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These are
obviously very important lessons that all kids should know. Children do
receive this information at schools but always in the form of factual
brochures or pamphlets created by local authorities. So, I came up with
the idea of teaching kids these lessons through beautifully illustrated
picture books and fun characters. The lessons were the easy part, the
challenge was creating stories children wanted to read and developing
characters kids would love. I hope I have accomplished both.
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When it comes
to children, especially younger children, parents don’t need to
“discuss” as much as show their kids and practice what to do. Younger
children will memorize from repeated actions more than from discussions.
With any developed skill, practice makes perfect and we must practice
like we perform. If we do not practice how to act during emergencies,
chances are we will not perform very well when faced with an actual
emergency event.
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Earl Hicks Jr.
Earl Hicks Jr. holds a B.S. in communications and
for the
past 16 years has been an employee of the federal
government in the field of security and emergency
preparedness. He resides in Maryland with his wife
Lisa, their two sons Eric and Michael, and their dog
Gracie. Their beloved Boxer, Georgi, spent 12
wonderful years with the Hicks family and is
memorialized in the Ready Freddie book series. Ready
Freddie: Getting Ready for Fires was a 2007
Books-and-Authors.net Best Book of the Year.
Visit Earl online at
http://www.readyfreddie.net
Books-And-Authors.net: Where did you grow up and was
reading and writing a part of your life? Who were your earliest
influences and why?
Earl Hicks: I grew up in Huntington, WV. Since I grew up in a
rural area long before computers or cable TV, reading was our
primary source of entertainment. As a child, my love of books
was first developed through the exciting, mysterious stories of
the Boxcar Children. As I grew older, I enjoyed reading
autobiographies of people accomplishing great things in the
world beyond the hills of WV.
My love of writing began in high school with a group of friends
that shared dreams of becoming journalists and novelists. We had
an English teacher, Ardoth Rutherford, who’s passion was opening
young eyes to the world outside of WV through travel and
literature. In Ms. Rutherford’s class, my favorite authors were
Nathaniel Hawthorne, Ernest Hemingway, and Mark Twain.
Books-And-Authors.net: Your new book is Ready Freddie - Getting
Ready for Fires. Where did the idea and motivation for this
children's book on emergency safety and readiness book come
from?
Earl Hicks: I have two boys, 4 and 5, and I read to them every
night. We read from our large collection of children’s books and
get more from the library every week. They enjoy picture books
that teach lessons on a variety of topics, so I began looking
for picture books dealing with emergencies. I spoke with our
librarian and learned there wasn’t a popular book series that
taught how to be prepared for emergencies.
These are obviously very important lessons that all kids should
know. Children do receive this information at schools but always
in the form of factual brochures or pamphlets created by local
authorities. So, I came up with the idea of teaching kids these
lessons through beautifully illustrated picture books and fun
characters. The lessons were the easy part, the challenge was
creating stories children wanted to read and developing
characters kids would love. I hope I have accomplished both.
Books-And-Authors.net: Ready Freddie - Getting Ready for Fires
is beautifully illustrated - Who did the illustrations?
Earl Hicks: Pablo Niz, of the sf360 company in Sante Fe,
Argentina. sf360 also did the layouts and Spanish translations.
“Ready Freddie” would not have been possible, and definitely not
as successful, without the wonderful efforts of the team at
sf360.
Books-And-Authors.net: You work in the field of security and
emergency preparedness -- How can parents teach/talk/discuss
with their children about emergency safety? What are some
important points parents should discuss?
Earl Hicks: When it comes to children, especially younger
children, parents don’t need to “discuss” as much as show their
kids and practice what to do. Younger children will memorize
from repeated actions more than from discussions. With any
developed skill, practice makes perfect and we must practice
like we perform. If we do not practice how to act during
emergencies, chances are we will not perform very well when
faced with an actual emergency event.
We all take part in emergency evacuation drills at work and
school but never think to do these same exercises at home. The
leading cause of major injuries and deaths are accidents that
occur in the home, so it only makes sense to prepare for these
incidents at home and with our children. “Ready Freddie” is an
important part in these preparations.
The most important point for everyone is to be prepared before
an emergency through training and proper tools. This advance
action will allow everyone, including children, to react quickly
and safely during an emergency and not spend valuable time
figuring out what to do. With kids, that means showing them
“hands on” and walking them through the steps taken during an
incident. Every child should know basic safety practices,
including but not limited to:
· how to dial 9-1-1,
· where are the flashlights and spare batteries,
· where are the fire extinguishers and how to use them,
· where is the ready kit and what does it contain,
· where is the radio and what do they listen for,
· where do they go in the house during an earthquake,
flood, tornado, etc., and
· what friends/relatives/neighbors do they call or go to
if they need help.
Books-And-Authors.net: I understand Ready Freddie -
Getting Ready for Fires is available in English and Spanish
versions?
Earl Hicks: Yes, it was very important to me to provide these
lessons to the Latino and Hispanic communities. For me it was
part personal and part professional. I am Cuban and my boys are
from Guatemala, so, I wanted to offer something helpful to the
Latino community. Latinos are the largest growing minority in
America, so that makes us an important market for publishers to
reach. Children and families should not be excluded from the
valuable lessons and fun stories in “Ready Freddie” simply
because of a language barrier.
Books-And-Authors.net: What's next?
Earl Hicks: I have written nine additional books in this Ready
Freddie series that are awaiting publication. I self-published
“Ready Freddie – Getting Ready for Fires” with BookSurge
Publishing but want to release the rest of the series through a
conventional publisher.
My primary efforts now are marketing my book to increase sales
and gain the interest of a literary agent and publishing
company. To accomplish that, I am building an online platform
that includes the website www.readyfreddie.net, a blog,
newsletter, online and print interviews, an e-mail mailing list,
and “Ready Freddie” apparel at www.cafepress.com/readyfreddie. I
also have started providing speaking engagements at schools and
hope to continue these appearances.
Also, “Ready Freddy – Getting Ready for Fires” was recently
awarded as a Book-and-Authors.net 2007 Book of the Year,
Children’s Informative Category. I have entered several
additional book contests, including the 2008 Nautilus Book
Awards and Writer’s Digest Self-Published Book Awards. Awards
are nice but my goal is to have “Ready Freddie” break the stigma
of being a self-published book and recognized as a well written
book with beautiful, professional illustrations.
Books-And-Authors.net: What was the last book you read?
Earl Hicks: Funny, I wish I had a brilliant, literary answer for
this question but the truth is the book on my nightstand right
now is “Jeff Herman’s Guide to Book Publishers, Editors, and
Literary Agents”. I have read it cover to cover three times, so
far.
Books-And-Authors.net: Do you have any hobbies? What are they?
How do they enhance your writing?
Earl Hicks: Having boys 4 and 5 years old and commuting 47 miles
to work doesn’t leave much time for hobbies. Other than trying
to be the best dad and husband I can and spending every spare
moment with my family, my hobbies are reading and exercising. I
spend 1 ½ hours on a commuter bus to and from work. These bus
rides have provided time and a quiet “office” to write all of my
books and short stories, read books, and conduct research for my
writing.
I run and lift weights every day during my lunch hour. Staying
in shape provides me the extra energy I need to stay up after my
boys go to bed so I can read, write, and work on my “Ready
Freddie” online platform activities. I have completed two
marathons and continue to enjoy competing in local races in the
Baltimore and D.C. areas.
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