Hello everyone. Today's author interview is with Kristen Mott! (Her author pic reminds me of my horse show photographer days.) Kristen is a children's book author and animal lover.
Kristen, please tell us a little about yourself.
My name is Kristen Mott, I am a writer, wife, mother and animal welfare advocate. I graduated from the Indiana University School of Journalism in 2008. I currently live on a small farm in Indiana with my husband and son where we care for two horses and two cats, the real-life characters in my first children’s book.
What is the title of your book?
My first children’s book is titled Odie the Stray Kitten.
Please, tell us a little about your book.
This is a children’s picture book that depicts the true story of how I adopted a little stray kitten one cold winter day. Odie found much more than a forever home on our farm, including a name and a best friend.
What genre do you write?
I write children's realistic fiction.
What inspired you to write this book?
Odie, the kitten himself, inspired me to write this book. I had always wanted to publish a children's book and had written countless animal stories over the years. I wrote down his story and decided that it needed to be shared.
How long have you been writing?
I have been writing stories for as long as I can remember, since I was first able to write in elementary school. I have mostly written stories about animals.
What is your favorite way to promote yourself and your book?
I have had the most success promoting on Facebook, but I enjoy promoting the book by reading in elementary school classrooms and in independent children’s bookstores.
Do you have other books? (Feel free to list them.)
This is my first published book, but it is the first book in The Odie Series, about the cat’s life on our farm. The second book in the series, Odie’s Best Friend, is in production and should be live by summer 2014.
What is your hope for your book?
I hope that this book and the series inspire children to write their own stories and become more aware of animal welfare.
What draws you to the genre that you write?
I love the simplicity, the morals and the themes of most children’s books. And I have a bleeding heart for animals and stories about talking animals.
If you are a children’s author, do you illustrate your own books?
I wish that I was able to illustrate my own books. I am taking some art lessons in hopes to one day be able to illustrate my own stories, but for now I leave it to the professionals.
Is there a message, a lesson, or a moral to your story? If so, would you share it?
The book is told from Odie’s perspective and I’ve used his story to educate children about the value of helping those in need and caring for animals. The story also conveys a message of friendship and belonging.
What are/were your favorite and least favorite subjects in school and why?
My favorite subjects in school were always English and creative writing because I understood words and how to use them. Words always meant something to me. Science and math were my least favorite subjects. Today I still do not understand them.
Do you have a blog or website?
My blog is www.animalstoriesforchildren.blogspot.com
My website is www.kristenmott.com
What is your favorite place to write?
I enjoy writing while sitting in my barn, in the presence of my animals. They are true inspirations.
Please list whatever links you would like to leave.
Odie the Stray Kitten Paperback available on Amazon: http://amzn.to/1ifoT6K
Odie the Stray Kitten Kindle available on Amazon: http://amzn.to/1jVdOVU
What are you working on now?
The second book in The Odie Series is in production, and it is keeping me busy. I continue to write Odie’s adventures as well as other animal stories.
What is your next project?
Odie’s Best Friend is my next project and it is currently in production. It is the second book in The Odie Series.
Kristen, please tell us a little about yourself.
My name is Kristen Mott, I am a writer, wife, mother and animal welfare advocate. I graduated from the Indiana University School of Journalism in 2008. I currently live on a small farm in Indiana with my husband and son where we care for two horses and two cats, the real-life characters in my first children’s book.
What is the title of your book?
My first children’s book is titled Odie the Stray Kitten.
Please, tell us a little about your book.
This is a children’s picture book that depicts the true story of how I adopted a little stray kitten one cold winter day. Odie found much more than a forever home on our farm, including a name and a best friend.
What genre do you write?
I write children's realistic fiction.
What inspired you to write this book?
Odie, the kitten himself, inspired me to write this book. I had always wanted to publish a children's book and had written countless animal stories over the years. I wrote down his story and decided that it needed to be shared.
How long have you been writing?
I have been writing stories for as long as I can remember, since I was first able to write in elementary school. I have mostly written stories about animals.
What is your favorite way to promote yourself and your book?
I have had the most success promoting on Facebook, but I enjoy promoting the book by reading in elementary school classrooms and in independent children’s bookstores.
Do you have other books? (Feel free to list them.)
This is my first published book, but it is the first book in The Odie Series, about the cat’s life on our farm. The second book in the series, Odie’s Best Friend, is in production and should be live by summer 2014.
What is your hope for your book?
I hope that this book and the series inspire children to write their own stories and become more aware of animal welfare.
What draws you to the genre that you write?
I love the simplicity, the morals and the themes of most children’s books. And I have a bleeding heart for animals and stories about talking animals.
If you are a children’s author, do you illustrate your own books?
I wish that I was able to illustrate my own books. I am taking some art lessons in hopes to one day be able to illustrate my own stories, but for now I leave it to the professionals.
Is there a message, a lesson, or a moral to your story? If so, would you share it?
The book is told from Odie’s perspective and I’ve used his story to educate children about the value of helping those in need and caring for animals. The story also conveys a message of friendship and belonging.
What are/were your favorite and least favorite subjects in school and why?
My favorite subjects in school were always English and creative writing because I understood words and how to use them. Words always meant something to me. Science and math were my least favorite subjects. Today I still do not understand them.
Do you have a blog or website?
My blog is www.animalstoriesforchildren.blogspot.com
My website is www.kristenmott.com
What is your favorite place to write?
I enjoy writing while sitting in my barn, in the presence of my animals. They are true inspirations.
Please list whatever links you would like to leave.
Odie the Stray Kitten Paperback available on Amazon: http://amzn.to/1ifoT6K
Odie the Stray Kitten Kindle available on Amazon: http://amzn.to/1jVdOVU
What are you working on now?
The second book in The Odie Series is in production, and it is keeping me busy. I continue to write Odie’s adventures as well as other animal stories.
What is your next project?
Odie’s Best Friend is my next project and it is currently in production. It is the second book in The Odie Series.
I hope you have enjoyed the interview. I hope you check out Odie the Stray Kitten as well as Kristen's blog and website. Thank you, Kristen for a wonderful interview.
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