Eileen Hobbs Interview Published on: 07, Apr 2023

I grew up in Thailand where my parents were missionaries. I have a new book coming out called “Under the Golden Rain Tree” about a Thai girl that meets a magical white elephant. This book has a lot of my growing up years in it.

I have always written stories, even when I was very young. I loved reading National Geographic and would write stories inspired by the stories in that. I guess I’ve always had an active imagination.

I always wanted to be an author but I wasn’t sure how to go about it. Getting published or self publishing or “hybrid” publishing is complicated and it has taken me a long time to learn about the different ways to publish.

Friends and family have read my books and they are very supportive of my writing. I couldn’t have done it without their support.

My first published book was The Heath Cousins and the Moonstone Cave. It is book 1 of my series. I didn’t start out to do a series but the ideas kept coming so I decided to go ahead. I actually had Book 1 republished with a different publisher because the first publisher was too expensive and also the print was smaller so my publisher now, Palmetto Publishing, reprinted it and I am much happier with it. The main story is the same though and I do love it. I hope my writing has improved but I still love my first book.

The Silver Statue is the last book of my Heath Cousins series so it’s very sentimental for me. Addie B. Is in London and she receives a letter from her older cousin Jack saying that he is starting to forget all their adventures to Ambra and the Garden of Choice.The implication is that this magical place is for younger kids and as you get older, you begin to lose your belief in fantasy. He tells Addie B. To start writing down the stories so they won’t ever forge and so she does. She then goes back to Ambra by herself and meets up with her younger cousins Beanie and Bodie. This turns out to be their last adventure there and she is charged with rescuing a new group of wanderers from the evil Daiyu.

There are several themes running through my series. In Book 1, the cousins are dealing with the loss of their grandmother and they each deal with it in different ways. They learn that sharing their thoughts about their grandmother helps them through this. They also learn they must work together to get back home. Forgiveness and not judging others by their outside are also themes. Of course, there’s the basic good vs evil characters they come up against as well.

Addie B. Is based on my niece, Rebecca. The boys are based on my two sons and their cousin when they were young. However, Addie B. has parts of me too. She loves to read and write and so do I. Her gift, with the Moonstone Ring is to read and understand different languages and I’ve always wanted that gift. She also grows up in England and I am a huge Anglophile!

Well, I hope it’s better! (Ha) I think I spend more time on descriptions and using comparisons. And I also probably put more emotions into it. That works for some readers and not for others, though. I am also trying to include more diversity of characters but it’s not always easy to do. Even though I am not a Thai person, I think I was able to describe the life of a Thai girl (in Under the Golden Rain Tree) pretty well because I grew up there. But if you don’t have that experience, it’s hard to write from that point of view. However, both my sons are adopted and are Hispanic and Native American and so I hope to include more characters like that (grandma Winnie was Native American in the Heath Cousins). It’s important to include that diversity but also hard if it’s not your own background.

Well, I have an overstuffed writing chair I sit in and I can look outside from there. I can walk around my garden and feel inspired. I get inspired at the beach where we have a place. I read poetry; I browse illustrator’s social sites to get my creative juices flowing.

That’s hard to answer. Personally, probably when I read books that really spoke to me. Like The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis and some of his other books. Reading and writing poetry. And now, when kids read my books and they tell me how much they liked them or they give me ideas about other stories, that’s the best. One girl made a bookmark for me; one boy had written a story and wanted me to read it; that shows me that language has power.

The Girl in the Blue Moon: About a young boy who doesn’t like to read but he goes to the bookstore where his mom works (Blue Moon) and meets a young girl who is lost. She has come from one of the books and he must help her find where she belongs by “jumping into” other books. He learns that books can take you on adventures.

The Knight Sisters and the Golden Door: A sequel to the Heath Cousins based on Addie B’s daughters.

There are others - an adult novel which I’m not sure I am any good at; a devotional book; a book of poetry?

Oh my! That’s hard! There are so many places. England of course; Venice; Florence; Thailand; Amsterdam during tulip season; Denmark - some of their castles are very cool; Santiago de Compostela, Spain - like stepping back in time. Lots of new places I’d like to try too.

One beta reader told me one of my characters shouldn’t be called “magical” because they didn’t do enough magical things. Ha! I didn’t change it though. Another beta reader said that one thing I said was way too. harsh/mean and so I did change it. I love young Beta readers. They are very honest.

Best: when they tell me which character they love the most and why.

Under the Golden Rain Tree comes out in May.

Stella and the Sea Stars: Stella’s parents are divorcing and she goes to spend the summer with her grandmother on a tiny island in Florida where she learns to deal with her anger, meets two new friends, solves a mystery from the past etc.I always wanted to write a story based on living by the ocean.

AllAuthor promotes its authors books regularly on social media so I think that’s helpful. Some of the book mockups are also very good for promotion.