MIDDLE GRADE FICTION: BE-CAUSE

Authors of middle grade fiction titles must wake up to the idea that times have changed.  As the children’s book market continues to shrink, it is important to have a cause behind your Children’s Book.  Without it, you are facing an uphill battle in the world of publishing.

In the past, I have written episodes of TV and made movies because I needed to ‘make some money.’  I was living in my own world of fiction because those jobs lacked the most important element of all: my soul.

Through many trials and tribulations, not to mention hours of frustration in illogical living, otherwise known as Hollywood, I have now discovered my ultimate reason for being; to be in the service of others.  I now do things that are cause related, and not ‘because’ I need the money.  I mean, without the cause, I might as well be scraping barnacles from the side of a battleship.   Sure, working on Law & Order was cool, but it didn’t fit what I was supposed to do with my life.

As my wife Julie and I are expecting our first child in May, I have never felt more ‘on point’ with my life.  I have been waiting my entire career to write Saltwater Taffy and now we are 7 days away from the big release.  I guess you could say that right now, right here, LIFE IS GOOD!  Let’s turn this motha OUT.

PS: The photo above is from an 11 year-old reader in Brentwood, CA.  Don’t you love it?  This was her note to her parents after she finished the book late one night.