How many years have you been writing and sharing stories for children, and what motivates you to continue writing and publishing your work?

I began in 1986 writing a few stories for my own sons. At that time, there was little or nothing we found that was fun to read or interesting for bedtime, except Dr. Seuss, Mercer Mayer, Beatrix Potter, and some random stories like Maurice Sendak's 'Where the Wild Things Are' and E.B. White's 'Charlotte's Web'.

Bedtime reading as a ritual is important. Dreams are important. There were many commercial children stories cashing in on the popularity of media, like some odd Disney characters. Back then, the whole world seemed to revolve around writers that thought their stories about loveable dinosaurs where innovative and cute; today, it's all about vampires, werewolves, witches, warriors, and magicians.

The real motivation back then was not to become bored stiff, while reading to my own children, and the writing aspect was both fun and a challenge.

The style I use is somewhere between 'Prose Poetry' and 'Free Verse Poetry'. I call it FREE-RHYMING POLYPHONIC PROSE. It's one thing to write a story or even prose, but it’s another to write a story in free-rhyming prose. Truly it's uncommon and much more challenging than a simple 'Dick and Jane' type children story.

Tell us more about the illustrations for your children's stories: who are some of the artists you've collaborated with, and do you do some of your own illustrations as well?

The ideas are original and provide inspiration for the artists and the artist’s style are as important and specific to each story, as is the story itself. I view student artists no differently than seasoned artists. The ideas are original and provide inspiration for the artists, but the visualization is always a challenge. They know I continue to struggle with general recognition of the unique nature of polyphonic free-rhyming prose children's bedtime stories. I view my illustrators as friends, associates, and collaborators.

At the heart of art is the heart of the artist. What I am saying is that for art to survive it is best to appeal and have something more. The best art has a story and heart, something beyond visual and technical creativity. Not including aesthetic comprehension and dictum of style, it's not even about two types of art; academic art or commercial art. No matter what the artist intends, all art is commercial. No art can survive without being sold. To be sold it needs exposure and something more. It needs a heart. The heart can be the story of the artist, the story of our shared humanity, the writer's vision, etc., but ALL successful art has a story, has a heart.

Technically, there are some exceptional artists, but I'm not one of them. I illustrated some of the stories, but only with the help of the reader's imagination are these considered adequate.

For the children, to better comprehend a story, artwork has increased value. When artists take the time to provide reasonably competent illustrations for a good story, based on their talent and skill- level, it certainly adds dimension and depth to the art and to the story.

The proper elements put together can be magical.