Author Danny Blitz interview + free book bonus

Chris Stead
 | Updated March 8, 2021
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Author Danny Blitz interview + free book bonus

Chris Stead
 | Updated March 8, 2021

Old Mate Media talks to author Danny Blitz about her just released, bestselling children’s picture book Much To Do Before A Dog.Much to Do Before a Dog Cover

Author Danny Blitz and illustrator Sheridan Blitz are a mother-daughter team who’ve turned a true story into one of the cutest children’s picture books you’ll ever read. It’s about teaching responsibility. Sheridan, represented by Koda in the book, really wanted a dog as a young girl. However, her mother knew how much work was required to correctly care for an animal. Much To Do Before a Dog chronicles the journey Koda must take to prove to her mother she can be responsible for a dog.

When Danny and Sheridan first got in contact with Old Mate Media, they had the story complete. It had been tested in local schools and warmly received. Sheridan was about to begin the illustrations and we helped guide her through the process. With the art complete, we then designed the book in paperback, hardback, kindle and ePub form. The completed work was returned to Danny who wished to self-publish and its first month on sale has been amazing.

We fell in love with the story and Sheridan’s evocative, softly constructed art instantly. We’re very happy with the way the book came together and how readers have responded. With almost 40 reviews on Amazon tracking at five-stars, and a number one rank across a number of categories, Much To Do Before A Dog is a hit.

To celebrate, till the end of August 4 the Kindle version of Much To Do Before a Dog will be free. Plus, we conducted a Danny Blitz interview to learn more about the development of the book.

You can read the Danny Blitz interview below. Don’t forget to grab your free kindle eBook of Much To Do Before A Dog. And if you’re an author looking to get their book prepared for publication, perhaps check out our design services.

Danny Blitz Interview

Author Danny Blitz Interview

Tell us a little about Much To Do Before A Dog?

Our book is based on our own true story. It’s about how my daughter, named Koda in the story, earned the privilege of adopting a dog. It took many years, nine to be exact, for her to accomplish this. Our book takes the reader through the highlights of our own story. So the conversations between mum and daughter, the emotions that were felt, the disappointments, the successes and the learning. The mother is very concerned about her daughter taking on such a tremendous responsibility (as one can imagine for all kinds of reasons) and strives to instil this understanding within her daughter through natural consequences.

This is your first book: what inspired you to turn this story into a children’s book?

My own mother, my daughter and I had been talking about creating a children’s book for years. Pretty much from right around the time when we all realised my daughter’s creative passion and level of artistry. When I saw that the opportunity was preparing to close on us - Sheridan was applying to colleges - I brought it up. Guess what she said?

Koda has to really prove herself to get a dog, is that always your approach to parenting?

Absolutely. I raised Sheridan to understand that she is responsible for everything she does. Not only is this the socially responsible thing to do, but it empowered her to create her own path. To grow and become successful in everything she chooses to take on and not allow herself to fall victim to circumstance. The bottom line is that she proved to herself that she could do it. And it worked! Since then, she regularly tests herself to ensure that she has the strength to endure the downs as well as the ups.

It must have been interesting creating this book with your 17-year-old daughter. What are the best things about working with Sheridan?

She is tremendously flexible, patient and observant. She’s also a great listener. This combination allowed her to flow with the changes that needed to take place as we tested our own book on various audiences - children, teachers, parents, friends and family. She was open to criticism, made notes, considered how to make things her own and followed through. She made changes to her watercolors right up until the final images were due with Old Mate Media!

Danny and Sheridan Blitz

Danny and Sheridan Blitz

And what have been the challenges?

We started work on this in January, 2017. Sheridan was in the throes of completing her senior year in high school - senior projects, exams, senior play, an additional class load and a determination to maintain her grade point in order to keep her place at her first-choice college! I kept us on task with the book yet also had to remain flexible.

What’s next for Blitz Family Productions? Are there more books in the works?

As soon as I drop Sheridan off at college, I will start drafting a memoir about what I learned about parenting as a single mum by choice. I am also in the research and conceptual stage of a documentary about parenting intuitively.

Finally why should people buy your book?

Much To Do Before A Dog awakens the senses and ethics of bringing another being into the family.  During our Beta reader stage, the children were amazed at all that could be involved with being a human to a dog and other pets. Parents seemed grateful that there was a model for their children to consider when on a whim, they decide having a dog is a great idea. It supports everyone to think clearly and consciously about their choice to make such an important decision.

Remember you can  grab your free kindle eBook of Much To Do Before A Dog this weekend or order a print paperback or hardback copy from Amazon.

Where To Next?

We hope you enjoyed the Danny Blitz interview. Why not read our interview with author Nicholas Abdilla? We edited, designed and published his amazing science-fiction novel Adam Exitus, which is available now through Amazon and iTunes.

Chris Stead

Chris Stead is an award-winning author and editor with over 26-years of experience in the publishing industry. After publishing over 1000 magazines and launching a dozen commercial websites, fatherhood saw him turn his attention to the world of children's picture books and self-publishing. He now makes books for himself and countless indie authors around the globe.

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