Xander's
Story,
looks like a great and helpful children's book aimed at a specific
target market. Any plans for similar educational books?
Yes,
we have two upcoming projects in the works. One is the story of
Xander’s baby brother, Max. This project will focus on adoption.
The second project focuses on a little girl who celebrates her
naturally curly hair through creative adventures with her trustworthy
sidekicks.
What
do you think makes a great children's educational book?
A
great children’s educational book must reach out to two key
audiences: 1) the child; and, 2) the parent/guardian.
A
well illustrated book will capture a child’s attention while a
thoughtful approach to story telling will keep both the child and the
parent engaged.
What
inspired you when writing Xander's
Story?
Our
son takes full responsibility for inspiration. Having two dads, he
began to ask questions shortly after he turned four. We didn’t
want to just tell him his story – we wanted to celebrate it. What
better way to celebrate your story than a book that is written
specifically about you. The book was created as a gift for his 5th
birthday.
What
are your ambitions for your writing career? Full time? Part time?
My
husband and I will continue to write books for children that focus on
life events and daily challenges.
He
will continue to collaborate on the projects; however, as an
attorney, his time is limited.
I
am a recently retired Healthcare executive who will balance my
writing with raising our two extraordinary boys.
When
did you decide to become a writer?
Although
our professions require us to write on a daily basis, the
professional writing tends to have a heavier technical slant vs. a
creative approach.
We
both have been amateur creative writers our entire lives. Our first
Christmas gifts to one another were written creative pieces.
The
creative writing garden really started to bloom after children.
When
writing Xander's
Story
did anything stand out as particularly challenging?
Because
the subject matter was so dear to us the project flowed smoothly.
What required the most thought was taking the complicated scientific
process of gestational surrogacy and simplifying into a way that a
five year old will understand.
What
do you like to do when not writing?
We
have two young boys, 5 and 4 months. That pretty much occupies all
free time.
Our
website is currently under construction: www.xanmaxbooks.com