Interview with George Everett, author of G.W. Frog books

Here is my first of many interviews you will find with authors who will be telling you about their writing experiences. This first interview is with George Everett who has written several books about a character named G.W. Frog. They are all published by Westbow Press. The most recent book is G.W. Frog and the Circus Lion

How did you come up with the idea of your current book? Actually, the story was written somewhere in the middle of the 1980’s. In all, I have written five stories about G.W. Frog (three have been published and two will be in the first quarter of 2011).
Each story has a good moral message, delivered by this kind and considerate Frog and his companion critters. Somewhere in my somewhat warped mind the stories come out. Actually, the illustrations sometimes come first.
Could you give me a short synopsis on the story? In G.W. Frog and the Circus Lion, Frog and his buddies come across a very sad lion who has aged not-so-gracefully, as he has lost all of his teeth. For a lion teeth are important. The teeth is what makes him scary. Anyway, with the help of his fellow critters, Frog comes to the rescue, and with some cleaver ideas they put the old lion right back at the front of the circus parade, filled with new courage.
From the time you sent in your manuscript to your publisher how long was it before you got any feedback? The publisher, Westbow Press, is very good at communication. Feedback was immediate.
What was the total time frame from the point of submission of the original manuscript to the actual printing of the book?
The process from submitting the story and illustrations to the actual printing of the book consumed the better part of three months.
What type of publicity does your publisher do to promote your book?
Westbow Press released the book to online retailers (Amazon.com, Barnes and Nobel.com, etc.) immediately upon printing. They also have a full-bore press release coming up shortly.
What do you do to promote your book?
I promote my book to local bookstores, and donate copies to schools, children’s hospitals, and just about everywhere else that I think they might be used.
What do you know now about getting published that you wished you had known earlier in your writing career?
I find the publishing process a lesson in learning. A lot of things come together in ways I didn’t think of. Publishers have rules and regulations that must be met, even though they often will bend those rules in certain instances. Overall, it is a rewarding process.
What advice would you give someone who wants to write books?
Don’t give up!!! Have patience and tenacity. Above all, believe in yourself and your work. Somewhere over that proverbial rainbow things will all come together.

If you would like to know more about the author and his books you can read about them on his website at http://www.avodahteachingfellowship.com/