David Chuka's Blog, page 16
March 20, 2013
Interview With Children’s Book Author Joy Findlay
Hello. It’s another Author Interview Thursday and I have to admit I’ve been looking forward to posting this interview for the last seven days.
Ladies and Gentlemen, we have a lady who is one of the most recognisable children’s book authors on the Amazon store. She has about 60 …yes, I didn’t make an error…60 published books on the Amazon store. Joy’s books are easily recognisable. My children went through a phase when they always requested Rocket Boy books at bedtime. Many parents and children know Joy Findlay’s books around the world. It’s my honor to have Joy with us today.
What key characteristics distinguish a Joy Findlay Book?
My books are designed to teach my kids something new about our world. I use bright, colourful images and illustrations to keep the stories or educational tools fun and interesting. And if I’m having fun writing, illustrating and designing them then I’m sure others will have fun with them too!
Tell us about your last published book and where we can get it.
My latest eBook is called ‘Pixie Courage’. It’s actually a story of my life in a gorgeously written poem about a Pixie Girl who realizes she doesn’t have her own name. She goes on a journey to find the Queen who can give her a name and along the way she meets an unlikely character who offers her a name of his own. I really enjoyed writing this one as it has so much more in it than just the words on the page. It is my hope that, along with my daughter, young women all around the world find who they are before they let other things or someone else do it for them.
How do you handle bad reviews?
Oh my goodness, earlier on I didn’t handle bad reviews. I have done a little research and discovered there is an unwritten rule book for dealing with people who are just really unhappy people and trash your work. Now-a-days bad reviews are like water off a ducks back. I’ve got enough reviews on each of my eBooks that I know which ones people don’t like with reason, and which ones are great with so many five star reviews that a one star is nothing.
What marketing strategy/channel has been most profitable for you?
Actually I have enjoyed giving my eBooks away to families all around the world. It’s amazing that in less than a year I have given away thousands of my eBooks in homes from down-under to the North Pole! OK, so maybe not the actual North Pole, but you never know!
How do you see self publishing evolving as more indie publishers come to the table and the tablet/eReader market matures?
I publish exclusively on Amazon because of their fantastic Kindle Direct Publishing and their Kindle Select Programme where my eBooks are ‘borrowed’ each month. Because of this I have seen that other children’s indie authors have also thrived in this market, and it seems more so than the traditionally published books. I think that pricing has played a huge part in this. Indie authors are able to ‘ride’ the pricing trends more than a contracted eBook from a large publishing company. This last holiday season (Dec/Jan) saw hundreds of thousands of digital devices being loaded with children’s digital content. I think that more and more families are buying digital devices for their children and as a result they are buying more and more digital content – eBooks apps etc – for their children’s devices. I don’t see this slowing down any time soon. But I think that the larger publishing companies are finding ways to finally get a slice of the eBook market with their own book apps etc. It’s been really interesting to watch.
Which of your books have you enjoyed writing the most?
I have written a few stories and poems about New Zealand beaches and New Zealand bush and wildlife. I am still trying to figure out how best to illustrate these as I don’t think my skills are good enough! 
But my current favourite is definitely ‘Pixie Courage’.
What mistake(s) did you make when you started out as a children’s book writer?
My biggest mistake was taking personally some horribly nasty reviews on a few of my Rocket Boy books. I nearly gave up, but I am so glad I didn’t Families all over the world have downloaded thousands of copies of my two Rocket Boy series. Imagine if I had given up after a few insignificant reviews!
Apart from children’s books are there any other genres you write in?
At the moment I am focusing on writing for kids aged 3 to 6. This is the ages of my two kids.
Do you believe in writer’s block and what do you do to overcome it?
I don’t believe in writer’s block so much as I believe in writer’s burnout – it happened to me last September. It took me eight weeks to write/illustrate ‘Princess Kiah and the Glass Slipper’, something that should have taken a lot less than that. I didn’t illustrate for three months after that! Having a settled home life again gave me back the energy I needed to overcome that season. A happy home is a happy home-based business!
