Today, a little something extra for my readers.
You write children’s
novels. What attracts you most to that genre?
I write for children because that’s where the pure enjoyment
of reading begins. Reading was also so much a part of my childhood, I always
loved getting a new book. This is something I have been able to share with my
daughters and love every step on this journey.
Ghostnapped! is
set in South Australia at Rapid Bay. Why did you choose that setting?
I started writing Ghostnapped! on a camping trip at Rapid
Bay. A friend and I both wrote stories that weekend, it was great fun to go and
explore the local area. When I got home and did some research into the old mine
and the local habitat the story just kept evolving.
Where did the idea
for your protagonist, Alex, come from?
Alex is a strong girl, she loves to explore and gets annoyed
by her younger brother, who like lots of kids wants to be just like their older
sibling. She developed along with the story, but there are certainly aspects of
her personality that I can relate to.
Obi in Obi the Super Puppy and the Mystery of the
Red Mist is patterned after your own dog. What is your favorite characteristic?
Obi is an amazing dog, he has always been a little bit
different from other Labradors. He likes to sit and observe, or supervise as we
now believe. It is so hard to put into words exactly what he does for the
children he works with, but the best think about Obi is that no one gets
missed.
You participate in
Labs ‘n Life – a non-profit
organization that works with autistic children (BRAVO!). How has that
interaction shaped your writing?
Labs ‘n Life does so much, we train Labradors as companion
dogs for children on the autism spectrum. However we also work with at risk
youth to do this training, they are the ones who train the dogs for other
families. This way so many people benefit from the training of a single dog. We
also have a curriculum that centers on training the dogs, which can provide our
students with credit into further study. This curriculum is rich in literacy
development and in some ways this has helped shape my writing. I certainly get
lots of material from the amazing dogs and students I work with.
Have you ever
considered featuring an autistic child in any of your books?
I probably will at some stage, as I am currently writing a
sequel to Obi, so it may happen. When I am writing I tend to just see where the
book will take me, so you never know.
I see that you
published Ghostnapped! with SBPRA.
Can you tell us about your experience with them?
To get a book published is an amazing thing, I was very
happy when Strategic took on both of my books. I have to thank them for giving
me a go, there are some aspects I know other authors find difficult, but I tend
to think along the lines of proving myself as an author. That is generally what
Strategic are interested in. I have met the basic requirements of both books,
in terms of numbers sold, so now I need to prove I can sell more books in order
to have my next one published. For some authors this approach may seem
difficult, and while it’s not easy I am happy to give it a go.
What methods have you
used for advertising your book, Ghostnapped!?
I have an
author web page,
Facebook page, twitter (
@AshleyHowland),
blog and
a
YouTube channel. I also have press releases and a YouTube video that were made
by the publishing company. This advertising process is the most difficult,
hopefully it is something I will get better at as I work on my writing. The
publishing company has provided me with many ideas, it’s just trying to find
the time to get things done, and after all writing is a hobby.
Have you considered a
giveaway on Goodreads for Ghostnapped!? Why/Why not?
I have only just joined Goodreads, so I guess anything is
possible. It is something I will be looking into.
Do you have any
events (book signings, meet the author events, sales, etc…) planned?
I am hoping to be available to present some reading
challenge medals at a few schools later in the year, this is something I really
enjoy. I would also be more than happy to do book signings and meet the author
events, it would certainly be an experience.
What types of things
do you discuss on your blog?
At the moment I am doing an author blog challenge, so I have
used a few of their prompts. This has given me a chance to blog about my
writing process, and learn about the processes of others. I will never claim to be a complete author, just
someone who wants to share a story. Most of my blogs outside of the challenge
tend to be about the dogs, and the crazy things they do.
Is there a specific
message you’re trying to send with Ghostnapped!?
What is that message?
I wouldn’t say there were any specific messages, but there
were two themes that developed. I enjoyed touching on the natural rivalry
between siblings. Now that I have two daughters I will get a lot more material
in this area. It’s fun to explore that love/hate relationship brothers and
sisters have. The other was an environmental theme that fit into the local area
of the beach.
What are some of the
books you’re planning for the future? Where will we be able to find them?
At the moment I am editing two more children’s books. One if
for younger readers and I am having a friend do some illustrations. I hope to
begin the publishing process with this one towards the end of the year. The
other will take longer, as it is more of a teenage novel, but one I am really
enjoying. I am also writing that sequel to Obi, so I have lots of writing to
keep me busy.
Thank you, Ashley, for taking the time to answer my
questions. I wish you the best of luck with your books and look forward to
having you back for a visit soon!
A review for Ghostnapped!
will be appearing on my blog tomorrow with a synopsis so come on back for that.
That's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!
Jo
