By Darren Johnson
Campus News
I met up with Hebron, N.Y., based local children’s book author Dani Martindale at a Valentine’s popup market Feb. 10 at Gather 103 in Greenwich, N.Y., and was impressed by the quality of her work on display. She was selling her hardcover, beautifully written and illustrated, professionally bound books and signing copies for those interested in a purchase. They are priced at $20 each.
Martindale’s books encourage young readers with bright illustrations, fun rhyming verse, and of course, cute farm animals.
“The Frisky Finn” series is ideal for kids ages 4-8 and features a dynamic horse character inspired by Martindale’s real-life horse. Each book features a different life lesson for kids to learn. The first book, “Frisky Finn Meets His Match,” helps kids understand that even if they don’t win, they can gain something just as valuable. “Frisky Finn Makes a Friend,” focuses on themes of diversity and bullying.
Martindale is 32 and a graduate of Queensbury High School and then Cazenovia College, earning a Bachelor of Professional Studies in Management with a Concentration in Equine Business Management. She’s currently a digital marketing strategist and the Chief Operating Officer for Mannix Marketing.
Why focus on writing children’s books? Martindale says, “Books shaped a large part of my childhood. In a world full of cell phones, tablets, and video games, I hope to encourage a future generation of readers.”
What is next for Dani Martindale? A third children’s book, “Yes, Molly Can,” will be released in the Spring of 2024. This book features Molly, a three-legged German Shepherd, and helps encourage kids with disabilities to follow their dreams.
I followed up our brief meeting at the Gather 103 event with a Q&A. Here it is:
How did you discover your knack for children’s writing?
My parents were big readers, so they got me hooked early. In fourth grade I’d be reading things like “Call of the Wild. “Whatever my parents were reading, I wanted to read. That passion led to an interest in writing a story as great as the ones as I was reading. I’d spend hours writing stories in gel pen, of course!. I remember in fifth grade we had to do a presentation on our favorite author. I did it on myself. My classmates were quick to point out that I wasn’t actually an author, but my teacher was very encouraging. In fact, I had lots of encouraging teachers over the years. I published my first poem in an Equestrian magazine in middle school at the urging of my English teacher at the time. In high school I took a creative writing class with Mrs. Prostko. She was a published poet and was just really fantastic at encouraging us to hone our writing skills. She had a huge influence on my writing career.
Over the years I wrote a lot of poems and short stories that only select few ever saw. Eventually when I became an aunt, I grew interested in writing children’s books. Reading had such a big impact on me growing up, and I wanted my nieces and nephews to have that same experience, which is tough in the age of cell phones and tablets. So I combined my love for animals with writing children’s books, because what little kid doesn’t love animals?
What are the steps in the process to publishing your books?
I self-published so I can only speak to that process. When you self-publish you are doing the legwork that a publishing company would traditionally do. You pay an editor to go through your manuscript so it is as polished as can be. After that you choose what company to publish with. There are several out there. Amazon’s KDP and IngramSpark are the two most popular. I went with IngramSpark because it allows my books to be listed on multiple online retailers instead of just Amazon. Then for children’s books you pay an illustrator and work with them to bring the visuals to life and format your book based on the specs given by your chosen company. You also have to purchase an ISBN number for each format of the book you plan on publishing, and deal with things like copyrighting your work. Another important step is marketing your book. This should happen well in advance of its release date, as well as after the book is released. This is where my marketing background certainly gives me an advantage.
How do you work with illustrators?
So, after selecting the illustrator, I send them the manuscript along with art directions for each page. Then the illustrator and I go back-and-forth via email. She will sketch out a spread and see what my thoughts are and once I approve, she ads color. After that I get a final look at the spread and approve it. The process typically takes several months from start to finish.
Do you do public readings to children? How do those turn out.
Because of my busy schedule I haven’t had the opportunity to do public readings yet, but I do have some on the books for this year. My first one is in March, to a group of 500 students in grades K through second grade at Queensbury Elementary School. I am excited to spread the love of reading and maybe even encourage some future authors.
What was your first book and what was the reaction?
My first book was “Frisky Finn Meets His Match.” It is a story where the main character, Frisky Finn, thinks he is the fastest animal on the farm and sets out to prove it by racing different animals. In the end, Frisky Finn learns that sometimes you don’t have to win to gain something valuable. It is a great book for young kids, who struggle with the concept of losing. It also is great for teaching kids to recognize different animals.
The first book had a great reaction. The first thing people notice are the beautiful illustrations. This is why finding the right illustrator is so important. Then they fall in love with the cute rhymes and the lesson learned at the end of the story. I have had several kids tell me it is now their favorite book, which is just the best reaction I could hope for.
When did you decide to write a second book?
I actually had the second book written before I ever published the first. I wrote the books and then had some serious self-doubt about whether they were good enough to publish. My husband wound up convincing me to give it a shot, and I am so glad that he did. So, after seeing the reaction from the first book, I got to work with the same illustrator to publish the second.
A lot of people think writing children’s books is easy, but the good books actually require a lot of thought and planning. Tell us about that.
You are so right. On the surface it does seem easier because there are far less words in a children’s book than in a novel. But it is just as hard, only the challenges are just different. First, you have to say what you want in roughly 200-500 words. This sounds easy but trust me, it is not. There’s often a lot of trimming down stories and cutting out unnecessary words. Then, speaking of words, you have to use words that are age appropriate for your audience, and that they can understand. I also decided to rhyme my children’s books, which brings a whole new level of complexity into the mix. You also have to consider what lines go on what pages, and break them up in a way that encourages kids to continue to the next page.
What advice would you give to people who would like to write and publish children’s books?
My advice is to read a lot of children’s books and also do research into what the standards are. There is a ton of free information out there for those who choose to look. Also, I highly recommend surrounding yourself with other children’s book authors. I joined the Society for Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, and it was one of the best decisions I made. And lastly, enjoy the journey! It is not an easy one, but it is so worth it to see the look on a kid’s face when they enjoy your book.
Anything else you’d like to add?
My next book, “Yes, Molly Can,” will be out Spring 2024. The book is based on our real life three-legged German Shepherd, and encourages kids with disabilities to follow their dreams.
Martindale can be seen with the real life Frisky Finn in tow visiting local events and schools, promoting the love of reading. Interested in learning more about the school visit programs Martindale offers? Visit her website at danimartindalebooks.com.
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