Amanda Henke had dabbled in creative writing before, but did not take it seriously until she was encouraged to do so. Having had success in marketing and business ( she co-owned the Oprah-approved Annie B’s) the writer was ready for something new.
In 2017, she conceived the children’s book Not A Book About Bunnies illustrated by Anna Daviscourt (Starry Forest Books) while in a graduate program for children’s writing. She secured an editor after entering a contest and found a literary agent. But when she lost her agent, she lost her deal, making the book’s positive reception all the more meaningful.
“After looking at something for five years you don’t even know what you’re looking at anymore,” Henke tells So Booking Cool. “It was almost white noise to me at that point. But I’ve gotten that kids really love it. One mother told me that her daughter loves reading now, and she didn’t before. Another woman said her daughter’s writing a sequel, which I am waiting for, “Not A Book About Porcupines.’”
Check out the full conversation to learn more about Henke’s publishing journey with Not A Book About Bunnies including what sparked the concept and the other animals she considered writing before landing on a porcupine; whether there needs to be reality in children’s stories; the most common animals written about in children’s books; what it was like making Oprah’s Favorite Things; how she thinks one can become better as a children’s book author; her thoughts on a world without books; what she hopes to learn from screenwriting; and more! For more information, visit Henke’s official website and connect with her on Instagram.
