The Windowpottamus [The Animalobs Book 1] By Cameron Kincaid

4/10/2020

Multi-volume, children’s author, Cameron Kincaid, introduces us to book 1 of the Animalobs series, "Windowpottamus":
A series of charming and illustrated tales following the adventures of a variety of characters.

I love this book! With its colorful illustrations and simple, rhyming text, it’s a real pleasure to read to a child.
I read this to my two, younger granddaughters, 4 ½ and 6 ½ and they both loved the story and the illustrations.
I give this book 5 stars! It is delightful. The author has several other books in the series and they appear to be just as wonderful.

You can buy this book:
https://smile.amazon.com/Windowpottamus-Animalobs-Book-1-ebook
https://www.goodreads.com/-the-windowpottamus

You can follow the author:
https://twitter.com/Animalobs
https://www.cameronkincaid.co.uk
https://www.facebook.com/Animalobs
https://www.instagram.com/the_animalobs

Tags: children’s book and literature

Copyright © 2020 Mark L. Schultz, except for the author’s introduction

53 Comments

Cameron link

4/11/2020 03:19:23 am

Thanks for the lovely review Mark. I'm really pleased you, and your granddaughter's, enjoyed The Windowpottamus!

Mark

4/11/2020 09:51:41 am

You are very welcome.
First question.
Please, tell us more about yourself. Perhaps something a little bit beyond your bio.

Cameron link

4/11/2020 11:23:37 am

I live in the UK just outside of London. I've got 2 kids and a dog, who's a rescued German Shepherd / Rottweiler cross of unknown age, called Hublot. I'm a big fan of travelling and always have visions of sitting in the middle of nowhere with a pen and paper writing a masterpiece. But the reality seems to be falling asleep with my kindle! When I'm not reading / writing I spend my time playing guitar, running my animal health-supplement business and, more recently, learning programming for web design

Mark

4/11/2020 12:11:49 pm

Traveling is a lot of fun! It can be very eye-opening also. During my college days, pre-internet, I backpacked around western Europe for several months. Since getting married, we have been to England and Europe three times.
Do you have a store for your business or is it online?
New questions.
Does your work have any influence on your writing?
What inspired you to write this book?
Why did you choose this genre, or do you feel the genre chose you?

Cameron link

4/11/2020 12:47:00 pm

There are some nice places in Europe but I'm a big fan of the US. We've done a few fly drives and spent some time camping in the Grand Canyon a few years ago. Although I really dislike boats, and the cold, Antarctica is top of my list of places to go.
Business is all done online which simplifies things, but you find that customers have questions 24 hours a day and expect an instant reply without standard opening hours.
I think writing has had more influence on my work. I'll sometimes make sales reports into poems for example which makes them a little more interesting.
It was actually my daughter, Anaiya, that inspired this book. We were talking about animals and what kind of personalities they might have. She thought hippos would be obsessed with cleaning and came up with a picture of a window cleaning hippo. This then became the windowpottamus. I sat on the idea for a few months and then put a book together with some terrible, hand drawn illustrations (the type of quality that only a daughter could appreciate!) and gave it as a Christmas present. Anaiya was really pleased to see her idea come to life. It became a bit of an annual tradition to do a new book for Christmas and The Cookerdile and Meerkanic were created. In that respect, this genre definitely found me!

Mark

4/11/2020 01:29:48 pm

Online business is different in some ways from brick and mortar, no doubt about that. If you are asleep, nothing can be done until you wake.
There is much of the USA that I have not seen, including the Grand Canyon.
I love the idea that your daughter helped start this writing career. All of your books look quite cute.
New questions.
Who designed the cover and illustrations of your book? Feel free to drop a link if appropriate.
Were the character names difficult to develop? How did you choose them?
What other books and genres have you written?

Cameron link

4/11/2020 02:36:28 pm

That's one thing I love about the US, there's so much of it!! All of the illustrations are remastered versions of my original pencil drawings. I hired a freelance illustrator, in Canada, to digitise them but they are all my designs. The illustrations were all quite rushed as I lacked any sense of planning, finishing the stories on Christmas Eve after the kids had gone to bed and then had to get drawing which lasted late in to the night.
That's a good question about the character names, they have definitely been the biggest challenge. I try to incorporate the job/skill into the animal name whilst maintaining some recognition of what the original animal was. I have a list from Wikipedia of all the animals in the world and have played around with most of them trying to come up with ideas. I'm currently working on `The Parrot Medic! '
The other books in the series at the moment are The Meerkanic, The Cookerdiles and The Gold Frogspector. I did write a novel a few years ago which I haven't done anything with, not even read it, but I may revisit that in the future.

