{"id":1143,"date":"2012-12-07T03:29:32","date_gmt":"2012-12-07T03:29:32","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dsavannah.com\/blog\/?p=1143"},"modified":"2015-05-14T16:15:40","modified_gmt":"2015-05-14T20:15:40","slug":"the-questions-zellerhoff","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dsavannah.com\/blog\/index.php\/the-questions-zellerhoff\/","title":{"rendered":"The Questions with Christi Zellerhoff: children\u2019s books writer"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Princesses<\/a>I hope y\u2019all are having as much reading The Questions<\/a> as I am posting them!<\/p>\n

This edition features my first author of children\u2019s books! I can\u2019t remember when I ran across Christi, but the next thing I knew, she was getting published. (Oh, how cute is this post<\/a>, where her daughter sees the e-book for the first time?!?!?!) The book just got released in paperbook on Amazon<\/a> on 11\/30\/12, and will be released as an e-book soon.<\/p>\n

Anyway, her first (of many more to come) children\u2019s picture books is Princesses Can Be Pirates Too!<\/em><\/p>\n

Who says girls can\u2019t play boys\u2019 make-believe games too? \u201cNo Girls Allowed\u201d will simply NOT<\/em> do for this little Princess! The book proves that just because a girl is wearing a crown and pink fluffy dress doesn\u2019t mean she can\u2019t act like a pirate just as good as any boy. Yes\u2014even a refined and dainty princess can become a rough and tumble pirate!<\/p>\n

A princess can do what pirates can too;
\nshe can captain a ship and take charge of the crew;
\nShould unfriendly pirates try climbing aboard,
\nshe can fend off the foes with a swoosh of her sword!<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

And it’s already getting rave reviews on Amazon!\u00a0 I checked just before I published this post, and so far, it’s gotten six five-star reviews, like this one:<\/p>\n

\"Princesses

Princesses Can Be Pirates Too – review<\/p><\/div>\n

As a staunch feminist, I can get behind a book that tells girls they can do\/be whatever they want. (Note<\/span>: See The Questions with Stephanie Kate Strohm<\/a> for my take on her YA book Pilgrim\u2019s Don\u2019t Wear Pink<\/em><\/a>, featuring a fun, intelligent, history-loving teen heroine, who, yes, loves pink.)<\/p>\n

This also brings to mind an incident that happened to me when I was a mere lass (under 9, but I can\u2019t remember exactly how old). As mentioned in previous posts, I\u2019m a missionary kid. My family and I were visiting a church as part of our traveling around the U.S. asking for money to support our missionary work. I happened to be sitting quietly in a pew after service, playing with a toy car. A woman stopped and asked me if I was a boy. That got my mom all riled up. I don\u2019t think I\u2019ll ever forget her telling that woman \u201cshe can play with whatever she wants! Toys aren\u2019t just for boys or just for girls!\u201d (Paraphrasing, of course.)<\/p>\n

Princesses Can Be Pirates Too!<\/em> is illustrated by Amy Davis\u2026. And I\u2019m pleased to announce that Amy was convinced to answer The Questions too\u2026 and you\u2019ll get to read her answers tomorrow!<\/p>\n

But enough about me! On to Christi\u2019s answers to\u2026.<\/p>\n

The Questions<\/h2>\n

9. What is a guilty pleasure?<\/h3>\n

My guilty pleasure is a McDonald\u2019s Coke! McDonald\u2019s Coke is unlike any other fast food restaurant. For instance: Taco Time\u2019s Coke has a hint of lemon, Burger King\u2019s Coke is too sweet. McDonald\u2019s, on the other hand, has the perfect calibration of syrup and carbonation; plus, McDonald\u2019s has the best straws! Think I am crazy? (Okay, I concede\u2026probably fanatical.) I personally know seven other people who are McDonald\u2019s Coke cult followers too. Shocking! We all say the same thing\u2014yes, even the part about the straws!<\/p>\n

(dSavannah note<\/span>: What a weirdo! \ud83d\ude42 And I\u2019m curious: is this every single McD\u2019s she\u2019s ever been to, or just the one closest to her house? Hmmm\u2026.)<\/p>\n