What is the process from when you get an idea for a book to the point it gets published?
Actually the process is different with each project. It usually starts with an idea that I throw at my husband, Bevan. Laughter ensues if it works and the idea morphs into a story, or it doesn’t work and it gets written down in my ‘ideas notebook’ for another day. Writing can take a few days to a few weeks, remember these are just short stories, no longer than 32 pages long. Then my hubby edits, I get beta readers to critique the story, and I continue to work on it until we are all happy that the story works. I then hunt the net for inspiration for design ideas, take those ideas and create an illustrated character and the backdrop for the world of the story. From there it takes weeks for the story and illustrations to form into a book and with the help of my genius technical team (aka my hubby again) the book is formatted for publishing. Units are sent to anyone who wants pre-promo release copy for review. Once all the publishing issues are finalized like getting the book into the correct categories in the Kindle Store, then it is promoted and sold. Heaps of fun!
What is a typical day for Joy Findlay?
Feed the kids, cat and hubby; kids to school and kindy – takes most the morning it seems; eBook promotions on Facebook and Amazon; writing/illustrating/reading/research etc; kids pickups, homework, dinner etc. Just your usual home based business, except that I get to read and write and have way too much fun for the amount of money I am making!!!
What was the last children’s book you read and what was it about?
The ‘Life-Size Guide to Insects and Other Land Invertebrates of New Zealand’. What a giggle! I’ve been exploring bugs and spiders and wetas and praying mantis and cicada with the kids. They give me the shivers, but my son is fascinated with all things creepy crawly and my daughter just squeals at the pictures of spiders and wetas. Actually we found a BIG weta on the footpath on our way home from school two days ago and the book came in real handy for learning all about that huge insect! [A weta is a large forest- and cave-dwelling insect unique to New Zealand – look it up, as they are quite impressive.]
Have your children inspired any of the characters you’ve written about?
My son Zachy gave me the name Majory for the Queen in ‘Pixie Courage’. I have no idea where he’d heard the name before but it worked so well. Kiara’s plush toy owl was the inspiration for my Petal the Owl series.
Wanting to show Zachy, my son, all the amazing images of space from NASA’s websites was what lead to the ‘Rocket Boy Adventure Series’ and subsequently the ‘Rocket Boy My First Reader’ series. They come in really handy for inspiration. I think my next book might be about bugs and spiders and other creepy crawlies, just because they seem so interested in them at the moment!
Toy Story or Shrek?
Toy Story all the way! Mainly because when Zachy was younger it was his favorite!
Which are scarier, dragons or monsters?
‘Monsters Inc.’ changed my view on monsters, as did a few of the gorgeous eBooks on sale at the moment on Amazon. ‘How to Train Your Dragon’ changed my views on dragons too, but I have to admit, I do love dragon stories!
What are your best memories from your childhood?
Reading the ‘Wizard of Oz’ with my father on the lounge-room couch. He’d always fall asleep and I’d have to nudge him awake because it was my favorite book! He also taught me about the stars. After a scary nightmare he’d come into my room and settle me, teaching me about the stars. Now that I think about it, that may be where I got my love of space from – huh, you learn something new every day!
What do you love best about living in New Zealand?
Not the bugs! Hahaha. I love New Zealand. It will always be home, no matter where in the world we end up one day. New Zealand definitely has its own culture, its own style, its own humour as you can probably guess. But its people, its land, its beauty, its shores, its sense of importance in the world, and its ‘No8 Wire’ attitude – or kiwi ingenuity – these are the things that I love the most about our beautiful country.
Has writing opened the door to more creative or social ventures?
Yes it has, until I moved cities recently and have had to start all over again. Ask me that question again in a year or so!
Any advice for budding writers out there?
I can’t draw to save myself, can’t draw perspective, can’t even draw a flight of stairs. . . . and here I am writing, illustrating and self-publishing children’s eBooks on Amazon and doing it well. Limitations are all in our heads, and have no part to play on where our hearts want to take us. Write well, illustrate well, learn from those who know the industry and just do it – but do it well! And when you aren’t having fun anymore – find a new love.
