1- What inspired you to write this book?
My then 7 year old daughter, Daisy Grace who is co-author/illustrator, inspired me to write this book.
2- What exactly is it about and who is it
written for?
This is a children’s book. The book is about how the soles of her feet connect all people no matter the color of their skin. It journeys to one particular "Talk time" when I read Daisy Grace a bedtime story that led to us having a conversation about how Black is a rainbow of colors in our family. Reading the book sparked Daisy Grace to recall a silly joke with her Aunty about how the bottom of Daisy’s feet look white. Daisy Grace reveals she feels a little sad about her and Aunty’s conversation. She tells me how the bottom of our feet are the same color even though our skin are different shades of brown. "Mom, is everyone's feet pinky?", She asks. I wasn't sure myself. So, this put us on a journey of feet. The souls of our feet formed our BIG question… Did God forget to color our feet?
3- What do you hope readers will get out of
reading your book?
My hope is that parents can use this book as a tool to begin a "Talk time" conversation with their children. The discovery and answer to her BIG question has allowed Daisy Grace and I to see the world and humankind in a more loving and connected way. We pray it does the same to everyone who reads it.
4- How did you decide on your books title and
cover design?
The title, Did God forget the color our feet? came from Daisy’s BIG question and the title of my poem that answers her question. The cover design is a collaboration between Daisy and I. The feet on the cover is actually her feet that I painted. The background was painted by Daisy in acrylic paint. The text design and color was created by Daisy and I as well. Our amazing creative consultant, Cameron Wilson, helped us put it all together.
5- What advice or words of wisdom do you have
for fellow writers - other than run?
My advice for fellow writers would be to TRUST YOUR WORDS. Trust what you’re writing down. It doesn’t have to make sense at the very moment. But don’t edit while you’re writing. Let your words flow out of you like water. Don’t block it. Don’t change it in the moment. You can always refine your writing later in editing. Last but not least…always carry a notepad.
6- What trends in the book world do you see —
and where do you think the book publishing industry is heading?
One trend that I see in the book world is the growth of independent authors. I think the book industry is heading towards diversification. Which is fantastic. Indie authors like myself are creating and publishing books that represent the rainbow of readers. Not just one specific voice. I think because of indie authors, there’s more diversity in books. Especially in children’s books. It’s important that all children are represented and are able to see themselves on the covers and pages of books. On the shelves of book stores and libraries. As a Black girl growing up in the Bronx, there wasn’t any books that was available for me to read with characters that looked like me. That lived in neighborhoods that looked like mine. With characters that resembled my family. Now, I can go book shopping and to my local library with my daughter and see books with African-American faces, told by African American voices.
7- Were there experiences in your personal
life or career that came in handy when writing this book?
This book is very personal to my daughter and I. It gives you a peek into intimate conversations and experiences between us.
8- How would you describe your writing style?
My writing style is narrative. I love telling stories and I love listening to other peoples stories. I listened to my daughters story about her conversation with her aunty and her experience with her Papa at the bookstore. The “Talk time” conversation between Daisy and I is told in such a way that the reader feels like they are right in her bedroom with us.
9 - What challenges did you overcome in the
writing of this book?
My biggest challenge while writing this book was overcoming my fear of writing. I didn’t believe that I was a writer. Over the years, I would try to journal but I would just rip up my writings each and every time. The thought of someone else reading my words terrified me. So I didn’t believe writing was for me. I didn’t see myself as a creative person either. With the encouragement of my then 7 yr old daughter and my creative consultant, Dorothy Travis, I was able to overcome my fear and doubt, in order to write this book.
10 - If people can buy or read one book this
week or month why should it be yours?
If people can buy or read only one book this month with their children it should be our book because the message of this book is beautiful! It’s about unity, God’s love and self love. There is so much in this world that’s dividing people. Race, economics, class, gender and the list goes on. But, through the eyes and voice of a child, our book has a simple message that we believe can bring people together. This book has funny looking feet illustrations. The creative artwork is silly, funny, bright and colorful. The unique illustrations will take your child’s imagination to what they never thought their feet could be. Imagine a Foot butterfly, a Foot unicorn, or a Foot angel. They will make your kids laugh.
About The Author: Born in Montserrat in the West Indies, her family migrated to New York when she was 5-years old. Early in her career Delores was a production assistant turned producer on music videos, commercials and an independent film. Later, she worked alongside her sister and was passionate about heading up the clothing companies' sales, and production departments. Currently she is a real estate agent. During a "Talk time" conversation with her 7yr old daughter co- author/illustrator, Daisy Grace, Daisy told her mom she was creative, but she didn't realize it. Delores decided to explore Daisy's words. This book is the beginning of her creative journey with her muse Daisy Grace by her side. For more information, please see: https://didgodforget.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
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including 21 years as the head of marketing for the nation’s largest book
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