Back in the Stone Age, well maybe not that far back…
When Linda Karimo was very young, she learned to read at the knee of her Irish immigrant grandmother. Nannie, as she was known to the family, was just learning English herself.
They read all the classic children’s stories together. There was one in particular that became the inspiration for Linda’s current series of children’s books.
Moving forward, Linda was always a ravenous reader. She would often read all the books by a given author and then go onto yet another great fiction author. Espionage, legal, medical, suspense, and some “who done it” were her game.
Her day job as a Copywriter paid the bills while she dreamed of writing an extraordinary series of children’s books.
So, what childhood story prompted Linda to write a series about those characters?
It was Goldilocks and the Three Bears. Linda’s nickname was always Goldilocks.
She transports her readers into the world of bears whose lives are not much different than humans, just bear style.
She has a conversational style of writing and wants her readers to feel a part of the action taking place, not just looking through the window watching it all going by.
A Lifetime full of love and compassion!
WEBSITE & SOCIAL LINKS:
Website: www.lindakarimo.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/KarimoLinda
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Linda-Karimo-Author-
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/linda-odubayo-thompson-56743445/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/accounts/onetap/?next=%2F
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/business/hub/
About the Book
Meet Mama Bear and her sweet little bear child, Baby Bear.
Sometimes he doesn’t do what Mama Bear says, sound familiar?
This one particular day when Mama Bear was cooking spaghetti and meatballs, Baby
Bear bounced his ball against the cave wall.
Baby Bear knew it was on the forbidden list.
He did it anyway.
Mama Bear gave him the look.
He did it again.
Find out what happened to Mama Bear’s spaghetti dinner and naughty Baby Bear.
ORDER YOUR COPY
Amazon → https://amzn.to/3nQtP6s
INTERVIEW: Thanks for this interview, Linda. I've always wanted to write children's books. When did you determine that writing for children was for you?
Back in the Stone Age, well, maybe not that far back…
When I was very young, I learned to read at the knee of my Irish immigrant grandmother.
Nannie, as she was known to the family, was just learning English herself.
We read all the classic children's stories together. There was one in particular that became the inspiration for my current series of children's books.
My day job as a Copywriter paid the bills while I dreamed of writing an extraordinary
series of children's books.
Recently I decided to write stories for young children, which was the age that I first heard the Goldilocks story. The character Baby Bear would appeal to a young child. He is non-threatening, and maybe he could help parents instill some life skills in their children.
Mama Bear is a kind mother to Baby Bear while being stern when needed and nurturing
when Baby Bear most needs it. In the Baby Bear's Spaghetti Misadventure book, Baby Bear doesn't listen to Mama Bear when she explains why a playtime activity is forbidden.
He does it anyway. The consequences could put both of them in danger.
Writing a children's picture book is quite different from composing a novel. You are limited to a thousand precious words that tell the story. It must engage the parent who
holds the purse strings. Simultaneously, the colorful full-page illustration makes the child laugh or, in some cases, worry about the character.
So, what childhood story prompted Linda to write a series about those characters?
It was Goldilocks and the Three Bears. Linda's nickname was always Goldilocks.
She transports her readers into the world of bears whose lives are not much different than humans, just bear style.
She has a conversational writing style and wants her readers to feel a part of the action
taking place, not just looking through the window and watching it all by.
What was the inspiration behind your children's book, Baby Bear's Spaghetti
Misadventure, the first book in the series, Very Short Misadventure Stories for Kids and Bears, K-1?
I don't want to repeat myself; your readers won't appreciate it. I hope you understand.
If you send another question, then I will certainly provide the content for it.
Thanks for allowing me to do this interview.
How do you get into the mind of a child to create a fun reading experience? Are you
around kids? Are you a kid at heart?
Some people say that they don't remember what it was like to be a child. I have been blessed with a vivid memory and can conger up many different scenarios from the past.
It wasn't in the cards to have children of my own. But, I was there front and center when my two nephews were very young. Besides, I am Godmother to a child now ten years old. The latter helped with some words that kids use in her world.
What was your favorite book as a child?
When I was a little girl, I was fascinated with all the children's stories; Dr. Seuss, Mother Goose, Charlotte's Web, Pippi Longstocking, and lots more. But one in particular really stood out among them all: Goldilocks and The Three Bears. Later as an adult, Goldilocks was my nickname because of my blond tresses.
