Tell us about yourself!
Some ask why I write. My answer is simple, “I cannot but write.”
Tell us about your books.
My first book is called The Un-Extraordinary Life of Sophie Simpleton. It’s middle grade faith-filled fiction suitable for eight to twelve-year-olds, set in the 1970s. I’m finding that mothers and grandmothers are loving what their children are reading. I will soon releasing the sequel, Simply Sophie Simpleton.
What kind of child are you trying to reach with your books?
The children I am looking for are those who have been bullied. Those who have been shunned. They will identify with this nearly nine year old called Sophie Simpleton who loves animals, both wild and domestic, and is described as the ugly duckling, the cinder-covered Cinderella, and the underdog.
Give us a little flavor of some great characters or the setting.
An excerpt:
They both walked side by side for quite some time. Not a word said until Sophie stopped suddenly, dropped her bag once again and put her hands on her waist as she turned to Jenny before saying, “Puppets.”
“Puppets?” asked Jenny.
“Yes, I said puppets. They’re all puppets.”
“Who?”
“Bullies. See that’s the trouble with them. Students, and even some teachers. Someone’s pulling their strings, and they see the need to hit out at you and me.”
“So what can we do about it?”
“Take a big pair of scissors and cut their strings.”
“But I don’t have a big pair of scissors,” whined Jenny.
“No silly. It’s an imaginary pair of scissors. We have to be the scissors.”
“You’ve lost me.”
“You and I need to stand up.”
“But I’m afraid.”
Sophie took her bag in hand and, before long, stopped still in her tracks. Following close behind, Jenny bumped into her.
“How dare she say that.”
“Who?”
“Our teacher.”
“Oh. Yes.”
“I’ll show her,” said Sophie with a determined tone in her voice.
“Show her what?”
“You just watch and see.”
What inspired you to write these books?
I live on a mountain which overlooks an ocean. As soon as I moved into the area some years ago, I started to describe the mountain. With a desire to write for children, those descriptions morphed into the world of Sophie Simpleton.
How did you know you wanted to be an author?
I have kept journals for decades, so it was only natural that the habit of writing should flow over and into me becoming an author. Writing is my life.
What advice do you have for aspiring writers?
Keep writing, and don’t stop.
What formats are your books available in?
- Paperback
- Ebook
Find it here.
What’s next?
Each new book is featured on my website, pgjames.com.
My most recent is The Un-Extraordinary Life of Sophie Simpleton (launched September 1, 2024). My upcoming release before Christmas 2024 is Simply Sophie Simpleton.
How can parents find you?
Parents can find me on Amazon everywhere and on my website pgjames.com.
The books are available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Waterstones, and Koorong.
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