Click Here To Purchase From Amazon Sweet Pea and the Bumblebee

Today, Norm Goldman, Editor of Publisher of Bookpleasures.com once again welcomes Jason Akley, author of Sweet Pea and the Bumblebee.

Good day Jason and thanks once again for participating in our interview.

Norm:

When you wrote Sweet Pea and the Bumblebee who was your intended audience?

Jason:

My intention was to write a children's story for adults, especially parents.  I wanted to write something thought-provoking for parents to read to their children.  I liked the contradiction of putting adult content in a children's story format.  Children understand but they don't understand, and adults can get a lot out of a good children's story.

Norm:

Whom do you believe will benefit from your book and why? What are your hopes for the book?

Jason:

I wrote it for my newborn daughter.  After Delilah was born, the first few lines of the story came to me as I was watching my wife breastfeed.  It’s what I wanted to say to her.  Sweet Pea's weakest point is it's all talk because a plant is stationary.  My other children's book, The Candlestick, which was written while my wife was pregnant, has more action.  I also didn't follow any particular rhyme meter.  But I liked the contradiction of putting what's basically prose format in rhyme. 

 The rhyming is for children, who may not understand the concepts, but can listen to the sing-song quality of the words.  This may not hold their attention for long, but I don't think any child of picture book age pays attention for too long.  Delilah, who’s nearly a year old now, loves looking through the pictures and basically chewing on it.  The story is for adults.  And I hope they will like the message it sends to children.

Norm:

What was your main reason for writing your book?

Jason:

When my wife and I came home with Delilah from the hospital, I brought in some flowers for her.  That’s when I got the idea for the story.

Norm:

How long did it take you to write Sweet Pea and the Bumblebee, including research and editing time?

Jason:

I wrote it at work over the span of about two weeks. 

Norm:

How has the feedback been so far?
 
Jason:

Most state the obvious that it’s not age-appropriate.  When it’s taken on its own terms Sweet Pea engages the reader, and I think most readers like that.

Norm:

I notice that you have a BS degree from Tulane University in physics and mathematical economics. Has this in any way influenced you in the writing of Sweet Pea and the Bumblebee?

Jason:

I loved the library at Tulane.  My science background also definitely plays a role in my writing.  I don’t read as much now, but I read all the major philosophers and books about their lives when I was younger.  I was reading Kierkegaard to my wife in the hospital after she had Delilah.  That probably put me in an existential mood.

Norm:

If you could switch places with a famous philosopher, who would it be? Why?

Jason:

I guess Socrates, without the boys and the poison in the end.  He let you figure it out for yourself.

Norm:

The last time we communicated, we discussed your novella, With Salt And The Altar Of Silence.  What were some of the main differences you encountered between writing the novella and Sweet Pea?

Jason:

I wrote Sweet Pea for my daughter, and I liked the idea of putting what I had to say in a children’s picture book format.  The novellas were written more for my personal development as a writer.

Norm:

Will there be any unique ways you’ll be marketing Sweet Pea and the Bumblebee?

Jason:

Librarians are interested.  Also the foreign markets.  I have leads from the recent Beijing trade expo.

Norm:

Is there anything else you wish to add that we have not covered and what is next for Jason Akley?

Jason:

Since completing the novellas I’ve been working on a trilogy called Lazarus.  I’ve been working on it for the past seven years, and it’s almost finished.  I’m publishing it in installments on the Amazon Shorts program.  The first two books are complete, and I should finish the third part of Lazarus by early next year.  After Lazarus I plan on working on some short stories, and then I have about four book ideas on the back burner that I might tackle…

Thanks once again and good luck with all of your future endeavors.

To read Norm's Review of  Sweet Pea and the Bumblebee CLICK HERE

Click Here To Purchase From Amazon Sweet Pea and the Bumblebee