Mymcbooks Interview Author Saragine Francois.

Saragine Francois (www.saragine.com) graduated with a Master’s Degree in Literacy atDowlingCollege. She discovered her love for writing children’s books atSuffolkCommunity Collegewhere she earned her Associate’s Degree in Arts and her Bachelor’s Degree atSt. Joseph’s College majoring in Child Study.

As an avid children’s reader, she is passionate in engaging young minds in creating children’s books that brings stories and imaginations to life. Her book titled “The White Gorilla and the Three Chimpanzees…a day from the zoo” is her first writing accomplishment. Take a peek at her novelette titled “Sasha and the Magic Pen” book trailer. “Sasha’s Crystal Ball” (coming 2012). She currently wrote fifteen children’s books (coming soon) and working on her upcoming novel titled “Goddesses of the Sea.”

She has a creative mind, and wants to share it with the world through her books. Are you ready? http://www.saragine.com/index.php

Interview with Saragine Francois author The Cleven Hen

I want to thank you for being my guest here on Mymcbooks Blog

What is the last book you read?

Ans. Hugo

What were your earliest memories of writing?

Ans. Actually it came later in life when I went back to college in 2003. That’s when my English teacher asked his students to write a children’s book. There, I discovered my talent.

What was your favorite children’s book?

Ans. Disney’s books because it has fun-filled characters that are lively and entertaining.

Were you encouraged to write or was it something that came natural?

Ans. It definitely came naturally! It’s as if a movie is playing in my mind, and all I have to do is write/type away.

Are you working on a new book?

Ans. I am working on several books that I have displayed on my site at www.saragine.com. One of which is already written is a novel (young adult) titled Goddesses of the Sea. It is filled with Princes/Princesses/Mermaids/Mermen/Fairies and a single tree that stands as time…literally.

What inspired you to write The Clever Hen and The White Gorilla and the Three Chimpanzees and how did you come up with each character?

Ans. Several reasons, but one of which was to give natural voices to fiction characters.

What is the most difficult part of writing?

Ans. Keeping the story to a minimal and still have a storyline for young readers to enjoy.

Do you write full time or do you still have a day job?

Ans. Well, for now, I work as an on-call substitute teacher. As far as “writing full-time,” whenever a story comes to mind, I write until my thoughts have been exausted. If nothing comes to mind, I just read other books or watch animated show with my son. That normally stimulates my imagination and my fingers starts typing/writing again.

How do you react to a bad review and have you ever suffered from writer’s block?

Ans.  Well, I don’t react negatively about someone else’s review. I just take it into consideration. This country is full of ideas, opinions, and reviews. If it were all the same, I definitely believe we would be a boring country. As far as suffering from “writer’s block” I just read more children’s books or watch animated shows. That normally does the trick.

What do you hope that readers will take away from your book?

Ans. Engaging, entertaining and fun to read.

Who are some of your favorite authors you would love to dine with?

Ans. JK Rowling – Harry Potter, Stephenie Meyer – Twilight and Neil Gaiman – Coraline

What author inspires you the most and why?

Ans. See above answer. Why? Because of their ability to make the characters pop-out the pages and keep readers entertain. Their use of imagination allows readers to keep reading.

What discipline do you impose on yourself regarding schedules, goals, etc.?

Ans. Basically, I don’t impose anything on myself. I work around my work and children and everything else falls into place (schedule, goals, etc.) That’s what works best for me.

What advice would you give parents on selecting the right books for their children to read?

Ans. Some parents may or may not know what level their children can read. Therefore, first, I would ask their teacher at what level he/she is currently reading? Then, I would take them to the library/bookstore and ask the librarian/sales clerk to show them books that they can read independently. This will allow them to choose a variety of books that they are excited about. Not the parent! Ownership is the key!

What advice you would give to new writers?

Ans- Read, Read, and Read! Read books at the genre you write and other books that may spark interests. In my opinion, this in turn will give new writers ideas that they thought never existed.

Is there anything else you would like to share with our readers?

Ans. Love what you do! Put your passion into it, and everyone will see your talent.

Thank you for this interview.