Blog Archives
A Fun-filled Fantasy
Winston’s Big Wind is a children’s story following a little boy who learned to embrace his intestinal issues and becomes a hero in the process. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
My five grandchildren—none of them can stop themselves from laughing when someone passes gas. I constantly remind my grandkids that flatulence isn’t polite but when they were little, they told me they couldn’t help it. As they got older, they learned to control their intestinal gas but they still thought ‘farts’ were funny! So, I decided to write a story about a little boy who really couldn’t control his gas but who eventually was able to turn his big wind into a big win.
The art in this book is charming. What was the art collaboration process like with illustrator Sarah Gledhill?
My publisher, Atmosphere Press, connected me with Sarah Gledhill in Great Britain. I emailed her a copy of the manuscript and talked with her about the pictures I had in my head for the characters and the actions. Winston was designed after my red-headed, fun-filled grandson, and the little girl in the pit was designed after my one and only, at this point, three-year old granddaughter. Without ever seeing my little ones, Sarah created them incredibly like my descriptions. She was a joy to work with and is so talented. We still keep in touch in case Windy Winston rides again!
This seemed like a fun book to write. What scene in the book did you have the most fun creating?
I had a lot of fun writing this book. Coming up with synonyms for flatulence was a gas and creating alliteration was a fun-filled fantasy! My favorite scene is the little girl in the pit when Winston is holding the girl and her puppy in his arms. I like this scene because Sarah’s illustration looks so much like my grandson holding his little sister. I find it charming and I think child readers would like the idea of a little boy rescuing a little girl while also saving her puppy.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
I am working on two very different books right now. I plan to write a sequel to Winston’s Big Wind now that he is a hero. Winston loves helping others and since he can’t seem to stop his flatulence, he wants to use his gas for good! First, however, he has to learn how to control the gaseous gusts so that they come at propitious times. At the same time, I’m working on a sequel to my novel Dying to Live. Dying to Live is about a baby who is born with a full recollection of her past life as a Nobel Laureate medical scientist. During her new life she builds on her past medical advances combining new knowledge with her past excellence. Her cure for cancer wins her another Nobel Prize. In the new novel she will be born anew with two past lives’ worth of scientific knowledge. I’m still working on the research for this novel in which my protagonist will be born to a family living in a scientific enclave on the moon.
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | Website
Winston was a breezy baby who became a tooty tot, and finally…a very gassy guy.
When he started school, his tremendous toots echoed through the classrooms and hallways. On the playground, his gusts of gas could be heard for miles in every direction. Though the other children and teachers came to love Winston for his kindness and sense of humor, they still called him ‘Windy Winston.’ For years he was full of embarrassment and shame over his flatulence faux pas—but one day, things changed for Winston.
Winston’s Big Wind is the story of how one little boy learned to embrace his intestinal issues and turn his wind into a win!
Winston’s Big Wind
Ever since Winston was a baby he’s suffered from significant flatulence. When he started school his flatulence, also known as ‘fluffer doodles’ or a ‘bottom burp’, were just as powerful and were making Winston feel embarrassed. One day he was walking home from school and saw a girl stuck in a hole in the ground. He jumped in without thinking and his bas blasted them back out of the hole. Winston realized he had an ability that no one else had and decided to use it to save others.
Winston’s Big Wind is a hilarious children’s book that takes something that everyone does and gives it a fun superhero twist. I loved all the different euphemism’s that were used for Winston’s explosive gas. I laughed every time. The charming sketch art that is on every other page pairs well with the story and brings a welcoming charm to the book.
I thought this was going to be a story about how to deal with flatulence, but I was delighted to find out that this story is much more than that. This comical book sets up Winston as an amiable child and an unlikely hero. I heartily enjoyed the hero origin story trope at work in this amusing children’s book.
Winston’s Big Wind is a lively picture book that will have kids laughing at the different ways to say flatulence. This book is just pure fun all around. Author Barbara Reyelts has created a great book for elementary children that are developing their reading skills as it is one story they will certainly be begging to read.
Pages: 35 | ISBN: 1639884823
LITERARY TITAN 