Carla Moony Talks about Owen and the Dragon

For the List of Blogs on Carla’s Tour CLICK HERE

Owen and the Dragon
by Carla Mooney
Soto Publishing
ISBN: 978-0-9821711-7-2

Owen is a ten-year old boy who has just moved to a new town and left behind his best friend and everything familiar to him. Unable to face unpacking his room, Owen decides to explore the woods behind his new home. He is stunned to discover a dragon named Phineas. Owen soon gains the dragon’s trust and learns that Phineas has lost the ability to fly. As he struggles to find a way for the dragon to return home, Owen learns friendship can be found in unexpected places.

Fresh from the launch of Owen and the Dragon, fellow Indie Debuter Carla Mooney talks with me about her writing life.

Carla, after college, you were about as far away from Children’s Lit as possible, with degrees in accounting and finance. What made you turn to writing for kids?

A little over three years ago, my youngest son was diagnosed with leukemia. Spending so much time with him in hospitals and at home, I decided to take an online writing class to give me something to take my mind off all of his medical issues. I had always loved writing in school and did a fair amount of business writing. Once I took the children’s writing class, however, I was hooked.

Does anything from those degrees transfer into this new realm?

Definitely! Organization, ability to meet deadlines, planning, research, communication skills are all things I used daily in the finance world that are important for writers. I keep very detailed “to do” lists so that I know what I need to do each day/week to meet my deadlines and goals.

Great skills to have for all artists and writers. I know I could be more organized with my writing. Perhaps you could teach a class on being an organized artist?

What inspired the idea for Owen and the Dragon? Did you have an imaginary dragon as a child?

I did not have an imaginary dragon although that would have been fun! Owen was inspired from my own son, Tommy. We had just moved across the state to our current home and he was having a hard time finding new friends and leaving behind his next door best friends. So Owen was modeled a bit after him.

Are we going to hear more from Owen or have you moved on to something else?

I would love to do a sequel to Owen if the time was right. Currently, however, I’m working on a new book that features Owen’s next door neighbor Izzy. She was such a great character, I wanted her to have her own story.

It’s amazing how characters come to life like that. They all come with their own stories.

I noticed your first book Amazing Africa Projects You Can Build Yourself is a book of creative projects for kids. How did this book come about? Have you been to Africa?

This book is part of a series by Nomad Press, all of which have 25 projects. I was given the broad topic of Africa, but after a lot of research came up with the format and projects myself. I have actually been on safari to Kenya about 10 years ago, it was my most memorable trips. I’d love to take my children there when they get a bit older.

You have another coming out called George Washington Projects You Can Build Yourself. Have you always been this crafty? Did you sit home as a child and create things from objects around the house?

Coming up with the crafts for these books is one of my favorite parts of the research. I did a lot of crafts as a kid – always making things for my mom for mother’s day, etc. Now I use my kids and some of the neighborhood kid as project testers – I’ve had them making candles, masks, wigs and all kinds of things around the kitchen table. Testing the crafts is important – there are always some that look good on paper, but don’t really quite work out in real life!

All the neighborhood kids must love to come to your house.  I know I would have as a kid. Thanks, Carla!

To find out more about Carla and her books, or to listen to her podcast interview on Book Bites for Kids, go to Carla’s WEBSITE.