“Don’t give up.”
What do you hope your readers take away from Gerbs
in the House and Melvin and the Metamorphose Hat?
I grew up as the shyest kid in the
class that people would
approach and ask if I could even
talk!
My dad helped me by taking me to
roadshows at an early age and letting me
help him promote his business and then it
went from there.
What is your best advice for someone
who would like to follow in your
footsteps and doesn’t know where to
begin?
Start by writing. Then rewriting. Then
editing. Then rewriting. Then editing.
Get a good solid piece of work that
you’re proud of. During this process, ask
as many questions to people around you
as possible. Find out whether you want to
publish and if so, which avenue best suits
your dreams. Don’t give up. It’s a long
road, with a couple of bumps, but as long
as you don’t stop and persevere, you’ll
get to where you want to go.
Gerbs in the House was an introductory book to the entire
series, so I hope that readers get a feel for the characters,
the setting and appreciate the signature photography of
the gerbils on a green screen. Melvin and the
Metamorphose Hat is about a gerbil named Melvin who
can’t figure out who he wants to be. One day, as he eats a
strawberry drop, a magical hat appears on his head. He
realizes that he can be anything he puts his mind to, just
by changing the hat on his head. He thinks deeply and his
hat magically transforms sending him into a whole new
world. I think the moral of the story is that you can really
be whoever you want to be, but ultimately, you’re you.
Who is your mentor and why?
I’ll say first that there wasn’t one main person that has
helped me. I have leaned on so many people throughout
the years that it’s hard to say I have one mentor. I’d have
to say, my dad has been pretty helpful throughout the
process. He always knows what to say or how to help,
whether I’ve got a business question, a promotional
problem or confusion as to how to end a story.
How can everyone get a copy of your books?
Best way is www.gerbilmeetsmouse.com They are also
available on other book websites such as amazon.com,
etc.