Mark

4/12/2020 09:34:54 am

The USA is a pretty large chunk of land. Where I live in Portland, Oregon, almost every possible outdoor activity is no more than three hours away, most are under two hours. It's a paradise for the person who loves outdoor activities.
I was wondering who did the illustrations. You should give yourself that byline and the person who digitized them also. Windowpottamus is very cute, in terms of the illustrations.
I would imagine that you are taking more care with planning the books, since that first Christmas Eve.
New questions.
How many volumes are you hoping or planning for in the series?
What age group and genre was the novel written for?
I noticed that your book is in Kindle Unlimited. How is that working out for you? How many books have you put in KU?

Cameron link

4/13/2020 06:40:19 am

Yes you are right, I probably should (and will!) add details of the illustrators. The first 3 books didn't benefit from any planning, the pressure of having to get them done on Christmas Eve seemed to help with some creativity. Although, this does also mean that they weren't as refined from the first draft which could have developed the stories further. The latest edition, The Gold Frogspector, wasn't written for my kids specifucally so I spent a bit more time with putting it together and didn't get involved with the illustrations. I worked with a freelance artist who matched the pictures to the story and did a great job. I'd like to keep adding to the collection and will add as many stories as I can think of good names. I have about 10 in the pipeline at the moment so that should keep me busy for a while. The age range for the books can be quite wide. I like the idea of really young kids enjoying them for the pictures and being read to by their parents. But some of the words and rhymes can be helpful to older kids with expanding their vocabulary. The Kindle Unlimited feature is really great, I have all 4 books available in there at the moment.

Mark

4/13/2020 11:16:41 am

Considering how many animals and occupations available, I would think that well is quite deep. Having ten more story ideas will likely grow into more. I love the concept.
I would suggest a font that is a little bit easier to read. The only improvement I can think of.
New questions.
Have you entered any writing contests?
Have you won awards of any kind for your writing?
Have you ever gone through the query process, seeking an agent or submitting directly to publishers or did you go straight to indie publishing or self-publishing, and why?

cameron link

4/13/2020 11:39:17 am

Yes for sure, it's hard to sit and think of an idea for a character, they tend to just spring to mind when I'm doing something totally unrelated. Then it's a mad dash to find a pen before I forget what it was! Making them easy to read is the main point so I'll definitely take the font comment on board.
I probably need to delve a little deeper into the writing world, I haven't come across and competitions yet, although I imagine they are not hard to find.
With the first 3 books I used a publishing company who made a lot of promises about publishing and promotion. It turned out to be a series of unsolicited emails to people who may, or may not, be involved in the publishing world and opening up a author account on Amazon. I've investigated a few other companies but haven't seen anything with particularly positive reviews as yet. It is still my preferred way to move forward but I'll need to spend more time investigating reputable agencies for future work.

Mark

4/13/2020 12:12:26 pm

There is information on my website about contests and publishing. I have posted many blogs from Anne R. Allen on the Highly Regarded Blogs page of my website, including one devoted to how to avoid scam contests. Every blog she writes includes a list of honorable contests.
There are also blogs about scammy publishers, particularly those written by Victoria Strauss and others on Writer Beware. Many have written blogs about publishers all over the internet.
New questions.
How do you think your book compares to a book published by a major publisher?
There are many unethical practices in publishing, which one is the most unbearable in your mind?
Do you have a favorite book by another author or just favorite authors?

Cameron link

4/13/2020 02:27:46 pm

That will be really useful, it will be great to get some impartial advice on who is trustworthy!
Compared to a major publisher, I think my book looks a bit more basic and still has a bit of a 'home made' feel to it which, to be fair, it is. It would be really exciting to have a professional disect it and put it back together in a market ready format.
People put a lot of time and effort into creating stories and it can be quite a big step to share your work with the world. I'd compare it to something like The X Factor where people's family have told them they're great singers. Until the audience have seen them sing they don't really know how good they are. In my mind, one of the most unethical practices is giving that false hope to somebody whose work needs a lot of refinement. Publishers will know if a book is going to have a possibility of being successful so taking money from authors for a hopeless project is pretty cruel.
I have quite a varied reading list - Russian history, contemporary fiction, true accounts of military and intelligence missions. I'm currently reading the complete works of Charles Dickens. Some of my favourite books are Shantaram, Pachinko, A Litle Life
and American Dirt.

