Author Interview: Kendall Concini Moore
Let's talk about Mom's Cloud and the Beach Adventure
Today we’ve got an author interview with Kendall Concini Moore. We’ll be talking about her picture book, Mom’s Cloud and the Beach Adventure, which discusses parental depression through a whimsical graspable metaphor for kids about holding space.
A beach day. A stubborn cloud. A family’s love.
Alma and Max are eager for sunshine and adventure. But a cloud rolls in over Mom, casting shadows on her day. With empathy and playful hearts, the family encourages her to rest, reminding her that it’s okay to not be okay, because clouds don’t last forever.
Thank you to Kendall for taking the time to do this interview with us!
When did you first come up with the idea for Mom’s Cloud and the Beach Adventure?
The story began as a bedtime tale. Every night, my daughter and I would talk about our day, our favorite things, and what we were looking forward to tomorrow. But on my emotional days, I needed to find a way to help her understand what was happening, in a way that made it clear it wasn’t her fault and she didn’t have to fix it. That’s when the cloud analogy on the beach was born. I’m not the water parent, and she knows exactly how we both feel about the ocean, what we love and what we don’t. So I framed everything through that lens, in a language she could truly understand.
Do you have a favourite line you'd like to share?
“Clouds don’t last forever.” It’s a reminder that we all have bad days and that’s okay. A bad day doesn’t mean a bad life.
Who would you recommend Mom’s Cloud and the Beach Adventure to?
This story is for parents navigating tough emotions while raising young children, whether that’s anxiety, depression, grief, or just hard days. It’s for families who want to be honest about feelings without burdening kids with fixing them.
It’s also a tool for educators and therapists working with children (ages 4-8) who notice when their parents are struggling. The beach metaphor gives kids a way to understand that bad days are normal, temporary, and not their responsibility to solve.
If you’ve ever needed to tell your child “Mom’s having a hard day, but it’s not about you”, this story is for you.
What is your favourite thing about this book? What’s something that makes it special or interesting?
This isn’t just a story I wrote for my family, it’s a story I wrote with them.
My daughter and husband helped shape the pages. I’d ask them, “If I said this... what would you say?” Sometimes they’d give me lines spontaneously. Other times I’d offer them choices: A, B, or C, and they’d tell me what felt right.
That collaborative process means the story carries all three of our voices. It’s authentic in a way most children’s books can’t be, because it was tested and refined by the very people who needed it most. My daughter didn’t just inspire the metaphor, she helped build it. And that makes it something we truly own together.
Do you have a favourite part of the writing process?
Days where inspiration struck, and I asked my husband to help give me space, he & my daughter set up a writing nook for me.
Do you know what your next project will be?
This is actually book one in a three part series. The next project is the cloud following Mom to the park! We’re starting illustrations in June 2026.
Have you always wanted to be an author? What inspired you to start?
Nope. I used to joke that I’ll write a memoir, but maybe when my parents pass because our stories are our own, this was a whim that just flowed out.
How long have you been writing?
Since my daughter arrived, this was a 4 year project.
How much does your own life influence your work?
This book is about our life. The quotes are our own, the story is our experience. It’s authentically us, minus the whole me getting in the water at the end part.
Is there anything interesting you’d like to share about yourself? A little author fun fact, perhaps?
I have no letters behind my name. My degree is in something completely unrelated. And honestly? I often feel deep imposter syndrome when talking about depression and support.
But here’s what I’ve learned: most people aren’t honest about their struggles because we’re supposed to shine and be happy all the time. We’re taught that anything less means we’re failing.
I’m here to say it’s okay that we don’t. It’s okay to have cloudy days. It’s okay to not be an expert to share what’s real.
This book didn’t come from credentials, it came from necessity, love, and those raw bedtime conversations when I needed my daughter to understand that my hard days weren’t her fault. Sometimes the most important stories come from lived experience, not degrees.
What made you decide to self-publish?
I didn’t decide as much as the market did. I received a lot of rejections from traditional publishers who said they couldn’t relate to the story.
But those rejections told me something important: I had to keep going. Because if they couldn’t relate, that meant there were parents out there who desperately could, parents who were having those same hard days, searching for the same words I’d needed, feeling just as alone as I once did.
The traditional publishing world couldn’t see the audience, but I knew they existed. I’d lived it. So self-publishing became less about choosing a path and more about refusing to let this story stay silent.
Who was your biggest influence as an author?
My daughter.
If you could recommend one book aside from your own, what would it be?
At First We Make the Beast Beautiful by Sarah Wilson
What advice would you give to other writers? Is there anything you wish someone had told you?
Be authentic. And when you hit that inevitable moment of “WTF am I doing?!”, remember your audience.
Anything else you would like to add?
Thank you for this opportunity.
Thanks so much to Kendall for joining us today, and for answering our questions! It’s been great to have you here and learn more about your book!
About the Author
Kendall’s greatest adventure began not on the page, but at home, as a mother. Alma and Max aren’t just characters, they’re her children and wildest inspirations. They even helped co-write some of the funniest (according to them) one-liners in her pages. Alongside her husband, Matt, Kendall fills their days with laughter, curiosity, and the right amount of weirdness. Their dog, Kiaora, prefers quiet days on the couch with a blanket and a good book, much like this one. When they’re not exploring together, the family can be found where the wild things are.
Follow Kendall Concini Moore!
Blog (Substack) ✏ Blog (Wordpress) ✏ Instagram ✏ Threads
Find Mom’s Cloud and the Beach Adventure!
Store links!
Please Note: While available on Amazon E-Book Feb 1, 2026 & Hardcover March 2026, copies bought directly through the author’s blog shop will support mental health organizations nationwide through proceed shares.
Bonus! As a thank-you you for reading, if you’d like to order a copy, please email cloudydaychronicles@gmail.com & mention Quiet Writers, you’ll receive special mental-health, quiet-happiness swag with your order.
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