April 23, 2024 • 26 mins
This is an encore episode while I focus on my teaching.
This week's guest is Kale Sudhoff.
It took just a few episodes for me to notice that almost every guest has a thread that runs through their early life right up to where they are now.
The exception with Kale is that he is still a teenager -- a high school senior!
But as you listen to our discussion, you too will see the thread that runs through him: That of a caring and empathetic person well beyond his years.
Kale uses his talent for drawing and storytelling to pull you in as a reader. More than likely, it would be as a reader of bedtime stories to your young children.
Go ahead and take a look at his most recent book, Danny and Kevin Conquer Camping HERE. And be sure to scan his first book in the series, Danny the Duck Heads South HERE.
I think Kale is going to take that thread and run with it!
Note: Oftentimes, links are not available on platforms such as Apple, iHeart, etc.. They are available within this episode on our website at https://lifesaroadtrip.podbean.com
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Being disabled or having a chronic illness can feel like you're moving forward in reverse.
(00:21):
I'm your host Scott Martin.
Join me and my new friends in this underrepresented community as we talk about disrupting the
status quo and creating change within the world and within ourselves.
A life's a road trip.
Hop in.
Let's turn on some tunes and go.
(00:56):
With me in the passenger seat and managing the radio is Kale Suddhoff.
Kale is the author and illustrator of the children's book Danny and Kevin conquer camping, which
makes me categorize him as a disruptor in the disability community.
We'll get into why I think that while he's not studying fishing running track or golf,
he's drawing.
(01:17):
After perusing through the book, I was surprised to learn that Kale is still in high school.
He's just a senior.
He's a young bucks.
Hi, Kale.
How are you doing, man?
Good.
How are you?
I'm doing fine.
So I know that you're in track.
Has your competition season begun or you're still in training?
We just finished training a few weeks ago.
(01:39):
The season's underway right now.
Got about seven more meets left, I think.
And what event or events do you compete in?
I do the four by 800, which is two laps, the open 800 and the four by 400, which is just
one lap.
Have you guys mastered the technique of passing the baton or have you dropped one?
(02:06):
We did drop one last year.
I wasn't the one who dropped it, but somebody on my team did.
But this year it's been good so far.
That's got to be the most tense moment.
That's the thing you guys have to practice the most on that handoff.
It seems so simple, but oh my God, it's tough.
I've read that you're also into sculpting.
What are your favorite subjects?
(02:28):
Anything to do with art?
I like to do animals.
Some of my best sculptures were a bulldog and a wolf, both of their heads.
If I read through this, go ahead.
I just really like making intricate details.
(02:51):
All my sculpting stuff is really detailed, really textured and just fine art.
That's what I like to do.
Obviously, everything that I listed and just listened to you, get into that because you're
a detailed person.
What are you doing?
Do you have any downtime?
Well, not really at the moment.
(03:13):
I just actually finished my college credit plus classes this week, so I am going to have
a lot more downtime really soon.
What do you mean by that?
Well, I take college credit plus, which is 15 weeks at a time per semester.
I don't go to actual high school at that time.
(03:34):
I actually take online classes.
Once those are done right now, then I only have art class and study hall at actual high
school.
Of course, you have art class.
I knew you'd be into that most definitely.
Hey, scan through your first book, Danny the Duckhead South.
Give us a quick synopsis or in the publishing industry because I've been out there querying
(04:00):
agents and I've actually had a couple.
What's the elevator pitch?
If you were in an elevator with a potential agent or even more so, a publisher, what would
be your quick pitch before you're riding from the first floor up to the seventh or eighth
floor?
You only have a little bit of time.
Pitch me.
Well, Danny is a duck who's really good at flying.
(04:21):
He's very proud of his flying, but one day since he gets distracted, he smacks a tree.
He falls to the ground.
Can't fly anymore.
He spends the rest of the book looking for a new way to get south since he can't fly anymore.
Winter's coming, so he has to figure out how to get there before the snow falls or else
(04:43):
he's going to freeze all his tail feathers.
How did you come up with that storyline?
Well, I was sitting on my porch one fall afternoon and I saw a V-shaped of ducks flying over
my porch while I was out drawing and just sort of idea popped in my head.
(05:05):
So you chose to do a children's book and in there you use very bold colors.
Folks need to get down there and see it.
There will be a link to Kale's work on the Life's A Road Trip website.
What moved you to create an illustrated children's book?