Mark

4/13/2020 02:41:21 pm

It does take a lot of work to write a book or novel. It's not bad to use a family member as an alpha reader, but after the rewriting, beta readers should be brought on board, then critique partners. Writing the first draft or two is a solitary project, after that at least a dozen people should be involved, probably more.
Some vanity publishers are great at delivering what they promise, others are out to extract every dollar from a wallet, if at all possible.
You do have eclectic reading tastes. For much of my life I read science fiction and fantasy, heavy on the sci-fi. Now, I am a fan of good writing regardless of the genre.
New questions.
Does writing have a spiritual or healing component for you, does it energize you or make you feel tired?
Why is it important for writers to tap into the emotions of the characters?
Have you ever heard of National Novel Writing Month, also known as NaNOWriMo? It's a challenge to write first-draft, 50,000 words for a novel during the month of November. Many writers do it, some join virtual or real groups for fun and encouragement.

Cameron link

4/13/2020 02:56:49 pm

It's a shame that you have to cautious about who to work with, it's the same in all industries though, some people just have no morals when it comes to taking other people's money. I find reading to be almost meditative, instead of getting absorbed into your own mind and thoughts you're transferred into somebody else's world. I think that's what makes the difference between a good and a great author. Sometimes you read a great story which isn't written in a way that can engage, and other times a fairly bland story can be written so well it draws you in. Especially when you feel a connection with the emotions of the characters, you really get a sense of them coming to life as you read.
NaNOWriMo sounds great, I haven't heard of it but it's great to have a reason and a time frame to get a piece of work completed. Thanks for sharing that, another thing to add to my list!

Mark

4/13/2020 03:07:06 pm

The old buyer beware thing is still relevant now as it was thousands of years ago.
A well-written book can draw me in quite deep, to the exclusion of everything else at times. I have had to train myself to maintain a small grasp on my environment to be responsive to loved ones.
If the characters come across as real and believable it can make mediocre writing palatable.
Between my guest blogs and the links on the Highly Regarded Blogs page there is a large amount of useful information for almost every writer.
New questions.
Do you base your characters on people you know or have met, or is it easier to just invent them completely?
What is your writing routine when you sit down to write?

Cameron link

4/13/2020 04:56:50 pm

When I've written work with actual characters, as opposed to children's books, I find it easier to base it on people I know and my own experiences. I think developing a wholly fictitious character and bringing them to life, allowing the reader to really engage with them and believe in them emotionally is an incredible talent. In my opinion this is what separates the great writers from everybody else. I don't have that skill yet but I hope I can develop that ability in the future. With routines for writing, I'm a bit of a workaholic and will strictly exclude work related activities from my usual day. For anything else I am motivated to work at I'll get up in the early morning, maybe 4am, and use the time before work to get things done. I'm generally a pretty poor sleeper anyway so it's good to be able to be productive and I tend to work better in solitude.

Mark

4/13/2020 05:51:55 pm

To turn a character into a living entity based solely on words is quite a skill, I agree. Many authors can do it, so it must be something that can be learned in some degree.
I could be classified as a workaholic also, I read and proofread all day long, rising in the morning to retiring at night. However, I love what I do, so it never seems like work. Except my eyes can be pretty tired at the end of the day.
I like working in the morning hours, also. My time is entirely my own, until my wife gets up.
New questions.
Do you write in a straight line or do you write whatever the muse provides for you at a given moment?

Cameron link

4/14/2020 04:56:09 am

Yes, the eyes are definitely a limiting factor when it comes to long reading sessions, especially proofreading when you are actually paying attention!
With the children's books, I let the story develop based on how I can make the words rhyme. For example, with The Gold Frogspector, it was obviously going to be about a frog who pans for gold but his poor maths skills only developed from 'sums' rhyming with 'thumbs'. Outside of kid's work I'll often think of a scenario that I try to expand on and then try to work it into the story. I find it easier to expand on an idea that comes to me randomly as opposed to choosing something that I need to create that will fit in with the story.

