About Rick
It starts with nothing more then a concept …
or a handful of concepts. With these in hand, I simply let my imagination fill in the details. For example, my first book Not Everyone Is Nice is a fictionalized account of a young child’s brief encounter with a suspicious stranger. It was written as an ice-breaker for parents and children to discuss this difficult topic.
It started with a search for a book on this subject for my own children. Not pleased with the selection, I decided to write one of my own. I was immediately drawn to the concept of nature as a metaphor for strangers: beautiful creatures that are nonetheless dangerous. With this concept in my mind, I set about creating a story and characters.
I decided to write the story from the first-person perspective of a child. It was foremost in my mind that it not be frightening and that it end on the positive note that lots of people are really nice. In sum, the handful of concepts from which this book sprung were “nature”, “first-person” and “not frightening.” Concepts in hand, the real fun begins - writing!
Once I am happy with a story, I love sharing it. If a child can enjoy a book, talk about it, and take some meaning from that story into her life, what more could an author ask? Books from my childhood still touch my life today. Who can forget Margery Williams' The Velveteen Rabbit? It contains some of the most beautiful dialogues ever committed to paper. Ms. Williams taught me the importance of characters’ thoughts and conversations. The Skin Horse’s explanation of what makes you “real” is simply perfection. When I wrote Tommy and the T Tops and the critical conversations between Tommy and his mentor Alexander, Margery was certainly whispering in my ear.
Lastly, there is the joy of something written just right – little gems within the story. When I read a good book, I sometimes feel compelled to re-read a passage just because it captures a thought, an image, or a concept so marvelously. What a tribute to the author! Words that, like fine art, draw you back to them again and again.
Always have room in your life for the wonderful! Thanks for reading.
- RA