I have been influenced most by my own experience as a physician-scientist and educator and my view that our collective future depends on instilling in our children a sense of curiosity and interest in discovery and innovation.

Bruce F. Scharschmidt – 4 May 2023

The Back Flap

A shortage of fairy dust poses an existential threat to the fairies, for whom it provides the sparkle and speed they need to outwit gremlins and be godmothers. Tiny Tina sets off on a mission to fi nd a sustainable source of fairy dust and discovers it in the most unlikely of places.

About the book

What is the book about?

Tina the First Tooth Fairy builds on the universal childhood experience of losing baby teeth and children’s natural curiosity about the why the tooth fairy wants their teeth. It introduces them to ‘repurposing’ and ‘recycling’, two concepts which children can grasp and are often considered two of the ‘Five R’s’ (Refuse-Reduce-Reuse-Repurpose-Recycle) that collectively constitute Sustainability.

When did you start writing the book?

I began work on the book in early 2022.

How long did it take you to write it?

The initial draft took me about two weeks. I then continuously polished the text as the figures were developed.

Where did you get the idea from?

As with my other children’s books, our grandchildren are my inspiration. As they started losing their baby teeth, they became curious about the tooth fairy and why fairies wanted their teeth. At the same time, global warming and sustainability have become front-burner topics. Sustainability, which I would define as meeting the needs of our current generations without compromising the future of our children and grandchildren, can be a difficult topic even for adults. I developed the story with the aim of introducing children to the concept of sustainability in the context of a fun story that triggers their curiosity and dialogue.

Were there any parts of the book where you struggled?

Not really. Once I had developed the concept that baby teeth could be turned into fairy dust, the rest came relatively easily.

What came easily?

Developing the main characters; i.e. Tina, the tiny and brave fairy who is viewed as too small to accomplish much, and Jack, the boy who loses his tooth, was fun and came easily.

Are your characters entirely fictitious or have you borrowed from real world people you know?

The characters are entirely fictitious, but the concepts with which the story deals are very real and critically important.

We all know how important it is for writers to read. Are there any particular authors that have influenced how you write and, if so, how have they influenced you?

I have been influenced most by my own experience as a physician-scientist and educator and my view that our collective future depends on instilling in our children a sense of curiosity and interest in discovery and innovation. Early and thoughtful exposure is key. Science centers on asking questions and seeking answers. It should be taught not like history; i.e. a collection of facts to be memorized, but in a way that instills a sense of curiosity and wonder.

Do you have a target reader?

Young children ages 2 through early grade school.

About Writing

Do you have a writing process? If so can you please describe it?

Writing for me consists of three stages, and our grandkids play an important role at each stage. The first stage is conceptualizing the project, which is where our grandchildren come in. It was when the oldest started to lose their baby teeth that it struck me this would be a good idea for a story. The second stage is writing the story. I do this quickly, usually in a week or so. My goal is not perfection, but to get something down on paper and conceptualize the illustrations to see if it is worth turning into a book. This is again where my grandchildren come in – they are my beta testers and toughest critics. The third stage is engaging an illustrator to bring the story to life. This is an iterative process where I fine tune the text and rhymes to match the illustrations. Our grandkids are again important reviewers and I’d also like to give a shout out to our son, Brent, who was a Princeton English major and now physician. He is my ‘go to guy’ when I need help polishing phrases.

Do you outline? If so, do you do so extensively or just chapter headings and a couple of sentences?

No. Outlines aren’t practical for a children’s picture books with fewer than 100 words.

Do you edit as you go or wait until you’ve finished?

I edit ‘lightly’ as I go, but my goal with the first draft is to develop the story concept and placement of illustrations. From that point, I edit continuously right up to the final draft.

Did you hire a professional editor?

No.

Do you listen to music while you write? If yes, what gets the fingers tapping?

I do not. I do most of my writing late at night in a quiet room where I can best focus.

About Publishing

Did you submit your work to Agents?

Not yet – but I may at some point in the future.

What made you decide to go Indie, whether self-publishing or with an indie publisher? Was it a particular event or a gradual process?

Once I decided to try my hand at writing children’s books, my goal was to produce a book and make it widely available. I frankly didn’t have the time or patience to search for an agent. However, having now published 6 books with two more in the queue, I may reconsider.

Did you get your book cover professionally done or did you do it yourself?

Absolutely. I am a miserable artist and it is the artists I’ve worked with who have brought my stories to life. I’ve recognized their contributions both in the books and on my author’s website. Please visit brucescharschmidt.com.

Do you have a marketing plan for the book or are you just winging it?

I am mostly winging it – although I am learning the commercial aspects as I go. However, I am author of more than 200 scientific publications and served as Editor-in-Chief of The Journal of Clinical Investigation, a top tier scientific journal targeting MDs and PhDs. So while new to children’s picture books, I do have experience with publishing.

Any advice that you would like to give to other newbies considering becoming Indie authors?

Don’t overthink it. If you want to try writing, just do it and see how it feels.

About You

Where did you grow up?

Cleveland, Ohio.

Where do you live now?

San Francisco, CA.

What would you like readers to know about you?

While I didn’t foresee writing children’s books, it builds nicely upon what I’ve done in the past.

I’m a physician and liver specialist by training. In my academic past, I was Professor of Medicine and Chief of Gastroenterology at the University of CA, San Francisco. There, I was involved in education, research, in starting the liver transplant program and also served as President of the American Society of Clinical Investigation.  I later moved to industry where I’ve been involved in the development of multiple therapeutics and vaccines. I have served on the boards of for-profit and non-profit entities.

In short, I am an educator with a knack for story-telling and writing funny rhymes. Having grandkids of our own was the perfect catalyst to start turning some bedtime stories into books. My books are first and foremost meant to be fun. But, they’re intended also to pique children’s curiosity about the world around them and prompt questions and dialogue.

Please visit my Wikipedia page.

What are you working on now?

Just as with Tina the First Tooth Fairy, my books now in production deal with universal childhood experiences such as learning to draw and being told to eat your vegetables.

Our granddaughter helped illustrate my next book, The Girl Who Loved to Draw, which will be launching on World Art Day in mid-April. Big Al and the Veggie SuperHeroes, which Mathilde Millot will be illustrating and is in production now, is a fun and fanciful story which introduces young children to the nutritional superheroes in our food.

End of Interview:

Get your copy of Tina the First Tooth Fairy from Amazon US or Amazon UK.