#44: Spreading Holiday Cheer and Writing Books with Caroline Henrich
Reindeer are traditional characters in Christmas stories, but what about the dogs known for herding Santa’s sled flyers of the North? Author Caroline Henrich makes sure we’re fully appreciative of the Finnish lapphund breed in A Very Lappy Christmas. It’s Caroline’s first book but she’s already got the outline for the follow-up. She’s also creating something special with the Happy Lappies brand, which shows the power of helping others and the impact we can make with our actions.
In the book, the crew of Lappies set off on a great adventure to deliver gifts and Christmas cheer to children around the world, but it’s not an easy journey. In the process, they learn more about themselves and the value of teamwork. This enables them to seek the support of dogs and cats everywhere.
It’s a delightful story with magical illustrations (check out a few below), and now through 12/31/20, when you buy one book through the Happy Lappies website, you get another free. Now that’s spreading some great cheer.
Highlights of our conversation include:
A look inside the very full household that Caroline and her family have. (1:44)
Caroline’s first lappy experience, and how they’ve helped her navigate through incredibly difficult times. (3:02)
How to write a book with a full-time job, and the importance of having a supportive team throughout the entire writing process. (7:50)
Why the first book in this series would always be about Christmas. (12:32)
The American BookFest named A Very Lappy Christmas a finalist for Children’s Picture Book Soft Cover Fiction Category — Caroline shares what this means for her and the power of reading books. (15:54)
One of the best compliments Caroline has gotten about her writing. (18:35)
How to do book marketing in a the COVID-19 area, plus Caroline gives us a sneak peek at the next book in the Lappy series. (20:44)
The process of self-publishing a book and why Caroline decided to go the self-publishing route. (24:55)
The top three goofiest things Caroline’s lappy dogs do. (29:06)
What’s next for Caroline Henrich?
Learn more about the Lappies here and follow Happy Lappies on Instagram. Caroline continues to work as an attorney and has the most festive home with her husband Steve, her son Christopher, her crew of Lappies, and a few other animal residents, too.
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