My mom was actually a preschool teacher for my whole life, my whole childhood.
(05:32):
I would always go up there if she was changing her room around or rearranging things and
I would read the books there.
I really liked all the pictures and stuff, especially Ryan T. Higgins or any of those
author illustrators.
I had actually never thought to write a children's book before but this idea just seemed really
(05:58):
good to me and I just decided to give it a try.
I commend you for that.
That's not easy to stick it out there.
In children's books I have no clue but I did raise five kids so I've read some children's
book.
They all seem to be about the same thickness or length.
What do you think the target number of pages is for an illustrator and author on a children's
(06:23):
book?
I'd say about the average is 36 if you're double-paging it.
Divide that by two.
That's about how many pages with words on it.
That's a lot of illustration.
If it takes up between five and ten minutes maybe by then the kid's going to zonk off.
(06:49):
Parents are always hoping for.
Between the illustrations and the writings, which one do you start with?
Where do you come from?
You must have an idea.
You told us about where Danny the Duck came from.
Boom, you had that.
Then what do you do?
Is it the story?
The illustrations are both.
For most of my books I actually write the whole thing, make sure it rhymes, just get
(07:14):
everything fine-tuned before I ever even think about drawing anything just for the fact that
if I ever had to change any of the words or anything that could also change the pictures
so that I wouldn't have to go back in and change that also.
Now, looking over this is the process.
(07:40):
I'm trying to still figure out how you get going on something.
So you have an idea, like you said you did, with Danny.
And then do you sit down, and I guess the question would be what's your medium that
you use for when you're doing your drawings?
Is it watercolors? Do you start with a simple sketching with a pencil and do some drawings?
(08:04):
Or do you end up starting and ending and using everything that's available to you on a computer?
Well, I start with just ordinary 8x10 sheets of paper.
I sketch out all my drawings on there with just pencil.
And then I actually take a picture of those drawings with my iPad Pro, and I can transfer
(08:29):
that onto a program called Procreate.
That's where I can trace all those lines, and shade them in, color them.
That's how I get such deep color.
And that's a really awesome program to draw with.
So if you're, again, staying with your first book, if you're doing this, do you run
(08:51):
into a hit a wall with your thoughts, and then you just walk away from it and come back,
and there's the rest of the story.
Yeah, I actually don't typically write all in just a short amount of time.
It may take one to two weeks of just letting it go, and then I'll just go about my day,
(09:19):
and then if an idea comes, or just if I remember anything else, then I'll just pull out my
phone, go into my notes app, and then just jot down a note to write later.
Do you ever wake up in the middle of the night with an aha moment, and you've got to get
that sucker out of your head?
Yeah, I actually have.
Yeah, yeah, definitely.
So I've got a question for you.
(09:40):
Be honest, please.
Have you submitted one of your books for your art or English classes as an assignment,
or an extra credit or something?
Not for any extra credit.
We did actually talk about it a lot in my government class last year with Mr. Watson.
He's a really great teacher who just really showed that he supported me, even at like,
(10:04):
I only knew him for like two weeks, and the guy was like beaming with pride just that
his student actually did this.
So I used to teach social studies in history, and you're talking about bringing this into
a, what is he teaching?
Government.
Government.
How do you bring in a children's book into government class?
How did that stir up conversation?
(10:26):
Where did that go in the class?
All of my friend Isaiah Glass actually just brought it up.
He's a really great friend.
He came to all of my book signings, and he just really liked telling other people that
his friend wrote a book.
So that you were able to, I could understand it going into an economics class where you
(10:49):
could be talking about the industry of books, but to bring it up in government, that's a
stretch.
So I like that teacher.
He's able to get off on a tangent.
Yeah.
Okay.
Where do you get to college, man?
And then you're going to be able to take certain professors and get them off on a tangent
and they don't finish what they're talking about.
And then you, it always delays the exam by a week.
(11:11):
So you'll find out more.
On that note, we're going to take a two second pause here in case anybody wants to drop in
a hat in.
Okay.
Now, let's get into your latest work.
It's called Danny and Kevin Conquer Camping really slides off the tongue.
That's a good title.
What's a synopsis or tell me that elevator pitch for that book?
(11:33):
Well, it's springtime and Danny is on his way to visit his friend Kevin Bacon at the
farm.
Who's a pig?
Hang on.
Hang on.
Kevin, what?
Kevin Bacon.
Kevin Bacon.
Okay.
