Author Interview – Jack Wiens – What Bear Said
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Book Title: What Bear Said about Life, Love, and Other Stuff by Jack Wiens
Category: Children’s Fiction (Ages 3-7), 98 pages
Genre: Juvenile fiction/picture book/values & virtues
Publisher: Torchflame Books
Release date: October 15, 2024
Content Rating: G. Specifically for children.
The boy has a lot of questions—hard ones about love, honesty, grief and loss, prejudice, forgiveness, why we are here, and more.
Bear’s wise answers are always offered with compassion and enthusiasm. The friendship between these two is deep, tender, and sometimes fun. Bear’s clear, common-sense philosophy of life is a welcome contrast to the complex world our children face today.
On the beautifully illustrated pages, you will also meet Jay, Raccoon, Badger, Elder Moose, and others who add to the fun and adventure.
Walk with Boy and Bear for a while in the woods and see what you might learn about life, love and other stuff.
About the Author – Jack Wiens
Jack Wiens has illustrated over 40 children’s books and designed many book covers, a family magazine, curriculum materials and greeting cards. He has also exhibited his fine art in galleries and art shows in Colorado, Missouri and Oregon.
Jack earned a Masters degree in Marriage and Family Therapy and worked as a counselor for 34 years in private practice as well as in a hospital inpatient addictions program and mental health centers. He led many workshops on communication, relationships and self-care during his career as psychotherapist.
He lives in Ashland, Oregon, where he enjoys the natural beauty of nearby mountains, lakes and rivers, the creative energy of the community and good friendships. Besides hiking, biking and tennis, a favorite activity is exploring the Oregon coast and whale watching in Depoe Bay.
connect with the author: website
Author Interview with Jack Wiens
When did you first know you wanted to be an author?
When in my mid-twenties, I worked for a publishing company as an artist and writer of junior high materials. It opened me to the idea that I could write about subjects important to me, and do it in a way that was fun and appealing. After working for 32 years as a psychotherapist I felt there were things I had learned about life and relationships which I wanted to share.
When not writing, what other hats do you wear? What do you do for fun?
I am primarily an illustrator and usually have someone’s book to illustrate. I also make custom cards for family and friends, do political cartoons, other commercial art. For other fun, I play tennis, ride my bike, walk in the woods, go to the Oregon coast, read.
What is your favorite genre to read? What about the genre draws you?
I love William Kent Kruger, his series about a modern sheriff and other novels, Ordinary Grace, The River We Remember. They are almost all murder mysteries, but the appeal is the character development and ongoing family relationships portrayed in each one. The settings are in nature, involve adventure, suspense and some kind of personal redemption by the end.
What is your vacation destination? Why?
The beach is my favorite because the ocean is always mysterious, beautiful, dangerous, and offers a whole other world of discovery, whether I am just walking the beach finding shells or stones, tide pooling, or whale watching in a boat. The other favorite is walking in a redwood forest. The serenity and majesty of those ancient giants feeds my soul.
Who did you have in mind as you wrote the book?
I thought about my grandkids—when they were younger—and I thought about how I felt as a young boy who had questions and challenges. My belief was there were other children today with some of the same questions and challenges who I could speak to. I also imagined parents or grandparents in this chaotic world welcoming a way to talk with their kids about tough, important subjects.
What is your favorite children’s book?
Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, Little Bear, Winnie the Pooh, Oh, That’s Bad, No, That’s Good!, A Pie For a Pig
Those are some good ones!
What advice would you give to a child or teen who wants to be a writer?
Tell your own story, make it personal, get clear what you want the reader to get from reading, start writing…anything… and get feedback. Read lots of different things and ask yourself what you like or dislike about an author’s style.
Thank you so much for joining us today, Jack. It is always a pleasure to learn more about authors.
Views expressed in this interview/guest post do not necessarily reflect the views of this blog host.
WHAT BEAR SAID ABOUT LIFE LOVE AND OTHER STUFF Book Tour Giveaway
I’m looking forward to reading this book. Thanks for sharing.