Blog Archives
Connections to Real-World Experiences
No Dog Food, Please! follows a Labrador Retriever as he transitions from city life to a rural farm, aiming to adapt to his new environment while navigating the challenges of family dynamics and seeking acceptance. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
The inspiration for this story was our dog Chipper, a Maltese Poodle (Malti-doodle) who preferred what we were eating to dog food. We learned how to balance what he wanted with what was good for him. No Dog Food, Please! began as a poem about his dietary preferences. It evolved into a book over a period of years.
What inspired you to choose a Labrador Retriever as the protagonist in No Dog Food, Please!?
I have been intrigued by the ability of various dogs to work with humans for many years – as police dogs and guide dogs for the blind, for example. It’s incredible but true that some dogs can even be trained to smell certain types of cancer in humans. Besides being increasingly amazed by what dogs can be taught to do, I have always enjoyed being around animals. My husband is an animal lover as well, and we took our son to visit several farms when he was younger. Getting back to your question…Labrador Retrievers are intelligent, friendly animals. I knew that a Lab would fit in nicely with a story revolving around active farm children and the adults in their lives. The more I worked on the book, the more I found humorous ways to contrast the boisterous nature of the dog with Grumpy Grandpa’s old-fashioned ways.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
When I was a kid, I liked reading funny stories that also had connections to real-world experiences. As an adult, I enjoy writing books that are humorous and can potentially help children solve problems in their lives. In the case of this book, the problems centered around differences of opinion in a multigenerational family. Also, in No Dog Food, Please! I enjoyed creating parallel adoption stories focusing on Jack and the youngest child, Ben, who developed a strong bond, and exploring how the rest of the family had to adjust their lives following the adoptions. I worked on this book in my spare time for a few years, adding scenes as I thought of them, and then weaving everything together.
What is the next book that you are working on, and when will it be available?
I have completed my first children’s picture book, which I expect to publish later this year. The protagonist is also an animal, but one that is much smaller than a dog. In addition to pursuing my writing interests, I’m fortunate to be part of a great group of writers called Author Reader Connection. We have begun to do virtual author visits at schools. In February of this year, we spent a week with some talented students and their teacher in Maui, Hawaii. Working in groups or individually, the students were given the choice to write and publish a picture book, a comic book, or a poetry book. Here’s a link to a poetry book created by a group of those students. Rising From the Ashes: Our Stories of Lahaina – A Poetry Collection. All of the poets and artists featured in this book are from Lahaina, several of whom were displaced by the Lahai…
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A Unique Superpower
The Birth of Agent Big Butt: Butt of Steel, Heart of Gold follows a newborn boy who is born with the superpower of explosive farts that can defeat any advisory. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
As a family, we love telling stories. So, one night, while making up silly stories, an image of a big butt newborn popped into my mind. Immediately, the story began to unfold. It would be a story about a baby with a big steel butt that can fart the most powerful farts. The farts could form into anything he needed, and this baby decided to use these powers for good.
Big Butt is an entertaining character with a superpower that will make kids laugh and encourage them to want to read more of his story. What were some driving ideals behind your character’s development?
There are many children fart books. We wanted to add a different spin to our version. We also wanted the humor in the book to be more than just farting. We wanted a character that was immersed in real world challenges who had many crash courses…dealing with family, friends, and bullies. And in that a lot of humor was discovered. We also wanted a main character that was lovable and cute – and our illustrator, Tom McWeeney, captured our ideas perfectly!
What were some educational aspects that were important for you to include in this children’s book?
As a newborn, the main character had to deal with the learning curves of life, such as not only understanding his feelings but the feelings of others. He learned that sometimes there is no clear right or wrong. He also had to learn how to be responsible with his powers. So, when he faced insults from bullies or attacks from the media, he had to give a mature response. In short, he had to grow up fast.
Where does the story go in the next book and where do you see it going in the future?
In Book 2, The Defeat of Agent Big Butt: Out of Gas, Agent Big Butt loses all his powers and has to deal with a rampaging mechanical big butt operated by his nemesis Justin. It was pretty fun exploring what AB (our hero’s nickname) was like without his powers, as well as coming up with all the new, dastardly farts used by Justin.
In Book 3, The Brainwashing of Agent Big Butt: Under an Evil Smell, we see what AB is like when he goes over to the dark side. Writing a villainous AB was so exciting!
As for the future…AB3 was the last book in the series, but many fans have expressed an interest in an Agent Big Butt movie. It is definitely part of our vision!
