1. What inspired you to write this book?
I was daydreaming during the Inauguration following the 2012
election (Romney vs. Obama) on what I'd say if I was speaking to America as
president. I immediately came to thoughts on how everyone has the same
color of blood, same organs and body parts, and are breathing the same
air... Essentially, no matter how we look on the outside, we're the
"same inside". Fast forward to the COVID pandemic, I began to
draw again and after completing my first attempt at a book (called "Frog Says
Moo"), this daydream popped up in my head and the book sprouted from
there.
2. What exactly is it about and who
is it written for?
This is a children's book and it's about 5 kids from different
parts of the world and/or different backgrounds doing different activities to
display them being the "same inside". From breathing air,
having the same color of blood (and being able to donate to each other), same
organs, same bone structures, etc., the kids are similar inside to each other
despite what exterior appearances present. It's a simple tale of not
judging a book by its external cover but the contents inside for children and
other interested parties to enjoy.
3. What do you hope readers will get out
of reading your book?
I hope to educate that diversity is OK but also that everyone
has been created equally based on being similar on the inside. I also
hope that the fun tone of the book will have readers coming back to the book
for additional readings and sharing with other friends and family.
4. How did you decide on your book’s title and
cover design?
With the title being "The Same Inside", I needed
something to represent being inside of something. I figured that I wanted
a group photo with all 5 kids and being on the outer part of a tunnel seem to
fit well. It's 5 kids, who are similar inside, taking a group photo
inside of a tunnel.
5. What advice or words of wisdom do you have
for fellow writers – other than run!?
Just have fun and believe in yourself and your strengths.
For most of my life, I never thought I'd draw again, let alone trying to
publish books. There are many avenues to display your creativity here in
the 21st century, so why not just go for it?
6. What trends in the book world do you see --
and where do you think the book publishing industry is heading?
With everyone using Smartphones or Tablets, I expect digital
publishing to continue to expand. As phone and tablet technology
continues to expand, I'd expect book offerings to expand as well. The
recent book bans are concerning, but growing technology can overcome
it.
7. Were there experiences in your
personal life or career that came in handy when writing this book?
Yes - I was lucky to experience diversified classrooms and
workplaces in my life, while making a few lifelong friends in the
process. There are several classmates and co-workers whom I had in-depth
discussions about their lives and it gave me much needed perspective on the
world around me.
8. How would you describe your writing style?
Which writers or books is your writing similar to?
Reading Dr. Seuss and Pete the Cat to my kids repeatedly has an
obvious influence, I feel, on the flow of my books while I was a big reader of
MAD Magazine as a kid so the likes of Al Jaffee, Don Martin, and others were
big influences on my drawing style. Reading many children's books to my
kids helped influence my writing style while past pop culture illustrations and
cartoons influenced how my drawing style.
9. What challenges did you overcome in the
writing of this book?
As a first-time author, the publishing and editorial process
were new to me. Furthermore, since I was the author and illustrator,
getting the words and pictures to match proved to be a challenge (particularly
the electronic version). That said, I went through the experience and
know what to expect and improve upon moving forward.
10. If people can buy or read one book this
week or month, why should it be yours?
If you're looking for a safe, fun, and educational children's book, my "The Same Inside" book would serve any household, library, or classroom well. The writing is easy to read and the pictures help explain the written words. I believe the fun tone of the book and tackling a complex issue like diversity could make it a must read or have for anyone reading to children.
As a kid, Trevor Witchey used to enjoy drawing replicas of
famous cartoons, comic books, or MAD Magazine while enjoying any Art Class
taken. He wanted to attend college initially become a video game
designer, but found enjoyment in an Economics course that led him to working
full-time in the financial industry. Then during 2020, the COVID-19
pandemic hit and Trevor began drawing again while everyone was
quarantined. After years of reading children's books to his kids, the
idea of creating children's books was hatched. During 2020, he completed
2 books, "Frog Says Moo" and "The Same Inside" with
"The Same Inside" being self-published through Dorrance
Publishing. Four other books, including "Frog Says Moo", were
published digitally to Amazon.
Need
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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 3.3 million pageviews. With 4,400+ posts
over the past dozen years, 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 www.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, Todd Duncan, Susan RoAne, John C. Maxwell, Jeff Foxworthy,
Seth Godin, and Henry Winkler. He recently hosted a panel on book publicity for
Book Expo America, and has spoken at ASJA, Independent Book Publishers
Association Sarah Lawrence College, Nonfiction Writers Association, Cape Cod
Writers Association, Willamette (Portland) Writers Association, APEX, 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: www.linkedin.com/in/brianfeinblum.
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