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Never Give Up On A Dream
River follows a young boy with a unique lineage who has big dreams and learns how to navigate challenging situations and how he can impact the world and people around him. What was the inspiration for your story?
My struggles in my life and the struggle of finding success writing children’s books, novels, music, establishing a brand, and running a business. I’ve written fifteen children’s books to date. Three have been released. I hope to continue releasing one a year in the future. My first novel will be released this year. I released an album, CITY, under my own label, Climax Records, Inc. in 2005. I’ve produced music videos, written hundreds of songs, and yet I may not reach the level of success I dream of, despite talent, hard work, and perseverance. But I want to ensure I pass down all the knowledge and experience I’ve learned to my sons. I want them to know that sometimes what they want is not meant to be, regardless of the work put in. It does not mean you are a failure, because success can not be achieved without failure, learning from your mistakes, and applying those lessons in the future.
The art in this book brings the story to life, drawing children into the story and helping them relate to Renly. What was the art collaboration process like with illustrator Jordan Pizzuti?
I have been very fortunate to have Jordan on my team. I’ve learned through my music collaborations that when you’re working with professionals, they need little direction. So our collaboration process is simple. I give her the story and let her have free rain to create the vision that she sees. I do this because sometimes, an outside perspective can see aspects of a story the creator can’t and come up with something better. Jordan is great at that.
What were some educational aspects that were important for you to include in this children’s book?
- Never give up on a dream: When you’re tired and you want to quit, rest, but don’t stop. What you’re looking for might be closer than you think. So I want children to listen to their hearts, follow their dreams, and not let others steal their enthusiasm.
- Sacrifice: But that means working harder and risking more than others to achieve your dream.
- Family: Renly could have never strived for his dreams without the encouragement of his mother, the values she instilled in him, and the generations that came before him to lay down a path to reach success.
Can you tell us a little about where the story goes in book two and when the novel will be available?
So the next book is not a continuation of RIVER, but another story about a mother and son called, LONG, LONG TIME. That will be a sing-a-long book, which will be my second that I’ve released so far. Here is an excerpt of the story:
She drove home in the pouring rain.
I knocked on the window and called her name.
She came in. She looked so tired.
She said to me, “Baby, I need to rest a while.”
Now I can’t keep pretending that she’ll be ok.
But I don’t want to believe what I’m trying to say.
In my heart something tells me she’s losing this war.
I don’t know how long she’ll hold on.
I pray that I’m wrong.
And she’ll be here a long, long time…
You can read excerpts from all seven of my upcoming books at my website under the “READ” section. My first novel, THE WHITE, will be released this year, HALLOWEEN 2024.
Author Links: Twitter | Facebook | Website
River
River, by Dr. Calvin James, skillfully intertwines themes of nature, family, sacrifice, and grief into a narrative that fully engages its young readers. The story revolves around Renly, a boy who embodies the essence of a stream. His unique lineage, with a mother depicted as a brook and a father who was a fleeting snowstorm, sets the stage for an imaginative exploration of the natural world. Renly’s upbringing in the forest, surrounded by a communicative and vibrant ecosystem, fuels his aspiration to become a river, symbolizing growth and transformation.
Dr. James’ writing style adeptly balances poetic flair with accessibility for children, effectively introducing literary techniques like repetition and personification. This dual approach captivates young minds and serves as an educational resource for introducing complex literary concepts. The book’s enchanting illustrations and vivid descriptions of the forest environment are instrumental in nurturing an appreciation for nature among its readers. A notable aspect of this book is its portrayal of Renly and his family as people of color, executed with realism and beauty. This representation enriches the narrative and contributes to the diversification of characters in children’s literature. Moreover, Renly’s journey through various emotional landscapes, including how he seeks and accepts assistance, provides valuable lessons in emotional intelligence and resilience.
River is an enriching read for children aged 8-12. It features an unconventional ending that, while it may be thought-provoking for some, also holds the potential to deeply resonate with young readers who have encountered similar experiences, offering them comfort and profound insights.
Dr. Calvin James’ River is a thoughtful addition to any collection, particularly for those navigating difficult life experiences or seeking to diversify their reading material with inclusive characters. Its unique storytelling and character development approach makes it a compelling read for a broad audience.
Pages: 27 | ASIN : B0CZQP7MCN
An Exploration of Choices
Leonora Meriel Author Interview
The Woman Behind The Waterfall follows Angela as she struggles to help her mother find happiness while trying to avoid her dark past. What was the initial idea behind this story and how did that transform as you were writing the novel?
When I started writing The Woman behind the Waterfall, I was at a crossroads in my life. I had turned 30, decided to leave my job running a business to write full-time, and had recently moved country to live in Barcelona. I was at a stage where I was evaluating what had happened in my life to date, and what I could consider mistakes or positive choices; also the example I was setting for my daughter, and the patterns I was consciously or not consciously following from my mother. Thus, the original idea was an exploration of choices and their consequences within the framework of generations. As the novel progressed, this developed into the wider theme of the search for happiness, and what happiness means at different ages and in different generations.
The writing in your story is very artful and creative. Was it a conscious effort to create a story in this fashion or is this style of writing reflective of your writing style in general?
I had always dreamed of being a writer, and at the age of 30, after many years of scribbling stories and poems, I decided to write full-time. This was my chance to create a novel that I hoped would be published and offered to the world. The language that came out when I wrote it was intensely poetic and full of dream and emotion. It wasn’t a style that I had written in previously, but it was the language that I found to express the story of the book – the generations and the regrets and choices, woven into the dream world of the subconscious.
As a contrast, in my second novel, I wanted to write in a style that was a clean, straightforward narrative. After the intense poetry of The Woman Behind the Waterfall, I wanted to focus on story and character rather than the beauty of the words.
Both Angela and her mother are both detailed characters that continue to develop in the story. What were the driving ideals behind the characters’ development throughout the story?
The character of Angela was intended to express the pure creative state that children exist in before their thought-patterns have been set by the surrounding world. I had observed in my own children this magical state when they hadn’t yet been told what was true and what was not, and so everything was possible. With Angela, I take this a step further and allow her to merge with the natural world. However, as the book progresses, she understands that she will lose this ability as she becomes an adult.
Lyuda, the mother, also goes through a transformation. She has been trapped in a debilitating depression and holds on for the sake of her daughter. When her daughter starts to see and be affected by this, Lyuda has to make a choice to come out of her internal world. This progression was really inspired by the idea of the things we pass on to our children, and the responsibility there is in being a parent, where each of your actions can create a pattern that can pass into your family for generations.
What is the next book that you are writing and when will it be available?
I published my second novel, The Unity Game, in May of this year, and I’m currently working on several projects which should be ready starting from 2019. The Unity Game was as different as possible to The Woman Behind the Waterfall, and is a speculative Science Fiction novel set in New York, a distant planet and an after-life dimension. It was a lot of fun to write and it has been getting some great feedback.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website
![The Woman Behind The Waterfall by [Meriel, Leonora]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51dxz9GQY3L.jpg)
Heartbreak and transformation in the beauty of a Ukrainian village
For seven-year old Angela, happiness is exploring the lush countryside around her home in western Ukraine. Her wild imagination takes her into birds and flowers, and into the waters of the river.
All that changes when, one morning, she sees her mother crying. As she tries to find out why, she is drawn on an extraordinary journey into the secrets of her family, and her mother’s fateful choices.
Can Angela lead her mother back to happiness before her innocence is destroyed by the shadows of a dark past?
Beautiful, poetic and richly sensory, this is a tale that will haunt and lift its readers.
LITERARY TITAN 