Not too long ago I  had the opportunity to review Tina Turbin’s most recent release, Danny the Dragon “Meets Jimmy” and when I heard about the opportunity to have her guest post I jumped at it. Outside of her work with children’s books Tina is an inspiration and help to so many others. I hope you will enjoy getting to a little more about how Tina developed a love for reading and helping others as much as I did. Take it away Tina!

How did I become a children’s author or what inspires me? Since those seem to be the most popular questions I thought I’d just dive right in and share a bit about me as well as what does inspire me, where I get my ideas and what keeps this incredible drive in me, being an author.

First of all, my favorite stuffed animal was Pooh Bear and I adored many books about Winnie-the Pooh, created originally by author, A.A Milnie. I felt so bad that Pooh Bear ate so much honey and could not get out of the Rabbit’s front door. I loved the interaction of all the characters and involvement with a little boy, Christopher Robin. I read these books over and over and later even to my three children.

I was about 6-7 and 8 when I read Swedish Author Astrid Lindgren’s, “Pippi Longstocking”, and Beverly Cleary’s adorable Ramona books. I adored the characters and would climb inside the book and feel what it was like to “be” one or more of the characters. It was then that I realized what it was like to create character’s on paper, and realized “this is the role of an author!” I recognized the power and influence the author really had over the reader.

I was about 9 when I read the fabulous book, “Charlotte’s Web” by one of my favorite children’s author’s, E.B White. I can not tell you how many times I read this book. Of course I knew the ending after the first reading, but each time I read it, it had this power over me and I’d be sad it was over with tears in my eyes about Charlotte. Again, through this book I fell in love with the idea of animals talking; have emotions, interacting with humans. This is how I felt the real world was anyhow! I had my own horse, hamsters and rats and I talked to then and they talked to me.

I was an extremely independent child until my brother was born when I was 18, but by then at age 16 I wrote my first children’s story which was well accepted by a school I had submitted it to, not letting them know my age. Whether they liked it or not, it was at its final draft that I knew I had a love for writing. I did not have all the tools and knowledge of what to do with a story once written. They loved it though!

I knew that life all around me was always presenting ideas. I knew that any and all events, people in my environment, movies I saw, books I read, children – everything inspired me to creatively come up with my very own ideas to convey my own stores. I knew I wanted people to read what I wrote and change little or great, but for the better, to be entertained and feel “something” through my written concepts. I felt alive and in love with this passion.

I married early and with the birth of my son I fell in love again- with motherhood. I set my goals aside knowing that I’d pick this up again, when I had more time, more uninterrupted time and much better sleep. I had three children; a thriving business working in the Entertainment Business helping children in Hollywood with their careers and over the many years took notes for the coming days- my days to be a writer.

My first book was the Show Biz Kids East Coast Guidebook. Then I started researching children’s book writing and released Danny the Dragon, then the audio-book Danny DREAMS and then the DVD. Now it will be available as apps through iStory (the same company with exclusive rights to Steven Spielberg’s DreamWorks) and will be out in August.

I have not stopped since. I love what I do and I am constantly inspired by the wonderful world and people around me, my past, my ideas, communication of others and of course – all the children everywhere.

Tina Turbin

Thank you again Tina for stopping by There’s A Book and sharing a bit about your journey!

Make sure to take a look at my review of Tina’s book, Danny the Dragon and for more information about Tina and her work with Celiac Disease take a look at these sites:
Tina Turbin’s Site
Gluten Free Help
Danny the Dragon

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