generations while preserving the stories, values, and traditions that shaped my own childhood. The idea for Aloe Vera's Special Gift grew from memories of my grandmother's garden and the important role aloe played in our Cuban household. What started as a story for my grandchildren became a mission to help children recognize their own gifts and understand that our differences often become our greatest strengths.

AHA: Grandchildren are such a great source of inspiration! But it's hard to believe you are a grandma! Did you have any prior experience with writing or publishing?

Jeanette: Prior to publishing Aloe Vera's Special Gift, I had no formal experience in children's publishing. My background is in business, higher education, and organizational leadership, and I am currently pursuing a doctorate in Applied Learning Sciences.

Like many aspiring authors, I had a story I wanted to share but very little understanding of how the publishing industry actually worked. Joining Profitable Picture Books gave me a roadmap and helped transform what felt like an overwhelming dream into a step-by-step process that I could actually follow. Looking back, I can honestly say that Vicky, Chelsea, and the PPB community played an important role in helping me become a published author.

AHA: We're so glad we could be a part of your story! So, how did you decide whether to self-publish or pursue traditional publishing? That's usually one of the biggest decisions for first time authors.

Jeanette: When I began my journey, my primary goal was to get my story into the hands of readers and learn as much as I could about the publishing industry. Self-publishing allowed me to move forward on my own timeline while maintaining creative control over the project.

One of the things I appreciated most about Profitable Picture Books was that the program didn't present publishing as a one-size-fits-all journey. Through the course, community, resources, and trusted industry partners, I gained a much broader understanding of self-publishing, traditional publishing, hybrid publishing, licensing opportunities, and the children's publishing industry as a whole. Today, I am proud of my self-publishing journey and everything it has taught me. At the same time, I remain open to future opportunities, including working with agents, educational publishers, licensing partnerships, and traditional publishing opportunities that align with my mission and goals.

AHA: Absolutely! We are always reminding authors that there is more than one "right" way to bring a book to market. You mentioned "moving forward on your own timeline." How long did it take you to publish ALOE VERA'S SPECIAL GIFT?

Jeanette: From the initial idea to publication, the process took approximately two years. During that time, I learned everything I could about writing, illustration, production, publishing, distribution, and marketing. Looking back, every step taught me something that continues to help me today.

AHA: And was that process harder or easier than you expected?

Jeanette: Much harder—but also far more rewarding than I ever imagined.

Before joining Profitable Picture Books, I thought publishing was primarily about writing a story. What I learned is that publishing also involves editing, illustration, production, printing, distribution, marketing, sales, events, and relationship building.

AHA: There's definitely a lot more involved than most people anticipate. Especially on the financial side. How did you fund your project?

Jeanette: I self-funded my first project through personal savings and by investing in myself and my vision. Rather than viewing it as an expense, I viewed it as an investment in my education, my business, and my future as an author.

I invested in professional education, coaching, editing, illustration, marketing, reviews, events, and the tools needed to build a quality book and author platform. Looking back, every investment taught me something valuable. The book was the result, but the real return has been the knowledge, confidence, relationships, and opportunities that continue to grow from that investment in myself.

AHA: That's such a great way to look at it! An investment in yourself and your future. Speaking of which...tell us about what's next for you!

Jeanette: My original goal was simply to publish my first book. What I discovered is that publishing a book was only the beginning.

Since publishing Aloe Vera's Special Gift, the story has expanded beyond the book itself. What began as a picture book has grown into multilingual editions, lesson plans, literacy resources, school and library programming, garden-based learning experiences, and social-emotional learning activities.

As an author, I plan to continue creating stories and educational resources that support literacy, social-emotional learning, and family connection. As a doctoral candidate in Applied Learning Sciences, I am especially interested in exploring how storytelling can extend beyond books into learning experiences, educational programming, and research.

Through Zun Zun Press, I am also exploring opportunities to support emerging writers and creators through collaborative projects and internship experiences. I hope to continue building meaningful partnerships within the publishing community while remaining open to self-publishing, traditional publishing, educational publishing, licensing, and other opportunities that help bring stories to readers.

Most importantly, I plan to continue learning and growing. One of the greatest benefits of Profitable Picture Books has been the ongoing community, resources, trusted partners, and support. Publishing is constantly evolving, and I look forward to continuing my journey alongside fellow authors while building the next chapter of my career.

AHA: If you could give one piece of advice to someone hoping to self-publish, what would it be?

Jeanette: Don't try to figure everything out by yourself!

Investing in education and learning from people who have already done what you want to do can save you years of trial and error and costly mistakes. Joining Profitable Picture Books was one of the best decisions I made because it provided a clear roadmap, practical tools, trusted industry partners, and a supportive community.

The course didn't publish my book for me—I still had to do the work—but it gave me the knowledge, confidence, and guidance to move from an idea to a published book that is now reaching readers in schools, libraries, bookstores, and homes across the country.

AHA: We won't argue with that! 😉 Thanks for joining us!

Jeanette's Stats:

Title:	Aloe Vera's Special Gift
Release Date:	October 21, 2025
Printer:	Amazon KDP and IngramSpark
POD or offset print run?	Combination of Print-on-Demand and offset inventory
Formats Available:	Hardcover, Paperback, Kindle eBook, Coloring & Activity Book, Spanish & Portuguese Edition
Total Investment: (All amounts are rough estimates provided by the author and should not be considered 100% accurate or used as estimates for your own project. Do your own research!)	Approximately $15,000–$25,000 invested to date, including professional education and coaching, editing, illustration, design, printing, inventory, marketing, professional reviews, awards submissions, website development, promotional materials, events, and publishing operations.
Total Number of Books Sold To Date:	Approaching 1,000 copies sold through direct sales, online retailers, school visits, bookstores, and community events.

Click here for a more complete breakdown of the costs involved in publishing a children's picture book.

Inspired by Jeanette's story?

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