Official Interview: Ada Aguilar

[kandscreeley]

Today's Chat with Sarah features Ada Aguilar author of Ryan Daniels: Good Night, Firefly.

Official Review

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1. What do you do when you aren't writing or promoting your book?

I try to practice self-care like meditation, and fitness. But I'm always thinking of the next big thing.

2. Why did you decide to write a book?

It was a lifelong dream, to write a book. I wrote my first book when I was around 7 years old and always wanted to publish. I decided to finally take the leap when I retired, as a goodbye present to the children I worked with, and to myself.

3. Let's talk about your book Ryan Daniels: Good Night, Firefly. It's about a boy who's afraid of falling asleep. Is he based on anyone you know?

I used to work in education and I came across thousands of children, many of them with similar challenges. This book is about a collective dilemma that I wanted to address from a fun and interesting point of view.

4. A magical firefly comes to him. Why a firefly?

I love fireflies. They shine with their own light and even though they have a short life span, they live fulfilling lives in meadows, forests, and fields.

5. In the review, the illustrations are praised. Tell us about the illustration process.

As a new author, I shopped around for an illustrator that could see my vision and bring it to life with my limited resources. This was the most challenging part of this journey but in the end, I was ok with what I got. Still, I hope to illustrate my own books one day. I love to learn.

6. What part of the book was most fun to write?

I asked my audience what they enjoyed doing the most and that's what I put in my book as a distraction to their ultimate concern of not going to sleep. As a mental health provider, I tried to look for a way to lessen the trauma of going to bed alone. It makes me happy to see children happy so this was the most fun to write.

7. How long did it take you to write this book?

The idea of the book just popped into my head and I wrote this book in one day. It took months to get it to where it is now though.

8. This is a sequel. Is there another book in the works, perhaps featuring Ryan again?

Yes, the next sequel in the Ryan Daniels series is already written. I wrote it the same week I wrote Ryan Daniels: Good Night Firefly. I'm thinking that perhaps in 2024 it will launch.

I like to end with fun questions.

9. What's your favorite book to read?

My favorite book is Spaghetti on a Hotdog Bun by Maria Dismondy because of its main messages of love, courage, and positivity which I believe are the three main ingredients in a good book.

10. What cartoon character do you relate to the most and why?

Wonder Woman. I used to watch Wonder Woman on TV as a child with my family and she was bigger than life. She was beautiful but she was also a good person that went around making justice.

11. What's your favorite animal?

My favorite animal is the dog. They are loyal friends that can be cuddly but also fierce protectors of their territory. Dogs balance us like the Yin and Yang.

12. What advice would you give to an aspiring author?

My advice to aspiring authors is to never give up. Life happens, there will be distractions, challenges, critics, etc. but if you know who you are, just go for it. All the information you need is out there, go get it!