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Author Interview
In your book you make a reference to….how did you come up
with this idea?
-
I make reference to a mouse in a Buddhist
Temple! I actually listened to a monk
describe his experience with a mouse in the temple and it was such a delightful
story I began to imagine the events from the mouse’s perspective.
What made you write a book about…?
-
A mouse in a Buddhist Temple? There are so many lovely lessons to be found
here…some more obvious than others. I
wanted to share this so that others might enjoy and find benefit.
Where do you get inspiration for your stories?
-
Gus was inspired by actual events. I also
look at lessons and stories from Buddhist scripture and try to find ways to
incorporate them into stories in a lighthearted way using nature and animals as
backdrop.
There are many books out there about….What makes yours
different?
-
Don’t think there are too many books about a
mouse in a Buddhist Temple! My book looks at different themes and gently wraps
the storyline in Buddhist teachings without (hopefully) forcing Buddhist
thought on others. This book can be
enjoyed by anyone of any faith.
Do you have another profession besides writing?
-
Although I’m semi-retired I do still see a
few clients in Atlanta in my capacity as a hydrotherapist.
What is your next project?
-
I’m mostly focused on getting my yard and
garden going now that I’m in my new home. But there may be another book or two
coming out!
What’s the most
courageous thing you’ve
ever done?
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It took a great amount of courage to leave my
Christian upbringing aside and espouse the teachings of Buddha. The payoff is
incredible…I’m happier now than I’ve ever been!
Buy the Book:
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Full Cycle Publications
IndieBound
Guest Post
What Makes You Pick Up a Book?
When I’m choosing a book, the jacket is so important. It’s
make or break for the reader…will you open up the book and see what’s inside, or not? When I’m
illustrating my books, the cover is the last picture to be created. For Z is
for Zebra: a Mosaic Menagerie, I was terrified to do the zebra. In high
school, many years ago, I was not the star artist. The really great artists
could draw horses and animals, and I could not. But for my alphabet book, I
knew that I would have to draw a zebra. For one thing, graphically, it’s a
beautiful animal: black and white and very bold looking. A zorse exists, and so
does a zebu, a zebra shark, as well as a zonkey, but none of them topped the
beauty of the zebra. It was my last mosaic, because I did them in alphabetical
order. To my surprise, it was my best, and I hope that the jacket makes a child
or a parent pick up the book.
Of course, sometimes “simple” is great. Harold’s Purple
Crayon is so lovely and spare that you are dying to see what’s inside the
book. When I was young, there was a little book called The Dot and the Line,
by Norton Juster, which was made into a short film. The power of simplicity!
For novels, the flap and back jacket are key. For some
publishers, I have had to write the text, but it’s very hard to distill your
own book’s importance, and compliment it. But making a young adult novel look
exciting is tough. I wrote a book called, MY FATHER THE NUTCASE, loosely
based on my father, who gave me permission to write it. He suffered
periodically from clinical depression, and describing that book so that kids
would read it was very difficult. We made it funny and upbeat, because there
was an end in sight, and my dad lived to laugh about his author/daughter
calling him a nutcase.
For Z is for Zebra, we decided to gear the book to
the smallest reader, or tiniest botanist, and the art lover as well. Mosaic
artists have purchased the book, because so few are published using mosaics. As
far as I know, it’s the only children’s book created solely with mosaics, and I
am currently working on a counting book…yes, using mosaics.
GUS' FORTUNATE MISFORTUNE & Z IS FOR ZEBRA Book Tour Giveaway
0 Comments
Please try not to spam posts with the same comments over and over again. Authors like seeing thoughtful comments about their books, not the same old, "I like the cover" or "sounds good" comments. While that is nice, putting some real thought and effort in is appreciated. Thank you.