Since how long have you been living in Claremont, Ontario?
I was born and raised in a small rural farming town called Uxbridge which is a short drive from Claremont. We bought a house and moved to Claremont when we were married 40 years ago!
While growing up, did you, in anyway, have any embarrassing moments?
When I was about 12 years old, we were playing field baseball with the other kids on the street. I was pitching to one of the boys who hit the ball very hard and fast. I did not have time to react, it hit me on the nose, I saw stars and fainted for less than a minute. I found that to be embarrassing since I was usually pretty quick with my glove.
Who is the most supportive person in your life when it comes to your writing?
My mother is my best fan, she has always supported me growing up and continues to be my biggest supporter? Frankie the Ferret is my first book and my mom was the first person I mentioned to that I had just published a children’s book. Since then, I have received amazing support from all of my family and friends.
Have any of your four grandchildren read your book?
Yes, the two older grandchildren, Bryce and Ainsley, read the book on their own all the time. The two younger grandchildren, Colby and Preston, their parents will read the book to them, but they are quickly learning to read as well.
How did you get started in a career writing children’s books?
My lifelong dream was to publish a children’s book, but I never really pursued it. The experiences that we had with Frankie seemed to be something I felt that children would love to read about so I started taking notes of the things that Frankie used to do. My children and I loved to read Dr. Seuss so I knew that his style of writing in rhyming lyrics with colorful pictures was how my book should be. It was a process of 10 years before the book was published but I am so glad that I did it!
Do you ever have writer’s block? How do you overcome it?
I have not experienced writer’s block but I did struggle with getting the rhyming words in Frankie to flow smoothly so that it would be fun for children to read.
Did you expect your book, Frankie the Ferret to become a 2020 Canada Book Award Winner? What was your reaction?
No, I never expected Frankie to win, when I sent the book to them, I was trying to increase the exposure of my book. I was very surprised when I received the email that Frankie was chosen and that he would be listed on their webpage for 1 year? Very exciting to be recognized in your home country!
Is there anything you find particularly challenging in writing children’s books?
Yes, there are so many quality children’s books on the market, it is a very popular genre and very hard to become a bestseller. As well, children love to be entertained but you also need to impart a positive message for them, encourage reading to continue learning and enhance their minds.
How did you come up with the character of Frankie in “Frankie the Ferret”?
Frankie was our pet for nine years, everything that you see in the book is exactly how Frankie was!
What is something nobody ever tells you about owning a cat?
They are very independent animals, unlike dogs, cats do their own thing where a dog wants to be where you are. Cats are also very territorial with their surroundings. We moved a few times within Claremont and our cat would return to the other house and we would have to pick her up for approximately 3 weeks. After that she was fine.
How do you feel about receiving the Literary Titan Gold Book Award?
I was very surprised and very grateful that they acknowledged Frankie with this award. It is very rewarding for you as an author to find that others are inspired by your work.
What is one message that you try to impart through your books?
Books open up a whole new world of entertainment and learning while expanding your mind, children should be encouraged to read, making their books fun, educational and very colorful will encourage them to read.
How did you come up with the name of your chocolate lab named Molly?
That I am not sure, my spouse informed me that he was adopting a chocolate lab and that her name would be Molly. We did have another ferret after Frankie named Molly and he always liked her name.
What are your plans for the future as a writer? Are you working on anything new?
Currently, I am content with promoting Frankie to children everywhere. I have put together my ideas for a second book completely different from ferrets, hoping for a release next year!
How has your experience of being associated with All Author been?
I have been very impressed with AllAuthor, I feel that they have provided the best tools and support for maximum exposure. The author page with the tools, options and support provided is amazing. I would recommend any author to become a member of AllAuthor.com.