I have written 10 children’s books: the Cow/Moon Tails series. I was going to stop at 9 books but continued, unwisely, to 10.
The Cow/Moon Tails books hit the following universal themes: “Hard are Lawnmowers”, “Black, Swirling, Deep”, “Nada to fear”, “A noise in the night in the Old Farmyard”, “All the Old, Old Muck that is Such Yuck to Rake, and then some”, “Old Love Be Flown”, “A love to Fret Heaven”, “Hurtful, Awful, Love, Passionate as Old Broken Stars”, “Old Cows Jump Over Old Moon, Old Rabbits Jump Over Old Venus”, “I still hate celery”, “Old Winter Comes”, “Sad, Of Course, Watching Fading of Old Children’s Moon”, “Don’t Be a Slave”, etc. Literature should strive to hit universal themes. Otherwise, why bother?
Old MuckRaker is the Old Old Farmyard News. This is not today’s news. This is not breaking news. This is not fake news. This is Old, Old News that Stands the Test of Time and Space. This Old News is as true tomorrow as it is today. The Old, Old Mice record the Old, Old News as they build their Old Nests in Old Haystack. Yes, I read a Tale of Two Cities. Of course, the Old, Old Mice see all in the Old Farmyard. All is recorded in Old MuckRaker, for all to “Read, Read, Gape Oh So Foolish and Read”.
I didn’t try trade publishing the Cow/Moon Tails books for two reasons: 1) I didn’t think I could interest a publisher; and 2) I wanted to write what I wanted to write, not what someone else wanted me to write. I wanted to write a story as big as the Milky Way. I spent my “career” doing research science and teaching at Michigan State University. So, I spent years upon years begging for non-existent research funds to do world-class research projects. That was fun. In my retirement, I would prefer not to get pushed around so much. “Don’t Be a Slave”. In 2019, every American is a slave or an oligarch. There are many more slaves than oligarchs.
Because I wrote many NIH and NSF grant proposals, I knew the importance of anticipating criticisms. So, I wrote my own critics comments: “What Old Critics Write”. “All the Old Muck that is Yuck to Rake”.
My friends from the farmer’s market seemed to like my books.
I love my books. I love my art. I am overwhelmed by what I did.
I was a high jumper in High School. This qualifies me to write the Cow/Moon Tail books.
I would love to write and illustrate another children’s book or series, but I am having difficulty figuring out how to write a story that is bigger than an Old Cow Jumping Over Old Moon and An Old Rabbit Jumping Over Old Venus.” “Nada to fear! All Be Well!”