Today, Norm Goldman, Publisher & Editor of Bookpleasures.com is pleased to have as our guest, Amber T. Kingston author of Laura and the Leprechauns.

Good day Amber and thanks for participating in our interview.

Amber:

Thank you, Norm. It’s a pleasure to speak with you.

Norm:

What is your background in children's literature?
 
Amber:

My background in children’s literature is basically solely as a reader. I did take a children’s literature class in college but this by no means makes me an expert on the topic. Children’s literature is just something I’ve always enjoyed, and because from early childhood I grew up reading a lot of books, it was something I gravitated toward.

Norm:

Would you say that the publication of Laura and the Leprechauns is the culmination of a life long dream?

Amber:

Definitely. I’ve always wanted to write and illustrate books, and actually, to have complete control over the process. That’s where the publishing comes in. I really wanted to have glitter in my book and I knew no other publisher would be willing to pay for the added expense of glitter on a first time author. In fact, I knew the likelihood of being able to illustrate my own manuscript would be a long shot, so I just decided to handle it by myself.

Norm:

Has your environment and/or upbringing influenced your writing and art -work?

Amber:

I’d definitely say that my environment and upbringing both had a significant impact on my art and writing. I visited Bavaria many times with my family and I’ve always loved the scenery and wished I could live there. Also, when I was a child, my mother would have these fantastic St. Patrick’s Day celebrations that you couldn’t help but get excited over. Our entire house would be decorated from top to bottom with banners, shamrocks, leprechauns, gold coins . . . it was really amazing!

Norm:

What motivated you to write and illustrate Laura and the Leprechauns?

Amber:

My inspiration for Laura and the Leprechauns came from my little cousin Laura who lives in Bavaria. She was curious about leprechauns and their activities after visiting me in California where the rest of our family celebrates St. Patrick’s Day, for which we have a big celebration. She was about five at the time and fell in love with the holiday—full of giggles and in delighted awe of all the surprises we had set up for her. That led me to write a story about and for her; it just took on a larger scope than I had imagined. What was going to be a simple story took on a life of its own and became a sparkly hardback book with glitter printed in Hong Kong. The rest is history, as they say.

Norm:

How did you go about creating the character of Laura as well as the two Leprechauns?

Amber:

The character of Laura is actually based on my little cousin Laura. I fell in love with her personality when we first met—she was about four at the time. I knew I had always wanted to write and illustrate a children’s book, I just didn’t know who the main character would be. After spending so much time with Laura, it became clear that I had found the perfect character. The character of Maddy is also based on my little cousin, Matthias. His personality seemed to fit what I was looking for in a leprechaun—a mischievous spirit but thoughtful and kind-hearted too. The character of Be-bub was pure fiction and fun; he’s the more impulsive and excitable of the two leprechauns.

Norm:

What challenges or obstacles did you encounter while writing your book? How did you overcome these challenges? What did you enjoy most about writing this book?

Amber:

I’d say the biggest challenge was illustrating the book. Laura was never within reach to pose for the illustrations, so I had to work from what photos I did have of her. It took about four months to finish illustrating the book. It was also a challenge because I had decided to combine actual photographs I had taken along with my artwork to give the book a different feel—to make it seem more real to children. This took endless hours working in PhotoShop. Many of the illustrations I scrapped completely. For as challenging as it was, illustrating the book was also my favorite part of the creative process. Maybe because it was such a challenge.

Norm:

Is Chrysalis Press your own company and if so, what has your experience been like with self- publishing?

Amber:

Yes, Chrysalis Press is my own company. I always knew from an early age that I wanted to be involved in the production of books. This occurred after a fourth and fifth grade assignment in school to write, illustrate and bind your own book. I loved everything about it and would make books at home in my free time. Of course, having a real publishing company is nothing as easy as that! It has been a true learning experience—every day there is something new to learn. There are so many roles you have to play when you decide to publish on your own. I had no idea until I had already taken that leap. Luckily there are plenty of good organizations out there to help the independent and small publisher. I turn to them religiously. There have been moments of frustration, but the satisfaction I feel from what is essentially all of my own hard work, far outweighs the occasional disappointment.

Norm:

Is there an underlying message or theme of Laura and the Leprechauns?

Amber:

To be honest, I went into writing Laura and the Leprechauns saying that there would be nothing preachy or moralistic about the book. But what I have found is that readers find their own message within the book, and that is perfectly fine with me. My main goal was to write a story that was fun, lighthearted, imaginative, and sustains the childhood innocence that seems to be lost so early these days. So many children seem to take on adulthood so fast. This story was meant to be a safe place in which to escape.

Norm:

How will you use the Internet to boost your writing and art career?

Amber:

Everyday I learn something new about the internet. It just takes time and plenty of research to find the most productive ways to promote your work. I knew I needed my own website for my publishing company, which is why I started www.ChrysalisPress.com. Chrysalis Press will be the home to all future books I write as well. I just recently discovered blogging, and there are so many sites out there that are willing to help out new authors by posting their material on their site. I know the same exists out there for artists. I plan to use whatever resources are available to me.

Norm:

Are you working on any books/projects that you would like to share with us? (We would love to hear all about them!)

Amber:

I’m currently working on my next book in the Laura series. After that, I have one more in mind. I’ll be traveling to Germany to visit Laura this spring and I plan to take plenty of pictures of her to use as reference material this time! So right now it’s all about writing the story, then come springtime, I’ll begin illustrating again.

Norm:

Is there anything else you wish to add that we have not covered and how can our readers find out more about you?

Amber:

I think we’ve covered everything that comes to mind. But if anyone has any further questions for me they can always visit me online at www.ChrysalisPress.com or email me directly at amber@chrysalispress.com. I’d love to hear your thoughts or answer your questions. Thank you, Norm, for your time.

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

 Click Here To Purchase From Amazon Laura and the Leprechauns

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