Meet Christina Francis-Gilbert | Reading and Writing Specialist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Christina Francis-Gilbert and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Christina, have there been any changes in how you think about work-life balance?
Work Life Balance. My Work has spanned office-based editorial work, summer-holiday factory work, examining, tutoring leading to my main profession as a secondary school educator for the subject of English Language and Literature. I’ve worked in international schools and coordinated all sorts of curriculums, communities and projects. Oh and we have four children alongside teaching full-time and studying for a Masters. Back then in my 20s, I wanted and thought I could have everything, so balance was never consciously contemplated. All through those years, I desperately wanted to be creative and to spend time on writing, dressmaking, art, design, travel and cooking though felt I had to call them ‘hobbies’, nothing more significant since making money and child-rearing were known to be the important requirements of life.

Work Life Balance for me was sharing time between working for money, working to keep our children safe and my husband happy, and working to keep our home clean and functioning. Life came as a result of the Work.

In small businesses, especially creatively driven ones, labelling the balance as Inspiration Action Balance is possibly more useful. When I spend time caring for our children or our house or travel or my favourite things (like reading, exercising, cooking, cleaning, tidying, organising, drafting, curating, creating etc.) I am inspiring myself for future action. It’s good to think of Life and Work in the same way. When I’m active, tutoring students, creating resources, writing reviews or articles, busy on projects or reaching an outcome, that’s the Work. The Life has driven me to it though!

Now in my 40s, it’s Life Work Balance. I think of lifespan as the determiner for balance. Using a visual of a food measuring scale, most would see one side of the scale as holding money-making work and the corresponding scale holding family care, relaxation, travel and creative endeavours. In a small business setting, the person and his or her life behind the business is the driving force and so my Life with books, reading and writing is instrumental in how the Work comes about.

I’ve come to accept that over a person’s lifetime, there will be periods when we must work more than we play, share the load more than we take responsibility and ultimately relationships are the way Life Work Balance works.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
My art is the building of community.

Reading is where my creativity starts and I curate monthly book stacks that draw together literature from all genres, all cultures, all age categories and all levels of readers. I’m all about Reading Journeys and take great interest in supporting how members of a family or community can read together with purpose and direction. I keep close contact with the book publishing world, reading Advance Reader Copies as well as classic texts. This leads to book reviews, recommendations and eventually curated packages to enthuse readers, whether they are at the beginning, middle or later stage in their reading journey. I’m excited about workshops I am planning for bringing together young readers and enriching their book choices and understanding of global literature to guide English language development.

Writing is the process through which I explore and engage with language and literature and as a writer of personal essays, blog entries, short stories and novel manuscripts-in-progress, I am building a backdrop for sharing my novels about intergenerational family dynamics, particularly related to illness and living far from home.

Along the way, I’ve found the freelance nature of running a small business a challenge, particularly since running a small family takes up a lot of the available time too. I know that every small step counts though and so my reading habits and regular writing routine is paving the way for embedded, experienced and trusted community offerings, like workshops, curriculum resource packages and “Reading Club” enrichment opportunities. Needing to acknowledge the time delay between setting up business offerings and receiving interest from potential clients will continue to be difficult. I have learned to be patient and limit my ideas for projects to manageable stages with success, however long the whole project may take.

Ultimately educating others is my outlet for expression. I am the founder of FrancisGilbertBooks LLC, a small, growing creative practice built around literacy, books, education and storytelling. I am proud to have built a solid social media following including independent bookstores, libraries, parents, travellers, expats, educators, artists, readers and writers. I want the world to know that FrancisGilbertBooks is here to help you read your way to success.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I’m not resident in Dallas, but am gradually exploring and seeing more and more of Texas. My residence is Houston.

I love taking pictures, capturing the light and shadows of a place as well as the hidden creative art that exists in every city. I enjoy wandering a new city or town at a leisurely pace to start with, and perhaps following on from that slow introduction to a place, I may zoom in on specific locations and places of interest. In Houston, the Rice Village area is beautiful with its ancient oak trees, the Rothko Chapel and the Menil Collection. Nearby there is also now a wooden lantana camara elephant, remaining from the Great Elephant Migration in the park alongside the Memorial Hermann hospital in downtown.

I’m also a huge fan of cute, independent coffee shops that serve European-style coffee. Having grown up in England, lived in Italy, the Netherlands, the UAE and finally Houston, TX, I appreciate how small locally run businesses manage to connect with their customers and give not only good coffee and treats, but also environments worth talking about. For example, in Katy, a big shout out to Kona Coffee Roastery, Humble Grounds and the Lit Book Bar.

For a week-long trip, I would highly recommend visiting NASA, the Houston Museum of Natural Science, the Museum of Fine Arts, a baseball game at the Houston Astros stadium, and the zoo. Spending time in the central Sam Houston Park where there are historical houses to visit.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
A massive appreciation and thanks to my husband for his unwavering support and patience, for which I rarely give him credit but who is a secret superhero! The inspiring women at Katy Women in Business have been incredible in helping me grow in confidence with my ideas and possible projects, showing me that anything is possible. To my brilliant book club friends – former teaching colleagues and fellow writing companions. A special shoutout to Juliet Corbett, Executive Coach and Strategy Advisor, whose early guidance, clarity and coaching continues to help me turn long-held ideas into real plans.

Books that have stayed with me and shaped the way I read, write and share include Artemisia: the story of a battle for greatness by Alexandra LaPierre, Elizabeth Strout’s Olive Kitteridge, The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox by Maggie O’Farrell, Ian McEwan’s Enduring Love, amongst so many others.

Website: https://www.francisgilbert.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/francisgilbert_bookclub

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/public-profile/settings?trk=d_flagship3_profile_self_view_public_profile

Image Credits
Christina Francis-Gilbert
Oliver Francis