Good day Pauline and welcome to Bookpleasures.com

Lily: Perhaps you can tell our readers something about yourself and when did you begin writing children’s books?

Pauline:  I started to write books around November 2003.  As the owner of a domestic staffing agency that caters to a distinct clientele I wanted to make sure that our caregivers – the nannies, the mannies, the governesses, etc. had adequate reading material for the young children they were caring for that would keep them happy, mentally stimulated and give them a learning experience in a fun way.

Lily: Why did you choose to write children’s books?

Pauline:  Because my focus is to make sure that children read books that give them a solid foundation.

Lily: What makes a good children’s writer?

Pauline:  A good story line that children find fun.  For this to be achieved, the text and the illustrations go hand in hand in relaying the story line.  It is very important to have a story line that gets the children involved.  Nothing beats that.

Lily: How long does it take you to write a book, and how do you know when it is done?

Pauline:   The Alphabet Dance and Let’s Count took me about two weeks to write.  I knew they would be winners when the three-year old of one of our client judges would not put them down, not even at bedtime.

Lily: What are the most difficult and easiest aspects of writing for children?

Pauline:  The most difficult part is coming up with a creative story line.  There are so many books on the market these days that you want to make sure that you come up with something different but at the same time something that will achieve the goal you have in mind.  The easiest part is when you do get your storyline.  Writing it from this point  becomes as easy as 123.

Lily: Do you have any tips for our readers on writing for children?

Pauline:   Try to find something that is different.  Individuality is important.  If you can, try to break away from the traditional.  For example, in the Alphabet Dance, I thought it important not only to teach children their alphabets but about hands, legs and colors.  For example, A is for Apple but the A is green so they learn about the color green.  It also has its arms up in the air so the children learn about arms, hands and fingers.  A is also wearing green and white shoes while Apple is wearing red and white shoes.  The children get to learn a lot without even realizing it.  Boy, did our young judges have a lot of questions for their nannies after seeing the book. It certainly kept their caregivers busy!

Lily: What is the most rewarding aspect of writing for children?

Pauline:  The smile on the faces of the little ones when they read the books.

Lily: Who are some of the children’s authors whose work you admire?

Pauline:  As there are so many good children’s authors I admire, I would prefer not choosing one over another.

Lily:  From the time you wrote you first children’s book, have you changed as a writer?

Pauline:  Yes, I have grown and gained a lot of experience.  I started off with very young readers and now I have graduated to older children.  I welcome the growth and I am hoping to gain more and more experience.

Lily: Are there any further books in the works?

Pauline:  Oh, yes!  You will soon be seeing more of my books in the bookstores.  Among them are books that belong to series – Dexter The Hamster Gets Lost is part of the series about a hamster family, Jumbo and the Selfish Mr. Bull is part of the Jumbo series which is about Jumbo the Donkey and his animal friends.  The Gimbles and the Land Called Beautiful is a book that belongs to the Gimbles series – about a dimpled bear family.  The Smile of a Golden Child is a wonderful poem that will make each child feel special.  There are also some educational books – Animals and Their Sounds and What Work Do I Do.  Also, I have Yummy Yummy Fruits and Yummy Yummy Vegetables which encourage children to eat their fruits and veggies.  These last two books belong to the Ben and Molly series.  So look out for them in all major bookstores.

Thank you Pauline and we wish you all the best in all of your future endeavors.