You slid that one in there.
That's good.
I'll bet any parent that sits down or while their children are trying to fall asleep in
(11:55):
the first time they read it and they come across the name Kevin Bacon is going to wake
the kid up because they're going to be laughing too much.
That was good, man.
I like that.
So go ahead.
Sorry.
Well, he's on his way to visit his friend Kevin Bacon at the farm.
His friend is actually running after something he wants really bad, doesn't see a tractor
(12:16):
coming and ends up actually losing his leg.
And the rest of the story is Danny just trying to cheer his friend up, get his friend back
to normal because he just can't seem to find a meaning in life without the leg that he lost.
Because that, what I came across was that triggered, of course, me reaching out to you
(12:40):
to get you on the podcast because I think the person of your age to be able to tackle
such an issue, I commend you for that.
That shows you maturity, man.
So you were going to, we were talking about this before.
Could you go ahead and read some of that book, please?
Sure.
All right, one day as the birds, chirps and bees buzzed, everyone knew spring was here
(13:07):
and this was a certain duck's favorite time of the year.
Danny the duck was on his way to visit his friend Kevin Bacon at the farm.
He was caught by surprise when he heard something loud like an alarm.
Danny saw Kevin chasing rusty raccoon and shouting, give me my corn over the big tractor honking
(13:28):
its horn.
As rusty ran with the stolen goods, something bad took place.
Kevin, he exclaimed before a loud squeal ended the chase.
Danny rushed Kevin to the vet, carrying him as fast as he could go.
After days of nervous waiting, Mrs. Moose gave him some news he wished he didn't know.
Danny couldn't believe it until Kevin entered the room with three legs instead of four.
(13:53):
He looked so sad as he walked with a wheel on each side staring down at the floor.
Danny tried to be there for Kevin while his life became different and new, but it didn't
take long to notice some other things about Kevin had changed too.
He didn't play or eat his corn, all he did was sit in the dirt.
(14:14):
Danny knew he had to cheer him up or he would never stop feeling hurt.
And the rest of the story leads into Danny just looking for new ways to get his old friend
back.
You are so mature.
Here's the dedication.
I fell in love with the dedication.
Very simple, but it's pointed to all the kids who face challenges in life.
(14:36):
This is for you.
Where'd that come from?
I mean, a kid at your age to come up with something so meaningful and purposeful is
just amazing.
Where'd you come up with that?
What made you do this?
Oh, well, I've always seen kids excluded for just many different reasons in school,
(14:59):
just feeling lonely, just not really feeling like they belong.
And it's always those kids that I see the most driving and just the most perseverance.
They're always the nicest kids.
I've just always been drawn to just trying to make them feel included.
(15:22):
Well, I think you nailed it with this and go on this route.
Do you have any experience with amputees?
Do you know about it?
Not with amputees personally, but my publisher actually asked me to do a mission book, which
is where we target a certain group of people who are sometimes overlooked, in this case,
(15:47):
amputees.
And we just try to bring attention to that group of people.
And with the kids, especially, I feel that if you see somebody even in a book that looks
like you or that went through something similar to you, that just makes you feel not so alone.
(16:08):
That's why you're on this show.
And I appreciate that you did come on here.
The main characters are Danny and Kevin.
What made you choose those names?
That is how they sounded or what?
I mean, we got the bacon part.
We got that.
Yeah.
It's a good one.
Danny, I did just for the fact of alliteration, which just means using the same letter as
(16:33):
the duck.
So Danny and the duck.
Kevin, I've seen the actor Kevin Bacon on a lot of movies.
I just slipped that over.
That's some satire.
Tongue and cheek satire.
That's really good.
(16:54):
Now here's something direct to you.
Have you received any negative feedback because you're introducing an amputee to young children?
I mean, I'm talking about the forever hovering helicopter parents or the politically correct
parents that...
How dare you?
I don't want my child to know about amputees.
Have you had any kind of negative feedback?
(17:16):
Not from parents per se, but I actually have talked to some other kids at school who just
who have actually read my book.
I do appreciate that.
They just asked, well, they just pretty much were asking why I made him lose the leg because
(17:38):
I thought that was super sad.
But I just really wanted to show kids that everything, bad things do happen in life, but
still we've got to go somewhere after those bad things happen.
I appreciate that.
(18:02):
It's not easy.
And again, damn immature.
What do you want kids to take away from your books?
This is both so far.