Mark

4/14/2020 09:37:58 am

The rhyming factor makes a lot of sense. The poetry drives the story and suggests the illustrations.
A scene provided by the muse would be easier to work with, no doubt.
New questions.
Which is more important to a story pace or flow? How do you control it?
Did your writing process change much from your early books to your current book or did it stay the same?

Cameron link

4/14/2020 10:27:40 am

That's a good question and I think it really depends on the skill of the writer. Sometimes a story can be without any obvious plot and not seem to be going anywhere, but it can still have you completely engrossed. Others can be really predictable and, although fast paced, don't have the same page turning effect. Having some control over this is all about how engaged you get the readers, if somebody is being chased for example but you don't have any feel for the characters or the environment you don't share the feeling of what is being depicted. It doesn't even have to be something that dramatic, i remember reading something about a child going into the lounge where his dad was drinking. Nothing more than that happened but it was a very scary moment of the book. There's another notable scene in the 1970s movie 'The Thing' where a dog is walking through a corridor, literally nothing happens but it's quite terrifying!
The only thing that has changed now is the time and planning. I don't produce stories for Christmas anymore so I tend to come up with an idea and think over the story a bit longer and make more revisions as I go along. The first books were all done in an evening without any opportunity to read or edit.

Mark

4/14/2020 11:11:16 am

Good comments about pace and flow. I don't recall the scene with the dog in the hall. That reminds me of the movie, Alien; there was a cat that kept wandering around without being harmed, as I recall.
I imagine that the more recent books are improved with the change of timing. While a picture book seems simple on the surface, I appreciate the complexity of writing for the intended audience. Little kids can be the most honest and harsh critic at the same time.
New questions.
Do you have a classical author or poet, you admire?
What popular modern authors have influenced you?

Cameron link

4/14/2020 03:00:27 pm

I'd have to list Alexandre Dumas and Charles Dickens as some of my favourite classical authors. Without the influence of TV and only having a local view of the world it's amazing how they came up with such unique ideas for stories which are still relevant today. Andy McNab and Stephen King have taken a big chunk of my time in recent years but I try to avoid sticking to certain authors and read as much variety as possible.

Mark

4/14/2020 04:11:04 pm

They are amazing authors, no doubt. It's not like they went to the plot tree and picked a fresh one. I really enjoyed the movie, The Count of Monte Cristo.
I used to read only sci-fi and fantasy. I have had the opportunity to read so many good books since starting the promotion service, now I am a fan of good writing in almost any genre.
New question.
You mentioned earlier that you had a novel in progress from a number of years ago. Were you a plotter, pantster or a hybrid for that book?
Have you ever had the experience of the story swerving in a different direction than planned, as if a character was driving it?

Cameron link

4/15/2020 04:33:08 am

Yes I totally agree, if it's written well, the genre doesn't really matter.
I'm a bit of both really, I had the general idea for what the story was going to be about but made up the bulk of the story as I went along. In this case it went on a totally direction to how I had planned it and I think this was down to the influence of the characters. It started off as a story about revenge but developed into exploring the childhood and experiences of the protagonist that made him react in that way so what started off as a psychological thriller morphed into an account of somebody's life experiences.

Mark

4/15/2020 09:41:38 am

Your story sounds like it could be interesting. How the past affects the present and the future is a popular theme.
I think a lot of authors have a foot in both camps. There are advantages and disadvantages all the way around.
I have heard from confirmed plotters that they spend a lot of time plotting a book for NaNOWriMo. They have the arc of the book and each chapter. They do as much research as possible ahead of time, each confrontation and setback is laid out and the results, good and bad. They make it sound pretty easy.
New questions.
Do you have defined space for writing at home, or are you a coffee-shop writer?
Do you listen to music or have the TV on when writing, or do you need quiet?
Action, dialogue, or narration; which is easiest to write?

Cameron link

4/15/2020 02:10:04 pm

I don't think I'm organised enough to be a true plotter, it would be good to have everything clear in your head and then it's just a case of putting the words together but that's definitely not me!
Working in silence is something I find really hard. As soon as it goes quiet I have to look for a distraction to make some noise so I can't accomplish anything unless there's music or TV on. I spend a lot of time in coffee shops but it's a bit hit and miss as to whether I can be creative. If I go with the sole intention of writing it feels really pressured so I don't get much done, a bit of performance anxiety! When I'm at home I might just suddenly get an idea and then make some notes to revisit later or just spend a few hours expanding on it.
Dialogue is often the thing I find to be most disappointing to read, it rarely sounds like real life. A lot of words and sentence structures which are commonly used are never heard in real life and often comes across like a 1980s TV show. Getting dialogue to sound authentic is definitely hard, although it should be the most straight forward thing, we all do it everyday!

