Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’ve worked in the Financial Banking industry for over 25 years with an itch that I never scratched; to achieve my life-long dream of writing book. I have two children and I love to make all children laugh. I always promote using imagination to make the world a better place. I create characters for all of my kids stuffed animals and I honed in a favorite, Graffy, as the main character in my first book.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Life With Graffy: Discovering Bravery is my new book. I am the author and the illustrator. Graffy is my son’s favorite stuffed animal and always talks to him before bed. Through our nightly rituals it became clear that he thought Graffy was alive and leaned on him as a guide. I was inspired to use this character in my first story. The story is personal and one our family lived. I feel it will connect with millions of children that face these similar challenges with fun along the way!
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Listening to original movie scores on repeat. I listened to the same score during all writing sessions for this book.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Ryan T Higgins and his Bruce series is a favorite. Anything R.L. Stine is always fun.
What are you working on now?
I will be continuing the Life With Graffy story into a series of books, continuing to illustrate as well. New characters are being developed to join the family as well!
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Amazon and my own website currently.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Advice that I read in Stephen King’s “On Writing” and that is “write for only one person” and if that person connects with it and loves it, you’ve got something. You can’t write trying to please the world because that’s not possible. That advice pushed me through the roadblock I had holding me back and it launched me to finish faster than I ever imagined.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Relative to what I stated above. It was a real motivation and became my solid focus. If my wife enjoyed the story and my son, Evan (also in the Life With Graffy book), that was all that mattered to me.
What are you reading now?
We visit the library every two weeks to grab another stack of children’s books. I read adult fiction every evening; B.A. Paris is wonderful and diving into Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey.
What’s next for you as a writer?
Developing the next book and creating new characters for the illustrations.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
The Time Traveler’s Wife, Possession by A.S. Byatt and my book Life With Graffy: Discovering Bravery (because we all need to be reminded to be brave)
Author Websites and Profiles
Byron Gifford Website
Byron Gifford Amazon Profile
Byron Gifford’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile