WHEN DID YOU FIRST KNOW YOU WANTED TO BE A WRITER?
My journey as a writer began in parallel with my career as a family medicine doctor. I was always fascinated by picture books. The dream of becoming an author has always been tucked away in a safe place since childhood. After reading Dr. Jacques Ferron’s tales and novels, I knew I wanted to be a writer as well as a doctor. My education and aspirations were dedicated to these two fields. My medical career has allowed me to complete my Master’s degree in medical pedagogy and later to teach family medicine at the Montreal University. While avidly pursuing my medical career, I also wrote numerous medical articles and books and became Editor-in-Chief of the French medical magazine, "Le Médecin Du Québec."
AS A CHILD, WHAT DID YOU ASPIRE TO BE WHEN YOU GREW UP?
When I was a child, I used to go to public libraries. I wished I could write my own books. My dad gave me my first writers’ kit. I first collected well-written sentences from my favorite books. Then, I wrote short stories. If my sister could have given me a nickname, she would have chosen "Liar." Fortunately, my mother loved my work. In high school, a French teacher told me that I could be a writer if I worked hard at it. In College, another teacher encouraged me to never stop pursuing my dream of becoming a writer. Nevertheless, both had warned me that it would be very challenging.
HOW DID YOU GET THE IDEA FOR YOUR AWARD WINNING TITLE Are You Eating My Lunch?/Manges-tu mon lunch?
All my books are dedicated to my children, nephews and nieces. I needed one for Xavier, my youngest grandchild born deaf and suffering of a congenital facial palsy. I wanted to inspire him to read books, as he can’t hear like others. I wanted to write the best book I could for him. He was so happy to have his name in a book. For both of us, it was a fabulous moment.
HOW DID YOU GET THE IDEA FOR YOUR AWARD WINNING TITLE? Strike At Charles’ Farm/Grève à la ferme de Charles
When I wrote this book, the Quebec nurses where on strike, doctors were complaining and nobody was happy. A child asked me what a strike was. This question from a child inspired me to write the picture book. As I was not able to find a publisher, I translated it and self-published it. Mylène Villeneuve’s illustrations are hilarious and the message on responsibilities is easy to understand and discuss with children.
TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOUR AWARD WINNING TITLES:
Are You Eating My Lunch?/Manges-tu mon lunch? is a picture book of less than 300 words written in French and English. I like the pace and poesy of this short story. This book is ideal for a first reader as the sentences are easy to read and help to build a child’s self-confidence in his reading skills.
In Strike at Charles’ Farm/Grève à la ferme de Charles the animals complain about their duties on the farm. Mylène Villeneuve did a fabulous job illustrating their concerns. I always laugh when I see these illustrations.
IN WHAT WAY DO YOU FEEL YOUR CHARACTERS RELATE TO YOU PERSONALLY?
As in Are You Eating My Lunch?, when I have a question I will look for the answer until I find it.
Just like Charles, in Strike At Charles’ Farm, when all my colleagues where on strike I stayed positive and tried to find a win-win solution. For me, being on strike is not the best solution to today's problems.
WHAT MESSAGE DO YOU HOPE READERS WILL GLEAN FROM YOUR AWARD WINNING BOOKS?
The purpose of Are You Eating My Lunch? is to make reading fun for kids. I wish this book would become a classic as a first picture book. Winning Best First Picture Book with Literary Classics will help me achieve this goal.
After reading Strike At Charles’ Farm, children and their parents may have a great discussion about family values and responsibilities.
Both books should improve vocabulary and educate children on their favorite topic; animals. If a child reaches the last page of my books and requests to read another one, I will have succeeded as a writer to impact his life.
TELL US SOMETHING INTERESTING ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE AS A WRITER:
After waiting many years to be published I was invited by my editors to the Quebec International Book Fair to sign my first four published books. As this was my hometown, my sick mother was able to visit the booths. A few months later, she died of cancer after having made me promise to publish more books.
WHICH AUTHOR HAS MOST GREATLY INFLUENCED YOUR WRITING STYLE?
I am inspired by Walt Disney. In his tradition I give life to inanimate objects and to magical characters that engage children and help them to develop their reading and critical thinking skills.
WHAT BOOK HAS HAD THE GREATEST IMPACT ON YOUR LIFE?
I read Stephen King’s book On Writing over five times. The famous writer tell us that editors rejected his work many times before selling his first bestselling book Carrie. He also shares with us the most important tips about writing. The most difficult one is to engage readers by always telling the truth, which is not an easy job for a novelist.
WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR GREATEST LITERARY ACCOMPLISHMENT?
In 2012, I published a color illustrated peer-reviewed health guide. In this book, readers learn how to react to the most 50 frequent symptoms and minor traumas. It took me three years to write and publish this book. More than 135,000 copies have been sold which is a huge success in the small Quebec market.
