The Storyworld is available for download for the iPhone on the App Store here: Bedtime Stories — read & tell App.
What’s the name of your Storyworld and what is it about?
Kris Snowman — The Life of a Famous Rock Star and his Cool Adventures
How did you come up with the stories and characters?
I really love music so I wanted to write about a singer as the central character. I decided it would be fun to use a character that was a bit different. Because Kris is a snowman he faces some challenges in the warmer climates he travels to. Every rock star has an assistant so I invented Elka the Inuit. I also like to put facts in stories so that children can learn new things from reading. Kris tours the world, a new country each story so I could include snippets of information into the stories too.
Tell us about the themes in your Storyworld. Why are they important?
The theme in my story is about getting to know a bit about other countries and cultures. I believe it is important for children to learn about other countries and some facts. I loved browsing through encyclopaedias and world books as a child. Tolerance and acceptance and kindness are also themes through this storyworld. Tolerance can be learnt through knowledge of other people’s beliefs and where they come from. It breaks down walls and helps teach children learn these lessons through understanding and education.
Are there educational aspects to your work? If so, what are they?
There are educational aspects to my work. I loved to learn new things as I was reading so wanted to pass this one to young readers. I do this by either using a few challenging words in my stories to increase childrens’ vocabulary or by including facts in my work.
When and why did you begin writing?
I began seriously writing as a teenager although my first attempt at writing was at primary school where we were asked to write and illustrate a book. I remember I wrote about a dog. From then on the seed of inspiration to becoming an author was planted.
How many books have you written to date? What inspired you to write your first book?
I’ve got 18 published titles so far and several more written and ready to be published. My first published book was Suki and the Seedling. It has an environmental theme which is one of the main themes I try to incorporate into my stories. I wrote it many years ago and I wrote it to try to bring awareness about the importance of conservation. Suki lives in a world without trees. The aim is to challenge children’s imagination of what life would be like without trees.
Do you have a specific writing style? Is there anything about your genre that you find particularly challenging?
I try to write in different styles depending on what I am working on. Most of the books I write are childrens’ picture books but I also write for older children as well and have published a chapter book. I also enjoy writing fantasy so I’ve been working on a fantasy book too. I like to write zany, quirky stories so I often try to incorporate this into my stories.
When did you first consider yourself a writer?
I started to think of myself as a writer after a conversation with someone. I told them I wrote and they said that if it was my passion to be a writer that is what I was. So ever since then I’ve called myself a writer.
Where do you turn for inspiration?
I usually stick to my main themes and incorporate them into my stories so I use nature, conservation and animals for a lot of my inspiration.
What were your favourite books as a child and why?
I loved The Magic Faraway Tree and The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe. The latter really captured my imagination. I love when the children walk through the wardrobe into Narnia. That is my favourite bit.
What book are you currently reading?
I haven’t had time to read lately but when I do I like to read biographies or books with some kind of historical theme.
What advice do you give to writers starting out on their career?
Write firstly for the enjoyment of it. Anything after that is the icing on the cake.
What are you currently working on and what is your next project?
I usually have several stories on the go. I am steering away from picture books lately and focussing on chapter books. I have a quirky series I am working on. It is inspired by Roald Dahl as I love his sense of humour and style of writing.
Do you have a blog or website readers can visit for updates, events and special offers?
My website is www.michellepath.com.au where all my published books are for sale. I also have a Facebook page Michelle Path — Children’s book author.
Thank you for telling us about your Bedtime Stories Storyworld and your books! We can’t wait to read them!
Kris Snowman - Rockstar on Tour, is available for download on the Bedtime Stories — read & tell App on iPhone and iPad
Happy reading!