Happy New Year Critters! We are officially back for 2022! We have a ton of fantastic interviews scheduled this year that I’m so excited to share with you all! I actually just filled our last interview slot for 2022 last week so anyone looking to schedule an interview with us for 2023 please feel free to reach out to me at lindsay@critterlit.com.
To kick off the new year we have an interview with self-published author Ray A. Price! I’m thrilled to have him with us today to talk about his new book, MY BROTHER IS A WEREWOLF, illustrated by Sam Aston, his road to publication, and his creative process.
So without further ado, please welcome Ray A. Price to Critter Lit!
Where do you live?
I live in Washington Pennsylvania. It’s about 25 minutes away from Pittsburgh Pennsylvania.
How many years have you been in publishing?
I have been in publishing for a year.
How did you first get published?
I published my first story independently in 2020.
Do you write full-time?
No.
What inspires you to create picture books?
At first, my inspiration came from my daughter. When she was younger, I would guest read for her classroom. I would buy a picture book and cookies for the class. After I did this a few times my daughter looked at me and said, “Dad I know you used to write plays for stage in college, can you write a story for me?” It was a challenge I accepted. I wanted to tell stories that she would be proud of but also relatable.
What is your favorite thing about being an author?
My favorite thing is how my stories resonate with others. The feedback from reviews or the pictures from kids holding my book is just amazing. The hard work is definitely worth it.
What do you find difficult working as an author?
What can be difficult is finding unique voices for the characters I write. It’s challenging for sure but it’s fun creating characters that have different personalities, quirks, abilities, etc. As a writer I enjoy creating fresh characters and my goal is to tell stories that are believable with solid beginnings, middles, and ends.
What do you do to shake the rust off or get new ideas?
I’m definitely not immune to writer’s block. To keep things fresh and creative I will often times read or watch children’s literature or television. It helps me find out what they are interested in. I also have a young niece and she’s like a sponge. She absorbs so much and I like being around her. I think it’s important to be around children and to engage with what they are watching and what they are playing. It helps my writing. Children are a lot smarter than we think.
Anything you are habitual about when it comes to creativity?
I always outline. For me, it’s my map of the story. The story can definitely change after my outline but I always start with an outline before writing my first draft.
Can you share a positive experience you’ve had in the Kid Lit community?
Yes, I had an interaction with a member who read an early copy of My Brother is a Werewolf for her blog. She gave it a really great review. She mentioned that the story was very great and that the overall presentation was amazing. That meant a lot coming from another kid lit author.
Recommended reading?
If You Give a Mouse a Cookie has always been one of my favorite picture books. I still really enjoy classic stories like Jack and the Beanstalk, Cinderella, and The Three Little Pigs.
What has been the highlight of your career thus far?
One of the highlights has been seeing how my book makes families smile and laugh. Recently a guy on social media shared an image of his kids holding my book. He posted a review about it and that was just really amazing. Anytime kids are enjoying my stories I love it. That pushes me forward to write more and to keep more people to enjoy my books.
What is something you wish someone had told you when you first started writing?
I wish someone would had told me how fun this is. I’m having a blast doing this. It’s hard work but it never feels like work. I have been fortunate enough to find people on my team that feel the same. We are all so dedicated and devoted to the projects. It’s fun collaborating with individuals from around the world and creating a picture book.
Can you tell us about your newest book?
My newest book is My Brother is a Werewolf. The story is about a young girl named Brie. Brie wanted a puppy. But got a younger brother. Accidentally turning her five year old brother into a werewolf is the biggest mistake of her life. She’ll do anything to fix him because cleaning up werewolf poop is as bad as you think it is. Brie thinks she had caused her parents to divorce because of her mistake. As the reader, we see how divorce looks through the eyes of a child and how Brie will do anything to fix her family.
What’s up next for you?
We just released My Brother is a Werewolf so we are going to continue to promote it. We have a planned audio book version releasing later this year.
Anything else you’d like to share with aspiring authors and illustrators?
Yes, it is important to find a team. Find people who are not just there for a paycheck but want to see your goal and dream come true. Interview people until you’re comfortable and do not settle.
And last, but not least, favorite 80s movie?
Star Wars Return of the Jedi.
Huge thank you to Ray for stopping by Critter Lit today! Congrats on your wonderful new book!
RAY A. PRICE is the author of My Brother is a Werewolf. He is an author for children’s books, short stories, and comics. Ray started his interest with children’s stories when he used to read to his daughter’s elementary classes as a guest parent speaker. After many visits to her classes and dozens of cookies donated in each visit, his little girl gave him the idea to write his own children’s book. With that in mind, Ray sat down and began writing with his heart to create a story dedicated to her. Build with Bricks was Ray’s first self published children story in 2020.
Ray has many other achievements that he is very proud of. He has a bachelors degree in political science and a master degree in fraud and forensic. He is a full-time fraud investigator. During his studies, he did plenty of playwriting. Ray found his passion for writing when he wrote short stories in middle school.
When Ray is not thinking of new ideas for his next story, he likes to be family oriented. Ray likes to travel and sample new restaurants with his family. He loves playing video games and discovering new television shows. When the weather is nice, he loves taking his English Bulldog on walks. Ray listens to various podcast daily and loves reading comics.
FOR MORE INFORMATION visit Ray online here or follow him on Twitter: @RaymondAPrice
BUY THIS BOOK To order MY BROTHER IS A WEREWOLF, click here.
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