Interview With Award-Winning Children's Book Author Dr. Lynsey Victoria Rinelli

  

 

1. What inspired you to write this book? My daughter has been an incredible inspiration. My love for animals and profession as an emergency veterinarian guided the print of my second book.   

2. What exactly is it about — and who is it written for? "Goodbye For Now" is a heartwarming and poignant picture book that explores the deep bond between a child, Little Grey and her beloved German Shepherd, Teddy. When Teddy is diagnosed with a terminal illness, Little Grey and her parents face the difficult journey of coping with grief and loss. As they navigate the stages of grief together, Little Grey learns valuable lessons about the importance of cherishing time with loved ones, the power of unconditional love, and the significance of saying goodbye. Through tender moments and fond memories, this family shows that even in the darkest times, support and time can help heal the heart. 

This book is an ode to a fallen K9 officer Timoshenko who worked for many years in Brooklyn, NY. This K9 officer was named after a fallen officer who was honored for his bravery and lost too soon.  

It is written for 4yr +, it has helped children and adults  

3. What do you hope readers will get out of reading your book? I hope readers will find comfort and an invaluable resource to help guide them through the difficult topic of loss.  

4. How did you decide on your book’s title and cover design?  I chose goodbye for now keeping children and families in mind. To express that the loss of a pet or a loved one does not indicate they are not with us anymore. They forever live on in our hearts and in our memories. The cover design I worked with my illustrator on. I wanted to portray comfort and feelings of love.  

5. What advice or words of wisdom do you have for fellow writers – other than run!? Have patience, be persistent and keep writing! Understand your audience and connect with them. Quality weighs heavier than quantity- build your tribe! 

6. What trends in the book world do you see -- and where do you think the book publishing industry is heading? The trends I have noticed in the past year is that more authors are self- publishing. They want to keep intact the rights to their work as well as how it will be designed and sold. I feel like we are heading into an age where smaller publishing houses will be born.  

7. Were there experiences in your personal life or career that came in handy when writing this book?  Yes, my vested experience of 11 yrs as an emergency veterinarian shaped the way I wrote my book. The overwhelming sincerity from families I have met in the hospital helped to guide this resource. Collaborating with a psychologist and my major in psychology from college helped to create a more unique text for my readers. 

8. How would you describe your writing style? Which writers or books is your writing similar to? My writing style is similar to: (unsure) would love to know your opinion after reading the book! 

9. What challenges did you overcome in the writing of this book? Challenges I ran into while writing this book. I would say figuring out sizing and the ability to offer it in different forms. Understanding and learning about audible, kindle, paperback and the weight that a hardcover holds. Finding another printing press that I loved and finally offering the book in Spanish as well.  

10. If people can buy or read one book this week or month, why should it be yours? Why should anyone of any age group pick up my book this month? It is an incredible resource for families who have lost a loved one or are preparing for loss. The front half of the book is a fun and imaginative story between a little girl and her best friend. As it transitions to the later half, it allows the reader to prepare for conversations that may happen in the hospital. The thought bubbles are a great way to explain the stages of grief from the viewpoint of little grey. The back of the book gives families a guide through the different stages and how to best heal together. 

For more information, please see: https://littlegreysbooks.com/

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About Brian Feinblum

This award-winning blog has generated over 4.4 million pageviews. With 5,300+ posts over the past 14 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.”  Copyright 2025.

 

For the past three decades, Brian Feinblum has helped thousands of authors. He formed his own book publicity firm in 2020. Prior to that, for 21 years as the head of marketing for the nation’s largest book publicity firm, and as the director of publicity 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.

 

His writings are often featured in The Writer and IBPA’s The Independent (https://pubspot.ibpa-online.org/article/whats-needed-to-promote-a-book-successfully).

 

He hosted a panel on book publicity for Book Expo America several years ago, and has spoken at ASJA, BookCAMP, Independent Book Publishers Association Sarah Lawrence College, Nonfiction Writers Association, Cape Cod Writers Association, Willamette (Portland) Writers Association, APEX, Morgan James Publishing, and Connecticut Authors and Publishers Association. He served as a judge for the 2024 IBPA Book Awards.

 

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. His first published book was The Florida Homeowner, Condo, & Co-Op Association Handbook.  It was featured in The Sun Sentinel and Miami Herald.

 

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.

 

You can connect with him at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianfeinblum/ or https://www.facebook.com/brian.feinblum