Q1. Hello Sir, can you please introduce yourself? Readers would love to know more about you.
My name is Isaiah Daniel and I am from Milwaukee, Wisconsin in the USA. I really enjoy the tech industry and it’s actually what I studied with Network/Security as my track. I am also the author of the book “The Sun, The Moon, and The Stars”.
Q2. Tell us about the process of coming up with the book cover and the title ‘The Sun, The Moon and The Stars’?
The process of coming up with the idea for the book cover and the substance of the book itself was fairly easy. Life for me is all about perspective. I constantly talk about the importance of perspective vs. reality and when you look at the title and the book cover you might begin to think it’s just about the sun moon and stars. The moment you open the book you realize it’s way more than that. The reality of not judging a book solely based off its cover. It’s eye catching to say the least.
Q3. What were the key challenges you faced while writing ‘The Sun, The Moon and The Stars’ book?
The challenges that I came across were deadlines that I had for myself and also finding an illustrator. I came up with the brilliant idea of writing this book back in February of 2019. I was done with the writing process that March and spent the last 5 months looking for an illustrator that could take my vision and bring it to life. I ended up taking a trip to Bali and scrolling through Instagram and finding a young lady from the states, who in fact goes to school in Washington, DC. Her name is Teunice Curtis and she was just the right person for the job. At this point we were already behind for my deadline to introduce this book to the world Christmas of 2019, but I wasn’t able to do so until February of 2020.
Q4. What’s your favourite spot to visit in your own country? And what makes it so special to you?
My favorite place of all time in the states would be Miami, Florida. It was the first place I visited when I was young. It was the most beautiful place I had ever seen as I’m from the inner city. The air was different. The scenery is way different from what I’ve ever seen. The water is clear. Although I hate the heat, I would just deal with it to get away from Milwaukee, WI. I also wanted to go to college in Florida or Atlanta, Georgia. I was accepted into schools in both places, but my family thought it best that I went to school in Maryland where I have family. In high school I took a trip that I think is important for a lot of kids from the inner city. It was the HBCU college tour. It was a way for inner city kids to see themselves represented all over the world in different states and cities. Persons that look like them and are enjoying their life and the culture of what college exudes. We ended up going to Florida on that trip and I just fell in love with what it was all over again. It was on this trip that I told myself that I was going to college. It was my ticket out the inner city. Although I didn’t go to school in Florida like I planned I ended up going to Miami, Florida for my 21st birthday during spring break and after that in the same year I went back for memorial weekend and for the next 3 years after my 21st. Needless to say Miami will always hold that special place in my heart.
Q5. Is there lots to do before you drive in and start writing a book?
I think it depends on the way you go that makes the work more or less. All of it is necessary, so I wouldn’t use the word “a lot”. Like writing an autobiography, or a self help book I’m sure is different from writing a children’s book. You want to make sure everything flows for every book of course. The language you use in an autobiography may fit you more than what a children’s book might. It’s you telling a story in the way that you talk. It’s more personable. Where a children’s book is part of your imagination. It’s you of course, but you are talking in a way children will understand. I would say make sure you have your ducks in a row. Make sure you do the proper research on what will fit you in order to put out something that you can be happy with. From who will publish your book, a proofreader, The book cost, the deadline, the marketing. All of that matters. Which is probably the most work for any book honestly. The process can be a little easier on you if you choose to publish with someone that will do the work for you, but that’s also costly upfront and you have to find someone that believes in your work if not the same or more than you do. Everyone is writing these days. Everyone has a story, which is awesome in itself, but it makes it harder for someone to pick up your book and say I’m willing to give you a chance. Self publishing may be the way, but if so you’ll be doing a lot of marketing on your own.
Q6. Are you working on anything at the present you would like to share with your readers about?
At the current moment I am actually working on a couple of things. I am working on an animated short film for my debut book “The Sun, The Moon and The Stars” as well as an original EP (music album) with various different artists. I’m also working on my next book. It won’t be a children’s book this time, but more of a self help book. I didn’t grow up with my father in my life and I had questions that will never be answered and wanted to tell my story and what I went through that could help others going through the same. Of course all of our paths are different and what works for me may not working for others, but hopefully this will resonate with some and they can take and apply what they can where they can to make it easier for them to understand their situation.
Q7. What does success means to you?
Success means different for everyone. My success will not look the same as somebody else. For example, Society tells us that success is money and fame. To someone that might be true. For me not so much. Of course money and fame is a goal one day, but I would say the greatest success is happiness. It’s something that’s in all of us, but hard to acquire or keep. In order to find true happiness, it takes digging deep. That requires doing the necessary work on self. Mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually. I pride myself on the connections i make with people. Good or bad it is the experience that i can take with me. Learning how to truly forgive and not just say it. Learning that forgiveness is for you just as much as it is for the person being forgiven. Just because you acquire the money and fame, doesn’t always mean that you are happy. That might actually bring on more problems than you had before. Anxiety, paranoia other mental strains that weren’t there. I think you must find that balance of happiness and dealing with your mental in order to see what true success is.
Q8. When writing a book how do you keep things fresh, for both your readers and also yourself?
While I was writing this particular book I actually didn’t even think about the freshness of the book. I actually found out a lot about writing a book after I had written and published it to the world to read. I honestly just took a conversation that I naturally had with my children and wrote it based off that. I thought it would resonate with the conversations most parents have with their children. Well their answers anyway as opposed to my perspective and outlook on what the sun, moon and stars are. I just figured that as adults and children, with the way life is set-up that we all can take from it. Adults and their experiences causes them to look at situations from a different lens as they did when they were children. A child looks at things innocently for the most part. I figured that was the joy in this book.
Q9. What books or authors have most influenced your own writing?
The one book that I can honestly say influenced my life in general would be “Things Fall Apart” by Chinua Achebe. Everyone that reads a book ends up taking something away from it. What I took a way from this book Is staying true to yourself. What is most important to you and what are you willing to give up in order to acquire that. Of course the book ends in tragedy, but was that the life of happiness for someone as opposed to living in turmoil. Knowing that your morals and beliefs would be erased and forgotten. I can’t say that I’m as strong as Okonkwo was in my everyday life, but I hope to get there one day. I also want to mention Other books such as “48 laws of power” and “the 50th Law” by Robert Greene, “Shook one” by Charlamagne Tha God, “Wild at Heart” by John Eldredge, “Unf*ck Yourself” by Gary John Bishop, “The Hidden Messages In Water” by Masuro Emoto, “The Secret” by Rhonda Byrne, “The Holy Bible” and the more recent books that I’m currently reading and find very interesting is “Becoming SuperNatural” by Joe Dispenza and “The Energy Codes” by Dr. S.U.E Morter.
Q10. Lastly, do you want to give any advice to someone wanting to write and publish a book?
My advice is stay true to whatever you are writing. Tell the story the way you want to tell it. People will tell you that your content may not be for them, but that is okay. Your writing is meant to reach someone. It may not reach everyone, but it will mean more to reach one person and it actually changes something in them. Inspires them or motivates them. That means more than someone buying your work and never actually reading it. Writing may be hard at times. You may get writers block, but keep going. Put out something that you yourself can be proud of without ever folding. Also market your work prior to putting it out. I ended up putting out my work without really telling anybody but a few of my friends at the time. Market as much as possible prior so that when the time comes for you to release your work, you have pretty much already put in the work needed to get great results.
Book Is Available On Amazon
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