Mark

4/15/2020 02:45:08 pm

If I were a writer, I think I would get lost in research. As a boy, I read a lot and ran to our 10 pound dictionary, it was several inches thick and had lots of illustrations. I could spend an hour or more easily going from word to word.
Dialogue is tough. When we talk we have lots of filler words and odd sounds without a definite meaning. If an author writes all of that in the dialogue it will sound strange and boring when we read it. There are moments to use that kind of thing, but I think all the time will be overly strange.
New questions.
Of the five senses which is the easiest to write and which is the hardest?
Have you ever participated in theater in some way?

Cameron link

4/15/2020 03:18:01 pm

I think smell is the hardest to write about, we all have slightly different and personal experiences with smells where there other senses are easy to relate to. If you say that something is red we might all have a different shade in mind, but it's still red. Trying to describe a smell is a bit like the description of wine, the label might say it's get hints or marshmallow and blueberry but I'm not sure many people can pick up on that!
Theatre, and generally performing in public are very close to the bottom of my list of things to do. I play guitar to a fairly decent standard but won't do anything in public so being on a stage, in costume as part of a production? Not a chance!!!

Mark

4/15/2020 03:48:21 pm

I have to agree, smell is very personal. Some people have a much greater ability to detect differences in scents than others. My smelling ability is pretty low, in general.
That is pretty common, a lot of people don't want to be on stage. I have a stammer that has plagued me almost all of my life. I have learned to control it since high school. I have found that I can speak in front of an audience, and my stammer actually works in my favor, people listen more carefully to what I am saying.
Speaking in front of a group that wants to hear what you say, is not the same as being a cast member in a play. I don't think I could do that also.
New questions.
What kind of marketing has worked the best and the least for you for your books?
Speaking of marketing, why did you pick me to help promote your book?

Cameron link

4/16/2020 03:30:54 am

I used to do technical presentations to large groups, sometimes up to 100 people, with no problems. It's always a bit nerve wracking getting out there and started but I was always fairly comfortable. Acting, for me anyway, is a totally different beast. It's like exposing an inner part of yourself that you don't necessarily want to share. A stammer can definitely be a good thing with getting people to stay engaged, that's difficult enough anyway so take whatever you can get!
I haven't done a lot of marketing, other than a poorly maintained instagram and facebook page I haven't found much that looks genuinely useful. When I came across your profile it just looked genuine and didn't make any outlandish promised. It's good to work with people who you can trust, and even being over 5000 miles away you had that vibe.

Mark

4/16/2020 09:37:34 am

Getting started can be tough, but once you know the audience wants to hear what you are sharing, it goes a lot better, if you are confident in your topic. I learned that from a Dale Carnegie course.
Thank you. Trust and vibe are important.
Marketing is the Gordian knot for so many authors. With a million books being published every year on Amazon, it takes a lot get a book to rise above the tide and be noticed. Many blogs have been written about marketing and selling a book. I have links to many of them on my website, Highly Regarded Blogs and Guest Blogs.
You could try selling your books to places where children are. Public libraries or school libraries are worth checking into. Working the local author angle at book stores, outdoor markets, restaurants, museums, zoos and other tourist attractions. Just to name a few ideas.
New questions.
Do you have a newsletter you send out to fans? Why or why not?
Have you ever thought of adding music to your books, like what the characters listen to or they went to a concert as a plot point?

Cameron link

4/16/2020 04:16:22 pm

I do newsletters for my business but I've never even considered doing them from a writing perspective, I think I would have to spend some time exploring what the purpose of the newsletters would be and what content to include. The music angle is interesting, it would be good to bring the characters to life with some kind of animation and produce some short clips. I like that idea actually, another one for the list!!

