As we move into a time where many schools are taking early Spring breaks or closing for 3 weeks for protection against spreading the corona virus, I’ll be helping out with recommendations, interviews, and my own lesson plans for parents during this time. I know it’s hard to find activities and lessons for your child. So, I’ll be featuring author interviews, book deals, and other ideas to help with this interim.

I’m starting out with an interview with a fabulous children’s fantasy author, Mark Even. Mr. Even lives in Minnesota, and worked for IBM for thirty-seven years. After he retired, he got the idea to write a children’s book from a local children’s book fair. Combining his love of comic books, superheroes, science fiction and Harry Potter, he created the book “The Wonders of the Peculiar Parasol”. Written for his granddaughter’s and all children’s enjoyment, it’s a children’s fantasy with dragons, wizards and a magical parasol with special powers. I got a chance to talk to Mark Even about his childhood reading memories, writing routine, and what he plans for future projects.

1) What is your favorite memory from reading as a child?
Mark Even: The first real book that I read was a biography about Babe Ruth. I was really into baseball as a kid (still am) and played through college and even after college. And I was also a big fan of baseball. But as a kid, I also remember how the nuns at the school would bring TVs into the classroom for the World Series since there were very few night games back then. Baseball was a big part of my life and that book sticks in my mind as part of that whole passion.

2) Who was your favorite author and how did they influence you?
Mark Even: To be totally honest, Stan Lee is my favorite author. During my teens (even through college), about all I could afford for entertainment were comic books. I found the whole Marvel Comics Universe so interesting and creative. And now, technology has caught up and these stories can be told in films. But I think the whole creativity of making impossible things seem real and natural while working in stories of family and relationships along with the battles of good vs evil — this is what I strive to portray in my stories as well.

3) Do you have a writing routine? Share what works for you.
Mark Even: First I start forming a plot in my head and then even “write” chapters or sections in my head as well. This will go on for weeks — keeps me awake most of the nights thinking through plot lines and dialogue. Next, I jot down the major plot points in a notebook and various particular items, like a name of a character or the distance between Earth and Mars, so I don’t forget these or have to look them up again. Finally, I’ll sit down and just start writing on the computer. Probably just a chapter at a time, but I often go back and rewrite or enhance the writing with new items or plot points that tie to the next chapter.

4) What subjects would you like to write about in future projects?
Mark Even: I’m pretty much set on developing more stories about magical persons and creatures.

5) What is writing to you in one sentence?
Mark Even: Being retired, writing (or more accurately, making up stories), is one of my favorite pastimes!

“The Wonders of the Peculiar Parasol” is a children’s fantasy adventure that brings to mind Harry Potter, superheroes and every day kids with a magical purpose. Two cousins find a magical parasol that unlocks a world to discover their magical heritage. Mistakenly releasing an evil magician leads to the cousins working together to save their wizard ancestor, the parasol, and their families. This is a magical adventure that children from upper grade elementary to middle school will enjoy.

“The Wonders of the Peculiar Parasol” is available at: Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble.

For more information, visit Mark Even’s Amazon Author Page at: https://www.amazon.com/Mr-Mark-M-Even/e/B082HYFKXP.