WHEN DID YOU FIRST KNOW YOU WANTED TO BE A WRITER AND WHY?
IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL; I LOVED TO READ BOOKS TO MYSELF AND TO OTHERS--BOOKS CAN BE SPELLBINDING. I WANT MY BOOKS TO CAPTURE READERS' IMAGINATIONS AND FURTHER POSITIVE VALUES OF SELF-ESTEEM, SHARING, GIVING, CARING, AND KINDNESS.
AS A CHILD, WHAT DID YOU ASPIRE TO BE WHEN YOU GREW UP?
A WRITER AND A TEACHER; I AM BOTH.
HOW DID YOU GET THE IDEA FOR YOUR AWARD WINNING TITLE?
FROM SEEING THREE RACCOONS OUT AT NIGHT AND THINKING MAYBE THEY WERE ACTUALLY WITCHES IN DISGUISE. THEN THE FIRST VERSE CAME TO ME AND THE BOOK DEVELOPED AS A FUN REVERSE COUNTING BOOK (FEATURING THE LONG 'E' SOUND, EE/EA/EI) WITH TRICK OR TREATERS OUT ON HALLOWEEN NIGHT.
WHAT OTHER BOOKS HAVE YOU PUBLISHED?
MAGICAL MATTHEW
MAGICAL MEA
MAGICAL MEA GOES TO SCHOOL, AND
MAGICAL MAX AND MAGICAL MICKEY
TELL US SOMETHING RANDOM ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE AS A WRITER:
MOST OF MY CHILDREN'S BOOK IDEAS CAME TO ME WHILE OUT WALKING MY DOGS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
WHICH AUTHOR HAS MOST GREATLY INFLUENCED YOUR WRITING STYLE?
SO MANY: J.K. ROWLING, HEMINGWAY,
WHAT BOOK HAS HAD THE GREATEST IMPACT ON YOUR LIFE?
ALL THE CLASSICS, BUT MOST RECENTLY: "HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER'S STONE," BECAUSE IT REAWAKENED MY INTEREST IN CHILDREN'S LITERATURE.
WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR GREATEST LITERARY ACCOMPLISHMENT?
ALTHOUGH I AM VERY PROUD OF ALL OF MY CHILDREN'S BOOKS, I BELIEVE MY GREATEST LITERARY ACCOMPLISHMENT WILL BE MY FICTIONALIZED MEMOIR WHICH IS IN PROCESS.
CAN YOU DESCRIBE THE PROCESS OF BECOMING PUBLISHED AND ANY TIPS YOU MIGHT OFFER FOR OTHER ASPIRING AUTHORS?
I FOUND MY ARTIST, KEVIN COLLIER, ONLINE AND HE INTRODUCED ME TO MY GAP PUBLISHER -- A SMOOTH TRANSITION FROM BOOK IDEA TO ARTWORK TO PUBLICATION. I RECOMMEND READING, READING, READING, ALSO, PARTICIPATING IN SCBWI, AND IN OTHER WRITING CLUBS AND GROUPS, PLUS TAKING INTENSIVE WORKSHOPS AND WRITING DAILY.
CAN YOU OFFER ANY ADVICE FOR WRITERS ON HOW BEST TO PROMOTE THEIR BOOK?
FOR CHILDREN'S BOOKS, DOING SCHOOL VISITS AND CONNECTING WITH STUDENTS, TEACHERS, AND SCHOOL LIBRARIANS IS BEST.
IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU'D LIKE TO SHARE WITH OUR READERS?
WRITING, THOUGH SOLITARY, CONNECTS WRITERS AND AUTHORS TO THE WORLD THROUGH OUR IDEAS, EXPERIENCES, AND BOOKS. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO CONNECT WITH OTHER WRITERS, SHARE WHAT YOU'VE LEARNED, AND HELP EACH OTHER.
DO YOU HAVE ANY NEW BOOKS IN THE WORKS?
YES, FOUR BOOKS:
MAGICAL MAX & MAGICAL MICKEY'S BIG SURPRISE,
IN AND OUT, ALL 'ROUND ABOUT - OPPOSITE FRIENDS,
MY GRANDMA'S PINK HOUSE,
WHAT'S FOR DINNER?
WHAT'S FOR DINNER? IS ABOUT A GIRL WORRIED ABOUT EATING AT HER NIGERIAN FRIEND'S HOUSE FOR DINNER. IT WILL BE AVAILABLE ON AMAZON SOON. CHECK MY PENELOPE ANNE COLE AUTHOR PAGE ON AMAZON AND WWW.PENELOPEANNECOLE.COM.
LITERARY CLASSICS Book Awards & Reviews International Book Awards • Top Honors Youth Book Awards • Seal of Approval http://www.clcawards.org
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