The Launch of Why Elle Spoke Up
- Lili Greer
- Dec 23, 2024
- 2 min read
We’re excited to share that Why Elle Spoke Up is here.
It’s the story of Elle, a young girl learning about love and bravery. When things feel scary at home, Elle finds the courage to speak up. She shows that it’s okay to ask for help and that everyone deserves to feel safe. Published through The Tina Greer Project, this book was created to support conversations about safety and courage. It offers a gentle but important tool for promoting children’s emotional and physical wellbeing, something that remains too often missing from early resources and education.
In 2023, I wrote and developed the manuscript. It was always a deeply personal story, inspired by what I wish I had been able to access as a child. But breaking into the publishing industry is incredibly difficult, especially with a topic like this. In 2024, I made the decision to self-publish and brought on the incredibly talented Elaine Wang as the book’s illustrator. While the topic is undeniably heavy, we wanted the book to feel hopeful, warm and accessible. I hoped it would create space for honest conversation, giving children and those around them the language to talk about what’s happening at home or at their friends’ homes, and to understand that they deserve to feel safe and can speak to a trusted adult.
As with any creative project, there were more than a few setbacks. We dealt with misprints, failed deliveries, repeated iterations and various printing debacles. We spent time testing paper stocks to make sure the physical book felt right in readers’ hands. It was a long, process but worth it.
Elaine’s illustrations brought so much light to the story. They softened the difficult moments while still holding space for truth. Every detail was considered, from colour choices to character expressions. Her work helped shape a book that speaks to children in a way that is age-appropriate, respectful and honest. The talented Maricarmen Rubí Baeza (MK) did the typesetting and formatting, bringing the finished book together with her keen eye for detail, care, and precision.
On 6 December 2024, Why Elle Spoke Up was officially launched. The event was made possible thanks to the generous team at Hatch, who hosted the night. The team decorated the venue, supported the logistics and made it possible for the book to be shared in a setting that honoured the story and its purpose.
It was so lovely to see so many people in the room, to speak about the journey of the book, and to feel the support of a community that recognises how needed these conversations are.
We are deeply thankful to all who have supported Why Elle Spoke Up in any way. Every act of support has helped this story reach those who need it.
Thank you for being part of Why Elle Spoke Up and The Tina Greer Project.