And we'll be getting to the big question later, but so far you've had two.
What do you want the kids to take away from your books?
Well, even if you're different, you should embrace it.
(18:26):
Your challenges are only going to make you stronger.
If you stand out and embrace it, let the world look at you as a light.
Let them see that light and let the other people know that they can overcome the challenges
too.
Well done, man.
Well done.
(18:47):
So what's next for you?
I mean, you said you've been taking college courses and obviously you're going to graduate
like a split if you're already taking college courses that will work for your degree.
What do you want to do?
I'm going to try and be an elementary school teacher.
So I'm going to try and stick around here at least close to my hometown.
(19:11):
I'm going to go to Wright State Lake campus to study there.
It's only like it's like right down the street from my house.
That's pretty nice.
That's nice.
Yeah.
Okay.
Now, do you have, well, you said your mother's been in education so you know, I mean, I
would assume that you've been picking up a lot of the hardships that teachers have to
(19:34):
go through.
One being a lack of pay and the other.
Yeah, all of those things.
So you're going to be ready for it.
Another question about your artwork because I look through your books and I just love
all the bold colors and hey, it is those are books that I would have read my kids when
they were of that age, you know, but do you sell any of your artwork?
Like you know, you're mentioning sculptor, sculpting or anything else that you've done.
(20:01):
Um, right now, well, during the school years, I typically just focus on art class and all
those pieces will stay at school until the art show, which is actually coming up next
week, I think.
But I have actually just sold a few things to people who've came to art shows, seen my
(20:22):
work and just wanted to buy it from me there.
But other than that, with just like individual pieces, I haven't like sold a bunch per se.
Well, it's just going to take time.
Yeah.
You know, I mean, it could be something you do on the side.
Obviously, it's more than just a hobby to you.
So have you ever considered doing freelance illustration work?
(20:44):
I mean, have you reached out to any of the big children's book companies and see if they're
looking for illustrators?
Uh, I actually did look into that.
But for right now, I actually like really like working with kids.
I do really want to do that as a job.
And I think kids would just really benefit from seeing somebody who was like just in their
(21:11):
shoes, not that long ago, running in all straying books, I can have those books in my classroom
and share that with them, just show them that they can do this stuff too.
Well, you've got a built in audience.
You never know.
Hey, I mean, that's the way what life is.
And you're going to be finding this.
You start in one direction and then you find little avenues or alleys to go off to.
(21:35):
And all of a sudden you've done a totally different route or at least you've brought
in your horizons and your road is no longer just a street.
It's a super highway.
So keep moving forward and trying to just do what you love.
It sounds like you're already going to be.
You already have plans to be doing that.
So speaking of going down highways and things, we are now going to the sound of the VW Beetle
(22:04):
mates.
It's time to shift gears with the road trip roundup.
Now, young guy, but I'm still going to ask you these questions.
I know you can fill them in.
One's going to trip you up though.
So five questions for you.
Okay.
All right.
When you're road tripping, do you tend to do fast food or local diners?
Local diners.
Really, I, you know, we're up to, we've got to be at least 80% of the guests we've had
(22:27):
on the show.
I'll go on that route and I will tell you, my wife Sue and I have picked up on that.
And we did a road trip recently with her sister and husband.
We drove from Wisconsin into Nashville and then we drove from Nashville to Memphis and
then Memphis up and we didn't stop it any fast food because I'm learning from the guests.
So thank you very much.
(22:49):
You're another one I'm learning from.
What's your dream car for road trip?
It could be something that your family has had or has for something that you're looking
forward to maybe be able to do a road trip within the future.
All my mom Chevy Traverse is really nice.
Got leather seats and stuff.
It's pretty big.
Okay.
(23:10):
So.
Okay.
All right.
Now this is where you might wonder and ask me what the heck I'm talking about, but I'll
ask them anyway.
Last cassette or CD that played while you were on a road trip.
Do you even know what those things are?
I know what a CD is.
Okay.
I don't think I've.
You don't know what a cassette is?
Oh, good.
(23:31):
Okay.
So obviously no, you might ask your parents to see what if they know what a cassette is.
Ask them that question.
What was the last cassette that they played ever, you know, could be in their car or whatever.
Ask them because they'll probably you'll be making them think back and they might start
having a chuckle.
So tell me what the last CD was at flight on a road trip or let's let's change this because
(23:52):
you're a young guy.
What was the last type of what type of music do you like to go to when you're on like
Sirius or something serious FM radio.