What kind of advice would you give writers who would like to write children's books?
Good heavens, where do I start…
The best advice that I could extend to those first time would-be authors is to slow down
writing your book. You will be bombarded by several experts jamming your inbox,
telling you that it should only take a long weekend or get published in a month. It can be
daunting and make you feel, what's wrong with me, why can't I do what they say? It's tough to turn a deaf ear to all the noise.
When you have a manuscript that you feel is as good as it can be, it's time to reach out to a professional copyeditor. The copyeditor will put a second pair of eyes on your work and fix any grammar issues. This is a critical step, and it shouldn't be neglected.
Suppose you want to get people to look at your book cover on Amazon or other retailers.
In that case, you definitely don't want to scrimp on this essential cash layout. Not a good idea to use one of the millions of templates out there, and believe me, reviewers can tell the difference. Again, seek out professionals who are well qualified to build you a stunning and engaging book cover. An excellent resource would be the Society of Book
Writers and Illustrators.
You will also need a small website to start, just somewhere to talk about your book.
The best place to build such a website would be WordPress.
Lesson learned that you can't go it alone and always stay sane.
We hired Alinka Rutkowska, a USA Today Best Selling Author. To her credit, she has
mentored many authors to bestseller status on Amazon. When selecting a mentor, always
find out if the person has recently published and was the book a best seller. There are experts out there that haven't published in years and won't be up-to-date on the publishing best practices.
Here's how Alinka helped…
The first item on our list was to go over the book interior with a fine-tooth comb to make
sure that the wording was precise and understood by a child's parent reading it.
The next step was writing the description for the book page on Amazon. Keywords and
categories were discussed between Alinka and me. This was a critical step because if not
selected correctly, nobody will ever find your book.
While this was going on, my research for sites that would promote my book for a fee led
me to a really great website, reedsy.com. After creating a spreadsheet and having chosen
promo sites that work with my genre, I was ready to implement all this once the book
became live on Amazon.
Next, my research suggested that it would be a good idea to run a blog tour. Yes, I could
do it myself, but there are so many moving pieces that the decision was made to hire an
expert to do all the work, and the cost was surprisingly a lot less than I thought. Check
out Pump Up Your Book.
Moving forward to launch week, enter Alinka's expertise again on launching the book to bestseller status, which was the guarantee when hiring her earlier. So with a big dash of pixie dust and the promotions that I set up myself, my confidence is high. Of course, time would tell.
Bottom line: Potential new book authors should take the time to write a really engaging
manuscript. Stick to professionals when editing your work and designing your book
cover. Don't forget to build a small website, even if it is only one page to start.
Create a team to help you make it all happen.
Good luck, children's book author-to-be, and enjoy the publishing journey.
What are your goals for the future? More children's books?
I am dedicated to writing picture books for young children in my current series: Very
Short Misadventure Stories for Kids and Bears, K-1.
The following books are either partially written or in the publishing process.
Baby Bear's Big Boy School Misadventure: The Unnerving First Day
Baby Bear Doesn't Share
Baby Bear Learns to Share
There is a contest going on for those who purchase Baby Bear's Spaghetti Misadventures.
A parent/guardian can submit a book idea for the series, and winners will be honored by
naming Baby Bear's next friend after their child's name. I'm very excited to see the submissions. The information about the contest is inside the book.
Also, I'm working on a series of vocabulary books for grades 1-2. The first will be about nouns. It won't look like pages of flashcards. My idea is taken from what happens at a spelling contest when the child asks, "Can you use it in a sentence?"
So the words that I use will have the image next to it.
Example:
Mama Bear asks, "Do you want an apple?"
Baby Bear says, "No, I want apple juice."
Finally, I'll be founding an email club, Bear Family Email Club. The Club will be for parents/guardians of young children; it will offer many discounts and contests and run by the members themselves. You might say, for the people, by the people.
INTERVIEW:
Thanks for this interview, Linda. I've always wanted to write children's books. When did you determine that writing for children was for you?
Back in the Stone Age, well, maybe not that far back…
When I was very young, I learned to read at the knee of my Irish immigrant grandmother.
Nannie, as she was known to the family, was just learning English herself.
