Authorial Magazine - BookExpo + BookCon 2019 Edition

“. . .Batavia knows how to engage her young
readers even while educating them. . .The animals
seem to step or fly right off the skillfully laid
out pages and into the welcoming hearts of
both children and parents.” - Donna Ford of
the US Review of Books on Hanging Out with
Wild Animals
My values as a teacher soon appeared in
my writing. I believe that awareness of
the world outside yourself is preparation
for a lifetime of learning.
Personal values also surfaced in the
poems: empathy for other people and
all living things, being truthful with
yourself and others, being a participant
in your own life and in the world around
you, and being willing to get involved in
making the world a better place.
Do you try more to be original or to
deliver to readers what they want?
My poems are a personal legacy. I
don’t write to be original or to deliver
to readers what they want. My goal in
writing the Wild Animals books is to
be authentic and thought-provoking. I
believe readers will feel a connection with
the environmental and universal themes
in the poems, and I hope they will enjoy
reading the books as much as I have
enjoyed writing them.
If you could tell your younger writing self
anything, what would it be?
Learn to type. Two-finger typing makes
life more difficult if you are a writer. Of
course, there’s voice activation… Become
proficient with computers, and stay
current with technology. This will save
you a lot of headaches!
How many hours a day do you write?
I don’t write every day. I keep a list of
topics for future poems and write when
ideas come to me. Sometimes I write
obsessively, forgetting to eat or sleep. I
also spend many hours repeatedly editing
and revising over a long period of time.
What are the ethics of writing about
your book?
Be truthful. Care about your subject and
your readers.
What one thing would you give up to
become a better writer?
Time. I put myself and my life
into my books.
What is the most difficult part of your
artistic process?
Editing. What you take away is as
important as what you leave in. Deciding
what to take out is a painful process, but
it makes your writing better.
Does your family support your career
as a writer?
Comments and suggestions from family
members have been very valuable to
me. Family members have also tolerated
extended periods when I work obsessively,
forgetting to eat or sleep.
What is your writing “kryptonite”?
Trying to write without inspiration. . .I
cannot just sit down at the computer and
decide to write.
What are traps for aspiring writers?
I am an aspiring writer, so I am just
finding that out. I would tell an aspiring
author that writing and marketing books
takes a lot of time and effort.
Do you think someone could be a writer
if they don’t feel emotions strongly?
Whatever the genre, I think the writer
needs to care deeply about his subject and
his readers.
In totality, what is the message of your
Book and you as an Author?
Live your life mindfully, with selfawareness
and awareness of the world
around you. Know you are alive. Don’t
miss anything!
Be curious; ask good questions. Do
research to find answers. Being curious
expands your knowledge and enriches
your life.
I believe that the secret to happiness is
appreciating what you have. The world
around us and the animals that live
here are wonderful gifts of nature to be
appreciated and enjoyed.
Your survival and the survival of all living
things are linked together. Develop a
connection with Mother Nature and
empathy for all living things.
Do all you can to make the world a better
place for future generations. Make a
commitment to the environment.
I have found that the Golden Rule,
virtually universal in religions and
philosophies, is the best guide for my life:
Treat others as you wish to be treated.
AUTHORS PRESS
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