Wow! Thanks for sharing so much with us today Joy. There is so much to take away from this interview. I believe many people will visit this page again and again to remind themselves of the wisdom you shared here. I love what you said about handling bad reviews. Ultimately, not everyone will like what you do and sadly there are some interesting characters out there whose life mission is to pour cold water on what successful people are doing. It comes with the territory and should be water of a duck’s back. It is so clear to see that you love writing and publishing these children’s books. Something tells me we’ll definitely be seeing more books from your pen in the months and years to come.
You can discover more about Joy and what she’s up to by visiting her website - http://www.findlaybooks.com
You can also visit her author page on Amazon to see all her published work available on the Kindle platform
Free Kindle Book Download – Billy and Monster: The Superhero with FART Powers
Hello. Its another free download day today… and tomorrow!- March 20th – March 21st
Billy and Monster: The Superhero with Fart Powers is free to download to your kindle or kindle app. This is the second book in the series ‘The Fartastic Adventures of Billy and Monster.’ In this episode, Billy and Monster discover they have superhero powers and use it in a battle with a very evil guy. If you laughed a lot at the first book in the series – Billy and the Monster who Loved to Fart, then you’ll love this one.
Can I ask a big favor of you? Please share on twitter, facebook, G+ and any other social network. Ask your friends, family and colleagues to get it for their loved ones.
You can get it at the links below
Thanks for your support and do have a lovely day.
March 15, 2013
Book Launch – Billy and Monster: The Superhero with Fart Powers is LIVE!
I love days like this!
Without further ado, I’d like to announce the launch of Billy and Monster: The Superhero with Fart Powers.
Following on from the massive success of Billy and the Monster who Loved to Fart, I’ve been in the lab with a pen and a pad (Dr Dre fans bear with me) and have been working on more books in this very entertaining series for kids of all ages. The truth is this book should have been completed and published before the end of February. However, like you know, life happens and we had to push the publication date to mid March. Well the wait is over and you can go ahead and grab your copy.
So what happens in this book? Well, let’s just say Billy discovers he has super powers and he uses it to thwart the plans of a very evil man.
What do I feel most proud about in this book?
Well, it’ll have to be 2 things.
First of all, there is a seamless marriage between the funny and the lesson. David, please stop speaking gibberish. Well, what I mean is a lot of laugh out loud moments are packed into this book. Dare I say much more than found in Billy and the Monster who Loved to Fart. There is also a life lesson at the heart of this book you’ll love sharing with your loved ones. A life lesson that will resonate with them many, many years from now.
The second thing I’m really proud about in this book are the images. I have a new illustrator for this book, Aubrey and she’s taken the illustrations to another level.
Anyway, I’d personally like to know what you think of Billy and Monster: The Superhero with Fart Powers. Get your copy and let me know what you think.
Aubrey and I are currently working on the third book in this franchise and it’s called ‘Billy and the Monster who Ate all the Easter Eggs’
Have you grabbed your copy yet? No? What are you waiting for? Just click the link below and grab a copy while it’s at the special introductory price of 99c.
Thank you.
I love days like this!
Without further ado, I’d like to a...
I love days like this!
Without further ado, I’d like to announce the launch of Billy and Monster: The Superhero with Fart Powers.
Following on from the massive success of Billy and the Monster who Loved to Fart, I’ve been in the lab with a pen and a pad (Dr Dre fans bear with me) and have been working on more books in this very entertaining series for kids of all ages. The truth is this book should have been completed and published before the end of February. However, like you know, life happens and we had to push the publication date to mid March. Well the wait is over and you can go ahead and grab your copy.
So what happens in this book? Well, let’s just say Billy discovers he has super powers and he uses it to thwart the plans of a very evil man.
What do I feel most proud about in this book?
Well, it’ll have to be 2 things.
