Dec 012009

Author Interview with Mutiya Vision (The Land of Expression)

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mutiya-and-david Thank you David and Mutiya Vision for giving me the pleasure of reviewing your book The Land of Expression and taking the time out for an interview. For those who have not yet read the review, you can read it here and get a chance for your very own copy (if it’s BEFORE 12/14/09). Now the interview…

AUTHOR INTERVIEW…
Tell us a little bit about your background and how you became a children’s book author.
Well, I didn’t set out to become a children’s book author, it’s something I developed into. As a child, I lived through some chaotic challenging times, and experienced things that I was powerless to control or prevent and as a result I spent a lot of time escaping into the mind field of imagination. Writing for me became my release. It was my best friend, a life saver. I could weave my pain into beautiful poems or stories that could have me believing I spent a summer vacation on the Nile during the course of a weekend at home. As I grew older and began to share my stories, I learned my writing had the ability to take people on a journey and move them feel things. With the stroke of a pen, my words could make them laugh or cry, or do both at the same time. What an awesome power for a child to realize they possess. That’s when I believe writing became my passion. When I became an adult, I remember using my writing to dabble in stand-up comedy and later in open mike’s at spoken word events. I had poems that were selected to be published in anthologies and won some contests as well. Somewhere in the course of things I graduated from college with a Bachelor’s degree in Business and I met my husband David.

Now I knew from the moment I met him that he was an extraordinary spirit. He was charming, witty and had the mechanics of a great mind, like a philosopher. But shortly before I met him he had experienced a tragic, life changing event that turned his world upside down and inside out. He was hit by an armored truck that obliterated the car he was and unfortunately he was left with permanent injuries, and in permanent pain. So, he was in the process of self-evaluation and picking up the pieces of his life, trying to rearrange them so his life would still be meaningful and productive.

He had two wonderful daughters, and was confined to bed for long periods at a time. Since he couldn’t do the physical activities he used to enjoy with them, he would bond with Vina and Corin by entertaining them with two things the accident didn’t take from him, which were his imagination and his oratory skills. He’d sing made up songs that required everybody to participate, and he’d weave electric stories off the top of his head about everything you could imagine. And he’d tell them with so much drama that everyone, including me captivated and hanging on his every word. Anyone who knows a child can appreciate the skill level it took to entertain a two and nine year old child for an entire weekend from the confines of a bed. So that’s when I discovered breath of his talent for creating.

Later when we married, I remember us having intense conversations about all aspects of life that would inspire him to write a piece about the topic and me to write my own version. Somewhere between sharing them, we developed an appreciation and respect for each others talents. I think that’s when it dawned on us that if we collaborated, we could create transformative works that would use our gifts to enrich the lives of children, families and the world at large. And that’s what we set out to do. Fourteen years later, we are parents to seven children and, the authors of 10 children’s books. We just found out our book “My Choices Make Me Who I Am” won the National Best Book 2009 award in the children’s Educational category. That’s it in a nutshell.

Tell us about your current book. Give a short summary; tell us about your publisher, and also how you got the idea for this book.
TheLandofExpression The Land of Expression is our latest book. The setting is an imaginary world called The Land of Expression. It utilizes colors to illustrate how we are each important in creating the landscape that is our world.

Black is the main character who is bullied and excluded because the other colors of the rainbow don’t know how to blend with him. As a result of their rejection, Black finds himself in a world where there is no place his beauty is welcomed or respected. Just as he is being overwhelmed by sadness, he is rescued by Mother Father Creator. The solution throws the Land of Expression into a tailspin until everyone finally realizes that each of them have unique gifts necessary to the survival of their world. In the end everyone learns to honor and recognize the good in each other.