We read all the classic children's stories together. There was one in particular that became the inspiration for my current series of children's books.
My day job as a Copywriter paid the bills while I dreamed of writing an extraordinary
series of children's books.
series of children's books.
Recently I decided to write stories for young children, which was the age that I first heard the Goldilocks story. The character Baby Bear would appeal to a young child. He is non-threatening, and maybe he could help parents instill some life skills in their children.
Mama Bear is a kind mother to Baby Bear while being stern when needed and nurturing
when Baby Bear most needs it. In the Baby Bear's Spaghetti Misadventure book, Baby Bear doesn't listen to Mama Bear when she explains why a playtime activity is forbidden.
Mama Bear is a kind mother to Baby Bear while being stern when needed and nurturing
when Baby Bear most needs it. In the Baby Bear's Spaghetti Misadventure book, Baby Bear doesn't listen to Mama Bear when she explains why a playtime activity is forbidden.
He does it anyway. The consequences could put both of them in danger.
Writing a children's picture book is quite different from composing a novel. You are limited to a thousand precious words that tell the story. It must engage the parent who
holds the purse strings. Simultaneously, the colorful full-page illustration makes the child laugh or, in some cases, worry about the character.
So, what childhood story prompted Linda to write a series about those characters?
Writing a children's picture book is quite different from composing a novel. You are limited to a thousand precious words that tell the story. It must engage the parent who
holds the purse strings. Simultaneously, the colorful full-page illustration makes the child laugh or, in some cases, worry about the character.
So, what childhood story prompted Linda to write a series about those characters?
It was Goldilocks and the Three Bears. Linda's nickname was always Goldilocks.
She transports her readers into the world of bears whose lives are not much different than humans, just bear style.
She transports her readers into the world of bears whose lives are not much different than humans, just bear style.
She has a conversational writing style and wants her readers to feel a part of the action
taking place, not just looking through the window and watching it all by.
taking place, not just looking through the window and watching it all by.
What was the inspiration behind your children's book, Baby Bear's Spaghetti
Misadventure, the first book in the series, Very Short Misadventure Stories for Kids and Bears, K-1?
Misadventure, the first book in the series, Very Short Misadventure Stories for Kids and Bears, K-1?
I don't want to repeat myself; your readers won't appreciate it. I hope you understand.
If you send another question, then I will certainly provide the content for it.
Thanks for allowing me to do this interview.
How do you get into the mind of a child to create a fun reading experience? Are you
around kids? Are you a kid at heart?
around kids? Are you a kid at heart?
Some people say that they don't remember what it was like to be a child. I have been blessed with a vivid memory and can conger up many different scenarios from the past.
It wasn't in the cards to have children of my own. But, I was there front and center when my two nephews were very young. Besides, I am Godmother to a child now ten years old. The latter helped with some words that kids use in her world.
What was your favorite book as a child?
When I was a little girl, I was fascinated with all the children's stories; Dr. Seuss, Mother Goose, Charlotte's Web, Pippi Longstocking, and lots more. But one in particular really stood out among them all: Goldilocks and The Three Bears. Later as an adult, Goldilocks was my nickname because of my blond tresses.
What kind of advice would you give writers who would like to write children's books?
What kind of advice would you give writers who would like to write children's books?
Good heavens, where do I start…
The best advice that I could extend to those first time would-be authors is to slow down
writing your book. You will be bombarded by several experts jamming your inbox,
telling you that it should only take a long weekend or get published in a month. It can be
daunting and make you feel, what's wrong with me, why can't I do what they say? It's tough to turn a deaf ear to all the noise.
When you have a manuscript that you feel is as good as it can be, it's time to reach out to a professional copyeditor. The copyeditor will put a second pair of eyes on your work and fix any grammar issues. This is a critical step, and it shouldn't be neglected.
Suppose you want to get people to look at your book cover on Amazon or other retailers.
In that case, you definitely don't want to scrimp on this essential cash layout. Not a good idea to use one of the millions of templates out there, and believe me, reviewers can tell the difference. Again, seek out professionals who are well qualified to build you a stunning and engaging book cover. An excellent resource would be the Society of Book
Writers and Illustrators.
You will also need a small website to start, just somewhere to talk about your book.
The best place to build such a website would be WordPress.
