Blog Archives
Inspire a Whole New Generation
Nurse Florence, What is Multiple Sclerosis? follows a young girl with a cousin who has MS and goes to her favorite school nurse to learn more about the condition. Why was this an important topic for you to write on?
The Nurse Florence® series will address all diseases, so this was eventually going to be written. The illustrator said MS affects her family, so we decided to go ahead and do this book with Angel. I try to assign topics to illustrators which affect them personally so that there is more motivation and inspiration for them while completing the illustrations.
Your book offers a comprehensive yet accessible exploration of multiple sclerosis, covering its definition, impact, and symptoms. What is the most important thing you want young readers to know about living with Multiple Sclerosis?
We attempt to be very thorough with every disease book in the Nurse Florence series so that the disease book will be the only needed book by a family to purchase in order to inform and educate all family members. With every book I write, I also get educated about something I did not know. From my research, I found out that an increase in body temperature can trigger an MS episode. Also, people with low levels of vitamin D have an increased risk to develop the disease, so this stresses the importance of people eating a balanced diet so that they get all of their vitamins and minerals they need for a healthy life.
As an author, what has been your favorite memory or experience in sharing the Nurse Florence® series with children?
At the Tucson Festival of Books in March 2023, we had our first fan come up to the table. The mom walked over with her child and told her, “Look there’s Nurse Florence!” After talking with them, they have been checking out every Nurse Florence® title they could get from the local library. We hope to inspire a whole new generation of kids into the health science professions.
Who has been the biggest supporter of your writing?
My wife, Perla. She believes completely in the project and has allowed me to get the family into some debt to help launch the series. She is also the Latin American Spanish translator for the series. I could not do this without her love and support. I’m a lucky man!
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | Website | YouTube | Harvard Bookstore | Amazon
Creating Better Marketing Strategies
Marketing Iceberg: Psychology of the Subconscious Mind in Marketing is a comprehensive exploration of modern marketing strategies with a unique focus on the intersection of psychology, technology, and consumer behavior. Why was this an important book for you to write?
I wanted to write Marketing Iceberg because I was really curious about how people think and make choices when they buy things. I noticed that a lot of times, what we decide to buy isn’t just because of what we see or hear about the product. It’s also about how we feel deep down, without even realizing it! So, I thought it would be super interesting to explore how understanding people’s feelings and thoughts can help in creating better marketing strategies.
How much and what kind of research did you undertake for this book, and how much time did it take to put it all together?
To make sure this book had lots of cool and useful information, I did a lot of homework. I read books, talked to smart people who know a lot about buying and selling and looked at real-life examples of how companies talk to their customers. I wanted to gather as many stories and facts as I could to help explain my ideas. This took me about two years, but it was worth it because I learned so much and got to share it in the book!
What were some ideas that were important for you to share in this book?
There were a few big ideas I really wanted to share with everyone:
The Marketing Iceberg Idea: Just like an iceberg has most of its size hidden under the water, the most important parts of marketing are the ones we can’t see because they’re all about what’s going on in our minds.
Stories Matter: I talked about how the stories companies tell us about their products can make us feel connected to them because of our emotions and what we care about.
Being Nice and Fair: It’s super important for companies to be honest and careful with the information they learn about us. They should use it to make things better for us, not just to make more money.
When considering data mining and individual privacy, what constitutes the greatest ethical challenge in the realm of marketing?
When companies collect information about what we like and do, they need to be very careful and respectful. The hardest part is making sure they use this information in a way that helps us without making us feel uncomfortable or taking advantage of our privacy. In the book, I talk about how companies can do this in a good way, by always thinking about what’s best for their customers.
Author Links: Goodreads | Twitter | Facebook | Website | Amazon
Our discussion will start with the mind, specifically its unconscious domains which have long perplexed researchers. This handbook will delve into how our understanding of the unconscious has morphed and expanded, from Sigmund Freud’s 20th Century work in psychoanalysis, to its integration with business and marketing at the turn of the century. We will then shift our focus to psychographic segmentation, and examine how this type of targeting enables firms to better understand the unconscious, and its impacts on our lifestyle and behaviour. After a brief overview of artificial intelligence, we will segue to a larger discussion about business analytics or advanced analytics, which has created untold opportunities in many industries, including marketing. This focus on data mining provides marketers with deep insights about our thoughts, enabling them to influence our behaviour in profound ways. We will then look into the value of traditional marketing activities and how the data mining activities become valuable inputs into the creation of truly impactful identities and messaging. We will conclude our discussion by highlighting some of big data’s ethical and privacy implications.