First of all, there is a seamless marriage between the funny and the lesson. David, please stop speaking gibberish. Well, what I mean is a lot of laugh out loud moments are packed into this book. Dare I say much more than found in Billy and the Monster who Loved to Fart. There is also a life lesson at the heart of this book you’ll love sharing with your loved ones. A life lesson that will resonate with them many, many years from now.
The second thing I’m really proud about in this book are the images. I have a new illustrator for this book, Aubrey and she’s taken the illustrations to another level.
Anyway, I’d personally like to know what you think of Billy and Monster: The Superhero with Fart Powers. Get your copy and let me know what you think.
Aubrey and I are currently working on the third book in this franchise and it’s called ‘Billy and the Monster who Ate all the Easter Eggs’
Have you grabbed your copy yet? No? What are you waiting for? Just click the link below and grab a copy while it’s at the special introductory price of 99c.
Thank you.
March 13, 2013
Interview With Children’s Book Author Wendy Owen
I Love Author Interview Thursdays! 
This week we have a lady who I greatly admire and respect. Wendy Owen helped me out when I published my first children’s book by featuring it on her website that is visited by many children’s book authors. If there’s one thing I can say about Wendy, it’s that she loves helping people. You’ll certainly agree with me by the end of this interview as Wendy is going to share with us how to become better authors and avoid some pitfalls in this industry. Please join me in welcoming Wendy
Tell us about your latest book and what formats is it available in?
My latest and only book so far, is a children’s book about a little pig who goes on a big adventure. It’s a little bit different because it’s got chapters and scene illustrations. It also has a moral to the story. A bit like the children’s books I used to read (like about 100 years ago!)
You can take a look at it here on Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/The-Exciting-Adventures-Percy-ebook/dp/B00BK74350/
This book was written using my pen name – Tori Gilbert
Are any of the characters based on real people?
Not on one particular person, but probably on a composite of all the people I have ever met and also those I have never met but have just read about. On reflection Percy (the main character) is perhaps based on me. He does things I would do in a similar situation.
What’s book have you had the most fun writing?
Well Percy is the first book I have ever had published and I did have fun writing it.
The book was actually written about seven years ago. I used to work in a real estate office and it was just so boring. I think I wrote just to keep my spirit alive!
Percy remained on my computer all this time and survived two hard drive crashes. I forgot all about him until the Kindle reader came along. Finally Percy had his opportunity!
When did you know you wanted to be a writer?
I used to write when I was in school. It was called “English Composition” in those days and always received top grades for my stories, although my spelling and grammar wasn’t always perfect! My English teacher suggested I try writing as a career, however I went on another route and did nothing about it until recently.
How long does it take you to write a book?
It can take five days or it can take six months. I am not one of those disciplined people who can sit down for four to six hours a day and just write. I wish I was like that but I’m not and probably never will be. When I get the urge to write I can write for several hours non stop and even forget to eat.
Do you write your initial draft on a computer or with a pen and a pad?
I always write with a pen and paper. There is something about writing by hand that stimulates the right side, or creative part of my brain. Also I find sitting at the computer is too distracting with emails and Facebook messages coming in all the time. I write best outside looking at nature rather than cooped up at a desk.
Where do you draw your inspiration from?
This is going to sound strange, but ideas for stories just sometime float into my brain. If I ignore them long enough they go away. However sometimes some of them just need to be written. So I grab my pen and just write until I’m done.
Do you believe in writer’s block and what do you do to overcome it?
Yes I think writer’s block is very real and I can’t force myself to write.
If writer’s block strikes, I simply get up and do something else. I wait until I feel like writing again. I realize not everyone has this luxury, so I am lucky. However for those who have to churn out a given number of words every day, I have this tip:
Just start writing about anything. It could be the weather, politics, things you hate about driving in heavy traffic. Even if the words don’t make sense and are spelled wrong. This will help unblock your mind.
What do you like to do when you are not writing?
I have websites that I have created. They are mainly in the natural health niche. Updating them and building links to them takes up a lot of time. I read whenever I get the chance.
Do you have any pets?
Yes I have my favourite dog “Peaches” who is a little Shih Tzu crossed with Miniature Maltese. She puts up with my swearing when nothing is going right!
