TodayI have the pleasure of introducing to you Susanne Tillotson Schroder -the author and illustrator of The Donkey's First Christmas.
Susanneis also a very good friend of mine ~ I am excited on her behalf, as herbook is published also as an interactive book application the 28th, November 2015, available at iTunes.
Susanne lives in the UK with her husband and their two sons. She is a child educator and has an MA in Children’s Illustration. You get to know more about Susanne and her creative process in writing and illustrating books in the following interview:
What inspired you to write Donkeys First Christmas?
Susanne:
Iwanted to spark off an interest in the story of Christmas rather thantell all the facts about the Nativity.What better way than a cheeky(and sometimes lazy) donkey.Most children love animals, and few canresist a cheeky one - especially one that refuses to 'play ball’ and dowhat the grown-ups say!
The illustrations in The DonkeysFirst Christmas are very beautiful ~ So expressive and pleasant to lookat, with soft and warm colors. Would you describe the process ofcreating the donkeys appearance ~ He is so appealing, awakening thereaders sympathy for him right away?
Susanne:
Yes, I wanted him to be cute -that’s why he’s got a big head, small body.I also wanted him to look alittle bit grumpy to start with - lots of frowning so he looked like heneeded ‘cheering up’.I wanted the character to be simple (so not toomuch detail) a little bit different - hence the blue color. I beganwith a 3D model and lots of drawings until I found something I was happywith.
Being an artist, you probably are working at the momentwith many ideas for your future projects. How do you nourish yourcreativity?
Susanne:
With difficulty! It’s more like - how doI prevent things from taking over my 'creative head space’!I have tofight my own head from drifting into worries about finance, or fromfeeling there’s so much I need to do with my house, my kids etc.. Thebattle is mainly in ‘allowing’ myself the time to indulge in beingcreative. Once I have the time set aside - that’s half the battle won.
Ido a regular ‘sing-song’ slot with toddlers at my church’s localtoddler group every Friday.I have to be very animated to keep thechildren’s (and their parents!) attention, so that’s really good for meto remember when I’m writing.Staying connected on some level with kidsand with what does and doesn’t hold their interest is invaluable for mewhen it comes to the writing process.
Another thing that hasreally helped in experiencing what works when it comes to writing isactually reading my books out to an audience.
When I’ve done this, Irealize there IS no mercy! If I don’t read clearly and quiteanimated…and if it wasn’t for having something a bit funny orinteresting in the story to hold the children’s attention - I’d be agonner!This is probably why it’s taken me so long to do my second book- I’m thinking - help! It better be good - ‘cos I 'aint standing infront of a whole school of children doing a book reading if it’s not!
Todayis the 2nd Sunday of Advent ~ we're getting closer to Christmas. Arethere some traditions that are specially dear to you at Christmas?
Susanne:
Yes- I love the calendar presents.. my mom gives the kids some littlethings wrapped up for each day of December - something her mom did forme and my sister. It was so exciting I remember. Although my eldestcouldn’t really care a less my youngest loves it!We also, give ourkids a bigger present on a Sunday…this is fun! I use it as anopportunity to give them something special like a pot of Nutella each orsomething like that. They love that - especially when I’ve held offbuying it for a few months - aren’t I mean:) I’ve got a pancake fryingpan for next Sunday - they’ll love that too - but think they will bothhave run out of Nutella by that time…shame:)
Thank you Susanne for taking time to this interview - I love this cute, little Donkey, his expressions and the sweet grumpy mood! And moreover - His genuine manner of taking us with him to the road to Betlehem ... and all the things that follow!Book Review: The Donkey's First Christmas - Read Aloud - Interactive Version
The beautifully illustrated Donkey's First Christmas gives the reader extra dimensions in the new interactive version - You can hear the donkey's E-or'ing and the sound of its hooves, and see it hiding behind the hay, protest to walk, among other capturing animations.
You can read the book aloud, and let your child touch the screen and start the animations. Or by selecting the Read Aloud -function, you can enjoy the capturing voice of the author, Susanne Tillotson Schroder, who reads the native aloud. Furthermore, you can see the words lit up in the color coded text, as Susanne reads along.
The reader cannot do anything but identify with the little donkeywho doesn't hide his stubbornness , who'se ears are flipping up when hearing a baby cry - And who in the very end learns that he has been helping Mary and God's precious son!
I warmly recommend the Donkey's First Christmas - both as a book and as an interactive read aloud version. The Donkeys First Christmas is available at Amazon as a paperback from $2.95 and as a Kindle $2.49. The Donkey's First Christmas as interactive read aloud-version is found at iTunes from $3.99 - available on iPhone, iPad, iPod touch and Mac.
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Wishing you a peaceful 2nd Sunday of Advent ... The sound of the hooves are still echoing in my mind ... On the journey to Betlehem, for a long time ago ...
Nina
