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On The table Read, “the best book magazine in the UK“, Gary Revel talks about children’s book, Hillary and Malibug Beach, and what inspired the story.
Written by JJ Barnes
I interviewed author Gary Revel about his life and career, what inspired him to start writing, and the story of new children’s book, Hillary And Malibug Beach.
Tell me a bit about who you are.
Gary Revel, musician, author, publisher, film-maker, and former special investigator of the assassinations of JFK and MLK.
When did you first WANT to write a book?
When I learned that my name and title as Special Investigator of the MLK assassination had been, contrary to my agreement with the US Government, printed and published in a book by the US Government, I realized I must write a memoir to set the record straight.
When did you take a step to start writing?
In the year of 2006.
How long did it take you to complete your first book from the first idea to release?
I published the first edition in about 8 months but have continued to edit it until the last edition was published about a year ago.
How long did it take you to complete your latest book from the first idea to release?
A few weeks.
Focusing on your latest release. What made you want to write Hillary and Malibug Beach?
I have taken my family to Malibu Beach in California many times and I wanted to use it as a setting for The Adventures of Hillary the Little Ladybug, thus the name of the book, Malibug Beach, or Hillary and Malibug Beach.
What were your biggest challenges with writing Hillary and Malibug Beach?
William Dandurand is a co-writer and illustrator. Using the Mixed Media illustration process is the most time consuming and challenging part of the process of writing and publishing a book like Hillary and Malibug Beach
Who or what inspired you when creating your Protagonist?
Elisabeth Revel and William Dandurand used popular culture and a slightly ‘New Age’ presentation creating the protagonist.
Who or what inspired you when creating your Antagonist?
The inspiration of Hillary the Little Ladybug came as I was on the phone with William Dandurand and a ladybug flew into the window and landed near him. We had been talking about writing a book. It came to us that Hillary the Little Ladybug would be a good concept for a children’s book. We contacted another Jongleur Books author, Mary Cohen, she loved the idea and the rest is history.
What is the main conflict of Hillary and Malibug Beach?
Malibug Beach locals, and oh yea, the exploding comet causes some problems as well.
Did you plot Hillary and Malibug Beach in advance, or fly by the seat of your pants and write freely?
Some of it was plotted before we started and some was by the seat of our pants.
Did you get support with editing, and how much editing did Hillary and Malibug Beach need?
Mary Cohen and Elisabeth Revel did the editing.
What is the first piece of writing advice you would give to anyone inspired to write a story?
Write, writers write, remember that.
Can you give me a hint about any further books you’re planning to write?
We are working on many books right now, the next Hillary book may be Hillary and Ogres.
And, finally, are your proud of your accomplishment? Was it worth the effort?
Yes, I am very proud of our writing and publishing efforts. Everyone involved is very proud of everything they did. We are also busy developing the Hillary stories into an animated series.
Pop all your book, website and social media links here so the readers can find you:
Hillary and Malibug Beach amazon page is https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B2TTJQ63
Hillary and the Ladybug Butterflies Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/hillaryandtheladybugbutterflies/
Jongleur Books Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/jongleurbooks/
Jongleur Pictures Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/JongleurPicturesLLC
Jongleur Books https://garyrevel.com/book
Jongleur Instagram https://instagram.com/jongleurpicturesllc
Jongleur TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@jongleurgroup
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