Lesson learned that you can't go it alone and always stay sane.
We hired Alinka Rutkowska, a USA Today Best Selling Author. To her credit, she has
mentored many authors to bestseller status on Amazon. When selecting a mentor, always
find out if the person has recently published and was the book a best seller. There are experts out there that haven't published in years and won't be up-to-date on the publishing best practices.
Here's how Alinka helped…
The first item on our list was to go over the book interior with a fine-tooth comb to make
sure that the wording was precise and understood by a child's parent reading it.
The next step was writing the description for the book page on Amazon. Keywords and
categories were discussed between Alinka and me. This was a critical step because if not
selected correctly, nobody will ever find your book.
While this was going on, my research for sites that would promote my book for a fee led
me to a really great website, reedsy.com. After creating a spreadsheet and having chosen
promo sites that work with my genre, I was ready to implement all this once the book
became live on Amazon.
Next, my research suggested that it would be a good idea to run a blog tour. Yes, I could
do it myself, but there are so many moving pieces that the decision was made to hire an
expert to do all the work, and the cost was surprisingly a lot less than I thought. Check
out Pump Up Your Book.
Moving forward to launch week, enter Alinka's expertise again on launching the book to bestseller status, which was the guarantee when hiring her earlier. So with a big dash of pixie dust and the promotions that I set up myself, my confidence is high. Of course, time would tell.
Bottom line: Potential new book authors should take the time to write a really engaging
manuscript. Stick to professionals when editing your work and designing your book
cover. Don't forget to build a small website, even if it is only one page to start.
mentored many authors to bestseller status on Amazon. When selecting a mentor, always
find out if the person has recently published and was the book a best seller. There are experts out there that haven't published in years and won't be up-to-date on the publishing best practices.
Here's how Alinka helped…
The first item on our list was to go over the book interior with a fine-tooth comb to make
sure that the wording was precise and understood by a child's parent reading it.
The next step was writing the description for the book page on Amazon. Keywords and
categories were discussed between Alinka and me. This was a critical step because if not
selected correctly, nobody will ever find your book.
While this was going on, my research for sites that would promote my book for a fee led
me to a really great website, reedsy.com. After creating a spreadsheet and having chosen
promo sites that work with my genre, I was ready to implement all this once the book
became live on Amazon.
Next, my research suggested that it would be a good idea to run a blog tour. Yes, I could
do it myself, but there are so many moving pieces that the decision was made to hire an
expert to do all the work, and the cost was surprisingly a lot less than I thought. Check
out Pump Up Your Book.
Moving forward to launch week, enter Alinka's expertise again on launching the book to bestseller status, which was the guarantee when hiring her earlier. So with a big dash of pixie dust and the promotions that I set up myself, my confidence is high. Of course, time would tell.
Bottom line: Potential new book authors should take the time to write a really engaging
manuscript. Stick to professionals when editing your work and designing your book
cover. Don't forget to build a small website, even if it is only one page to start.
Create a team to help you make it all happen.
Good luck, children's book author-to-be, and enjoy the publishing journey.
What are your goals for the future? More children's books?
I am dedicated to writing picture books for young children in my current series: Very
Short Misadventure Stories for Kids and Bears, K-1.
Short Misadventure Stories for Kids and Bears, K-1.
The following books are either partially written or in the publishing process.
Baby Bear's Big Boy School Misadventure: The Unnerving First Day
Baby Bear Doesn't Share
Baby Bear Learns to Share
There is a contest going on for those who purchase Baby Bear's Spaghetti Misadventures.
A parent/guardian can submit a book idea for the series, and winners will be honored by
naming Baby Bear's next friend after their child's name. I'm very excited to see the submissions. The information about the contest is inside the book.
Also, I'm working on a series of vocabulary books for grades 1-2. The first will be about nouns. It won't look like pages of flashcards. My idea is taken from what happens at a spelling contest when the child asks, "Can you use it in a sentence?"
So the words that I use will have the image next to it.
Example:
Mama Bear asks, "Do you want an apple?"
Baby Bear says, "No, I want apple juice."
Finally, I'll be founding an email club, Bear Family Email Club. The Club will be for parents/guardians of young children; it will offer many discounts and contests and run by the members themselves. You might say, for the people, by the people.
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