Me: Tell me a little bit about yourself in brief.
J.D.: I was born in Ohio and grew up on a farm. I have always loved reading and enjoyed escaping to new places through the expert writing of my favorite authors. I love Fiction, Science Fiction, Non-Fiction, and just about anything written. When I find a writer whose style I like, I usually read everything they have written. After the military, I traveled around a lot, from job to job and eventually went to college where I earned a degree in aviation maintenance. From there, I was able to indulge myself in my love for traveling. I have moved up in my career and managed to live in many wonderful places, while working in a profession that I love. Me: What inspired you to start writing? J.D.: I have always enjoyed telling stories to my children and it just grew from there. I began to write stories online to my friends. I have written several stories for my wife and these grew into the books that I have published. Me: Tell me about your latest book: J.D.: Millie and Honey – The Blue Angel Planet is the latest book in the Millie and Honey series. I began this book to introduce our latest dog, Archie, who was abandoned. While writing the book, one of my granddaughters asked to be in the book. I put her into the story and I feel that it produced a more powerful book then the previous two. The first book introduced Millie and Honey and set up the series. The second book brought in a new character, but there was virtually no conflict and the storyline was fun and light. The advent of the third book has changed this. Now begins the action. With Millie’s new found abilities, she and Honey are beginning to realize that knowledge brings responsibility. In the next few book, I want to tie together a story that will eventually become a ‘Young Adult’ book. The series will continue in small bites for younger children, but every 5-6 books will become a young adult book, telling a different story. Also in the third book, I worked with the artist, Romar Lipana to create full color pictures, instead of the line drawings in the first two books. I also had a company create a cover which I now realize is vastly superior to the ones that I designed. All in all, I am extremely pleased with this book. I feel that it is the best one so far in the series. Me: Are Millie and Honey's adventures in all of your books? J.D.: Yes. The series is called, ‘Millie and Honey.’ I originally called it: Millie and Honey – The Incredible Instantaneous Interplanetary Adventure, but that was too long, so I just shortened it to Millie and Honey. Because of the unique way they travel, the adventures are able to continue as I weave the books together into a longer story. I enjoy the fact that I have incorporated our pets into the books and now have begun to add our children, grandchildren and great grandchildren into them. The main characters will always be Millie and Honey, which I love as I can develop their characters throughout the series. Me: What are some things that children can find on your website? J.D.: There are videos that I have created or had created about the books. There are pictures of Honey, Thomas (our cat), Rags, and Archie. I also have a BLOG where I occasionally write stories. Me: What inspired you to write about your dog? J.D.: When we moved from Dayton, Ohio to Dubai, we had to leave Honey and Thomas with some friends, till we could find a place to live and have them shipped. It seemed to take forever, before they arrived and we missed them terribly. I wrote the first book as a story for my wife, to cheer her up and make them seem closer for a little while. After we sent the story to some of our grandchildren, they loved it so much, that I decided to actually publish the story as a children’s book. Me: Since Honey is real, is Millie too? J.D.: To me, she is as real as any of our children. She is what artists throughout time have referred to as a “Muse.’ She speaks to me in dreams and whispers in my ear as I write my stories. Even though she has no physical body, I know that in this vast universe, there lives a lovely young lady that has a fondness for adventure and enjoys the stories I write, especially the little surprises that I lace into each book. Me: Are any of your other dogs in a story? What are your dog’s names? J.D.: Absolutely! In Volume II – Appleopolis, I introduce RAGS, the (Regent of the Appleopolis Garden Society). Rags came into our life, when a friend gave us a feisty little Yorkshire Terrier. Later, someone found an abandoned Cocker Spaniel, named, Archie. He makes his debut in Volume III – The Blue Angel Planet. Me: On your website, you mentioned that growing up you wanted to become an astronaut. Is this partly why you chose a career in aviation, so that you could be closer to the stars? J.D.: You know, I never thought of it before, but it is possible. I have always been mechanically inclined and enjoy figuring out how things work. During my childhood, so many things were new and the world seemed to grow smaller as we entered space. I was fascinated in the men and women that went into space and the machines that took them there. Me: Is there anything else you would like mentioned? J.D.: One of the biggest reasons that I began writing books was not just to tell wonderful stories, but to tell them in a way that they were not speaking down to children. I want to challenge their vocabulary and entertain them at the same time. I love to see the light and joy in a child’s eyes when they enjoy a story. When you can see the imagination in their eyes as the story takes them into a world that is as real as anything they experience in real life. Thank you for the wonderful interview J.D! My daughter and I look forward to your upcoming books!
