Tuesday, December 6, 2022

An Interview with Ohio Author Kathy S. Elasky

 

From southeast Ohio, welcome children’s literature author Kathy S. Elasky. A retired school teacher, Kathy has a lot of fans! She is the author of the award-winning Pudgy Possum book series and has a third book in the works for 2023. 

Welcome, Kathy!

GM: Tell us about your new book…

KE: My second book is Pudgy Possum the Brave. It is about daring to take a chance especially if it helps others. It’s also about being able to do big things even if you are little. 

GM: Who is your niche market?
KE: I am super excited about how well my books have done. They are geared toward three year-olds through 3rd grade but I think anyone who loves wildlife would enjoy them. I personally don’t think you are ever too old for picture books. 

GM: Which is easier – writing, illustrating, editing, or marketing?
KE: I honestly don’t know which is more fun, writing my stories or illustrating them. It is a challenge to get what is in my head on paper in a way that is interesting. I love trying to make my creatures too adorable to resist.

GM: What are you currently writing?
KE: My new book Pudgy Possum Discovers Peppermint: A Pudgy Possum Mystery [working title] is about Pudgy discovering a problem. The solution to the problem is not what Pudgy expects it to be. 

GM: Who is your favorite author?
KE: My favorite author is Laura Ingalls Wilder. She didn’t start publishing until she was 65 so she has always been an inspiration for me to never give up. By reading her Little House series I feel like I grew up on the frontier. 

GM: Do you have advice for novice writers?
KE: My advice for new writers is to write about what you love. Share it with others in any way you can. Write for the joy of it even if you never publish your stories. Then if you do get published it will be icing on the cake. 

GM: Authors usually enjoy writing, tolerate editing, but say marketing is the worst. What is your marketing secret?
KE: I would agree that marketing is hard but rewarding. I have made contact with many people from my past and met many new friends. I have had the best luck with Facebook and inquiring in person at places that sell books. It’s hard for me to ask but super rewarding when people want to put my books in their stores. 

GM: List 10 things your fans may not know about you…
KE: 1. I have had and always will have a dog. 
2. I am afraid of heights.
3. I have been to Nicaragua at least ten times on mission trips.
4. Green has always been my favorite color.
5. I always wanted to live in a cabin in the woods, which I pretty much do now.
6. I have three children and eight grandkids.
7. Scotland and Ireland are my favorite countries to visit  
8. I’m a certified Lay Speaker for my denomination which means I’m like a substitute pastor. 
9. I love going to fill in for pastors of different churches. 
10. I have never been able to roll my r’s so I’m not very good at Spanish. 

Connect with Kathy…



 



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