The Courage to Change
I Can Do Bad All by Myzelf follows a disgruntled elf who was not hired by Santa, so he decides to get revenge by sabotaging Santa’s workshop. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
It was the month after Christmas in January 2023, and I was trying to generate some children’s book ideas. I was thinking about what the perfect job would be, and working for Santa came to mind. But Santa can’t hire everyone, right? So, even though this book was the fourth one published in the Holiday Tails series, it was the idea for this book that led to the development of all the other books, and, believe me, there will be many. Four are complete, and two more are slotted for this year.
The art in this book is unique and modern, really drawing in the older elementary-level children. What was the art collaboration process like with illustrator Christina Cartwright?
I always give Christina an idea of what I’d like to see on the page, but I leave it up to her imagination as well. There have been a couple of times that Christina misinterpreted what I was wanting (or more like I wasn’t as clear as I could have been), and I ended up going with what she gave me because I could see it was a better idea. For example, she proposed that we make the other elves’ skin colors be nontraditional human tones, and I thought it was a fantastic idea, so we ran with it.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
The main themes I focused upon were:
Disappointment in life. Sometimes we can’t seem to make our dreams come true, no matter how hard we wish for it.
Finding the courage to change. Bad things happen – are we going to let them define us or are we going to listen to our hearts when they warn us we are on the wrong path? Can we find the courage to change?
Unconditional love. No matter what we do, everyone deserves a chance to be loved and do the right thing.
What is the next book that you are working on, and when will it be available?
The next book I’m working on is a follow-up to last year’s bunny book. Yakov is a wild and funny character, so it’s great to revisit his crazy antics. It should hopefully be done by summer and available to read and enjoy by all.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube | Amazon
But what if Santa won’t hire you? He can’t hire everyone. The greatest job in the world will only go to a select few. What do the rest of the rejected applicants do?
Well, if your Myz the elf, you get revenge on Santa. You make him rue the day he ever turned you away from the one thing you’ve ever wished for – working for the big man himself, Santa Claus.
Myz does everything he can think of to make the big guy’s life miserable and when he finally succeeds in attaining his naughty goal? Myz sees a side of Christmas that isn’t very beautiful or joyful.
Will his heart change in time to save Christmas? Sometimes we don’t know the true meaning of things until we almost lose them.
You Can Find Humor Everywhere
In Queen Molly and the Summer Palace, a German Shepherd and her owner venture northward to enjoy the cooler temperatures and embark on new summer adventures. Where did the idea for this story come from?
I have lived part of the year in PA and part of the year in FL for several years; a reverse snowbird, I guess. Of course, that means two road trips a year with my various dogs. Two years ago, I made the trip with Molly for the first time, and her responses to all the new experiences fascinated me. I thought a book written from her perspective might be kind of fun to write and read.
Is there anything from your own life that you put into Molly’s adventures?
All of Molly’s adventures have a basis in reality. I guess I am more observant than I am creative.
I enjoyed the humor woven throughout your book. How important is it for you to create lighthearted moments in your children’s books?
I have come to the conclusion that my greatest contribution to this world, behind my wonderful daughters, is adding a little humor to it. So many people seem to be taking everything so, so seriously! I believe humor helps put everything in perspective. I have always been able to laugh at myself and, fortunately, have helped my kids adopt that attitude, and they’re happier for it. If I can let other kids know that the world can be a fun place and you can find humor everywhere if you look for it, that’s a good thing.
Can readers look forward to a third book in the Molly series? If so, when will it be available?
Yes, I will be writing one more book in this series. When Molly and I returned from the Winter Palace, Meghan was pregnant. Readers will be able to see that pregnancy through Molly’s eyes. As to timing, I hope for late Spring. I need to scrape up enough money to pay for my Illustrator! I am definitely not in this for the money.
Author Links: Amazon | Twitter
LITERARY TITAN 