If you were abandoned on a deserted island, what 3 items would you wish for?
My Kindle, my glasses to read it with and a nice bottle of champagne!
Anything else that you’d like to add?
Yes I would like to tell you about my experience in publishing this book. This may serve as a warning for people to always publish your own book. Even if it looks complicated and even if you think you can’t!
I had a lady that I met online publish my book for me on her account, because I was clueless on how to do it and every time I tried, Amazon seemed to find something wrong with my submission.
I had a successful promotion and people downloaded lots of copies and left me some wonderful reviews. A couple of days later, I discovered that I had forgotten to put in my illustrator’s name in the credits. A friend of mine also found a couple of inevitable typos, so I made the corrections and asked my publisher to take the original down and re-upload the new version.
To my horror she threw it back at me and told me to do it myself. A day later the book was nowhere to be found. She had taken it down.
Long story short, it’s back up again (with the help of a very kind friend) and all the reviews came back again too.
So I can’t emphasize enough the importance of having your own account and learning to do your own thing.
Thanks for interviewing me!
The pleasure was all mine Wendy. Thanks for sharing with us about the certain obstacles you had to overcome while publishing your first book. Despite the hassle Amazon gave you, you still persevered. Despite the hassle your publisher gave you, you still persevered and Percy is still up for the world to see. This really encourages me and I hope it’s inspired you too. All things are possible, if you believe. You can visit Wendy’s page on Amazon at the link below to see all her published work.
You can also visit Wendy blog at http://www.kidsfictionbooks.com
Free Download Day for Animal Book for Kids
Hey! Hope you’re well and having a great day.
You know that post I wrote last week about
How to Improve Your Kindle eBook Sales and gave a case study about one of my books that wasn’t doing too well…Guess what? I have made massive amendments and it’s free today – March 13th 2013 to download on your kindle device or kindle app.
You can get a copy by clicking one of the links below.
Please let me know what you think of the cover and when you get a chance to read it, kindly leave a review on Amazon.
Feel free to let all your family and friends know that they can get a copy too.
Thank you.
March 6, 2013
Interview With Children’s Book Author Geryn Childress
Hello. It’s Author Interview Thursday!
This week in the hot seat we have Geryn Childress. Geryn is a guy whose life story would make a great Hollywood movie. Despite the trials and adversities he’s been through in life, there is a warmth and passion that rubs off on everyone Geryn meets. Please help me in welcoming Geryn.
Tell us about your latest book and what formats is it available in?
My latest book ‘The What Am I? Book,‘ is a collection of fun, educational, original riddles that my Mom would ask me and my older brother when we were little kids on long trips. Right now it’s formatted perfectly for the Kindle Fire edition, but all of the books in the Childress Children’s Book Series will play great on pretty much any tablet device like an iPad or on a smartphone. We’re putting the hard covers out through Create Space and they should be ready to order in two weeks. If you want updates on my future releases you can subscribe to www.childresschildrenbooks.com
What makes your picture books unique?
I think what makes not only mine, but any author’s writings unique is the life experiences one brings to the table. We as authors have our own different unique stories, it’s our goal to tell those stories in a way that captivates our readers. If any author can do this, then your books are truly unique. My books relate my stories, as can only be seen and told through my eyes, because they’re my experiences. All humans go through different experiences in life, as authors hopefully we can draw on that well when creative juices dry up and hopefully write stories that people can relate to or at least find entertainment in.
What other picture books have you written?
Right now I have two other books on the market, one titled ‘Please! Stop My Baby Brother From Crying‘ 
The other book is titled ‘The Little Boy Who Couldn’t Stop Farting‘ and it’s dedicated to all five of my sons, don’t tell them I said that.
When did you know you wanted to be a writer?
I don’t think I ever wanted to be a “writer”, one day I just realized “Hey! that’s what I am! I’m a writer. I was going through one of life’s situations (as we all do sometime especially with kids) and then it dawned on me… That Would Make A Good Book! Most of my books are me speaking through the voice of one or all of my children or family members.