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Me: What inspired you to start writing?
Robyn: When I was fifteen, my English teacher gave me an A for every essay I wrote. One day, as he handed me back an essay, he said, “You should be a writer.” At the time, I hadn’t given any thought to people writing books. I only thought about the characters and the stories. Thanks to my English teacher I realized I, too, could write a book. So I did! Me: Tell me a little bit about you, in brief. Robyn: I’m the author of 90 published books, most of which are children’s books. From 1994, I spent about five years reading every book I could find on writing children’s books. I also did two courses, one on picture books and the other on writing for children. My first three children’s books, Jen Stays Inside, People Need Trucks and My Bike were published in 1999 by Macmillan Education. Three of my homework assignments – three short chapter books – which I completed for the writing for children course were published by Macmillan Education in 2000. Nowadays, I have a strong interest in spiritualism. In 2010, I had my first experiences as a psychic and a medium. Yes, I can talk to dead people. I’m the Treasurer of the Spiritual Mission of Noarlunga Inc. On a personal note, I’m married to writer/composer/director Rob Parnell. Me: Tell me a bit about your latest book: Robyn: Technically, my latest book is The Easy Way To Write Picture Books That Sell. Hopefully the title says it all. My latest fiction book is Best Team Wins, a humorous story about who's best at cricket: the boys or the girls! Ella stops to watch a group of boys play cricket. She asks if she can join in their game. They react as if she's a zombie asking to join the church choir! According to the boys, girls can't play cricket. Ella will ruin their game. The boys' comments make Ella so cross that she agrees to a boys versus girls cricket match. But there's a big problem. Ella doesn't have a cricket team. She has to find a team by the end of the week – a team good enough to beat the boys! Again Ella encounters a big problem. She can't find other girls who play cricket. She has to teach the girls and turn them into cricket stars in time to beat the boys. Ella faces another problem. Her team is one player short. Who will she get to fill the gap? Her friend Madison? Her Aunt Anna? Jessie the dog? Don't be silly, dogs can't play cricket! On the big day, the best team wins... Is it the boys' team? Is it the girls' team? Who is the secret weapon? Me: Tell me more about your love for animals and the pets that you have now. Robyn: I have a dog named Wally and a cat named Ludo. They are both 14 months old. There are photos of Wally and Ludo on my Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/robyn.opieparnell.3. One of my passions is animals. I support several charities that help animals. People can help themselves but animals are helpless. Animals depend on us. We can destroy animals and their habitats, or we can protect animals and their habitats. Animals can’t speak for themselves. Animals can’t fight for their rights. It’s really up to us. Me: Tell me more about your love for sports and what brought on the interest for each of these? Robyn: used to play tennis and netball as a child. I always enjoyed watching Australian Rules Football, thanks to my father and brother. They were big fans and I couldn’t avoid football while growing up. Nowadays, I don’t have time for sports. I love walking along the beach or in a national park. I love being in nature. Me: I noticed you had some free books and writing tips on your website. Tell me more about that please. Robyn: I love to help people who want to write and get published. It’s difficult to help each person individually because there are only 24 hours in a day. So I did the next best thing. I wrote articles about writing and posted them on my website. I also wrote e-books on writing which are for sale on my website and Amazon. The free children’s books I offer on my website are examples of my writing, so people can see my writing advice in action. Me: Is there a particular book that you enjoyed writing the most? What is that book about? Robyn: I enjoyed writing Best Book Ever because the humor made writing the story a lot of fun. But the book I enjoyed writing the most was Maya and the Crystal Skull because this particular story incorporates my major passions in life – the Mayan culture, quantum psychics and spiritualism. I enjoyed this book so much because I was writing about what I love. Here’s the blurb from Maya and the Crystal Skull: Move over Indiana Jones... Maya's life has changed. Her mother is dead, killed in a car accident; she's befriended by Ethan, a boy who claims he's from the spirit world; and now her father is missing. What does the legend of the crystal skulls have to do with her father's disappearance? Will Maya travel to Mexico to save him? How can Maya's destiny have anything to do with the future of humankind? The Mexican jungle, ancient Mayan ruins, dangerous bounty hunters and evil kidnappers... Yes, Maya's life has changed. The fate of the world now depends on her. A list of my published books: Maya and the Crystal Skull Maya and the Daring Heist Best Book Ever Best Team Wins Best Joke Ever Caught in a Cyclone Black Baron The Pony Game Backstage Betrayal Our Secret Place The Eye of the Future How to Write a Great Children’s Book (Adult non-fiction) The Easy Way To Write Picture Books That Sell (Adult non-fiction) You’re Amazing: The Easy Way To Create Your Perfect Life (Adult non-fiction) Thank you very much for the interview Robyn! It was a pleasure not only talking with you, but reading your book as well! I look forward to reading some of your other books in the future. Take care!
