Tag Archives: animal stories

Apr22

Interview with Sean O’Leary

Posted on by
Standard

Birds are singing. Flowers are blooming. Spring is finally in full swing. What better way to help your child connect with nature than with a good book! I’m continuing to feature spring related books on the blog during this season, and here is my next gem.

Princess and Scruffy is about a squirrel that has a fear of heights, and needs to work out his trauma with the help of his new friend. Sean O’Leary is the author. Mr. O’Leary does a fabulous job addressing the issue of making new friends and facing fears all set within a beautiful forest. The illustrations are adorable, and I hope you enjoy his interview. He shares about his reading memories, author inspirations and what he does to help his writing routine. Happy Spring!

  • What is your favorite memory from reading as a child?

Sean O’Leary: My mother would read to me before I went to bed, and I very much looked forward to reading time.

  • Who was your favorite author and how did they influence you?

Sean O’Leary: As a child I loved everything Dr. Seuss. The books are more than just entertainment; they have a message they are trying to convey. I remember talking about the themes with my mom. One that sticks out to me is Whoville. A person is a person, no matter how small. I think that is important today more than ever. Everyone is important. Teaching empathy for others is a valuable skill and an important attribute for people to have if they want to be an asset to society.

  • Do you have a writing routine? Share what works for you.

Sean O’Leary: I have always lived a very full life which makes it very difficult to keep a strict writing routine. I visualize a story before I write it down. Once I have the story in my head, it is like a splinter that keeps pestering you until you take it out. I have to write it down so I can get it out of my head. There are times I will think about the story for a few days before writing it down. Such was the case with Princess and Scruffy. Other times, it takes me several years before I have what I want to say all together in my head. That is how it was with The Road of Blood. I want to see the story in my imagination first, and then I just have to write down what I see.

Book Blurb for Princess and Scruffy:

Scruffy is a lovable, fluffy, tan squirrel that lives in a beautiful forest. He is a small animal with a big problem. Unlike all the other squirrels, Scruffy is afraid of heights. Instead of running up and down the trees and out across the limbs, he is stuck on the ground.

One day he makes a new friend who promises to help him as he tries to overcome his fears. Scruffy is afraid that if he does not learn to climb trees, he will lose his new friend. Will he succeed? Will he learn to climb trees like the other squirrels? With a friend like Princess, he cannot fail.

Princess and Scruffy is available at Amazon.com as a Kindle Unlimited title.

For more information on Sean O’Leary, visit his author page here.

Jun18

Interview with Darlene Rakestraw

Posted on by
Standard
Darlene Rakestraw is the debut author of the children’s picture book, “Wabbles the Happy Little Hippo”.

Summer is here, and I’m sure your child is hungry for adventure and fun. I know the perfect mascot for that. “Wabbles the Happy Little Hippo” is a wonderful adventure to engage your child into the adventures of life while introducing problem solving events that might turn up. Darlene Rakestraw is the debut author of the book. She is a mother, grandmother, and a recent cancer survivor. Her story helps bring a sense of wonder back into the fun-filled moments that turn life into an adventure.

I had the chance to talk with Darlene about writing, her reasons for writing her book, and her early reading influences as a child.

1) What is your favorite memory from reading as a child?

Darlene Rakestraw: My favorite stories were bedtime stories read to me by my mother.

2) Who was your favorite author and how did they influence you?
Darlene Rakestraw: It was really a series of different authors who wrote the Nancy Drew Mystery Series. My favorite Nancy Drew story was “The Hidden Staircase” written under the pseudonym Carolyn Keene as the author.

3) Do you have a writing routine? Share what works for you.

Darlene Rakestraw: No, but I do enjoy writing at the end of the day when it’s quiet and I can collect my thoughts.

4) What subjects would you like to write about in future projects?

Darlene Rakestraw: I do not have any future projects planned at this time.

5)  How did you get the idea for your picture book, “Wabbles the Happy Little Hippo”.
Darlene Rakestraw: While I was going through chemotherapy, the words just seemed to pop into my head while I was in bed one day. I wrote them down on a scratch pad and put them away for a while. That was the start of the book.

6) What hobbies do you enjoy besides writing?
Darlene Rakestraw: I like to make quilts and other projects using vintage hand crank and treadle sewing machines. Also, I enjoy reading, collecting antiques, traveling by car and exploring new areas.

7) What is your favorite recipe book? Can you share some of it?
Darlene Rakestraw: Using a cookbook to get ideas for cooking different foods is the main reason I look through a cookbook. I would have to say my favorite recipes are the basic ones using less than six ingredients. I think food should taste like the main food item without trying to bury it in a lot of extra seasonings.

8) Which is your favorite vintage sewing machine in your collection?
Darlene Rakestraw: I would have to say my everyday machine for the fabric piecing is my 1941 Singer model 99 hand crank machine. I also use my 1939 Singer model 201K treadle for the larger sewing pieces. The really vintage machines from the earlier years are all in excellent working condition, but these are my favorites to actually use a lot.

9) Do you have a favorite walking trail? If so, why?
Darlene Rakestraw: I really don’t have a favorite walking trail. In recent years, I use a walking machine to get in about a mile a day. It’s quick, efficient, and can be worked into my schedule day or night.

10) What is writing to you in one sentence?

Darlene Rakestraw: To me writing is a way of expressing and organizing my thoughts and feelings.

Book Blurb:

Ever had the feeling of needing to take on an adventure? Wabbles does. She is a very curious and happy hippo that enjoys swimming in her own pond in her pasture. But one day, she decides to go out and find adventure in her life. Join her as she enjoys a delicious treat, goes to the doctor, has a fun day at the circus and gets lost while exploring in four unique, easy to read bedtime stories.

This book would be a great way to instill a sense of adventure in a child’s life. Validate that need to solve problems and take on new things while enjoying the fun aspects of life in this whimsical and adorable children’s tale. This storybook collection of four original tales will make the perfect addition to any class or home library.

“Wabbles the Happy Little Hippo” is available as an ebook in the Kindle store and as a paperback edition on Amazon.com.