Today we talk about THE ADVENTURES OF BEATRICE & RISKY BOOK 3 THE BLUE WITCH – BILLY BOUNCING BA, a book by Rick Reid published with our publishing house Europe Books.
Europe Books had the pleasure of interviewing the author Rick Reid to get to know him better, what prompted him to the writing of his book THE ADVENTURES OF BEATRICE & RISKY BOOK 3 THE BLUE WITCH – BILLY BOUNCING BA, as well as what parents and children will understand through his stories.
Below you can find our interview. Take a seat and enjoy your reading!!!
- What prompted you to write your 3rd book of “The Adventures of Beatrice & Risky”?
When I started writing and illustrating ‘Beatrice and & Risky over 6 years ago, I put together over 30 stories complete with illustrations. I was loving it. These stories have stood the test of time. The process was to revisit, with some improvements to the storyline, although I felt especially the illustrations could be better. I was very happy to redraw. There have been some subtle but critical considerations too. The stories have always begun in the courtyard and finished back in their courtyard, I want the courtyard to appear like a sanctuary, safe place for our characters. I believe our young readers respond to this too. With over a thousand drawings completed I found my drawing skills really have improved. But to answer your question Europe Books asked me for a third book, I was over the moon and very very happy and I had plenty to choose from. This time I wanted to introduce a human character. The Blue Witch Who is a Good Witch, very beautiful and very kind. Beatrice and Risky believe she has more magic powers than perhaps she does. Our young readers will figure that out for themselves.
- What are the comments you have received from your reader throughout these last 3 years on your children’s books?
Both the kids and their parents seem to love the illustrations. Big, bright and colorfuI obviously hand drawn Taking up 80% of the story telling. Some of my stories in the books appear to be more popular than others. But so far not too much preference. One young 5 year, Mia, loves Spic and Span. The two frogs from Book Two. They teach Beatrice and Risky how to play leap frog. Poor Daddy must have read it to her a hundred times. Boys tend to like characters like Wallace Wheelbarrow so it all shakes out fairly evenly. I know the young girls will like the Blue Witch and the boys may prefer Billy Bouncing Ball. Perhaps that is the advantage of the Two Books in one when first suggested by EB distribution director. A great idea. The only loose discipline I use is, The first story B&R meet someone or something new. This time a Blue Witch. The second story is more magical fantasy. In the future I want to include a couple of pages, “How to draw Beatrice,” and “How to draw Risky”, a bit of fun interaction with your readers goes a long way. As well as Strong facial reactions from the characters. Happy, Sad, Surprised, Angry, Confused, Bewildered, and so on. This helps the emerging reader to understand the story.
- What will parents and children understand through your stories?
What I really want to convey to the young mind of my readers is Kindness and Understanding is very rewarding. For example, when B&R meet a new creature at first there is curiosity, followed by tolerance, this tolerance brings understanding and eventually trust and friendship. Embracing their difference as a positive enhancement to this friendship. I am very careful not to preach but rather let the reader find out through discovery. Here is where parents can help the young reader to comprehend the huge rewards of Kindness and Understanding. Also with Billy Bouncing Ball they are taught by Billy not only the rules of Football and Basketball but how safety must be observed so no one gets hurt. We need some rules in society so we can all enjoy more fun together. The new relationship, as with most stories, is summed up in the final pages by both Beatrice and Risky in the sanctuary of their own courtyard.
- Are you working on the 4th book of “The Adventures of Beatrice & Risky” or on a new writing project that you can tell us about?
I was so thrilled to be asked for Book 3 my mind turned to wishful-thinking. This is “looking like a book a year” So after finishing Book 3, this meant immediately launching into Book 4. The first story I had drafted out a year or two back and strangely has a lot of truth to it. I don’t want to give too much away but Beatrice, ever inquisitive, decides to take a look over the fence into the large house and garden of the neighbors property. There she saw a red poodle who had purple ears and ankles and purple ball on his tail. She raced back to get Risky. She had never seen a creature like this before and wanted to show friend. This is the truth. The madam next door who breeds the red poodles likes to experiment with colours. The story with Nigel (the Purple Poodles name) continues. But the second story was from scratch and quite different. One day a Magic carpet flys into the courtyard of B&R. His name is Morris, a friend of Basil Broom who was in the first book. This is a truly fantastical adventure for Beatrice and Risky. I live in hope for a release early next year.
Europe Books thanks the author Rick Reid once again for taking the time and answering our questions. We are really pleased to have walked alongside him on the editorial path that led to the publication of his book THE ADVENTURES OF BEATRICE & RISKY BOOK 3 THE BLUE WITCH – BILLY BOUNCING BA. We wish him the best of luck for his book and for his future works.
To you, my readers, may this book be a great source of inspiration for everyone and may it bring you a great experience to enjoy. And remember that, no matter how adult you are, books for children have a lot to teach us all! Written in simple and clear concepts, illustrated children’s book have the ability to give us important life lessons or they put us back in touch with our forgotten child side which just needs to be awakened.
So, my dear readers, all I have to say is to enjoy your reading!
Your editor!