Mark

4/16/2020 04:36:37 pm

Glad I could give you some food for thought. There have been a lot of blogs written about newsletters and mailing lists. I have links on my Highly Regarded Blogs page, I am sure. I recommend you subscribe to several newsletters in and out of your genres.
Some publishers won't look at an author unless the author has a fan base represented not just by sales, but by a mailing list that numbers in the thousands also. This combination represents guaranteed sales to a publisher. The mailing list and accompanying website is one goal of long term marketing.
A QR code link in the back of one of your books might be nice for the consumer.
Some authors create a playlist matching a song to a chapter or a character. A recent interviewee is thinking about the playlist she uses to connect with her muse for different sections of the book.
New questions.
Going back in time, did you do any kind of creative writing, even back in grade school?
How early was it that you realized how powerful words can be?

Cameron link

4/16/2020 06:45:01 pm

I did win a writing competition when I was in the first year of high school, I'm not sure how that corresponds to the US system but I would have been 11 then. I was definitely stronger at the creative side of English classes but my grades always suffered from the grammar side! I was always a big reader and the only time I ever showed any creativity was when writing cards, I could never be comfortable with a simple 'happy birthday' so embarked on trying to include a poetic masterpiece. Some girls I went to school with are probably unknowingly holding on to some of my best work!! Although I was comfortable, and quite good, at putting words together I never really made the connection between my own opinion and other people being impressed with some things I did. Since we had children I've always been allocated the task of writing birthday and Christmas cards but I've never taken that as a sign of having any literary ability.

Mark

4/16/2020 07:25:54 pm

Eleven years old would be 6th grade, our middle school or junior high school; depending upon when you were born.
I was a little better at grammar than the creative side.
Your creative cards sound nice. I think most any person would be honored to get one. There are people who make a living at writing greeting cards, maybe you should start your own line of custom greeting cards. It could be another revenue stream. That is the nice thing about books and cards, once they are in public they are always selling themselves.
New questions.
Do you have other writers you connect with, as in a critique group or support group?
What is the most important thing you learned from publishing your latest book?
What are three things, that you wish you knew before you wrote your first book?

Cameron link

4/17/2020 02:12:17 pm

I haven't done much in the way of connecting with other writers, I don't think I consider myself as a proper writer yet so feel like a bit of an imposter in the forums. Maybe when I've spent a year slaving over the next paragraph and churning out a few hundred thousand words I'll be more at home in their company!!
From publishing the latest book I think I'm learning the importance of using people with good reputations to do things like formatting and editing. I had a few people attempt to format the latest book but it was awful, different sized fonts, misalignment and so on. There is certainly value in paying a premium for a professional service when it comes to putting the finished product together otherwise it's like asking the kids to cook lobster!
I wish I had a better idea of how to promote a book and what steps are involved in finding a good publisher before I had started. It feels more frustrating now as the product is already available but I'm not doing anything effective with it.

Mark

4/17/2020 02:43:10 pm

Every author struggles with the imposter syndrome in one measure or another. We all have an inner critic that can make us be careful, but can go way overboard in so many ways. When it gets harmful beyond reason, I call it the inner liar and ignore it to the best of my ability.
The old maxim is very true much of the time, you get what you pay for.
Your frustration is felt by so many authors. You have followed a predictable path. Starting now is better than starting next week. Devoting a writing session once every week or two for marketing will pay off in the long run.
You might be able to read your books to children in a library. You can work the local author angle by seeking interviews on local cable access stations, college or high school broadcast arts stations or classes. You might be able to share about developing illustrations for your books with an art class or graphics class. There are so many ways to gain publicity at the local level, depending upon how big of a town you live in. Even reading to kids in a child care situation, could result in sales down the road, just make sure you have some kind of bookmark or flier for the kids to take home.
A lot has been written about good and bad publishers. I have linked to bogs about that on my Highly Regarded Blogs page.
New questions.
Do you write notes by hand or on the computer?
What is the hardest part about writing books for children?
Do you have a hero, real or fictional?

Cameron link

4/18/2020 03:54:04 am

Again, that's some really good ideas. Our local library does regular reading sessions for children so I doubt it would be too difficult to get my book on their reading list.
I'm very much a tech writer, if an idea comes to me I'll put it on a notes app on my phone and then expand on it later. I often get ideas at random times in random places so if I had to track down a pen and paper I would have forgotten what the idea was before I managed to write it down!
Even though my books are for kids I don't want them to be too childish. I try to include some challenging words to stretch them a little bit. Getting the balance between making it child friendly and beyond their reading age is quite difficult.

