About E. L. Botha:
E.L. Botha is a maker of paint, chalkboards, discovery bottles, and play dough. Or so her two children would say if you asked! She’s also a recent expert on natural disasters, butterflies, and construction equipment—and anything else that fascinates her children. Part time knitter, mother of two, cook for four, and the proud pet parent to three cats and a leopard gecko, finding time to write is always a challenge.
The Volcano Dragon took flight as a creative project she and her son could work on together. They are both excited about the adventures that Edgar the volcano dragon is sure to have in future!
What inspires you to write?
My children are my number one inspiration. The Volcano Dragon series started as a story telling collaboration with my son to keep him busy while we were out to dinner. I began my other series, Baby’s First Field guide for my daughter, who loves birds. All of us love reading, and it’s so much fun to be on the other side of the book these days.
Tell us about your writing process.
I usually will have a brainstorming session to come up with ideas. I think better when I’m bouncing ideas off of other people. Then, I sit down and pound out a draft. The nice thing about writing kids books is that it’s possible to complete a draft in one sitting! I then edit my draft several times, and send it off to my editor.
Once a final draft of the manuscript is complete, it’s off to my incredibly talented illustrator! She and I work together to get the right look. When the illustrations are done, I print everything up and start taping things to the wall. Literally. I reorganize the pictures and the text until it’s the way I want it.
For Fiction Writers: Do you listen (or talk to) to your characters?
We live with my characters everyday. We have printouts of the illustrations all over the house. Edgar is such a lovely character. He’s brave and selfless, but also lonely and longing for a friends. He’s a very human character, considering he’s an enormous dragon!
What advice would you give other writers?
Patience above all! This whole process has taken so much longer than I expected, and I’ve run into a lot of roadblocks. It’s worked out, and it’s been wonderful, but there is nothing quick about publishing a book, especially when you need to rely upon others to help you complete it.
How did you decide how to publish your books?
I work as a virtual assistant to a couple of self-published novelists, so I already had a foot in the door before I started my own books. My familiarity with the self-publishing universe gave me the confidence to publish my own books. I’ve spoken to so many people who want to publish their book, but are overwhelmed at the prospect of self-publishing. I say, go for it! There are a lot of people out there who are delighted to help you and it’s not as difficult as you think it is!
What do you think about the future of book publishing?
I’m so excited about the future of self-publishing! There are so many amazing authors out there and they no longer have to jump through the hoops of finding a publisher!
What do you use?: Professional Editor, Professional Cover Designer, Beta Readers
What genres do you write?: children’s fiction, children’s non-fiction
What formats are your books in?: Both eBook and Print
Website(s)
E. L. Botha Home Page Link
Link To E. L. Botha Page On Amazon
Your Social Media Links
Goodreads
Facebook
Twitter
All information in this post is presented “as is” supplied by the author. We don’t edit, to allow you, the reader, to hear the author in their own voice.
