Bruce Hale

Bruce Hale is an active member of the SCBWI in my region.  He's incredibly funny and entertaining and I've had the great pleasure to hear him speak on several occasions. I am delighted he agreed to answer a few questions.

When and why did you start writing for children?

I began writing for kids in 1988 -- partly because I've always loved children's books, and partly because I wanted to create a storybook to accompany a stuffed-toy gecko my Hawaiian gift company was making.

What is the most valuable advice you can give to a newly published writer?

Promote like hell.  The publisher won't do it for you, so you must educate yourself on book marketing and do everything you can to help your creation succeed.




What is one of your favorite children’s books that you'd like to recommend?

There are WAY too many.  I'll just recommend the latest one I'm reading.  It's THE TITAN'S CURSE by Rick Riordan -- book three of a series that began with THE LIGHTNING THIEF.  It's funny, touching, inventive, and has a lot of cool stuff on Greek mythology.



What is your favorite dessert and why?

Can't beat a chocolate chip cookie, as far as I'm concerned.  And I'm talking about the softer, chewier kind, not the crunch stuff.  Why?  Because chocolate is one of life's great pleasures, and chocolate in a cookie is one of Western Civilization's greatest inventions.



BIO:
Raised by wolves just outside Los Angeles, Bruce Hale worked as a surveyor, actor, DJ, English teacher (in Japan), and corporate lackey, before turning to a career in writing.  Bruce has written and illustrated nearly 20 books for children, including his popular series, THE CHET GECKO MYSTERIES.  One of the books, THE MALTED FALCON, was nominated for an Edgar Award by the Mystery Writers of America.

A Fulbright Scholar (in Storytelling), Bruce is in demand as a speaker, having presented at conferences, universities, and schools across the country.  His acting credits include numerous plays and musicals, several TV commercials, and an independent movie, "The Ride" (in which he plays a surfer's agent).

A firm believer in fun, Bruce can often be found hiking, body boarding, or singing jazz in a group called VocalPoint.

Comments

[Greg]

Hey Tina,

Thanks for the posting about fellow chapter book writer Bruce Hale...and on my birthday no less!

Greg