As a second important accomplishment, last year, I won the Readers’ Favorite Bronze medal for my book Parents for Sale. It inspired me to produce my first audiobook. The Authors Show has also selected me as one of the 2015 Great Writers You Should Be Reading.
WHAT OTHER BOOKS HAVE YOU PUBLISHED?
Parents for Sale audiobook
Books written in French
Félix et Boubou (Young boy with his magic doctor’s suitcase)
La gastroentérite de Léa (Léa has Gastroenteritis)
La chasse aux poux (Hunting Lice)
La varicelle de Sabrina (Sabrina has Chickenpox)
Les allergies de Gabriel (Gabriel has Allergies)
Le bras cassé de Charles (Charles has a Broken Arm)
Un vaccin pour Joëlle (A vaccine for Joëlle)
La magie du corps humain (The Magical Human Body)
Accomplice to the Last Breath a very special story that I hold dear to my heart because it tells of the last hours of my daughter-in-law who died of lung cancer.
DO YOU HAVE ANY WRITING RITUALS?
I write after work, always in the same chair in our living room. When I write, I focus on my work. It may take me six months to write a picture book.
HOW DID YOU GET PUBLISHED?
In the Province of Quebec, I first published medical books and peer-reviewed scientific articles. One of these books won prestigious international awards. Then I became the Editor-in-Chief of a French medical magazine for three years. This experience helped me understand book marketing and networking among traditional publishers.
An editor asked me to write a Health Guide. This book was a special order. Meanwhile I wanted to publish children’s books so I wrote them both. I submitted my books to many editors. In Quebec, you don’t need to have an agent to be published. It took a year to receive an offer from Boomerang to publish the first 2 books of the series "Félix and Boubou." All my books became bestsellers. I had many television and radio interviews. Nonetheless, I was not able to sell my chapter book Parents for Sale nor my two picture books. I decided to translate them before self-publishing them. In 2015, all these books won more than fifty international awards and honorable mentions.
WHAT OTHER AWARDS HAVE YOU WON FOR YOUR BOOKS?
In the last year, I've won many awards for my children books and stories.
Mom’s Choice Award Silver
Story Monster Approved
Readers’ Favorite Bronze Medal
Pinnacle Book Award
New York Book Festival
Hollywood Book Festival
Animals, Animals, Animals Book Festival
Canadian Mimi Dibinsy Short Medical Story
Purple Dragonfly Book Award
I also won the First Paris Medical and Pharmacist Book Award and The Quebec First Prize for Medical Book with a group of doctors for a textbook on Clinical Epidemiology and Statistics.
CAN YOU DESCRIBE THE PROCESS OF BECOMING PUBLISHED AND ANY TIPS YOU MIGHT OFFER FOR OTHER ASPIRING AUTHORS?
My first medical and non-fiction books were publishers’ commands. When I decided to publish children’s books, I had to work very hard to get published. Being a medical doctor helped me as I had written and sold many medical non-fiction books. The concept of a magical doctor’s suitcase was new. Editors like new concepts and renowned authors. It helped me get published. Marketing focused on my medical background.
CAN YOU OFFER ANY ADVICE FOR WRITERS ON HOW BEST TO PROMOTE THEIR BOOK?
My messages to young authors is to dream big, keep focused and hire experts for editing and market themselves more than their books. The marketing process starts before producing the book. Cover design, format, and retail price all influence sales. Having a website to promote the author is a must in the book market. Publishing a blog helps a lot if you have time to publish on a regular basis.
After publishing a book, submit it to as many contests, bloggers and reviewers as possible. Winning an award is one of the most effective ways to build a writers’ credibility. Agents and publishers look for award winning authors.
IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU'D LIKE TO SHARE WITH OUR READERS?
My true intentions regarding being a writer is to inspire children to read, to set their imaginations free and to encourage good decision-making regarding health, safety and moral responsibility. Writing children’s books is a way for me to give back and be a positive resource for the community. It is a way I can positively express myself while being a positive role model for both children and parents. These are a few small steps toward making the world a better place. I hope that my books inspire children to set their minds free and to work to make the world a better place. I am honored to have this dream come true and will continue to work and create stories for children that motivate and inspire them.
DO YOU HAVE ANY NEW BOOKS IN THE WORKS?
I am on my way to finishing two manuscripts for young readers and their parents. The themes are how to get rid of pacifiers and toilet-training children. Andara will publish the first two books of this new series next year.
I have more than 10 unpublished children’s book manuscripts waiting for an agent or a publisher.
The English translation of the first book of my popular French series Félix and Boubouwill be available very soon as an eBook. More details will be published on my Website www.DrNicoleBook.com
LITERARY CLASSICS Book Awards & Reviews International Book Awards • Top Honors Youth Book Awards • Seal of Approval http://www.clcawards.org
Congrats on your awards...super nice!
ReplyDeleteLinda B
https://bricesmicechristianbookreviews.blogspot.com/