Interview With Author Ellen Dee Davidson

1. What inspired you to write this book? I was inspired by my own love for reading fantasies as a child and wanted to share that magic with children. 

2. What exactly is it about and who is it written for? In the spirit of traditional high fantasy like Narnia, The Hobbit, and the Wizard of Oz, WIND takes readers on an adventure that begins when an earthquake tumbles Katie onto another world. Katie's only chance to get home is to learn to accept herself and cooperate with an arrogant alien boy. On the journey, the two of them encounter all sorts of extraordinary characters including a shape-shifting tree spirit, water god, nature devas, and the ethereal Winged Ones, who are the only beings capable of taking them home. Spiced with environmental science, mythology, lush settings, poetic language, and beauty, Wind takes children on an imaginary adventure that is full of heart, character growth and wisdom.  Audience: Children 8-12. (Adults are enjoying this story as well). Book Length: 171 pages. (Lots of dialogue, so not densely word-packed pages.)  

3. What do you hope readers will get out of reading your book? The idea that friendship, love and tolerance are powerful ways to combat evil and a deeper appreciation for the intelligence of nature. I'm also hoping that readers will be well-entertained with this thrilling page-flipper. 

4. How did you decide on your book’s title and cover design? The title is a bit mysterious until we meet a character towards the end which helps us understand why I named the book WIND. I also liked the idea of naming the book WIND because the name is elemental and dynamic. The design actually hints at what is in the story. We see the golden hills Katie is trying to reach on their quest, the lion who guides her and Za, a hint of the magical tree, and the dangerous swamp they must cross.  

5. What advice or words of wisdom do you have for fellow writers – other than run!? Writing is an amazing art because we have the privilege of "talking in peoples' heads" and sharing ideas. It is a very intimate art.  

6. What trends in the book world do you see -- and where do you think the book publishing industry is heading? It seems to me that people are listening to books more than reading and watching movies or reading short blogs and posts. I suppose the forms of story-telling, which used to be an oral art, are evolving again. I'd hate to see reading books become obsolete, however, because they are such a powerful tool to stimulate the imagination, especially for children; with books we learn to make our own unique mental pictures as we take in the story.  

7. Were there experiences in your personal life or career that came in handy when writing this book? Absolutely. I think all authors are in their books. For me, I had to overcome a lot of self-doubt and the negative self-talk in my head as does my main character, Katie, when she confronts the Poison One.  

8. How would you describe your writing style? Which writers or books is your writing similar to? My writing style is action packed adventure, quick and easy to read, with lush poetical descriptions that make readers feel like they are there. One reviewer described WIND as a "walk in the park on a beautiful spring day".  

9. What challenges did you overcome in the writing of this book? Self-doubt, wondering if anyone would want or read it. Actually, WIND has now won quite a few awards including the Nautilus Gold for Middle-grades and the Reader's Choice Silver for Best Children's Books 8-12.  

10. If people can buy or read one book this week or month, why should it be yours? Because it is so much fun. WIND would be a fun book for parents and children to share. There are ideas to discuss and I've been told by many people that they "could not put it down", which is, of course, the best compliment.  

About The Author: Ellen Dee Davidson is the author of a number of award-winning children's books as well as an adult mystical forest bathing memoir. She has also worked as an elementary, piano and creative writing teacher and raised two daughters. Living with her husband in the redwoods of northern California, Ellen finds inspiration in the magic and beauty of nature. For more information, please see: www.ellendeedavidson.com

 

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About Brian Feinblum

Brian Feinblum should be followed on LinkedIn. 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, and El Chapo, a pug rescue dog. His writings are often featured in The Writer and IBPA’s The Independent.  This award-winning blog has generated over 3.4 million pageviews. With 4,600+ 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.