Um, I've always listened to country music when well, for most of my childhood, but recently
I've been listening to WBCO, which is a Christian channel and it's got some pretty great songs
(24:19):
on it.
Very cool.
All right.
Coca Pepsi.
Oh, I actually really don't drink pop.
So kind of unbiased.
Hey, you're like me.
You called it pop.
Yeah.
We are of a few people that call it pop.
(24:43):
So everybody out there that's laughing at us right now, tough luck, folks, you go ahead
and call it soda.
We will call it pop kale and I will still call it pop.
What do you go, buddy?
All right.
Um, sort of any vacation.
Yeah, man.
It's up to you.
All right.
When I was 13, we went to the Bahamas.
(25:07):
My grandparents took my whole family there.
It was really cool.
We went to this resort called Atlantis and really cool water parks, water slides, lots
of cool fish in the ocean, just awesome experience.
That's great with family, of course.
I mean, you can't beat that anything.
(25:28):
All of the guests have always responded and at least in some sort of threat with family.
So that's most important.
So what we're going to wrap it up, dude, stay on so we can talk for a little bit.
I just want to say challenge relax everybody and keep listening to life's a road trip.
(25:49):
Thanks for listening.
Check out previous episodes with new ones dropping each Tuesday.
If you don't see a synopsis of this show where you're listening, visit our website at life's
a roadtrip.podbean.com for more information on this week's guest.
This is your host Scott Martin reminding you that life's a road trip.
(26:25):
Support for you.
Being disabled or having a chronic illness can feel like you're moving forward in reverse.
(00:21):
I'm your host Scott Martin.
Join me and my new friends in this underrepresented community as we talk about disrupting the
status quo and creating change within the world and within ourselves.
A life's a road trip.
Hop in.
Let's turn on some tunes and go.
(00:56):
With me in the passenger seat and managing the radio is Kale Suddhoff.
Kale is the author and illustrator of the children's book Danny and Kevin conquer camping, which
makes me categorize him as a disruptor in the disability community.
We'll get into why I think that while he's not studying fishing running track or golf,
he's drawing.
(01:17):
After perusing through the book, I was surprised to learn that Kale is still in high school.
He's just a senior.
He's a young bucks.
Hi, Kale.
How are you doing, man?
Good.
How are you?
I'm doing fine.
So I know that you're in track.
Has your competition season begun or you're still in training?
We just finished training a few weeks ago.
(01:39):
The season's underway right now.
Got about seven more meets left, I think.
And what event or events do you compete in?
I do the four by 800, which is two laps, the open 800 and the four by 400, which is just
one lap.
Have you guys mastered the technique of passing the baton or have you dropped one?
(02:06):
We did drop one last year.
I wasn't the one who dropped it, but somebody on my team did.
But this year it's been good so far.
That's got to be the most tense moment.
That's the thing you guys have to practice the most on that handoff.
It seems so simple, but oh my God, it's tough.
I've read that you're also into sculpting.
What are your favorite subjects?
(02:28):
Anything to do with art?
I like to do animals.
Some of my best sculptures were a bulldog and a wolf, both of their heads.
If I read through this, go ahead.
I just really like making intricate details.
(02:51):
All my sculpting stuff is really detailed, really textured and just fine art.
That's what I like to do.
Obviously, everything that I listed and just listened to you, get into that because you're
a detailed person.
What are you doing?
Do you have any downtime?
Well, not really at the moment.
(03:13):
I just actually finished my college credit plus classes this week, so I am going to have
a lot more downtime really soon.
What do you mean by that?
Well, I take college credit plus, which is 15 weeks at a time per semester.
I don't go to actual high school at that time.
(03:34):
I actually take online classes.
Once those are done right now, then I only have art class and study hall at actual high
school.
Of course, you have art class.
I knew you'd be into that most definitely.
Hey, scan through your first book, Danny the Duckhead South.
Give us a quick synopsis or in the publishing industry because I've been out there querying
(04:00):
agents and I've actually had a couple.
What's the elevator pitch?
If you were in an elevator with a potential agent or even more so, a publisher, what would
be your quick pitch before you're riding from the first floor up to the seventh or eighth
floor?
You only have a little bit of time.
Pitch me.
Well, Danny is a duck who's really good at flying.
(04:21):
He's very proud of his flying, but one day since he gets distracted, he smacks a tree.
He falls to the ground.
