About the book:
Sneaking Treats is the Halloween tale of a candy-obsessed Prince. After a clumsy accident, he becomes so angry with himself that he inadvertently shoos away his own shadow. With the story given life by the remarkable artistry of Jessica Gadra, the royal family’s search becomes a playful game of hide-and-seek, the young boy’s shadow cleverly hidden among the illustrations’ intricate details. But whether the Prince will ultimately be reunited with his scorned ‘Self’ is not the only mystery that haunts the many twists and turns of the royal castle.Interview with Eddison McRoberts
What inspired you to write a childrens book?My own two Ethiopian-adopted children are excellent muses! But really, it’s about fundraising. Printing, publishing, and illustrating costs are expenses that need to be covered, but as the author, I’m accepting no profits of my own. Instead, all net proceeds are being steered to our favorite charity that helps teach underprivileged Ethiopian kids the reading skills they will need to transform their society into one of appropriate health and wealth and opportunity. Please buy our book and join the cause! Visit www.ethiopiareads.org for more info.
How long have you been writing, and how did you start?
This is my debut as an aspiring childrens author. As a new dad watching my kids grow and learn, it really tickled my creative side. I kept seeing things that seemed like clever storylines and started jotting them down. Sneaking Treats is not my first idea, just what seemed a good jumping off point.
How did you come up with the title Sneaking Treats (Tale of the Pumpkin Wraith)?
The title is meant to invite curiosity...Who’s sneaking treats? What’s a pumpkin wraith? My hope is the reader will feel doubly rewarded when the story takes a clever twist beyond what is hinted in the title.
How did you create the plot for Sneaking Treats?
You know, I just had the most basic idea in my head about a kid who becomes so angry with himself, his Self gets fed up and storms off. Eventually, I got put in touch with Jessica, and I fell in love with the gothic style of her work. With its haunting tale of shadows, this story seemed perfect to fit her inspiration. After some back and forth, we realized this really was best as a Halloween tale. When we both simultaneously got the idea to use Jack-o-lanterns as a sort of surrogate audience, we were hooked! Tell us a book you’re an evangelist for.
There is No Me Without You, by Melissa Fay Greene. Especially, a must read for international adoptive parents.
Are any of your characters inspired by real people?
The royal family is loosely based on our own adoptive family. Some of the personality traits were invented to fit the story and don’t quite match up with real life. However, it is amazing how my real boy has grown to perfectly fit the mischievous character of the Prince. And just try to keep him away from the treats!
Are you like any of your characters?
As the head of the family, I am of course represented by the King: a bumbling, shameful mockery of a buffoon. I’m not like him at all.
I'm sure you're not! What song would you pick to go with your book?
Ha! It IS a part of my book! Visit my website and watch for news on how to view the video production of the story, set to Edvard Grieg’s haunting “In the Hall of the Mountain King”.
Who are your favorite authors?
Jane and Chris Kurtz are both wonderful children's book authors with a refreshingly different perspective born of their own childhood growing up together as Americans in Ethiopia. My story owes much of itself to Jane’s steady encouragement. Much love to you two!
You get to decide who would read your audiobook. Who would you choose?
Michael Caine, are you available??? Please bring along the cast of Monty Python to voice the characters!
You’re given the day off, and you can do anything but write. What would you do?
Only one day? How does anything get accomplished in a single day! I guess I would ride my bike into the Cascade Mountains, strap on my crampons for a quick trip to summit of Mt. Hood, teleski down the far side and paddle the Deschutes into Hood River. Unless there was a Blazer game on TV that day, in which case I would just sit around the brew pub while sipping an ice-cold IPA.
Wow. You sure do pack a lot into one day. What are you working on now?
Jessica and I are teaming up again to continue the adventures of the Royal Family in an all new saga! It promises to become a must-read for any family considering adoption of a new pet. Bookmark my webpage and watch for news on an eventual release date for The Princess and the Puppy...
I will! I hope you'll come back and tell us about it when it's published.
Excerpt
The Prince couldn’t sleep. ‘Where would I go if I were
feeling unappreciated,’ he thought. Unable to come up with the answer,
he decided to sneak downstairs for a treat from the Hallowed Cauldron of
Candy, singing softly as he went:‘The Good King warns to keep our faith
Or risk the wrath of the Pumpkin Wraith
But tempted by the sticky sweets
We steal away their trick-or-treats
And risk the wrath of the Pumpkin Wraith
We’ll risk the wrath of the Pumpkin Wraith’
“And THAT’S when he heard a noise…”
About the author:
Eddison McRoberts lurks in Portland, Oregon, with his wife and two beautiful Ethiopian-adopted children. The Illustrator, Jessica Gadra, currently resides in Buffalo, New York, with her husband, Alex, her dog, Eisley, and ten thousand uninvited ladybugs.Buy the book:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Barnes & Noble coloring book | virtualbookworm.com
The coloring book format includes the complete story and pictures ready for your child’s colorful imagination.
