THE NEXT BIG THING?

The Next Big Thing?

I have been tagged by Jayne Self – author of Death of a Highland Heavyweight and Murder in Hum Harbour.

Here are my answers to the questions:

1. What is the title of your book? 

My new book, Tadeo Turtle, has just been launched. Although I haven’t seriously considered the next book I did write a poem (maybe for the next book) about how Tadeo becomes very shy and withdrawn and he retreats into his shell. However some readers of my first book want a story about CAT. So I will have to see where I am led. 

2.  Where did the idea come from for the book?

I journal every morning. One morning after reading Scripture and contemplating how special we are to God – this poem (the one in Tadeo Turtle) started to come to me. I quickly wrote down what I heard. I liked it. So I started to paint pictures of turtles, and other animals. From there it came together and turned into a picture book with my watercolours as illustrations.

3.   What genre does your book fall under?

The book is an illustrated children’s book for ages 2-7 (but my grandson is having it read to him and he is only 8 months old).

4.   Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?

Now that is a funny question. I would make Tadeo Turtle into a cartoon with my watercolour characters coming to life. I can see Sammy Squirrel scampering from tree to tree while little Tadeo dreams of being able to do such a thing. I would have Morgan Freeman as the voice of Tadeo.

5.   What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book? 

Tadeo Turtle longed to be different but through an exciting adventure he learns to accept how God has made him.

6.   Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?

This book is self-published through Word Alive Press. They also do the marketing to over 5000 schools and libraries and bookstores in Canada. Would I go with an agency for the next book? Not sure. I had such freedom of expression using Word Alive. They helped with the font and making the names of the characters in capitals and colour. But I continued to have artistic control. Not sure if I could give that up.

7.    How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?

What can I say – It took one morning… it is not War and Peace. However, the rewrites, editing and painting took many more months.

8.   What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?

I have always loved picture books. I loved reading to my children, discussing the pictures, and having them make stories to go with the pictures. Picture books are great jumping off points for literacy for children. My three favourite picture books are – The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carl , The Enormous Crocodile by Roald Dahl and Deegie and the Fairy Princess by Ruth Rempel (and I still have a copy of this one).

9.   Who or what inspired you to write this book? 

I must say that God inspired me – not only in the creation of this story but the production of the watercolours. These are the best pictures I have ever painted. And I love the way God has led me to reach out to others and tell them that they are special too. Being in the Word – reading the Bible every day – keeps me inspired to tell more and more people about who Jesus is and how we can get to know Him better.

10.    What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?

From the comments that I have heard I think that children and parents will like the activities at the back of the book as well as a free online curriculum available. I have heard many compliments about the watercolours too. It has been said that “Tadeo Turtle’s gleeful personality is sure to win the hearts of children.” (Glynis Belec) 

And now I tag:

Kimberley Payne who has a new book called – Trees of the Book

Janet Stobie who has a new book called – Fireweed

Eunice Machett who writes as Whirling Words