Author’s Background: Author Kinkini’s fictional picture storybook ‘Kinkini’s Adventure With Lassie’ “A tale of Love and Loss” got published by Evincepub Publishing in the year 2022. Her book got released worldwide and is available in both paperback as well as in e-book format and the readers can find her book on amazon. This title belongs to the series – Kinkin’s Adventure Books, which also includes author’s another work, ‘Kinkini’s Adventure With Kanmani The Hen!’
Neel Preet: Firstly, Congratulations on your book, “Kinkini’s Adventure With Lassie!” Well, can you please share your experience about making your work come into the form of book!
Kinkini: Getting my work in the form of a book took quite a lot of time. Almost a year. Writing the story was easily done, but then getting it into the form of a book was a bit confusing and difficult for me, being a novice here. So many questions and doubts kept popping up. How to get the illustrations done? Is my word count, okay? What are the steps to get it published? Where and how to publish? I started researching on the net, simultaneously I started looking out for illustrators. They were quoting a lot for the illustrations…that’s when I realised it is not that easy. So, I first started making an outline of what images I wanted for each page and got my illustrations done. Then I looked out for publishers, days and months passed. Meanwhile many publishers were contacting me for self-publishing. I was totally confused in the beginning. I did quite a lot of research. Slowly, it all fell into place. I got the illustration done my way. I got it done in the form of a book, still I was apprehensive. That’s when I spoke to one of the publishers who had contacted me. Initially, there were so many hiccups in the process too, but they all got solved and today I have children’s picture book published worldwide
Neel Preet: What inspired you to write this book? What was the impetus behind this work of yours?
Kinkini: Being a grandmother, I had got into the habit of telling stories to my grandchildren. I sometimes read story books to them and tell them about my own true stories. That’s when I started telling them about the pets I had in my childhood. In the process to entertain them with my pets-based stories, I could reveal to them the joy, the emotions I felt of having a pet. They would ask me to repeat these stories again and again. I found that they loved to listen to these stories. That’s when the idea struck me, why not write about my pets. So, my grandkids and my family has always been my inspiration and my impetus for creating these picture book stories.
Neel Preet: Your book title, ‘Kinkini’s Adventure With Lassie’ is very catchy! So, can you please explain the reason for going with this book title to the readers?
Kinkini: Each of the pets I had in my childhood and the time I spend with them was like an adventure for me. So, I decided, that to give importance to each of the pets, I would call it as an adventure with each of the pet’s name and also give it a sub-title. That’s how I came up with the tile “Kinkini’s Adventure with Lassie”- “A Tale of Love and Loss”
Neel Preet: While writing the book what was your mind-set? Is it based on any particular experience of yours?
Kinkini: Sharing my childhood memories with my grandchildren helped me to reconnect and plug into the experience they are having now and find the things in common.
I felt happy to share my memories with details of the experiences and emotions. I was turning my memories into a story not only for my grandchildren but for all the children in the world and thereby sharing my magical childhood world.
Neel Preet: A part from fiction, in which other genre would you like to
contribute?
Kinkini: At present, I am thinking of only fiction. I am planning to go on to spooky stories next.
Neel Preet: Studying the stories of this book, I’m greatly impressed & I want you to explain, in your version that how this book will appeal the readers!
Kinkini: Picture Books are always magical for children as they have the power to teach, to transport them to another world and to form an impact. Children love animals and of course they love stories. Their hunger for stories is insatiable. My grandkids are the perfect example. The lovely coloured illustrations of my Lassie resting his head on my legs or playing with me catch are surely going to fill their fantasy world. They will feel loved and important. They are surely going to fall in love with the large coloured images.
Neel Preet: Next, I want you to tell us about some of those writers, who had inspired you!
.
Kinkini: From my childhood, I was always in love with books and especially picture books. Some of the stories that are still in my mind are to name a few are Black beauty story by Anna Sewell, Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi, Snow-white and the Seven Dwarfs and Cinderella by the Brothers Grimm, Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White, Animal Farm by George Orwell Thumbelina by, and the list in fact goes on as they all have left a lasting impression on my mind. I have always been an avid reader
Neel Preet: Is there any message that you would like to convey to your readers? Or any piece of advice, which you would like to give to the readers out there!
Kinkini: I would like to let them know the importance of having a pet at home. Having a pet is an experience that every child should have and they will remember even as they grow into an Adult as was my case. Animals teach great lessons to children, with their unconditional love which is very hard to find. They not only give companionship but help in children’s emotions too. They decrease their anxiety levels, sense of loneliness, and help them develop self-esteem and improve their social activities.
Neel Preet: Are there any other books being worked by you? Please let us know about your future projects.
Kinkini: My adventure books are 5 in a series. the first two are now published. The next three pets that came into my life are a monkey, 2 squirrels and a cat about which I have already started writing. My next project are spooky stories for kids and other imaginary world books.
Neel Preet: Thank you so much for answering all my questions. All the very best to you for future and your book too!
Kinkini: Thank you for helping me to recount the details and emotions and the process of forming this picture book