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With a wild doctor pursuing him, this walking, talking newborn – known as Agent Big Butt – has to navigate the life of a superhero while dealing with newfound fame, going to school, making friends and defeating bullies, all before his first birthday.
The Birth of Agent Big Butt: Butt of Steel, Heart of Gold
Amy Winfield’s The Birth of Agent Big Butt: Butt of Steel, Heart of Gold offers a unique and amusing narrative aimed at a young audience. The story centers around an extraordinary baby, affectionately nicknamed Big Butt, who possesses an unusual ability: his butt is as resilient as steel yet feels astonishingly light. The tale unfolds with Big Butt’s dramatic birth in a hospital, a scene that immediately captivates both the characters in the book and its readers with the baby’s rapidly growing and powerful posterior. As the plot develops, Big Butt and his family find themselves fleeing from Dr. Ian, who is intent on studying the baby’s unique trait. Their escapade leads them to a bank where a hostage situation unfolds. Here, Big Butt heroically employs his ‘steel butt’ abilities, along with some humorously depicted farting skills, to save the day. This incident not only marks the beginning of Big Butt’s fame but also sets the stage for further adventures.
Winfield skillfully navigates through various scenarios, from Big Butt dealing with fame and slander to his efforts in assisting other children and managing his school life. Throughout these adventures, he gradually learns to harness his powers, a necessary skill given the potentially hazardous nature of his farts. The book delves into themes of friendship, familial bonds, and altruism, all woven into the fabric of the narrative. Told from Big Butt’s perspective, the story offers an engaging viewpoint that highlights his endearing personality and provides an immersive experience of his world.
While the narrative is primarily text-driven, it is interspersed with vivid illustrations that bring the characters and their antics to life. Geared towards children who are comfortable with reading, the book’s chapters, though brief, encompass a range of complex ideas. The narrative, enriched by its illustrations, playfully navigates the humor of farts and poop, which, while vivid, offers an opportunity for lighthearted discussions between parents and children.
The Birth of Agent Big Butt: Butt of Steel, Heart of Gold is a refreshingly humorous and action-packed read. It cleverly balances entertainment with valuable life lessons on love, justice, and honesty, making it an intriguing addition to a young reader’s collection.
Pages: 425 | ASIN : B0811KWTBZ
Siblings Learning Together
The Rascal Cat Brothers follows a black cat who, up until now, was a solitary cat, and now has a kitten moving into his home and has to adapt. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
The story is the true events of adopting my two cats. The black cat, Midnight is actually my first cat I adopted from a shelter. The second cat, Snowball, is actually my silly younger cat, and this is the story of the day I brought him home. Ever since, the two boys have been amazing brothers, and Snowball has been super silly. I was inspired to write their story and their amazingly funny behaviors into a book series. They are my first pets, and I had no idea how silly and funny they could be. I thought their behaviors could be a great book, and what came out also came with a beautiful message.
Getting a new sibling can be challenging and confusing for children, as can bringing a new animal into the home with existing ones. Both situations can be the scene for humorous moments. What was your favorite scene in this story?
My favorite scene in the story is definitely when I find Snowball on the top shelf in my closet. That is a true event, and the illustrations in the books are my actual pictures. I just heard something in the closet one day and walked in to see this tiny 8.5 pound kitten on the top shelf of my closet. Midnight, of course, came to check it, too, but I was surprised and could not stop laughing. I think that is one of my favorite memories of Snowball. A favorite memory of both boys is definitely anytime they are cuddled up with me sleeping. I love when they cuddle with me and together. Snowball is bigger than Midnight in real life, and it is so cute and funny when he lays down on top of his brother rather than next to him.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
I really did not set out to explore themes. I wanted to write down the silly and adorable things I have seen my two cats do. I thought starting with how I brought him home and the silly things Snowball did along with the cuddles that Midnight loves would be perfect. I did not know then I would make it into a series. I thought the way I wrote it could be either a series or a stand-alone book. It just morphed into this adorable funny story of siblings learning together and becoming family. I am very lucky to have it unfold that way.
What is the next book you are working on, and when will it be available?
I am working on the next book in the Lets Talk! series called Lets Talk! Celebrating the Holidays. It is available November 1, 2023. The second book in the cat brothers series is going to come out sometime in 2024. Stay tuned for updates because that one is Snowball’s point of view.
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LITERARY TITAN 