A former coin collector for over fifty years, Dennis combines his love for the Bible, children’s literature, and sharing stories about the history behind coins.

Dennis retired as a professor of speech communications from Barstow Community College. He and his wife served as English and public speaking teachers ten summers overseas.

Dennis became a sustaining member of the Numismatic Association of Southern California in 1979. He is also a life member of the American Numismatic Association.

Dennis is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators and a Fellow of the National Writing Project.

connect with the authors: website ~ facebook ~ goodreads

Author Interview – Dennis Conrad

When did you first know you wanted to be an author? 

As a young boy, my parents took me to a dairy. When I returned home, I drew a picture of a cow and wrote about fifteen lines. When my mom framed and hung the picture, I knew I wanted to write more. The cow picture is now in my office. 

When you are not writing, what other hats do you wear? What do you do for fun?

When I am not writing, I am my wife’s primary caregiver. She had a fall, a brain bleed, and brain surgery in 2019. Now, she has dementia. For fun, I take part in the water aerobics classes, get together with family and friends, and attend a weekly men’s Bible study.  

What is your favorite genre to read? What about that genre draws you?

I love to read children’s picture books. For example, while I was preparing to write my first book, The Two-Cent Piece, I read over 30 children’s books related to the Civil War.  I am drawn to children’s literature because, when I was young, I had trouble reading. When I was in the fifth grade, I was in a reading group made up of the slowest readers. When the teacher asked if I had ever had my eyes checked, I said, “No.” She sent home a note to my parents, and after testing, I got my first pair of glasses. This was life changing.   

What is your vacation destination? Why?

South Korea! In 2012 and 2013, my wife and I served teaching English and public speaking in South Korea. In subsequent years, my wife and I were “host parents” to two South Korean college students studying in the U.S. On a dream vacation, my wife and I would see the now adult former college students and their parents. The one young man came to visit us last year. When we went out for Korean food, we realized how much we missed experiencing Korean food and culture.

Who did you have in mind as you wrote the book?

The children in my books do not represent any one person. I have three young nieces and nephews. They were on my mind when I created my characters. I remember when I was a boy and enjoyed learning about coins. Today, I write the kind of books I would have loved to have read back then.  I wanted parents and grandparents to be able to have the salvation conversation with the next generation, so I have included a faith element in all of my books. 

As a former K-12 school librarian I have to ask – what is your favorite children’s book?

Jesus Calling: 365 Devotions for Kids by Sarah Young Adapted by Tamara Forther The short daily devotions are also great for adults. 

I also love the stories in the Magic Tree House Series by Mary Pope Osborne. 

What advice would you give to a child or teen who wants to be a writer?

To be a writer, you have to write. You can write in a diary or a journal. You can write stories. You can write a term paper that will eventually be a small or large book.

Here are some steps: 

-Come up with an idea: Find ideas by talking to people. Find ideas in books. Find ideas in the media (T.V., radio, social media, and more). 

-Organize what you have: Brainstorm all of your ideas. Write ideas on a sheet of paper, then connect or group them with the same or similar ideas. Consider creating an outline. For stories have a beginning, middle, and end. For nonfiction, make a list of possible chapters. 

-Pick a target audience: Will you write for those your age, a little older, or senior citizens? Knowing which group you want to reach will help you pick language you want to use when you write.

-Ask…Do you want illustrations? If you do, remember color illustrations cost more to print. 

-Never give up! My first articles were published 40 years ago, and I am still writing. For many of those years I wrote in journals. I even taught business writing to adults. If you like to write, consider becoming a librarian or a teacher. 

I understand you have an activity sheet to go with this book. How can my readers get these activity sheets?

Get free Activity Sheets (like a crossword puzzle) each month at https://dennisconradauthor.com. A “Coin Hunt” section encourages young people search for and find coins in change. A Vocabulary Builder teaches words related to coin collecting.  

Thank you so much for joining me today, Dennis. I’m sure my readers enjoyed learning more about you. 

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