Where do you draw your inspiration from?
My God, my mother, and my kids are the total source of inspiration for the books I’ve written so far, there’s an aspect of all of them in every book.
What’s the best thing about being a writer?
The best thing about being a writer is you can still work, even if you have a kid hanging on top of your head.
Do you have kids (or grandchildren) and are they an inspiration to your picture books?
Yes, I do have kids….I have so many kids I’ve stopped naming them….I just call them by number, number 7 just turned 2 a few months ago. Yes, my kids are a big source of inspiration for my books and my life.
Tell us something funny that has happened to you recently.
I have a sort of funny story to tell you about my kids. One day we were at the park, the four little kids were playing on the playground. My two year old son (Zion) decides to grab a dirty leaf off the ground and shove it in his mouth before I could stop him…..HE’S FAST like a baby ninja when he wants to put something in his mouth. Everything else he’s slow with, counting, shape recognition but shoving objects in his mouth? Ninja speed!
Without skipping a beat, his older brother comes over looks at him, waits for a moment, looks at me…and then says,“Maybe he’s not a baby, maybe he’s a vacuum cleaner.” (Laughs)
I thought that was funny…and then my author’s mind-set kicked in and I thought “THAT WOULD MAKE A GREAT BOOK!” (laughs). Then I had to stop the baby from choking of course! The point is you have to think about your experiences when you’re writing books, be they cultural, be they humorous, happy or sad, success or failure…that’s where you’ll find creativity when you have writers block or searching for unique material to create.
If you were abandoned on a deserted island, what 3 items would you wish for?
A midget, a sponge, and a latter…..I figure I’m already stranded, I might as well make the best of it ”Bring on the entertainment!”
Thanks for taking time out of your busy schedule to have this interview with us Geryn. You know, some people could use the excuse (and justifiably so) that the presence of children in their lives has stopped them from fulfilling their goals. I really love and admire the fact that with 7 kids in your life, you’re still going strong and passionate about sharing your stories with the world.
You can discover what Geryn is currently working on and subscribe to his mailing list by visiting www.childresschildrenbooks.com
You can also see all his published work by visiting his Amazon author page at the link below
March 4, 2013
How to Improve Your Kindle eBook Sales – Case Study
Writing is fun. Putting together a children’s picture book and getting it published is always an exhilarating experience. However, that is the fun side of writing. The not so fun side is actually marketing your book and getting as many people to know about it and hopefully buy it. This is the part of writing or publishing a book that leaves most writers frustrated. 
The reality is that just because a book is published does not mean it can never be revisited. I always read and re-read books I’ve written to see if there’s something I need to edit that can improve a reader’s experience as well as boost sales. With this in mind, one of my books has been given me cause for concern.
An author’s books are like his babies and he/she wants them all to do well. All my children’s books so far have been favorably received by the market and have all achieved best seller status in one or multiple categories in the Amazon store. However, What Do You Call a Baby Lion? hasn’t done so well. I’ve really been thinking of what I could do to make it more popular.
Over the weekend, I believe I discovered what has made this book not so popular. Two things actually and they are:
The Title
The cover
The Title – I believe (and please feel free to disagree) that the title doesn’t lend itself to a wide audience. Anyone who isn’t interested in lions will overlook this book. Also the title doesn’t fully represent what the book is really about – BABY ANIMALS. The concept behind this book was to introduce little children to the names of baby animals. The book starts with a little boy whose mom has just had a baby girl and he wonders what baby animals are called.
The Cover – You know the popular saying ‘Don’t judge a book by it’s cover’ Well, with regard to a human being, I totally agree. You might be making a big mistake judging as hopeless the scruffy, shy looking guy in front of you at the check out till who might actually be the CEO of a Fortune 500 company. However, when it comes to books, your cover is everything. Or at least is the first frontier upon which the battle is either won or lost.
Of all the books I have published, I never had that YES feeling (with What Do You Call a Baby Lion?) when I got it back from my book cover designer. Too much white space, I really wasn’t feeling the brown font, the square around the lion seemed forced etc.
