Ellie and Her Emotional Dragons: Ellie’s First Day of School received a 4+ star review, making it an IndieReader Approved title.
Following find an interview with author Joseph E. Goodrich.
What is the name of the book and when was it published?
Ellie and Her Emotional Dragons: Ellie’s First Day of School is the second book in the Ellie and Her Emotional Dragons children’s book series which published on February 25, 2021.
What’s the book’s first line?
“Ellie has four tiny dragons that magically appear when she is happy, sad, scared, or mad.”
What’s the book about? Give us the “pitch”.
Ellie and Her Emotional Dragons: Ellie’s First Day of School presents delightful characters whose loving approach to emotional intelligence will teach kids empathy, help them understand their own emotions, and provide them with strategies to get through difficult moments in the school setting.
What inspired you to write the book? A particular person? An event?
The creation of Ellie and Her Emotional Dragons children’s book series was a labor of love for my three children. Once the original Ellie and Her Emotional Dragons was published, the response was so positive (winner of 26 awards) I decided to continue to publish books that help children identify, understand, and manage their emotions.
What’s the main reason someone should really read this book?
Children often have difficulty communicating their emotions in many high stress situations. The Ellie and Her Emotional Dragons book series is a fun and creative way for parents and children to learn skills to help them get through difficult life moments. The award-winning illustrations also help children communicate emotions through colors vice words.
What’s the most distinctive thing about the main character? Who-real or fictional-would you say the character reminds you of?
Ellie is a purple elephant who experiences many of the emotions that children experience in difficult situations. Ellie can relate to all children regardless of race, sex, financial situation or other personal characteristics.
When did you first decide to become an author?
I always wanted to publish a book. As I was completing my doctorate studies, I researched many adult publications that taught emotional intelligence skills, but I had a difficult time identifying children’s books communicating emotional intelligence and mindfulness skills. I decided to write a children’s book that not only told a fun and relatable story, but it also teaches children and parents emotional intelligence and mindfulness skills to help them get through difficult moments.
Is this the first book you’ve written?
Ellie and Her Emotional Dragons was my first book which published in November 2018. Ellie and Her Emotional Dragons: Ellie’s First Day of School is my second book which published in February 2021.
What do you do for work when you’re not writing?
When I am not writing children’s books, I am serving as a United States Marine. Specifically, I am a KC-130J pilot. I have served as a Marine for 22 years.
How much time do you generally spend on your writing?
When I decided to write a children’s book, I keep a small journal with me where I keep track of relevant situations that challenge children today. Once I have the main plot figured out, I write the story using the same format as the previous books, so they share the same theme and presentation. A book can take me up to two weeks to complete the first draft. The final draft usually takes another 2-3 weeks.
What’s the best and the hardest part of being an indie?
The hardest part of being an Indie author is distribution and marketing. Amazon and B&N make it easy to distribute to the world, but they make a huge profit off of the ability to distribute. I do not have the time or space to sell and distribute my books from my home. Marketing is also a challenge. Knowing when and where to spend your money on marketing is the key to getting your book in front of the right crowd.
What’s a great piece of advice that you can share with fellow indie authors?
Take your time to make sure the final product is the best quality product you can produce. Spend time and money to edit and ensure your cover is compelling. Publishing children’s books is a very time consuming and expensive process, so patience with the process (especially with your illustrator) is critical. Do not rush the creative process. Donate your book to various organizations and carry extra copies with you when you travel. I always look for an opportunity to share my book with families when I travel.
Would you go traditional if a publisher came calling? If so, why?
If the publishing house that approached me allowed me to get my books in front of more children while allowing me to create more Ellie and Her Emotional Dragon books, I would go traditional. It is not about profit for me. I donate all proceeds of the sale of my books to non-profit organizations anyway.
Is there something in particular that motivates you (fame? fortune?)
Sharing Ellie and her Ellieverse with children is all that matters to me. I have a very good full-time job, so I do not expect to make money publishing children’s books.
Which writer, living or dead, do you most admire?
I am history buff, so I love to read about Abraham Lincoln.
Which book do you wish you could have written?
I am proud of my children’s series Ellie and Her Emotional Dragons. My kids like Dragons Love Tacos so I am in competition with that gem!