AND THE TREES TALKED BACK by Frederick J. Burns Book Tour With Author Interview PLUS A Giveaway! (1 Winner ~ Ends 12/22)
Category: Children’s Fiction (ages 3 to 7), 48 pages
Genre: Children’s Book
Publisher: Frederick J. Burns
Release date: Nov 4, 2023
Content Rating: G. Suitable for everyone.
As Amanda encounters ancient trees, she uncovers a world she never knew existed, where wisdom and acceptance coexist with fear and hatred. Amidst the rustling leaves and haunting shadows, she confronts the duality of nature, discovering the true meaning of good and evil. Her bonds with nature deepen and she learns to navigate the world where choices shape destinies.
And The Trees Talked Back is a heartwarming tale of wonder, friendship, and self-discover that will captivate readers of all ages.
Burns, always an artist on the inside, breaks through his trial attorney exterior at age 63, to write and illustrate his first children’s book, AND THE TREES TALKED BACK. Three years in the making, Burns strives to convey a world where commonalities are more important than differences, where empathy is more important than distain and where making friends is more important than creating enemies. With no formal art training, Burns enjoys working in and learning new mediums and styles. His art has won awards in juried competitions, been displayed on billboards, in government offices, the D’Amour Museum of Fine Art, and now graces the cover of Dave Brinnel’s second CD, ALONE. His detailed illustrations of trees using pen and ink with washes of watercolor have been compared to the fantastical illustrations of Arthur Rackham and Maurice Sendak. Burns lives in the Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts with his wife, Heather and two dogs, where he is developing ideas for his next book.
connect with author: website ~ instagram ~ goodreads
Author Interview
Deliciously Savvy
December 5, 2023
5 questions and answers
Q 1. There are many books out there about trees. What makes yours different?
A 1. Though I am aware of other books about trees, I did not study or even read them because I did not want to be influenced by the other stories. So, in one sense, mine is different because it can’t be the same. However, it is also different because the all the tree characters are based on unique, actual living trees. They have not been featured in any other book. The story then is different because it evolved from and revolves around these unique personalities.
Q 2. What advice would you give budding writers of children’s books?
A 2. When I was researching how to write a children’s book, the advice I came across frequently was to research the other books selling well in stores. Then write something not the same, but similar. I did not follow that advice. I would advise to write about something you are familiar with, and something you are passionate about. Write something you would want to read. Write something that children can learn from and write about characters with whom the readers can identify.
Q 3. What genre do you write in and why?
A 3. Well, this is only my first book. I intended to write a children’s picture book. My story, however, involved a lot of dialogue, so the word count was quite a bit higher than that traditionally associated with picture books. I was not deterred. The book evolved into an illustrated chapter book, though this time, it was quite a bit shorter in length than traditional children’s chapter books. Mine, therefore, is a hybrid type of book because it’s longer than a picture book, but shorter than a chapter book and it contains more illustrations than a chapter book.
Q 4. How long have you been illustrating?
A 4. I have been drawing since I was a child. I drew cartoons in college as a distraction from the difficult science classes. My classmates and professors enjoyed the cartoons. After college I did some portraits which were awarded first prize in juried competitions. I was commissioned to paint an original version of Lady Justice and to paint the cover art for the CD of a friend. By that time I was 60 years old and was looking to explore other artistic opportunities. I was on an evening walk when I was struck by the appearance of a tree that resembled an elephant. I drew that tree and located other trees with facial features.
5. What was the hardest character to illustrate?
A 5. On one hand, Amanda could be considered the most difficult because she is human and readers know what a young girl looks like. They have preconceived expectations about how a child looks. However, for me, the character Mel was the most difficult because his pattern of bark and his expression resulted in illustrations that were grotesque and scary, so I redrew Mel five times before I was satisfied.
Giveaway:
*Win signed copy of AND THE TREES TALKED BACK by Frederick J. Burns (one winner) (USA only) (ends Dec 22)
AND THE TREES TALKED BACK by Frederick J. Burns Book Tour Giveaway
