SPOOKY AND THE GARGOYLE was the winner in the Children’s (Board books and Pre-reading) category of the 2020 IndieReader Discovery Awards, where undiscovered talent meets people with the power to make a difference.
Following find an interview with author Teresa Traver.
What is the name of the book and when was it published?
SPOOKY AND THE GARGOYLE, Oct 1 2019
What’s the book’s first line?
“The first day in her new home, the little white kitten jumped every time she saw a shadow.”
What’s the book about? Give us the “pitch”.
A nervous kitten befriends a grumpy gargoyle who helps her overcome her fears.
What inspired you to write the book? A particular person? An event?
We used to have stone gargoyles by our front walk, and when he was little, my son liked to hug the gargoyle on the way out. That gave me the idea to write a story about a gargoyle, but the original story idea definitely changed a lot over the course of writing!
What’s the most distinctive thing about the main character? Who-real or fictional-would you say the character reminds you of?
Spooky, the kitten, reminds me a little of a very anxious cat I once had. And I think Eben, the gargoyle, is the quintessential grumpy old man with a heart of gold.
What’s the main reason someone should really read this book?
The adorable illustrations by artist Ariana Dahlenburg take what could have been just an “okay” story and make it amazing. She really captured the main characters’ personalities.
If they made your book into a movie, who would you like to see play the main character(s)?
I’d love to see it as an animated movie, with professional voice actors voicing the characters.
When did you first decide to become an author?
In elementary school, about age 9 or 10. I started writing stories in a spiral notebook. Then I learned to type and wrote “novels” every summer until I was in college.
Is this the first you’ve written?
No, I wrote other picture book manuscripts before this, but this is the first one I’ve published.
What do you do for work when you’re not writing?
I’m an English professor, so I get to spend lots of time reading and talking about literature.
How much time do you generally spend on your writing?
A first draft of a picture book may take me less than hour, but it can take months or years of revision before I feel like it’s right.
What’s the best and the hardest part of being an indie?
Best part? The fun of putting a book together. It uses different kinds of creativity. The hardest part for me is marketing.
Would you go traditional if a publisher came calling? If so, why?
Yes, because I’d love to have pros in my corner helping make my books better.
Is there something in particular that motivates you (fame? fortune?)
I love books and I love reading, so my motivation is to get my book in the hands of readers who will enjoy it the way I’ve enjoyed reading countless books.