Me: What inspired you to start writing:
Helene: Looking back I realize that I always liked the creative writing part in high school English. The grammar part, not so much. My essays and stories are what kept my English grades up but it wasn't until I was an adult, searching for something I could do from home, that I hit on the possibility of writing. For years I had written my own puppet scripts, some songs and a few short skits. I didn't think of this as a possible career until I saw an advertisement for a course from the 'Institute of Children's Literature', took it, and fell in love with writing for children. I had found my passion. I wanted to write books for children to inspire them and make them laugh. Children's laughter is one of the best sounds. Me: Tell me a little bit about you, in brief. Helene: I am married to a wonderfully supportive man and my best friend for 20 years. We live in Vernon, BC with our black cat Boo. Our neighbor asked if he got his name from scaring people at night, as Boo is very friendly and comes unexpectedly out of the bushes. We have no children. How can you write for children when you have none?? many wonder. I'm inspired by 21 nieces and nephews, soon to be 22, plus my imagination, I respond with a smile. And maybe a childlike heart? Me: Tell me a bit about your latest book. Helene: 'Why did the Osprey Poop on my Head?' is about a young boy named Timmy and his pet gecko, Joe. Timmy knows that God is good but questions why bad things happen. It's for the ages 4-8 and it always gets a laugh or two. Me: I noticed that one of the photos is of you and your cat. Would you say that you are an animal lover and tell me more about your cat? Helene: I am definitely an animal lover. I grew up with cats and dogs, even some chickens when younger, although I didn't cuddle them. It surprises me how often our cat makes me smile. His love for love, his playfulness, his 'I'm ignoring you right now,' his wheezy snores and his 'licking his chops' sound that happens when he dreams ... about eating mice I think, all bring joy. He's not my child because he's an animal, but I do love him. Me: What was the best part of growing up in Canada and what are some of the things you still like about it? Helene: I love, and have always loved, to get out into nature, whether farmland, lakes, ocean, forest or mountains ... although my favorite is mountains. Being able to get away from people and enjoy the outdoors has always been a large part of my life. I get refreshed and inspired. Photography is a hobby of mine so hiking with me takes a bit longer as I'm always stopping to take that elusive 'perfect shot.' Snowshoeing and skiing, mostly downhill, gets us into the mountains in the winter and hiking and kayaking while my husband fly fishes gets us up to the mountains the rest of the year. Me: When did your interest in stories first develop? What type of story was your favorite? Helene: There's a few pictures of me on my website that show how early I enjoyed reading. Cartoons were my first love ... mainly Charles M. Schulz's 'Peanuts.' My Snoopy stuffy had the beans squeezed out of him from all the hugs he received. A. A. Milne's 'Winnie the Pooh' was my next all time favorite. I loved stories that combined fantastic and sometimes silly imagination with good always triumphing over evil. Me: On your website, you mention some of your writing heroes. Tell me about them and what made them your heroes, in brief. Helene: I think this answer ties in with my previous answer. Some of my favorite children's writers were C.M. Schultz, A. A. Milne, Roald Dahl and C.S. Lewis because of their ability to embrace the imagination with humor and fascination. Me: Your name is French. Do you also speak the language? Can we expect future books in French as well? Helene: Sorry, no. My mother is French Canadian, my father speaks English. I think my mother focused on learning English so she didn't speak French in the home. I took French until grade 10 but can't converse, unless you ask me to count to ten ... that I can do. French immersion schools weren't as available as today unfortunately. The few times I've been with my French relatives, my response to 'parles-tu français ?' is 'un petit, petit peu.' Me: Is there anything else you would like me to mention? Helene: My book is available in e book and soft cover form. I have a few hardcovers for libraries. You can find me at: http://twitter.com/Binnysgirl http://www.linkedin.com/HélèneClarke http://www.goodreads.com/HélèneClarke Thank you so much for talking with me Helene! We loved the book and I hope you will be sure to let us know when another one is out! Best of luck to you!
Me: What inspired you to start writing?
