I’ve had the chance to explore your work, and it really caught my interest. I’d be curious to hear what you’re working on now or what sparked the idea behind your latest book. Always enjoy connecting with fellow authors in the same space.
What’s been the most rewarding part of your writing journey so far?
Hey Karl! The most rewarding part is reading my books to kids and seeing their eyes light up in discovering my characters! And, I always do a writing exercise with them to take some time and make up their own stories and characters! It is almost like giving back and helping them open up their own creativity. Take care!
That sounds truly rewarding and such a gift to those kids. Seeing their eyes light up as they connect with your characters must be unforgettable. And I love that you go a step further by encouraging them to create their own stories it’s a beautiful way to give back and plant the seeds of imagination and confidence.
Engaging with readers has been one of the most rewarding parts of writing for me. I’m always interested in how ideas land and what people take away from them. How has your experience been with your readers since publishing your first book?
If you're open to connecting, could you share your email address?
Hello Charles! Currently, I am writing the story for illustrations that I already have. So, I’m developing a new book around them as the inspiration! How about you?
I can imagine how inspiring it must be to craft a narrative that brings the images to life. I’d love to see a glimpse of those illustrations sometime; they sound amazing.
As for me, I’m deep in revisions on my current project, a mix of science fiction and fantasy. It’s at that stage where every day feels like a tug-of-war between “this is working” and “what was I thinking?", but that’s the nature of the process, isn’t it?
Would you be interested in connecting further? I always enjoy exchanging ideas and learning about other writers’ processes.
I'm Judith Hermann, I love connecting with fellow writers it’s always fascinating to hear how others found their way into storytelling. How did your writing journey begin?
Hello Judith! Nice to meet you! I have been writing stories since as long as I can remember. My parents taught me the importance of being creative, so I credit them with a lot of the inspiration they gave me on the many journeys we went on when I was growing up. A love for comic books and fiction didn’t hurt either! How about you?
Hello! Well, they all circle around Clyde the Reindeer, and his desire to learn to fly in book one. And, the formation of the superhero animal team he leads is the primary focus of books two and three.
For me, writing started as a quiet kind of necessity, like something I couldn’t not do. It began with short stories, trying to observe the world in silence.
Did you always feel confident calling yourself a writer? Or was that a title that came later?
I have always felt confident calling myself a writer, but it didn't really become real until I could also say published author. That was the thing that made it real!
Cormac McCarthy, Elmore Leonard, and R.A. Salvatore
As these are three of my favorite authors that write (wrote) in very different genres, I would just like to have a conversation with all of them to see what inspired each of them, and why they chose to write what they did.
Children's books can be about anything, and they can open up whole new world's for children to imagine. However, they can be just as exciting to adults as well with the correct pop culture references that pull them into the story and characters. Children's books can create nostalgia for what has happened and excitement for what is yet to come.
My grandfather used to read dime novel Westerns, and I can remember him sitting on a bucket or rock by his garden just reading away. His books inspired me. Westerns and a love for them have always been a part of my world. Comic books and superheroes have as well. Stan Lee, Bob Kane, and Frank Miller inspired me to create memorable characters that although flawed, rise to the occasion to stand up for what is right and save the day.
I have been writing since I was old enough to hold a pencil and form words. It will always be a part of who I am.
