The RV Book Fair – Francine Piriano-Davila

Welcome to The RV Book Fair! Francine, tell us about your latest book and what inspired you to write it?

I recently released The Lonely Chameleon, which was written to help kids with low self-esteem and who are not able to accept their unique differences.  My hope is to inspire kids of all ages to love themselves (and others) for who they are.

Many authors have a favorite place or environment where they prefer to write, where do you find you are most creative and why?

I do all of my writing in my office. It is quiet and my desk faces a big tree in the front yard. I feel at peace there and am able to gather my thoughts and hopefully write a good book!

How do you choose the titles for your books, and how important do you think book titles are in attracting readers?

The title of my first book Cloud Monsters, I literally got from looking at an ominous cloud during a bad thunderstorm. I pictured these clouds forming into monsters and invading the earth – I thought, this would be a great book!

Book titles are extremely important in attracting readers. The title is the first thing they see – if it doesn’t grab them at first glance, odds are they won’t read it.

Are there any specific authors or books that have influenced your writing style or storytelling? 

Stephen King, Dean Koontz and H.G. Wells are just a few of the authors that have influenced my writing.

I grew up reading science-fiction, reading books like Pet Semetary, The Time Machine and of course, War of The Worlds. I have always dreamed of writing my own science-fiction books for kids and have them enjoy reading it as much as I did and still do.

What do you enjoy doing when you’re not writing? Any hobbies or interests that influence your writing?

Reading is my #1 hobby. Reading has definitely influenced my writing in a big way. I want to provide the joy to others that I feel when I read a good book.

I also like spending time with my sons, watching movies (especially science-fiction) and cooking.

Do you have a favorite character from your own books? If so, who is it and why?

My absolute favorite character is Charlie from The Lonely Chameleon. Charlie faces adversity and overcomes it. He starts out not liking himself because of how he looks, but soon finds out it’s okay to be different and starts to love himself despite his differences. He starts out as a shy and self-loathing chameleon, but ends up being outgoing and self-loving. 

Hopefully, kids can look at Charlie and be able to relate to him. My hope is that The Lonely Chameleon can help kids accept themselves and others for who they are.

What advice do you have for aspiring authors who are looking to get their first book published?

My advice is to never give up. I started my writing career at 46 years old. If you have a manuscript that has been sitting for a while, send it in. You have nothing to lose.

You may get some rejections – like I did, but you have to keep trying until you get your book published. If your dream is to have a published book, then keep trying until you achieve your goal. At 46 years old, I am finally a published author. If I can do it at 46, then anyone can achieve their goals.

Do you have any upcoming projects or future writing plans that you’d like to share with your readers?

I plan on continuing to write self-esteem books for kids. My main goal is to help kids through words. I hope to one day have a line of books dedicated to helping kids with their self-image. 

How do you handle writer’s block or periods of low motivation?

When I have trouble coming up with an idea, I just take a break. It could be an hour or as long as a week before I can sit back down and write again. When I am finally ready, I can sit and write for hours – that is always the good part!

I find that you can’t force yourself to come up with words for a book – it needs to come naturally, so if I have writers block, I just wait until they come to me.

Can you share an anecdote or behind-the-scenes story from your writing journey that readers may find interesting or amusing?

On a few occasions, at book signing events, I would be sitting at my table waiting for people to come over and talk.  On one particular signing, it was a Sunday morning and pretty quiet. It was about 2 hours into the signing, when, finally, someone shows interest and comes over to me. Their question was “Where is the bathroom?” I did point them in the right direction. The rest of the day was uneventful to say the least. 

I would have people ask where certain books can be found. Someone even asked me where the garbage was located! I can definitely laugh at these moments now.

Find out more about Francine at:https://francinepirianodavila.com/

For additional information about the RV Book Fair and our featured guests, please visit:www.relatable-media.com