Ray: Well, I really loved Dr Seuss when I was growing up. I had no idea that his books were educational. At the time I just liked the stories. Then, when I was in college at Southeastern Oklahoma State University, back in the 80’s, I had an English Professor who complemented my writing style after he read one of my essays. I was all ready to be cut to ribbons as English had never been kind to me--In fact I was only in his class because I had to take the class. He shocked me by telling me that he liked the way I wrote. Of course he noted that my spelling & punctuation could be improved, which had plagued me since third grade, but he also pointed out that I didn’t write short choppy sentences like most others did. That complement felt very good and I decided then that I would one day write a book about nothing in particular. I guess I am sort of fulfilling that decision now. Me: Tell me a little bit about yourself, in brief. Ray: I grew up in Southeast Texas having the forest and fields as my playground. Though I really did not excel in school, I knew a couple of years after High School that I wanted to do something more with my life. (I was an auto mechanic at that point.) So I went off to Oklahoma to become an Aircraft Mechanic, and earn a degree in Aviation Management at Southeastern Oklahoma State. After graduating I worked as an aircraft mechanic for about 4 years and though that was enjoyable I still felt my life was lacking. Well, long story short I got involved in education and have stayed in that field for many years. I have mainly worked with professional adults but have been working with elementary kids the last couple of months; which is way different than adults. I have been pursuing my writing off and on for about 10 or so years with stories going back earlier than that. Me: Tell me a bit about your latest book. Ray: “In the Land of Rhyme” was a story I would tell my young daughter to entertain her in the car as I drove her to school. It kind of grew and grew with each telling till I finally wrote it down. It is the tale of what good can come of being different. This book started a chain of stories to come that are just as fun and entertaining each having a good basic message. Me: Where do your ideas for these stories come from? Ray: That’s a good question, they just sort of come. Often I will have an idea pop up and I sit down and start writing but it starts as the first couple of lines of something that develops as I write. Other times I will set out to write a story on a specific subject like Halloween or Christmas or something but I never start with a predetermined plot. I just sort of go wherever the writing takes me. This I believe keeps it fun, a story can take several turns as it comes out. I just go wherever it takes me, if I don’t like where it is going I just change its direction. Me: Tell me a little bit about the poems on your website. Ray: One day I was sitting at my computer writing what would become “Tommy McCoy And The Christmas Toy”. I was having a bit of a rough go that day and spouted off something, one of those “open mouth and insert foot moments”. Amanda, who was about 6 at the time, came into the room, put her hand on my heart and sweetly said, “It’s alright Dad. Family lives here in your heart.” That cured me on the spot and became “Eyes of A Child.” “When Children Grow Up” was a result of two things: 1) Watching my kids grow up and experiencing that moment when you realize they aren’t kids anymore and 2) Some study I had been doing on children & parents. As it turns out there is a natural line of affinity, love, liking etc. that exist between parent and child that remains intact regardless of any other factor. In this poem I am telling the story of the above two things--Yes it can be difficult raising kids, yes there can/will be upset between parent and child, yes when you hear they grow so fast it’s true. But at the end of that phase of your life you can be sure that the line of affinity between parent and child will be unbroken and you will have moments you cherish forever. Me: On your site, you mentioned that you made up crazy stories for your daughters. Do you still do this? Ray: Not so much these days. I have three daughters. One is 20 living in NY, one is 21 and soon to be married and Amanda will be 12 in a matter of days. She still sometimes ask me to tell her a story and always likes whatever I make up--a forgiving audience to be sure. Me: Is there anything else you would like me to mention? Ray: I would like to give a plug here to my Illustrator, Sue Donze. I think I mentioned already she has a way of just taking my story and bringing it to life with her art. She is a true professional and I am lucky to have her illustrate my books. Other than that, read books to your kids and encourage them to read. Have them read lots and lots and lots of books at their reading level. Be sure that they understand the words in the books they are reading and let them know that it is perfectly OK for them to ask you what a word means. This is probably the best educational boost you can give a child-- If they don’t like what they are reading they either are trying to read at too advanced a level or have gone past too many words they did not know the meaning of. Just handle those two factors and watch them win with reading! Thank you Ray for talking with me! It seems your family runs the same as mine when it comes to the book business. I wish you the best of luck and I look forward to seeing what you write next! Please keep me up to date. For those interested in Ray's story, be sure to check out my review as well as Smashwords where his e-book can be found for a very good price and in a variety of formats. |
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Author Vickianne Caswell interviews other children's authors. Archives
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