So for the past month, it’s been rumbling in my mind what to do with ‘What Do You Call a Baby Lion?’ And over the weekend I came up with the solution.
The title of the book will be changed to ‘I Love Baby Animals’
Also, based upon the feedback I have received, the cutest animal in the book was the baby hedgehog.
This will now be the main character on the book cover. There will be yellow text on a green background for the cover. This has worked really well on my other books and I’m hopeful it’ll be the same on this book.
My designer is currently working on the book cover and once that has been completed, I will relaunch the book and have a free download day.
If you’re an aspiring author and wondering why your book isn’t selling so well, there’s always something extra you can do. I’m hopeful the tweaks I have done will have a positive effect on the sales of this book. Will report back sometime next week to let you know how it went. Also watch out for the announcement on the free download day.
I would really love your comments with regard to this post.
Thank you.
February 27, 2013
Interview With Children’s Book Author Barry J McDonald
Today, it’s my privilege to interview Children’s book author Barry J McDonald. Barry is the author of 24 books on the Amazon store. 
I have personally gotten some of Barry’s books and there is a warmth and positivity that shines through in all his books. Barry loves writing children’s books and I have a feeling he’s going to be a force to be reckoned with in the publishing world because he loves what he does. Please join me in welcoming Barry.
Tell us about your latest book and what formats is it available in?
My latest book is ‘Are You My Mummy?‘ which is available to download in the Amazon Kindle store.
What other picture books have you written ?
Other picture books that I’ve written in the past are…
I’ve Got A Monster Under My Bed
Another Busy Day For Doctor Dave
Barry what would you say makes your picture books unique?
What makes my books unique I don’t know really, apart from the fact that they all contain a little part of me.
Why should people choose your picture book over anyone else?
I could say that I think they’re some of the best out there but I won’t (laughs). I don’t really know… I suppose everyone has their own style of book that they like and maybe I just appeal to a small niche out there.
Are any of the characters based on real people?
Not that I can consciously think of but who knows. Having four kids means there probably are some things that I subconsciously draw on.
Do you draw the pictures in your books and on the covers?
I used to do my own book covers until recently when I started to outsource them. I found that even though I can create a pretty good book cover, I still have a lot to learn and maybe it’s better to put it in the hands of a professional. As for book illustrations, I don’t do them and rely a lot on some of the image websites out there for my images. I can draw but I just haven’t got the confidence yet to put my drawings out on public display.
Where can people find out more about your writing?
Apart from my authors page on Amazon, I also have a small blog with all my children’s book on it
.
What marketing methods are you using to promote your book?
I find Twitter is a good place to get the word out on my upcoming books, and my blog. I’m not someone who does a lot of social marketing as I find it takes time away from my writing. I also cross promote all my books in a list at the back of each of my other books.
What book have you had the most fun writing?
Its funny that as I write a children’s book I find that each has their own little personality. 
Sometimes the images I use give me the storyline and sometimes the storyline comes to me first, and then I look for the images for it. As for fun, I like the books I wrote last Christmas (Aliens Love Christmas, Monsters Love Christmas and Father Christmas BC). I love that time of year and really enjoyed putting them together.
When did you know you wanted to be a writer?
It’s not something I set out thinking I wanted to be but just something I kind of fell into. I had wrote articles in the past for blogs and when I found out about KDP in Amazon, I thought I’d give it a go with my non fiction books. Then after some success with these books, I thought I’d give fiction a go and put together my first children’s book ‘Father Christmas BC‘. I found the process of putting this book together was so much fun and gave me such a feeling of accomplishment that I knew this was where I wanted to be and continue writing for.
How long does it take you to write a book?
It varies, but usually between 2-3 days at most. But then again the storyline and words for “How Much Do I Love You?” came to me very easily and only took 10 minutes to write it down.
Where do you usually write your books?
Mostly at home but I usually carry a pen and paper with me for those moments when inspiration comes. In fact I wrote ‘I Love You Because You’re You‘ while I was sitting in my car waiting to pick up my son from school. So I’d recommend all authors should keep a pen and paper handy or somewhere to keep notes at all times because you never know when you might have a storyline or book suddenly come to you.
