Hey Wordies!

Welcome to the latest instalment of Five Questions, One Author, a series that shines a spotlight on incredible new, indie, and underrepresented authors. This week, I’m excited to introduce you to author Rick Wood, who recently released adorable children’s book, Little Mango.

Each post in this series features the same five questions, giving these writers the space to share their stories, inspirations, and lessons learned. A massive thank you to all the authors who are taking part.

Now that’s been said, grab a cuppa and a sweet treat Wordies, let’s begin!

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1. What inspired you to start writing, and what led you to choose self-publishing or working with an independent/small publisher?

My mom was an avid reader. I grew up in a household filled with books. As soon as I could read, I felt the urge to record my stories. First, I did it through drawing comics, but later it evolved into longform stories that I’d share with my classmates. I guess that need to tell stories has never ebbed for me. I visualize the world in prose.

In total, I’ve authored five books. Four of my books are self-published and one was done with a regional publisher.

I lean towards self-publication as a preferred method due to the fact that I really enjoy every step of book creation. From writing to cover design, I bring out various parts of my professional skills.

Having been a newspaper journalist, graphic artist and filmmaker it’s very comfortable for me to put on different hats when needed. And, in all guilty honesty, I enjoy the creative control involved in self-publishing. Still, that self determination comes with a price. As a self-published author you own both, success and failure, fully.

2. How does your personal background or identity influence your writing, and how do you incorporate that into your stories?

I’m a nonfiction writer and a journalist by trade, so, I approach my manuscript with a strong sense of obligation to factual storytelling. People have asked what my area of expertise is and I have to say my niche is being a trained observer. In my younger days, prior to my newspaper work, I was a helicopter crew member in the army, then worked in animal-related law enforcement and investigation. My life experiences truly inform my writing.

Additionally, I’m profoundly hearing impaired (deaf). Losing my hearing was a key factor in my pursuit of wildlife photography. I transitioned from hearing-reliant journalism to more visual reporting and documentary film work. When I watch animals in their natural habitats, I notice the smallest details. So, in that case, my disability becomes a bit of a superpower. My books reflect that deep sense of visual observation.

3. What has been the most rewarding part of your writing journey so far, and what might you do differently in the future?

Mostly, I write about endangered species.

The educational moments wherein a reader learns something new about an animal is quite touching to me. I’ve had readers say, “Oh, I didn’t know that,” and then tell me what they’ve learned from my book and how it resonated with them.

My current book, Little Mango, is a children’s book and I’ve seen pictures of those young readers literally hugging their copy of the book. Nothing tops the heartwarming feeling I get from seeing that.

In the future I’d like to challenge myself more and depart my comfort zone, possibly. I have ideas for a few different fictional stories. Still, writing fiction seems daunting to me. It just appears more intimate to me to share something that’s completely a product of my imagination. Still, I have several stories in my mind and I’d love to share them with the world. At the same time, I also have a backlog of nonfiction ideas and research built up, and endangered species are where my passions lie. The animal stories feel more time sensitive to me.

4. What advice would you give to new or aspiring indie authors?

I might get some pushback for saying this, but my biggest advice is to forget about word count and page goals.

If you’re writing to reach some artificial mental goal, you’re not giving your story its natural growing room. You should write your story until it’s done – whether it’s 10,000 words or 100,000 words. Some manuscripts are completed through economized word usage, and some books have a deeper, heavier flow like a powerful river and they demand more pages. Trust your gut. And, at the end of the day, just WRITE. You can’t go wrong putting words on paper for the rough draft.

Also, don’t fixate on being published. Telling a story in written form is a worthy enough goal.

If you self-publish, get a publisher, or write a single hand-written copy that exists as a complete story you are still an author.

Writing, like art, is about expression at its core. The expression is the accomplishment.

5. Can you tell us about your latest book and where readers can find it?

Little Mango was an absolute joy to write and illustrate, from beginning to end. As a citizen scientist I’ve study long-tailed macaques near my home in Jakarta, Indonesia. For more than three years, I’ve watched the same group of wild monkeys survive and thrive in one of the largest urban areas in the world. Their story is a testament to a changing natural world and how complicated (or easy) coexistence with wildlife can be. Little Mango is a nonfiction children’s book that tells the story of one baby long-tailed macaque as he learns about his world and begins to explore the ecosystem around him. I wrote the story aimed at emerging readers and early school aged kids. It’s relatable to children to think about concepts of growing up, exploring your world, taking careful risks and conquering fears. We all go through similar emotional growth in our early lives. My goal in writing Little Mango is to foster an appreciation for long-tailed macaques, who are an endangered species, and respect for the natural world.

Readers can find Little Mango for purchase in softcover printed form and eBook through Amazon, Barnes & Noble and various retailers online via Ingram Spark.

Website: Little Mango

Book link on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DPN9FS75

Barnes & Noble: Little Mango by Rick Wood, Paperback | Barnes & Noble®

Instagram: Rick Wood (@littlemangochildrensbook) • Instagram photos and videos

About the Author

Rick Wood is an award-winning former journalist and wildlife photographer from Washington State. His debut novel, “Nature Aware (Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing, 2012),” reached the Amazon Kindle Best Seller list in Conservation and Ecology numerous times. In Rough Cut: Lessons from Endangered Species (Homeostasis Press, 2017), Wood showcased efforts to save marine mammals and sea turtles and his experiences from filming nature documentaries.

Wood volunteers his time working with students worldwide, and he is also a marine mammal rescue responder. Meniere’s disease has caused profound hearing impairment since 2004, and Wood is functionally deaf today. Additionally, he wrestles with combat-related post-traumatic stress disorder effects due to his time in combat. Still, Wood credits his challenges for inspiring him to live life to the fullest.

Wood currently resides in Southeast Asia, where he lives with his wife and children. As a hobbyist, he has studied long-tailed macaques living in urban areas for more than three years. Wood’s time watching monkeys led to the inspiration for his first children’s book, Little Mango.

Thanks so much for reading! I hope you will take some time to support Rick and his work. If you enjoyed this interview, please remember to subscribe so that you you don’t miss the next interview! And as always, dear Wordies, have an abundant day!