12. Where is your favorite place to create?<\/h3>\n

A specific \u201ccreate place\u201d is difficult to pinpoint. My mind is always whirling. I have been known to pull over while driving and frantically searching for a napkin to scribble ideas and paragraphs. In bed, late at night, I also get inspired. A couple of nights ago I actually got up three times to write down stanzas for my new children\u2019s book. \u201cWhy don\u2019t you just keep a notebook by your bed?\u201d questioned a good friend. Duh! I now carry a notebook wherever I go.<\/p>\n

(dSavannah note<\/span>: Writers and artists, take note: keeping a notebook nearby at all times is a must<\/em>!)<\/p>\n

13. Are you a morning person or a night owl?<\/h3>\n

Much to my husband\u2019s chagrin, I am a night owl. (He wakes up at 4:00am to go to work.) I am hit with my writing inspiration around 10:00pm and am unstoppable. My creative mania kicks in and I could easily write until 2:00am or clean my house with a toothbrush if I could! In fact, he has scolded me a couple of times when he woke up only to find me still at my computer, pulling an all-nighter! Oh\u2014I try to go to bed (8:30pm) when he does just to be \u201cnormal\u201d, but eventually I get up and get productive\u2014\u201cChristi style!\u201d<\/p>\n

(dSavannah note<\/span>: me too! My night-owlishness drives my hubs bonkers. In fact, it’s 2am as I work on this post! Christi and I have had several conversations on Facebook in the middle of the night.)<\/p>\n

18. Your work space: neat or messy?<\/h3>\n

Messy! I guess I work better in chaos! Hmmm\u2026what does that say about my personality?<\/p>\n

(dSavannah note<\/span>: I\u2019m not sure\u2026)<\/p>\n

33. Why do you create in your medium\/genre? What about it speaks to you?<\/h3>\n

Truthfully, I never envisioned myself an author of children\u2019s books. That happened unexpectedly when I became a mom and overheard my children arguing. Viola! A story was born. More fun children\u2019s books are in the works because my children provide constant inspiration and content!<\/p>\n

However, many people don\u2019t know that in my heart of hearts, drawing from my own personal experiences, I believe my \u201ccalling\u201d is to write books that encourage hope and inspire women to overcome childhood adversity. Specifically, I want to point women heavenward, to draw on God\u2019s strength, as a source of grace that enables forgiveness. I began writing my memoir, Forgiving the Unforgivable<\/em>, four years ago. It has been a journey through pain, strengthened faith and healing. I have put it aside many times because of the pain it has evoked but recently began writing it again. It is time. Debbie, I applaud your<\/span> courage to write about difficult issues that most people prefer to ignore. You inspire me.<\/p>\n

(dSavannah note<\/span>: Wow. Thank you. I\u2019m glad my posts are inspiring you. Eventually I will write my own memoir, but I\u2019m just now getting to where I can even consider<\/em> writing it, much less actually start doing<\/em> the writing.)<\/p>\n

35. Tell me one random fact about you that not a lot of people know.<\/h3>\n

I sold used cars during my college summer breaks. It was a \u201cbeater\u201d car lot\u2014the cheapest car was usually $99.00 and the most expensive was $2,500. If someone wanted to test-drive a car, I often had to get the jumper cables to start it up. I lived by the motto \u201cWhat you see is what you get.\u201d I wasn\u2019t kidding!!<\/p>\n

36. What is the first thing you remember creating as a child? Do you still have it?<\/h3>\n

In my 2nd grade class I made a little house out of 4 wooden blocks and 1 piece of composite shingle. I had a vision\u2014it would be yellow and green. However, when I was finished with it, each block was a different color, the windows were crooked, and the roof slanted. Do I still have it? No\u2014my mom does and displays it proudly on her coffee table. I love her tender and sentimental heart!<\/p>\n

(dSavannah note<\/span>: I actually ask this question because my mom still has a bunch of stuff I created as a kid, and she showed it to me recently. My favorite? An \u201caquarium\u201d I made out of a jelly jar with paper \u201cfish\u201d tied to the lid with yarn and hanging down into the \u201cwater\u201d. I put real shells on the bottom.)<\/p>\n

About Christi:<\/h2>\n

\"Christi<\/a>A Seattle native, Christi draws inspiration for her children\u2019s book ideas from several typical parenting routines; watching her children play or argue, overhearing them sing or talk while driving in the car, and listening to all the amazing ideas, concerns, & questions that come up at bedtime. Princesses Can Be Pirates Too!<\/em> is the first, but her children have inspired many more literary surprises already in the works!<\/p>\n

Find Christi:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n