1. What is your children’s book about? One of the most important things in life is to believe we are worthwhile no matter what we look like, intelligence, or athletic ability. We must look for areas of our interest and spend time with our friends and family.
2. What inspired you to write The Legend of Chirs Moose? I have a learning-disabled child who has achieved far beyond everyone's expectations. No matter who told him he couldn't do it, we always told him to try and do the best he could. Then when he was 10 years old at the barn where he rode, they had a jumping contest which he won by jumping 4 feet. Again, others had fancy horses that were tens of thousands of dollars, his horse Charlie cost $300. The whole crowd was in? When they handed him the blue ribbon.
3. You raised a learning-disabled child. Was the main character in your book, a tattered moose, named Ugly, based on the challenges your kid faced? He wasn’t good academically, but had lots of common sense. He came by this by his mother and very tough love and never telling him how to do something. We said try and figure it out. We will look over your shoulder and keep you going in the right direction.
4. Your book is a tale of bullying. How does it give parents and children an opportunity to discuss the issue of social exclusion and hurtful name-calling? Our focus is that everyone has worth, we just have to search and find it. Academically, socially or athletically, focus on the school/subjects you enjoy and work hard on them. Seek out friends socially who share your interest, be it movies, dinner out, cookouts at home, playing sports, or going to ball games; high school, college, or pro.
5. What makes this moose so loveable? He is loveable because he is the transportation for all his friends, he tries to do his best in everything he does. The focus isn't always on being the best, but being a part of a team. We all can relate to having an awkward body or way about ourselves. We all want to just fit in and have friends and to be valued for who we are. He makes a great contribution by using his oversized antlers to save Christmas in this story. A moose looks imposing and strong to others but inside, he felt a lack of confidence about who he was.
6. Why do you feel The Legend of Chirs Moose cane become a Christmas classic? I think The Legend of Chris Moose can become a Christmas classic because sometime in our lives we feel excluded because we are not good enough. My motto has always been if you do not succeed first try and try again and you will. One motto we shall always have is "Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.”
7. What do you think are the key elements to creating a great children’s book? The key element to creating a great children's book is to create a story line they can identify with and see themselves in one of the characters. This book has a short poem about many wild animals and a drawing of that animal. The children have seen themselves in the wild animals, and next they will call themselves by the nickname of Stinky the Skunk.
8. You are a decorated U.S. Marine Corps fighter pilot from the Vietnam War. It is the 50th anniversary of the war’s conclusion. In the spirit of the holidays, do you believe the world can find a way to live in peace, including children in the school yard? Yes, I flew 191 combat missions from June 1966 to February 1967. Received a distinguished Flying Cross and fourteen air medals. I flew air support one night that saved 50 Marines. The world is a violent place and I have seen many wars waged in my lifetime, so it is hard to say we will see anything different in the future. On the other hand, it starts with educating young people to treat each other better and to have fewer situations where fighting seems like the best solution.
9. Why do kids, at such a young age, exclude someone from a group just because they are different? I think all people, especially children, exclude others because they want others to think they are better and to be admirable. The way to achieve respect and admiration is to focus on including everyone in all activities and focus on others characteristics like social skills, academics, hosting parties, and athletic skills.
10. How does your story’s main character turn a perceived negative or drawback– big, ugly antlers – into a positive? Ugly’s antlers caused him to be excluded because he couldn't fit into the home for the Christmas party. Just like so many people have characteristics; their looks, or their conversations, lack of knowledge, or sports that they sit alone, but desperately want to be included.
11. What are some of your favorite children’s books? Why? My favorite children's books are: ‘Twas The Night Before Christmas, Fifty Famous Fairytales, The Hidden Staircase, Wild Ride, The Wind in the Willows, and of course The Legend of Chris Moose. All have a lesson or theme that children of all ages will enjoy.
12.
Your book is The
Ugly Duckling meets Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer. Do adults learn
to treat people better despite differences or imperfections – of do they need to
read your book, too? I think people that are secure in
who they are tend to include everyone in activities that they initiate and can
sense who is insecure. They make every effort to draw the insecure into the
conversation by asking them a question about themselves where they do well and
are comfortable
Do You Need Book Marketing Help?
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Let him be your advocate, teacher, and motivator!
About Brian Feinblum
This award-winning blog has generated over
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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 was recently interviewed by the IBPA: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0BhO9m8jbs
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
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