Pages

▼

Friday, May 4, 2012

Author interview with Kelly Hashway

The DMS was lucky enough to interview Kelly Hashway, author of the children's book May the Best Dog Win! We recently reviewed this adorable doggy tale on Margo's Musings (read the review). It was fun to share our thoughts about it and hear yours! We are excited to learn a little bit more about the story behind the story. So, without further ado... take it away, Kelly! 


May the Best Dog Win! by Kelly Hashway


What inspired you to write May the Best Dog Win?

Definitely my German shepherd’s reaction to the vacuum. She sniffs it, follows it around, and gets in the way of it. But the second it touches her, she dashes out of the room to hide. I couldn’t help but wonder what she thought the vacuum was. Looking at it through her eyes I thought maybe she saw it as another animal, maybe strange breed of hairless dog.

How long did it take you to write the book?

It took me a few months to write and revise it. Then I let some trusted beta readers and my critique group make suggestions. Of course it was edited several times after it was accepted for publication, too.

What are some of your favorite books from childhood? Were there any specific authors who inspired you?

I loved Don Freeman’s Corduroy books. They were my favorites. That bear was just too cute.

What was your inspiration for Dash?

Even though my German shepherd inspired the story, Dash is a mix of her and my first dog, who was a Heinz 57 mixed breed. I loved that dog, and she definitely had a lot of quirks—kind of how I envision Dash.




How did you meet the illustrator, Valerie Bouthyette?

My publisher, FutureWord Publishing, connected me with Valerie, and I couldn’t be happier about it. Her illustrations are better than I could have hoped.

How do you really feel about vacuum cleaners?

I vacuum everyday. I have a sick obsession with it. In my defense, I have a dog and a cat so it’s really necessary because of the pet hair.

Can you give us a hint about another one of Dash’s fun adventures?

You know, I actually don’t have any other Dash stories yet, but the book was made into a special coloring book edition, so kids can color Dash after they read about him.

Where can we purchase a copy of May the Best Dog Win?
☞  Amazon  ☞  Coloring Book Edition  ☞  Kindle  ☟

Thanks for having me!

Follow this author online: 
☞  Facebook  ☞  Twitter  ☞  Website  ☞  Goodreads  ☟






Preview May the Best Dog Win! by Kelly Hashway



at

28 comments:

  1. LM PrestonMay 4, 2012 at 7:01 AM

    I so glad you invited Kelly to talk about her book May the Best Dog Win! I'm happy to be the proud owner of her book and love Dash.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Kelly HashwayMay 4, 2012 at 7:44 AM

      Thanks, LM!

      Delete
    2. DMSMay 4, 2012 at 8:50 PM

      LM Preston- It was such fun to read May the Best Dog win and we loved interviewing Kelly. Thanks for stopping by. :)

      Delete
  2. Kelly HashwayMay 4, 2012 at 7:02 AM

    Thanks so much for having me and letting me tell you more about Dash. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. DMSMay 4, 2012 at 7:31 PM

      Hi Kelly, we were happy to spotlight Dash! It's a fun story and it was great to learn a little more about you- thanks! : ) ~ F

      Delete
  3. brendaMay 4, 2012 at 8:55 AM

    I confess until discovering Kelly almost a year ago now, I never realized how much effort was involved in created a picture book. I had read some of her earlier tales about this process last year, and was awed. I have recommend the book to friends with children younger than mine. All love it. Wonderful interview.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. DMSMay 4, 2012 at 7:32 PM

      Hi Brenda, thanks for stopping by! It was fun to share our thoughts about Dash with you : ) ~ F

      Delete
    2. Kelly HashwayMay 6, 2012 at 8:51 PM

      Aw, Brenda, you are such a sweetie! <3

      Delete
  4. Karen Wojcik BernerMay 4, 2012 at 9:28 AM

    Great interview. I used to love the Corduroy books too. Your book looks so cute, Kelly.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. DMSMay 4, 2012 at 7:33 PM

      Hi Karen, Great to hear from you. I also loved, loved, loved the Corduroy books- I still have dreams about that bear : ) ~ F

      Delete
    2. Kelly HashwayMay 6, 2012 at 8:58 PM

      Thank you, Karen!

      Delete
  5. Mary WeberMay 4, 2012 at 12:00 PM

    Aw, what a great interview, ladies! Nothing like having two of my favorite bloggers in one spot! And yay on the book, Kelly! Super fun. :0)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. DMSMay 4, 2012 at 7:34 PM

      Hi Christine, It's always fabulous to hear from you! Thanks! : ) ~ F

      Delete
    2. Kelly HashwayMay 6, 2012 at 8:58 PM

      Thank you so much!

      Delete
  6. DMSMay 4, 2012 at 7:36 PM

    Hi Heidi, That's great! I hope they enjoy Dash's story as much as we did : ) ~ F

    ReplyDelete
  7. MichaelMay 4, 2012 at 11:01 PM

    Nice interview, always cool to see what an author has to say.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. DMSMay 6, 2012 at 5:56 PM

      Matt- I always like to hear what different authors have to say, too. :) ~F

      Delete
    2. Kelly HashwayMay 6, 2012 at 8:58 PM

      I'm glad you enjoyed it, Matt. :)

      Delete
  8. Kelly HashwayMay 5, 2012 at 6:40 AM

    Thanks so much, Heidi! I hope they like Dash. :)

    ReplyDelete
  9. AnonymousMay 5, 2012 at 8:49 AM

    Great interview. Dash sounds so fun...... :)

    ReplyDelete
  10. UnknownMay 5, 2012 at 6:16 PM

    Fun interview. Kelly is an inspiring author. Great job.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. DMSMay 6, 2012 at 5:58 PM

      Donna- So glad you enjoyed the interview. I agree with you that Kelly is an inspiring author. :) ~F

      Delete
    2. Kelly HashwayMay 6, 2012 at 9:00 PM

      Thank you! That means so much to me. :)

      Delete
  11. Cate MastersMay 6, 2012 at 6:32 PM

    Corduroy's one of my favorites, too, after the Velveteen Rabbit. :) Love the premise for this book.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. DMSMay 6, 2012 at 6:36 PM

      Hi Cate-One of the oldest books in my "library" is a beautiful copy of The Velveteen Rabbit. It's a favorite story of mine! Great to hear from you, thanks for stopping by : ) ~ F

      Delete
    2. Kelly HashwayMay 6, 2012 at 9:01 PM

      I love the Velveteen Rabbit, too, Cate.

      Delete

Thank you for stopping by and commenting. We love to hear your thoughts! We had to turn on comment moderation due to a high volume of spam. Fairday's Blog is no longer accepting awards. We appreciate all the nominations that we have received and are honored to have been mentioned! Happy Reading!