Today we have SMW Claw (how cool is that name?), author of the FREE children’s book Goggles Gone Strong: Mighty Monday.
Jo: Thanks so much for coming! Please tell us a little something about Goggles Gone Strong: Mighty Monday.
Hello!
SMW: Goggles Gone Strong: Mighty Monday is a clever adventure novel for children ages 9+.
In the book Calypso Blue finds herself on a strange island with a strange family, wearing an absurd pair of goggles, but has to save the dad from a giant saltwater crocodile, the mom from a sacrificial ritual, herself from mauling by the evil guy’s vicious tigers (oh, and a shark!) before she can figure out those danged goggles and nab the treasure to bring it home.
J: Oh wow! That sounds really fun! (Yes, I enjoy kid books, myself!) What inspired you to write this story?
S:I came to writing a novel a little bit differently than most, I think. I’ve never aspired to be a writer, but I have always been a voracious reader–cereal boxes, junk mail, calculus textbooks… anything!
I had to give up my novel reading habit when I started having kids. The problem was I’d stay up until 4 AM trying to finish the story and wake up as the Wicked Witch of the West (not exactly the mother or wife of anyone’s dreams). My nighttime routine had gradually devolved to me reading Facebook and design and political blogs to unwind.
Eventually it occurred to me that I’d been spending every evening for a couple of years in this way and I had nothing to show for it. I wasn’t a better person. I wasn’t better friends with anyone. I had no new talents or skills.
What if I used that time to do something productive? Something that could potentially stand the test of time? Something I could hand off to my kids and grandkids?
I decided to try and write a book. It took me three years, but I did it!
J: That sounds like a good way to go about it to me! What was your favorite part of writing the story?
S: I was very surprised to find that writing a book is just as fulfilling and satisfying as reading a really good book. Except for instead of staying up all night trying to finish it, my brain is full after a couple of hours, and I can get to bed on time.
J: I love that answer – it’s so true, I think! What was your least favorite?
S: That few minutes just before I start writing when I think I have no new ideas, my brain is too tired to work, maybe I should just take a day off… Of course, all that ends once I sit down and get to work, but it’s a hump to get over every single time.
J: Yep! It’s that moment where you think “What am I doing?” Ha ha! Can you tell us something interesting about your writing experience, something we might not guess?
S: My husband is morally opposed to Word or any word processing software really (who needs words when you can code??), so my entire book was written in Google Docs, usually with my iPhone or iPad.
J: I’ve actually seen discussions about apps to use to write books, so this is really interesting! What do you have planned next?
S: The next book in my Goggles Gone Strong series–True Tuesday. This one is told from the point of view of Reggie Blue and he’s a hothead.
J: That sounds like fun! Thanks so much for stopping in today to chat with us.
Be sure to check out SMW Claw’s cool website at http://www.smwclaw.com/. And don’t forget to pick up your FREE (yes, FREE) ebook at:
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Amaranthine by Joleene Naylor 