Mark

4/18/2020 09:35:07 am

You are welcome. The story hour at the Library is something done widely, I believe.
It's funny how the muse strikes us at seemingly odd times. At a previous house, some of my best ideas came to me when I was raking leaves. Others have experienced a similar phenomenon, getting ideas while engaged in a relatively mindless task such as laundry, cooking or bike riding. One author lamented to me that she got her best ideas while in the shower. I suggested she get a pad of waterproof paper and a Space pen. That pen writes anywhere, at any angle, even underwater. Another author keeps a pen and pad beside her bed because her muse wakes her regularly at 2:30 in the morning.
I love that idea of stretch words, it also provides the opportunity for more interaction with a child to help them learn new words. Which is a joy for most children. It makes them feel more grownup.
New questions.
What has been the biggest surprise in your writing journey?
What are common traps for beginning writers?
Do you think a strong ego is an asset or liability for a writer and why?

Cameron link

4/18/2020 04:13:01 pm

I really should keep a pad by my bed, I regularly wake up with ideas for songs or stories and lie there thinking about it, then I fall asleep again and it's all gone!!
One thing that has really surprised me is how many people there are writing books, I'd never really considered that there were so many people writing and trying to get published.
I'd say an easy trap to fall into would be rushing to get work completed and not getting it proofread, and reading it through it yourself. Some people have a certain word or phrase that they like to use and it can sometimes dominate a page by being massively overused. I'm sure things like that would be picked up by a decent editor,or even just on a second reading by the writer.
A strong ego would help with promotion and marketing for sure, if you had the confidence to show your work to anybody and everybody it must help with the success.

Mark

4/18/2020 04:55:29 pm

A pad and pencil is a good idea.
Amazon publishes over a million books a year now. They have pretty much destroyed the old gatekeepers who kept a lot of people from publishing bad books. This is the dark side of the democratization of publishing. Anyone can publish anything. And they did in the early years of Amazon. Rushing to try and cash in on the e-book boom, they threw everything into the public view. This gave independent authors a bad reputation they are still trying to overcome.
Filler words are common, many authors have them, I watch for them as I proofread. Some sophisticated editing software, such as ProWritingAid has a means to check for that and other common blunders. I posted a link to a new blog about using that software. It was interesting.
Marketing and querying do require that a writer have a lot of self-confidence. It takes a lot of nos to to get to a yes.
New questions.
Do you have anything you consider to be your writing lucky charm?
What is the biggest obstacle you face in writing?
What is your writing Kryptonite and how has it affected you?

Cameron link

4/19/2020 08:49:41 am

I always put Judge Judy on the TV when I sit down to write, I'm not sure if she's a lucky charm but she definitely helps!! Sometimes I come up with a really good line but can't find anything suitable to rhyme with it that makes sense - I'm currently stuck on the word 'horizontal'. It's pretty easy to change the word but sometimes you just really like the way it sounds.
Kryptonite..that would have to be my long list of things I want to do which puts writing into various positions, all further from the top!

Mark

4/19/2020 08:58:11 am

I think Judge Judy would be flattered. She certainly has had a long career as a TV jurist.
Horizontal is a tough word to find a rhyme for. Have you checked rhyming dictionaries? There is a dictionary for almost everything on the internet.
There are a lot of things that cry for our attention and seek to distract us from our calling. It's new and improved ... but wait, there's more!
New questions.
Do you struggle with writer's block, if so, how do you overcome it?
Do you see an advantage of writing under a pseudonym, why or why not?
If you branch out into a different genre, will you use a pen name, why or why not?

Cameron link

4/19/2020 09:18:05 am

Writer's block isn't so much of an issue with children's stories, nothing has to make sense or be particularly realistic. I'm not sure it's the same thing but I do write some stuff sometimes that I just don't like, even though it fits well and keeps the story flowing. It can be hard to think of an alternative in that situation so I guess that has its similarities.
I don't see any advantage in pseudonyms, unless there is an issue with your real name. You may not be taken seriously writing factual historical accounts if you were known as a romance writer. It may also be easier to promote more openly if using a different name, especially if you aren't blessed with a big ego.
I don't think I would consider a pen name unless I became particularly successful in this genre. I do plan to write more for an older demographic so that might be better received if it's not coming from a known children's author.