Can't fly anymore.
He spends the rest of the book looking for a new way to get south since he can't fly anymore.
Winter's coming, so he has to figure out how to get there before the snow falls or else
(04:43):
he's going to freeze all his tail feathers.
How did you come up with that storyline?
Well, I was sitting on my porch one fall afternoon and I saw a V-shaped of ducks flying over
my porch while I was out drawing and just sort of idea popped in my head.
(05:05):
So you chose to do a children's book and in there you use very bold colors.
Folks need to get down there and see it.
There will be a link to Kale's work on the Life's A Road Trip website.
What moved you to create an illustrated children's book?
My mom was actually a preschool teacher for my whole life, my whole childhood.
(05:32):
I would always go up there if she was changing her room around or rearranging things and
I would read the books there.
I really liked all the pictures and stuff, especially Ryan T. Higgins or any of those
author illustrators.
I had actually never thought to write a children's book before but this idea just seemed really
(05:58):
good to me and I just decided to give it a try.
I commend you for that.
That's not easy to stick it out there.
In children's books I have no clue but I did raise five kids so I've read some children's
book.
They all seem to be about the same thickness or length.
What do you think the target number of pages is for an illustrator and author on a children's
(06:23):
book?
I'd say about the average is 36 if you're double-paging it.
Divide that by two.
That's about how many pages with words on it.
That's a lot of illustration.
If it takes up between five and ten minutes maybe by then the kid's going to zonk off.
(06:49):
Parents are always hoping for.
Between the illustrations and the writings, which one do you start with?
Where do you come from?
You must have an idea.
You told us about where Danny the Duck came from.
Boom, you had that.
Then what do you do?
Is it the story?
The illustrations are both.
For most of my books I actually write the whole thing, make sure it rhymes, just get
(07:14):
everything fine-tuned before I ever even think about drawing anything just for the fact that
if I ever had to change any of the words or anything that could also change the pictures
so that I wouldn't have to go back in and change that also.
Now, looking over this is the process.
(07:40):
I'm trying to still figure out how you get going on something.
So you have an idea, like you said you did, with Danny.
And then do you sit down, and I guess the question would be what's your medium that
you use for when you're doing your drawings?
Is it watercolors? Do you start with a simple sketching with a pencil and do some drawings?
(08:04):
Or do you end up starting and ending and using everything that's available to you on a computer?
Well, I start with just ordinary 8x10 sheets of paper.
I sketch out all my drawings on there with just pencil.
And then I actually take a picture of those drawings with my iPad Pro, and I can transfer
(08:29):
that onto a program called Procreate.
That's where I can trace all those lines, and shade them in, color them.
That's how I get such deep color.
And that's a really awesome program to draw with.
So if you're, again, staying with your first book, if you're doing this, do you run
(08:51):
into a hit a wall with your thoughts, and then you just walk away from it and come back,
and there's the rest of the story.
Yeah, I actually don't typically write all in just a short amount of time.
It may take one to two weeks of just letting it go, and then I'll just go about my day,
(09:19):
and then if an idea comes, or just if I remember anything else, then I'll just pull out my
phone, go into my notes app, and then just jot down a note to write later.
Do you ever wake up in the middle of the night with an aha moment, and you've got to get
that sucker out of your head?
Yeah, I actually have.
Yeah, yeah, definitely.
So I've got a question for you.
(09:40):
Be honest, please.
Have you submitted one of your books for your art or English classes as an assignment,
or an extra credit or something?
Not for any extra credit.
We did actually talk about it a lot in my government class last year with Mr. Watson.
He's a really great teacher who just really showed that he supported me, even at like,
(10:04):
I only knew him for like two weeks, and the guy was like beaming with pride just that
his student actually did this.
So I used to teach social studies in history, and you're talking about bringing this into
a, what is he teaching?
Government.
Government.
How do you bring in a children's book into government class?
How did that stir up conversation?
(10:26):
Where did that go in the class?
All of my friend Isaiah Glass actually just brought it up.
He's a really great friend.
He came to all of my book signings, and he just really liked telling other people that
his friend wrote a book.
So that you were able to, I could understand it going into an economics class where you
(10:49):
could be talking about the industry of books, but to bring it up in government, that's a
stretch.
So I like that teacher.
He's able to get off on a tangent.
Yeah.
Okay.
Where do you get to college, man?
And then you're going to be able to take certain professors and get them off on a tangent
and they don't finish what they're talking about.