Barry what has been the most challenging part for you in the writing and publishing process?
It depends. Sometimes it is getting my text right or sometimes its finding the right image to go with some text. Formatting for kindle also used to be a big pain but the more I did it the better I got at formatting my books and that challenge passed.
Do you believe in writer’s block and what do you do to overcome it?
I do suffer from writers block from time to time and find that the more I try to overcome it the worse it gets. So I usually leave things and go for a walk, do some “EFT” or read something completely different from what I was doing. This usually allows my mind to work on the problem in the background and before you know it I’m back writing again.
Who are your favourite authors?
For a children’s author, I’d say Julia Donaldson who penned ‘The Gruffalo’ I love her writing. As for an adult author, I’d have to say Lee Child, I’m a big fan of his ‘Jack Reacher’ series.
What were some of your favourite books as a kid?
I used to be a big fan of the ‘Hardy Boy’ books and ‘Famous Five’ series when I was younger. Compared to the kids books nowadays, they’re probably very tame and childish, but at the time I thought they were the best. I also loved the book ‘The Secret Of Nimh’, I forget how many times I reread this book and can still remember the story line now thirty years later.
Do you have kids (or grandchildren) and are they an inspiration to your picture books?
I’ve got four kids ranging between the ages of 2 and 13 years. Are they an inspiration for my books, maybe but not on purpose. There may be some parts of their personalities in some of my books, I don’t know.
What is your favourite film?
It varies but I loved the last James Bond outing ‘Skyfall’. ‘Silver Linings Playbook’, is also one that’s still rattling around in my head at the moment, who knew Bradley Cooper was such a great actor.
Do you have any pets?
Yes two dogs, Violet and lady. My wife and I have had Lady before we had kids so I suppose she’s our first child. My daughter got Violet as a present by her godfather, its supposed to be her dog but it’s still me and her mum that still ends up feeding, walking, and looking after her.
Barry do tell us something funny that has happened to you recently
While it didn’t happen recently but my kids love telling this story as a way of embarrassing me…
I had to visit the doctors surgery for a check up last year. On my visit, my doctor said as part of my check up I’d need to visit the nurse in the clinic to get some blood sample taken. I’m not a big fan of needles and wasn’t looking forward to it but went any way. The nurse asked me to sit down and roll up my sleeve (everything OK so far).
Then she pulled out the syringe and was about to stick it in my arm, I said “Wait, do you not have to put some cream on my arm first before you take the sample?” Then she said “What do you mean magic cream, we stop giving that to children when they pass the age of six!” (For anyone who doesn’t know what “Magic cream” is, its a cream given to children as pain relief before getting an injection taken).
This caused great laughs from her and the staff nearby. I still cringe thinking about it, needless to say I gave my blood sample and got out of there as fast as I could.
Anything else that you’d like to add?
Never give up, I’d spent ten years writing articles, creating blogs etc., but never had much to show for it. I must have spent hundreds of dollars over the years following the latest trends online and made probably $100. In fact my wife and I had more arguments over this online pipe dream that I had and that it was never going to go anywhere. But I knew deep down that I could find something online that I was reasonably good at that could allow me to quit my job and spend more time at home. When I came across the Kindle KDP phenomenon, I thought like everyone else I’d give it a go. Little did I know how successfully I’d become writing children’s books and find something I really loved doing.
So never give up, the day you give up is the day you lose. Even my wife will tell you how happy she is that I didn’t listen to her and throw in the towel. So, never give up you’ll get your success if you stick with it.
Thank you so much for sharing with us today Barry. Your generosity and outpouring of wisdom has been well appreciated. I learnt so much during the interview and concur what you said about not giving up.
You can discover more about Barry by visiting his website at www.SmartWordBooks.com
You can also visit his author page on Amazon at the link below where you’ll see all his published work
Protected: Interview With Children’s Book Author Barry J McDonald
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