Mark

4/19/2020 10:21:44 am

It does sound similar. When you think a passage is not adequate, you are probably right. Back to the horizontal thing, that is a tough rhyme, perhaps you will have to abandon the rhyme for that word.
Some authors use different pen names for that reason. Then they bring all the different genres and pseudonyms together in one website, hoping to get some fans to crossover. I have no problem jumping genres with a favorite author.
New questions.
Are there any issues that are peculiar to writing this genre that might not apply to other genres?
Are there any writing styles or genres that you disliked at first but soon came to like?
Do you think reading, watching movies or listening to music help you be a better writer?

Cameron link

4/20/2020 03:53:25 am

With a target audience of children you don't have the benefit of going off on a tangent or having a chapter that isn't particularly interesting as kids are very harsh critics. I think we've all ready books where it gets a bit slow but you carry on anyway, and reading at adult speeds you can get back to the action fairly quickly.
One of my favourite genres now is contemporary fiction. There is often no plot, just a progression of things that happen. Even reading the book summary makes them sound pretty uninteresting but when written well, they captivate me.
Reading has got to be important to become a good writer. Otherwise it's like trying to write songs without ever listening to music.

Mark

4/20/2020 09:53:02 am

Right. Children are very honest about their feelings towards a story or some other art form. To win them over requires a lot of work.
Literary fiction is an interesting genre. The lack of a plot is challenging, but the writing can make up for that, sometimes.
Reading in the genre is very important, according to a lot of authors.
New questions.
Do you read children's books, so you are aware of what is going on in that genre?
Do you ever brainstorm with non-writers and if so, is it effective?
What was the best money you ever spent as a writer to enhance your career?

Cameron link

4/20/2020 12:13:16 pm

I don't read children's books so much now, I browse the bookshops and look to see if there are any new releases similar to what I'm doing. When my kids were young I was adamant about making reading a big part of their day and we would always be reading something together, be it the weather or stories. I brainstorm with my kids mostly, I'll run an idea past them and see what they think, the perspective from a younger mind is really valuable and they are on a mission to come up with as many new characters as they can now!
My main investment has been getting illustrations professionally done, some good pictures can really draw people in.

Mark

4/20/2020 01:06:32 pm

I love that your kids are helping develop new characters, so you write your stories.
When our kids were little, books were a priority also. We read to them a lot, made trips to the library and bookstores. They all love to read and their children do also.
We have all repeated the maxim, you can't judge a book by its cover. We know that it applies to many things, but not especially to books; not many will buy a book with a dull or boring cover. The cover and illustrations are very important. That is money well spent.
Last questions.
Have you looked into foreign markets? Many different countries use English as an official language or a second language. Big Bad Wolf is a company that sells English language books all over the world in the millions.
Why do most authors write in 3rd person POV instead of first and second POV?
Do you think you were born to write or did you have to learn the craft?

Cameron link

4/21/2020 04:30:40 am

I haven't looked at foreign markets yet, I will do but I think it makes more sense to try and get more established in the UK initially. If that happens, then it will hopefully be easier to export. Although saying that, Big Bad Wolf is something I will take a look at very shortly!
The third person context gives more opportunity to add description and narrative to a passage, it might sound a bit odd if the character was explaining what they saw and felt from their own perspective. I'd need to find something written like that to have a proper opinion though.
Being born to write sounds like something you would say after being massively successful. If I ever got to that level I would probably say I was born to write. It's something I really enjoy doing and find it quite easy so in that respect I could say I was born for it. I haven't 'learnt' the craft but that may be something I need to do in the future if I don't sell any books!!!

Mark

4/21/2020 09:51:06 am

We are born story tellers, I think narration comes to us quite naturally. While writing from first person POV can be quite intimate, it has its limitations, as you point out quite well.
The fact that you enjoy writing so much suggests the possibility that at least your early experiences encouraged you to write, even if you weren't born with the desire to write.
I have another promotion beginning, so it's time for me to thank you for being such a wonderful guest. I have enjoyed our chat quite a bit.
I hope you keep writing and build your brand.
Until next time, keep putting the pen to the paper.

Cameron link

4/21/2020 12:27:29 pm

Thanks Mark, it's been great chatting to you. I've definitely had to explore some aspects of my writing, and myself, which I hadn't considered before.
I hope your next promotion is as valuable as this one has been and I look forward to our next correspondence.

The Windowpottamus [The Animalobs Book 1] By Cameron Kincaid

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