Rising Stars: Meet Janet Zappala of Los Angeles

Today we’d like to introduce you to Janet Zappala

Hi Janet , thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I was always a very curious kid, always asking questions, why is the moon round? Why is the sun so hot? Why are there 12 months in a year? So it’s no surprise that I became a reporter, asking questions is what we do for a living of course. I found being a journalist to be an extremely fulfilling career, and worked at it for over 40 years. I’ve told countless stories, and interviewed everyone, from everyday people, to presidents, dignitaries, and celebrities. It’s been quite a ride! My work has always been very dear to me, I’ve always tried to make a difference through my storytelling. The icing on the cake has been the many awards that I have received over the years for which I am also eternally grateful. Six Emmy awards, a Golden Mike award, for a piece that I did on the great Mel Blanc, the man of a thousand voices. A first place Associated Press award, and most recently, Best Children’s Author for 2025, awarded to me by the International Association of Top Professionals. Wow! I have to say that it’s been quite a ride, and it continues with my award-winning children’s books that I started writing three years ago. They are based on real animals, including our Goodwill Ambassador Guapo, who is one of the world‘s largest steers, at over 3000 pounds, 6 1/2 feet tall, and 11 feet wide!
He also has a giant heart, and is super gentle. A gentle giant!
Which is why he teaches children by example, the importance of being kind, compassionate, understanding, patient and loving. My books teach children to be good people, and if we teach our children well and let them lead the way, as the song goes, my hope is that the world will be a better place. Of course, another component to writing my books is teaching children the importance of literacy, and the joy of reading.
And in no particular order, because my family is the most important thing to me, I was able to raise a stellar son who is now a dedicated professional, and who is raising a beautiful family, with a lovely wife, and adorable baby girl. My first grandchild!
He is my pride and joy, and he’s a big reason why I worked so hard as a single mother to make sure that I could give him the best life possible.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The road to success is never easy or smooth. It takes hard work, devotion, commitment, diligence, resilience and patience. It also takes time, which is why patience is so very important. Good things don’t usually happen overnight, it’s a long hard road, but as I’ve always believed, if you do something that you love, that you’re passionate about, you’ll never work a day in your life, and that’s been the situation with me. When people have told me no, and there have been many, I’ve always decided that there’s got to be another way. Perseverance is paramount! And persistence, it leads to the path of least resistance. Stick with what you know, stick with what you love, and don’t be afraid of hard work and struggle. That’s my mantra, it’s what helps me through the difficult times.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I think I’m probably best known for being a perfectionist, which has driven some people a little bit crazy, but I always feel that I can do better. Sometimes I drive myself crazy as well, but I’m always happy with the finished product. Or at least I’m happy with the fact that I know I gave it my best. In my work as a journalist, writing was so important, and being able to communicate effectively was always the goal. Obviously, communication is key in media, which is why it’s so very important to be able to write content that resonates with viewers, and then verbally communicate it in a way that people can easily understand. I think that what helped me most in my work as a journalist, is that I really love people. I’m curious about people, and I care about people. So their stories were always interesting and important for me to tell.

What was your favorite childhood memory?
When my parents took us to see the Statue of Liberty, I was about eight years old, and they explained to my younger brother and me how my grandparents came there to Ellis Island from Italy, and how they started a life in New York City.
They came to the city with virtually nothing, and had to work so hard to support the family. It was a lesson in family history that I so enjoyed learning about. They truly achieved the American dream.
And of course, seeing the statue, and going up those stairs to the top was a memory that I will never forget.

Pricing:

• Both of my children’s books, Guapo’s Giant Heart, and Guapo’s Great Rescue are available on Amazon.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://guapostales.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/janet_zap/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JanetZappalaGoodFoodMatters
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janetzappala/