I have not played Tag or It since I was a child, so when I got "tagged" in this game by Katja Willemsen that helps promote an author's upcoming or newly released book, I got my gym shoes on and started running to see who I can tag next. But before catching up to anyone, Katja had some questions for me to answer first.
What is the title of the next book you are working on?
Mark the Missing Moose
Where did the idea come from your book?
This is interesting. A parent of a former student I taught back in
1997 recently contacted me via Social Media.
Unfortunately, tragedy struck her family when her 21 year old step-son
took his own life this past August. She
said I had such a positive impact on her daughter that she reached out to me in
hopes of wanting to write a children's book to teach kids that it is okay to
open up and share their feelings.
What genre does your book fall under?
Children's fiction
What is a one sentence synopsis of your book?
After becoming devastated at the loss his best
friend, Jimmy comes to realize that opening up and sharing his feelings are the
first steps in helping him heal.
Will your book be self-published or represented by an
agency?
How long did it take you to write the first draft of your
manuscript? About two months
What other books would you compare this story to within your
genre?
While I am sure there are stories
out there on the subject of overcoming loss and sharing your feelings, I
believe Mark the Missing Moose is definitely unique in its storyline.
What or who inspired you to write this story?
After my first children's book, The Moose at
the Manger, was published I wanted to write another. I did not have a particular storyline in
mind. Then Sandi Czyznikiewicz contacted me about the loss of her step-son and
her situation inspired me to write this story.
What else about your book might pique the reader's interest?
With the suicide rate being what it is today,
if we can teach children at a young age to open up and reach out to others for
help, maybe we can make a difference. Hopefully, Mark the Missing Moose is a story to do just that.
Here are some exciting authors I have tagged to tell you
about their NEXT BIG THING!
