Jill’s Repertoire
Jill is a creator,author, songwriter, artist, and film maker. Jill inspires others to pursue their creative endeavors and to live their fullest lives.
Jill Johnson Eagan
Founder and President – Writing, Music & Film Society
www.writingmusicfilmsociety.com
A non-profit organization. This group now has many published authors, filmmakers, and song writers. Currently, working on a film that is in production and will be released 2023, Cora’s Ring.
Creator and Author/Illustrator of Kindermonkey Bookswww.kindermonkey.com
1. The Kindermonkey Adventure Series – 4 books
2. The Kindermonkey Classical Series – 4 books
Jill and Kindermonkey travel to wonderful places to spread love and joy to children as well as conduct workshops and trainings to educators and child facilitators. These books center around the theme of music while integrating math, science and literacy. Their goal is to make learning fun.
Author – They Didn’t Know they were Different
Illustrator (Jill’s mom) Nora Blanchard.
Songwriter – Memory of You and Indian Summer Dream – Alani Keiser/Jill https://youtu.be/pmTA_7L0gAk
Speaker/Facilitator – Literacy/Education – DCDEE approved for facilitating CEU classes, speaker for universities/colleges, head start, daycare workshops, community, and various organizations.
Charities – “Kindermonkey Gives” recently donated 200 books to Wake up and Read, 1000’s to local school children, children’s hospitals, and financial support to former students in pursuit of educational goals.
Realtor with Fathom Realty, LLC – 3 million annual sales award 2023
Les Mills Barre and Yogalates Instructor – Clubworx of Fuquay Varina, NC – Workout of ballet, pilates and yoga
Past Experiences:
English Teacher – Community Colleges and High Schools throughout NC and FL
Founder/Choreographer – Celtic Irish Dance Team, Grades K – 7th
Movement/Dance/Yoga Teacher – Holly Springs Elementary School
Education:
Campbell University – B.A. English
Yale University – Special Studies
Certifications/License – English 9-12, Music K-12, Orff LI, Kindermusik License, Les Mills Barre, Pilates
FAQ with Jill:
Who or what inspired you to be a children's writer?
Kindermonkey inspired me to be a children’s writer. I had written a book for adult – a self-help book. This process allowed me to know the process of publishing. But Kindermonkey was my inspiration. In teaching music to 650 children a week at that time, I found that anything Kindermonkey taught, they listened and remembered. He made them laugh. He made learning fun. Because they loved him so much and wanted him to go home with them, I realized Kindermonkey books were needed. Not only could the lessons be reinforced with the Kindermonkey books, but the children could share the stories as well. This is a tremendous and highly effective learning technique. After all, the teacher learns just as much as the student in preparing and then sharing his/her lesson plans.
Have you always wanted to be a writer or did this evolve some other way?
No. I never thought about being a writer. A composer of music yes, but not a writer. However, when you have something in your heart that you know you must share, then you write. Kindermonkey could not reach all of the children 24/7 (as they wanted) but his writing Kindermonkey books enabled that to happen.
Do you write from a child's eyes or from yours?
I believe I write from the eyes of a child. Loving children and teaching them for so many years – I’ve learned what they like, their sense of humor, and the way they look at our world. It is a beautiful world – a world much like Louis Armstrong talks about in his song – What A Wonderful World – “I see trees of green, red roses too, I see them bloom for me and you and I think to myself – what a wonderful world.”
However, one of my 1st grade students came up to me with such excitement, as if she had discovered a sparkling treasure, and said, “You are Kindermonkey and Kindermonkey is you.” I smiled and said “Yes, you are right” – so, maybe I write from my eyes. I will let you be the judge.
Books Donated through Kindermonkey Kares
