Lieve Snellings

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
‘Margot krijgt onverwacht bezoek’ (dutch, my mothertongue) and the french translation ‘Margot reçoit une visite inattendue’ was my very first book.
So first of all I want to appologize my english is not correct. But I hope you can understand me.

I was a documentair, journalist, social photographer, but once arrived in Quebec (in 2008), where I spent 4 a 5 months a year Nature there is so beautiful that my focus came on nature photograhie.

We had many cute animals in the back yard, and for easy speaking I had given them all a first name:
Margot is the groundhog, who I saw wake up every springfor the last 8 years.
Eufrazie is a small American Red Squirrel. Small but brave, I saw one day how she, on her own, ove away four large crows from her garden (yes for her our garden really is “her” garden).
Philomene, a Grey Squirrel, is the lady of rank, who like walking as in Victorian times, with her tail umbrella in rain and sun, she is sure of royal blood.
Germaine is a black Gray Squirrel. She is the heroine of the working class, she is strong and determined.
And finally we have Fiston, the chipmunk, or ‘suisse’ as they say in Quebec.

During all these years I observed and photographed them for hours and hours, week after week.
And then about three years ago I saw Margot the groundhog waking up again after her wintersleep. Somehow she made clear to me that she wanted to be the main character in my first photo book. It would be a children’s book, edited with photos and an imaginary story about the journey of Lowieske and Marie to Quebec. About the friendship between a solitary woodchuck and two girls.

The book was born after many trials and errors, step by step. Fortunately I had good proofreaders and test readers who did not spare me their criticism. The original story was too confusing. I unraveled it in two parts. One is a children’s story of two little girls who become friends with a groundhog. The other is maybe for a bit elder children and will be a book with all the possible facts to know about the groundhog. The original tittle (dutch) is ‘Het Grote Weetjesboek over de bosmarmot’ and in French translation is it ‘Les Petits Savoirs sur la marmotte commune’. These will be published as ebook on September 14.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
‘Het Grote Weetjesboek over de bosmarmot’ and in French translation is it ‘Les Petits Savoirs sur la marmotte commune’. These will be published as ebook on September 14.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Yes, I have made this book on a extra-ordinary way. As a photographer, I started with selecting my photos, watching them, living them… and then page by page, image by image, the girls (who are my gotchild’s daughters) inspired on the road.
So as normaly a writer start writing and then adding grafics, I started with the photos and the grafics came together with the story words, page by page…

What authors, or books have influenced you?
The absolute start of my book is the books of Rien Poortvliet ‘leven en werken van de KABOUTER’. His fantasy made me dream…

What are you working on now?
Now I’m still working of the second book, the ‘WEETJESBOEK’.
When this book also will be published in dutch and french, I hope to work on the english translation.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I use facebook and twitter. For the first book I have sent many emails to all my friends and contacts.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
I am just new myself. The advice I can give is : don’t give up ! Use difficulties and critics to get better, keep going…

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The best advise for me on this book was when an 11 year old child told me after reading the original book: well it is a bit double, one part, whith the girls, that is more for children who are younger than me. But another part, about all the facts, about all you can know about a groundhog, well that interest me, but I’m sure it will interest my sister (who is 2 years older) also… She made on a simple way clear I had to unravel the book in two different books. A fiction (for younger children), and a non fiction for a bit older, till 99+

What are you reading now?
Now I am reading Griet Op De Beeck ‘Vele hemels boven de zevende’

What’s next for you as a writer?
the english translation…

And something is borreling on trees…
but also so many birds and animals in the Quebec backyard…

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?
1) Leven en werken van de kabouter by Rien Poortvliet
2) de boekendief by Markus Zuzak
3) het geheim van de vreugde by Alice Walker
4) Zami by Audre Lorde

Author Websites and Profiles
Lieve Snellings Website
Lieve Snellings Amazon Profile

Lieve Snellings’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account