Interview with Sonya Kimble-Ellis, author of The Sandcastle Kids: A Mayan Adventure

Tell us a bit about you?
I have been a magazine writer and editor for quite some time. I have also freelanced quite a bit for the Web. I've written five books, all for young people, and plan on starting work again on an adult novel I began a few years ago. I enjoy traveling, interior design, and have other hobbies as well.

What inspired you to write The Sandcastle Kids?

I actually wrote the initial version about ten years ago and got turned down by several publishers. So I decided to publish it myself. I wanted to write a book that allowed kids to learn about other cultures in a fun way.

What do you hope children learn from your book?

I want them to know the importance of history as well as the contributions that people of various cultures have made to the world.

Are you planning to write any new books in the future? Can you give us a sneak peek?

There will be more Sandcastle Kids books in the future. So keep an eye out for those.

What do you do in your spare time when you're not writing?

I'm trying to find more spare time. I'd like to get back to my love of photography and writing songs.

Who was your favorite author when you were young?

James Baldwin.

Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?

Read as often as you can and write as often as you can. Be persistent when working with editors and publishers. But keep in mind that there's a fine line between being persistent and annoying. You just have to find it.

Describe yourself with 5 words.

Kind; focused; versatile; reliable; somewhat adventurous.

How did you get interested in writing children's books?

I've always wanted to write a picture book. I've written children's activity books and biographies for teens. So picture books were a natural progression. But breaking into that area of publishing is not all that easy.

Where can people buy your books?

Right now, people can purchase the book on my site http://www.thesandcastlekids.com/. It's also available at select book stores in New Jersey. Hopefully it will be available on the Barnes & Noble and/or Amazon web sites within the next few months.

Do you have a web page or fan page?

My Facebook page is: The Sandcastle Kids

Anything else you would like to share?

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