Interview With Children’s Book Author Robert Vincent

 

 

1. What motivated you to write your book, to force you from taking an idea or experience and turning it into this book? I was writing a novel at the time when our son told us he adopted a kitty from a homeless woman in Dallas who had the kitty in the pocket of her overcoat. I thought the story was too good to pass up. I stopped what I was doing with my novel. With the story already in my head, I went to work on the illustrations.  

2. What is it about and who is it for? “From the Pocket of an Overcoat” is about a homeless woman who rescues a kitty named Max, and has Max in the pocket of her overcoat where he is fed and kept warm. One early morning a farmer comes into the city delivering apples, He sees the homeless woman and Max and wonders if the homeless woman would trade Max for some apples. She agrees and the farmer takes Max back to the farm where he meets his brothers, who all happen to be dogs. There, Max starts a whole new life and through his journey of finding a new home, he ‘finds’ himself and discovers a true sense of belonging with his new family. The book is really for all ages. Teachers and parents alike have told my wife Kathy and I (she’s been very helpful in the process) that “Pocket” really resonates with children aged 4-8.  

3. What takeaways might the reader be left with after reading it? As told through the journey of Max the cat, this is a story about self-identity, acceptance, kindness, and animal rescue and adoption; all of which are not directly mentioned but the messages come through.  

4. How did you decide on your book’s title and cover design? The title was to me automatic and it just seemed to fit the story.  

5. What advice or words of wisdom do you have for fellow writers? Write from the heart and your own personal experiences if you can, and stick to it.  

6. What trends in the book world do you see -- and where do you think the book publishing industry is heading? More people are going back to reading for enjoyment and that’s a good thing.  

7. What challenges did you overcome to write this book? The challenges for me – not being a professional illustrator – was the artwork for the book. But since I could see the light at the end of the tunnel, I stuck to it until I was happy with the illustrations.  

8. How would you describe your writing style? My writing style for my novels is pretty straightforward with the exception of a 19^th century-based trilogy where I reinvented my writing style to suit the period I was writing about. My children’s book style writing was very plain and elementary so that the kids could read it themselves.  

9. If people can buy or read one book this week or month, why should it be yours? My book is funny and meaningful and an enjoyable read. And I feel that they would appreciate the illustrations.  

About The Author: Robert Vincent is a children’s book author and illustrator, as well as the author of a number of other literary works. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife Kathy. Robert and Kathy’s son Matthew is a violinist with the Oakland Symphony and Sacramento Philharmonic & Opera. In December 2009, Matthew adopted a lovable black cat named Max. The rest, as they say, is history. For more information, please see: www.maxbuckles.com

 

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About Brian Feinblum

Brian Feinblum should be followed on Twitter @theprexpert. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog ©2023. Born and raised in Brooklyn, he now resides in Westchester with his wife, two kids, and Ferris, a black lab rescue dog. His writings are often featured in The Writer and IBPA’s The Independent.  This award-winning blog has generated over 3.2 million pageviews. With 4,400+ posts over the past decade, it was named one of the best book marketing blogs by BookBaby  http://blog.bookbaby.com/2013/09/the-best-book-marketing-blogs and recognized by Feedspot in 2021 and 2018 as one of the top book marketing blogs. It was also named by WinningWriters.com as a "best resource.” For the past three decades, including 21 years as the head of marketing for the nation’s largest book publicity firm, and two jobs at two independent presses, Brian has worked with many first-time, self-published, authors of all genres, right along with best-selling authors and celebrities such as: Dr. Ruth, Mark Victor Hansen, Joseph Finder, Katherine Spurway, Neil Rackham, Harvey Mackay, Ken Blanchard, Stephen Covey, Warren Adler, Cindy Adams, Susan RoAne, Jeff Foxworthy, Seth Godin, and Henry Winkler. He recently hosted a panel on book publicity for Book Expo America, and has spoken at ASJA, IBPA, Sarah Lawrence College, Nonfiction Writers Association, Cape Cod Writers Association, Willamette (Portland) Writers Association, and Connecticut Authors and Publishers Association. His letters-to-the-editor have been published in The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, New York Post, NY Daily News, Newsday, The Journal News (Westchester) and The Washington Post. He has been featured in The Sun Sentinel and Miami Herald. For more information, please consult: linkedin.com/in/brianfeinblum.