As far as publishing, I never had an interest in pursuing the traditional route of seeking a publisher. I believed in the power of what we had to offer and didn’t want to waste a moment trying to convince an established publisher to add it to their catalog. I was an implementer. I had an entrepreneurial spirit, and a problem solving mind. Since I’d spent a life-time bridging the world of reality and imagination, I felt empowered to work backward by taking a dream and bringing it to life. That’s when Vision Works Publishing was born. It became the foundation to launch books that tackle issues relevant to children, dealing with self esteem, adapting to life’s challenges, overcoming disabilities, the benefits and rewards of perseverance, the necessity of tolerance, coping with bereavement and the toxic effects of bullying. 20,000 sales later Vision Works Publishing is growing, and continues to be a rich resource complementing homes, schools, and institutions throughout the world.

What is a typical writing day like for you?
It varies, as a writer and publisher I wear both the creative and business hat and spend my time navigating the two worlds which require different skill sets. As a mother with 5 children at home, I tend to write during solitary moments like in the wee hours of the night and day. If I do not feel compelled to write, I try never to force myself. I tend to do my best writing early in the morning after an idea has simmered overnight. Sometimes ideas comes to mind and I spend hours pouring them into the computer or on a notepad, or napkin or whatever I can find to write on when the moment of inspiration hits. When I’m not swimming in new ideas, I go into the story basket and develop ideas from other moments of inspiration.

What do you enjoy most about writing for children?
I enjoy the sheer honesty of their reaction. Whether you watch a child engaged in reading your book or you are reading to them – you know immediately whether you hit the mark. They don’t tend to stick with a book past a few words or pages if you don’t have something that captures their attention and imagination. I love that children finish our books over, and over again. I love it when children let us know how our stories made them feel good inside. I love when parents tell me our books have been a favorite bedtime choice for the past year. I love when teachers tell us how our books sparked in depth conversations in class about important social issues, or how our book helped a child work through an issue or tough time. That’s when I know we’ve done our job. Making sure the story is relevant and doesn’t talk down to children.

What is the most difficult part of writing for children?
It begins when you conceive a story, and create the cover. When the book is produced the work really begins. We acquire reviews for marketing material, collect contact information and e-mails for e-blast campaigns, conduct blog tours, book tours, award campaigns, National book event promotions, author appearances, and book signings. We creating lesson plans, author workshops, and direct market to schools / child based organizations. We use book marks, posters, postcards, target media campaigns, radio and TV interviews, press kits, our distributor and our website to get the word out. The most important thing about marketing is to remember to follow every lead and follow up, follow up, follow up!

Do you make school visits? If so, please describe a typical school presentation.
Yes, one of my favorite parts of writing children’s books is the platform it gives me to connect with our intended audience. My presentations are usually a 45 minute marathon that centers around themes relating to our books and topics schools may wish me to address with their students. It is an exciting journey of story telling, an activity and conversation about the world and the power children have to impact their destinies in a positive way. The workshops are designed to empowering students to move through life with greater confidence, help them find their purpose and use their talents to make the world a better place. I inspire children to pursue their dreams and understand the importance of evolving into a greater version of themselves. There is “share time” where students get to share their activity with the group. At the end we have a “hot seat segment” where students can ask me any school appropriate question.

What are you working on right now?
I’m working on an auto-biographical children’s book entitled “Little Arm & Me”. It’s a story about a very handy and capable girl born with one hand. It reflects her journey to maintain her dignity while finding her place in a world that that sees her as disabled and incomplete. In the end she realizes that she cannot let the world’s limited perception influence how she sees herself. As she overcomes adversity, she learns to love herself for the masterpiece she was created to be. Since she was created to be highly visible she decides to be an inspiration to others by living a life filled with compassion and accomplishment.

What is your best tip for aspiring children’s book authors?
Aspire to live the fullest life possible and be an interesting person. I think it adds depth to ones writing and enhances the passion of your story. Also I’d say to remember to write from your heart about things that move you. I think it adds a sincerity that will help more readers relate or connect to what you’re trying to share.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS…David & Mutiya Vision are parents of seven children. Their experiences have led them to produce a series of empowering children’s books and character building workshops. They’re designed to entertain, raise the human spirit and strengthen mental development in children of all ages. They are the authors of 10 children’s books. For additional information, please visit: www.VisionWorksPub.com.