Mini-Interview with Anne K. Edwards
Q. Your children’s picture book, Jeremy and the Dragon, (Illustrated by Lewis Francisco) was recently released by Twilight Times Books. What compelled you to switch genres and what was your source of inspiration for this particular story?
A. Jeremy and the Dragon is a one-time venture into another genre for a tale I wanted to tell. If I remember correctly, the idea came when I realized how many TV shows and books talk down to children or are so sugar coated as to make the listener or reader feel sticky. I wondered if a child character could logically be put in a situation from which he could make his own way out. The fun was in letting him go one-up on two older brothers who didn't want to play with him.
Q. Children never seem to get tired of dragon stories. What makes dragons so fascinating for children?
A. I think dragons represent the unknown in many forms. Danger, excitement, adventure, make-believe and a chance to imagine what they would do if faced with a dragon. To tell the truth, I think they fascinate the child in a good many adults too as evidenced by all the dragon tales written by both men and women authors for grown-ups.
Q. How was the experience of collaborating with an illustrator? What advice would you give children's authors who are looking for one?
A. I had fun! It was great to see my words take a shape I could see through an artist's eyes. I had already written the story and set it aside when I met Lewis Francisco, a talented artist, who was interested in doing childrens books. I gave him the story and the characters he created couldn't be improved. He gave the dragons some great expressions that tell the story without words. If you are a well established writer of childrens books, I'm sure there is no shortage of artists to do the art for your books, but if you are a beginner like myself, you might consider checking with a local art council if your town has one, or contacting the art teacher at your local high school or college. If there are art schools in your area, that is another place to start. And you might also just contact some children's book authors for information. In most cases you will have to pay for the artwork for your children's book, unless, you are fortunate enough like myself to find someone who is willing to undertake a partnership. Creating the artwork for any book is very time consuming and most artists just don't have that kind of time to risk on spec for a book that might not sell or draw enough attention to their work.
Q. Will there be more Jeremy and the Dragon books in the future?
A. That depends on how well this book is received and if the artist wants to go for a second book.
Q. Where is the book available?
A. The book is only in ebook form and may be ordered at http://twilighttimesbooks.com/ttb_booklist.html Go to Young Adult/Children's Books and click. Jeremy and the Dragon are the second listing. There is a button to click to read an excerpt and see the cover.
Q. In addition to being a published author, you’re also a newsletter editor, and freelance reviewer for various websites. How do you juggle all these jobs on a daily basis? Please describe a typical day in Anne. K. Edwards’ life.
A. There is no typical day in Anne K.'s life. Everything depends on the critters she lives with and serves. Their demands must come first and they do expect prompt responses. When they do not require attention, my time is split between writing and barn duties for a few aging horses. I fit my computer work and writing in between those tasks. I may stay up late some nights to finish a project but as I am one of the over-the-hill gang, that doesn't happen often.:)
Q. Is there anything else you'd like to share with our readers about your current or future projects?
A. I'm having a bit of fun in helping Mayra Calvani on a writing project, The Slippery Art of Book Reviewing, and hoping to finish another Hannah Clare, PI, mystery. Then I have two really fun stories I hope to write. I did recently finish a dark story with no happy ending that will be out in ebook form in the late fall. It is based on a civilization that allowed greed to destroy it--The Last to Fall.
A. Jeremy and the Dragon is a one-time venture into another genre for a tale I wanted to tell. If I remember correctly, the idea came when I realized how many TV shows and books talk down to children or are so sugar coated as to make the listener or reader feel sticky. I wondered if a child character could logically be put in a situation from which he could make his own way out. The fun was in letting him go one-up on two older brothers who didn't want to play with him.
Q. Children never seem to get tired of dragon stories. What makes dragons so fascinating for children?
A. I think dragons represent the unknown in many forms. Danger, excitement, adventure, make-believe and a chance to imagine what they would do if faced with a dragon. To tell the truth, I think they fascinate the child in a good many adults too as evidenced by all the dragon tales written by both men and women authors for grown-ups.
Q. How was the experience of collaborating with an illustrator? What advice would you give children's authors who are looking for one?
A. I had fun! It was great to see my words take a shape I could see through an artist's eyes. I had already written the story and set it aside when I met Lewis Francisco, a talented artist, who was interested in doing childrens books. I gave him the story and the characters he created couldn't be improved. He gave the dragons some great expressions that tell the story without words. If you are a well established writer of childrens books, I'm sure there is no shortage of artists to do the art for your books, but if you are a beginner like myself, you might consider checking with a local art council if your town has one, or contacting the art teacher at your local high school or college. If there are art schools in your area, that is another place to start. And you might also just contact some children's book authors for information. In most cases you will have to pay for the artwork for your children's book, unless, you are fortunate enough like myself to find someone who is willing to undertake a partnership. Creating the artwork for any book is very time consuming and most artists just don't have that kind of time to risk on spec for a book that might not sell or draw enough attention to their work.
Q. Will there be more Jeremy and the Dragon books in the future?
A. That depends on how well this book is received and if the artist wants to go for a second book.
Q. Where is the book available?
A. The book is only in ebook form and may be ordered at http://twilighttimesbooks.com/ttb_booklist.html Go to Young Adult/Children's Books and click. Jeremy and the Dragon are the second listing. There is a button to click to read an excerpt and see the cover.
Q. In addition to being a published author, you’re also a newsletter editor, and freelance reviewer for various websites. How do you juggle all these jobs on a daily basis? Please describe a typical day in Anne. K. Edwards’ life.
A. There is no typical day in Anne K.'s life. Everything depends on the critters she lives with and serves. Their demands must come first and they do expect prompt responses. When they do not require attention, my time is split between writing and barn duties for a few aging horses. I fit my computer work and writing in between those tasks. I may stay up late some nights to finish a project but as I am one of the over-the-hill gang, that doesn't happen often.:)
Q. Is there anything else you'd like to share with our readers about your current or future projects?
A. I'm having a bit of fun in helping Mayra Calvani on a writing project, The Slippery Art of Book Reviewing, and hoping to finish another Hannah Clare, PI, mystery. Then I have two really fun stories I hope to write. I did recently finish a dark story with no happy ending that will be out in ebook form in the late fall. It is based on a civilization that allowed greed to destroy it--The Last to Fall.
Comments
Will this book ever be published traditionally?