Click Here To Purchase Ready Freddie Getting Ready For Fires

Today, Norm Goldman Publisher & Editor of Bookpleasures.com is pleased to have as our guest, Earl Hicks Jr. author of Ready Freddie Getting Ready for Fires.

Good day Earl and thanks for participating in our interview.

Norm: 

Please tell our readers a little bit about your personal and professional background.

Earl:  

I was born and raised in Huntington, WV.  I became seriously interested in writing during high school with a group of friends that shared a mutual dream of becoming writers.   

After high school, I moved with my family to Maryland and attended Towson State University where I received a BS in mass communications, with a concentration in journalism.  

Armed with my degree, I got my first paying sports journalism job covering high school sports.  Problem was it only paid $100 a week and that didn’t even cover gas money to get me to all the ball games.  I left that job to work as a writer and account executive for a public relations firm which was fun for two years, until I got laid off.  That wasn’t fun.  I decided to put my writing career on hold and accepted a more secure job with the federal government, specializing in the areas of national security and emergency preparedness, where I have been working now for over 16 years.  

Norm:

What is your background in children's literature? As a follow up, how did you decide you were ready to write the book and what motivated you to write Ready Freddie Getting Ready for Fires?  

Earl: 

This is my first published work in children’s literature.  Writing is something I have always enjoyed and continued doing, personally and professionally.  I have also read to my two young boys every night.   

During our regular visits to the library, we were always on the lookout for new and fun books.  It was then that I learned there are no entertaining children’s book series available on the topic of emergency preparedness. 

There are printed materials from local governments, but nothing fun and creative the kids want to see or have read to them.  So, I decided to develop a character and series of manuscripts that would entertain children while teaching important lessons of being ready before, during, and after emergency situations. 

Norm:

How did you pair up with the illustrator of the book, Pablo Niz? Did you have a set plan as to how you were going to work together or was it improvisational?

Earl: 

Improvisational.  I was referred by a friend elance, a website service that features portfolios of illustrators and other various professionals seeking clients.  Pablo works for sf360 and their portfolio of illustrations was by far the best of any I found.  I was so impressed with Pablo and sf360 that I also hired them do the book’s layouts and Spanish translations, as well as develop my logo designs, business cards and letterhead, and my revised website.

Norm:

What's the most difficult thing for you about being a writer and in particular the writing of Ready Freddie Getting Ready for Fires?

Earl: 

The greatest challenge for me has been developing humorous, engaging, and creative dialogue that incorporates the technical lessons of emergency preparedness.  

Norm:

What did you enjoy most about writing this book?

Earl:

I enjoyed developing a good storyline and then bringing it and the characters to life through fantastic illustrations.

Norm:

Whom do you believe will benefit from your book and why?

Earl: 

First, kids that are often home alone and may find themselves in a situation where they must react to an emergency without the help of a grown up. 

Second, schools looking for a way to get children interested in the important topic of emergency preparedness.  But most importantly, I believe the Latino community will benefit from this book and the entire planned Ready Freddie series the most. 

The Latino community is now the largest minority in America, residing primarily in coastal and inner city areas where emergencies are likely to occur.  Making Ready Freddie books available in Spanish will ensure that Latino children have the opportunity to learn these important lessons they will benefit from their whole lives.  

Norm:

What kind of research did you do to write this book?
 
Earl: 

The information and lessons in this book came directly from fire fighters and emergency first responders that served as consultants to me on this project.

Norm:

What do you think of the new Internet market for writers?

Earl: 

It does provide new and unique opportunities for writers that did not exist a few years ago. 

The Internet also provides an immediate and large audience to qualified writers of really good books that may otherwise never be available to the public. 

However, the Internet has not changed the fact that the books that achieve the highest levels of success are still the ones from the largest publishing companies that are stocked in the most bookstores.

Norm:

Who is your publisher? Are there any comments or cautions?

Earl: 

My publisher for Ready Freddie – Getting Ready for Fires was Booksurge that is a division of Amazon.com.  

For anyone interested in self-publishing a good book, Booksurge is the best and I had a great experience.  But rather than consider self-publishing future Ready Freddie books, I am attempting to gain the attention of a literary agent that will submit my future manuscripts to a standard publishing house. 

Norm:

What will you be doing for promotion and how much of it is your doing?

Earl: 

ALL promotions for Ready Freddie – Getting Ready for Fires are done by me. 

So far, my promotions have included weekly mailings to schools, insurance companies, and bookstores; books readings at schools and libraries; book reviews; online and print interviews; listings in book clubs; development of a website and blog, and participating on the member pages on websites such as Jacketflap.com, MySpace.com and Facebook.com.

Norm:

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

Earl: 

As a result of my efforts to obtain a literary agent, I have been advised to redevelop my Ready Freddie books into works of narrative non-fiction, rather than fiction.  Part of the reason for this change is to provide more details in the book for an older audience and to also sell my years of emergency preparedness experience as an expert qualified to teach these lessons.  I have 10 Ready Freddie manuscripts written for fiction that I am revising for narrative non-fiction.

As a result of this book, I have also began writing magazine articles and am under consideration for developing an emergency preparedness column in a local newspaper.

Norm:

How can our readers find out more about you and your books and is there anything else you wish to add that we have not covered?

Earl: 

Visit my Website and my Blog for more information. 

I would also like your readers to know that I have developed partnerships between Ready Freddie books and three important children’s charities to raise awareness for their organisations and to donate a portion of the after-tax profits from my books.  For these partnerships, I have chosen to work with adoptionstogether.org familyhomelessness.org and aoet.org.

Ready Freddie books teach lessons that will save children’s lives and with these partnerships, Ready Freddie books can also have an impact by providing assistance to children in need and give genuine purpose to my books.

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

To read Norm's Review of Ready Freddie Getting Ready For Fires CLICK HERE 

Click Here To Purchase Ready Freddie Getting Ready For Fires