And then you, it always delays the exam by a week.
(11:11):
So you'll find out more.
On that note, we're going to take a two second pause here in case anybody wants to drop in
a hat in.
Okay.
Now, let's get into your latest work.
It's called Danny and Kevin Conquer Camping really slides off the tongue.
That's a good title.
What's a synopsis or tell me that elevator pitch for that book?
(11:33):
Well, it's springtime and Danny is on his way to visit his friend Kevin Bacon at the
farm.
Who's a pig?
Hang on.
Hang on.
Kevin, what?
Kevin Bacon.
Kevin Bacon.
Okay.
You slid that one in there.
That's good.
I'll bet any parent that sits down or while their children are trying to fall asleep in
(11:55):
the first time they read it and they come across the name Kevin Bacon is going to wake
the kid up because they're going to be laughing too much.
That was good, man.
I like that.
So go ahead.
Sorry.
Well, he's on his way to visit his friend Kevin Bacon at the farm.
His friend is actually running after something he wants really bad, doesn't see a tractor
(12:16):
coming and ends up actually losing his leg.
And the rest of the story is Danny just trying to cheer his friend up, get his friend back
to normal because he just can't seem to find a meaning in life without the leg that he lost.
Because that, what I came across was that triggered, of course, me reaching out to you
(12:40):
to get you on the podcast because I think the person of your age to be able to tackle
such an issue, I commend you for that.
That shows you maturity, man.
So you were going to, we were talking about this before.
Could you go ahead and read some of that book, please?
Sure.
All right, one day as the birds, chirps and bees buzzed, everyone knew spring was here
(13:07):
and this was a certain duck's favorite time of the year.
Danny the duck was on his way to visit his friend Kevin Bacon at the farm.
He was caught by surprise when he heard something loud like an alarm.
Danny saw Kevin chasing rusty raccoon and shouting, give me my corn over the big tractor honking
(13:28):
its horn.
As rusty ran with the stolen goods, something bad took place.
Kevin, he exclaimed before a loud squeal ended the chase.
Danny rushed Kevin to the vet, carrying him as fast as he could go.
After days of nervous waiting, Mrs. Moose gave him some news he wished he didn't know.
Danny couldn't believe it until Kevin entered the room with three legs instead of four.
(13:53):
He looked so sad as he walked with a wheel on each side staring down at the floor.
Danny tried to be there for Kevin while his life became different and new, but it didn't
take long to notice some other things about Kevin had changed too.
He didn't play or eat his corn, all he did was sit in the dirt.
(14:14):
Danny knew he had to cheer him up or he would never stop feeling hurt.
And the rest of the story leads into Danny just looking for new ways to get his old friend
back.
You are so mature.
Here's the dedication.
I fell in love with the dedication.
Very simple, but it's pointed to all the kids who face challenges in life.
(14:36):
This is for you.
Where'd that come from?
I mean, a kid at your age to come up with something so meaningful and purposeful is
just amazing.
Where'd you come up with that?
What made you do this?
Oh, well, I've always seen kids excluded for just many different reasons in school,
(14:59):
just feeling lonely, just not really feeling like they belong.
And it's always those kids that I see the most driving and just the most perseverance.
They're always the nicest kids.
I've just always been drawn to just trying to make them feel included.
(15:22):
Well, I think you nailed it with this and go on this route.
Do you have any experience with amputees?
Do you know about it?
Not with amputees personally, but my publisher actually asked me to do a mission book, which
is where we target a certain group of people who are sometimes overlooked, in this case,
(15:47):
amputees.
And we just try to bring attention to that group of people.
And with the kids, especially, I feel that if you see somebody even in a book that looks
like you or that went through something similar to you, that just makes you feel not so alone.
(16:08):
That's why you're on this show.
And I appreciate that you did come on here.
The main characters are Danny and Kevin.
What made you choose those names?
That is how they sounded or what?
I mean, we got the bacon part.
We got that.
Yeah.
It's a good one.
Danny, I did just for the fact of alliteration, which just means using the same letter as
(16:33):
the duck.
So Danny and the duck.
Kevin, I've seen the actor Kevin Bacon on a lot of movies.
I just slipped that over.
That's some satire.
Tongue and cheek satire.
That's really good.
(16:54):
Now here's something direct to you.
Have you received any negative feedback because you're introducing an amputee to young children?
I mean, I'm talking about the forever hovering helicopter parents or the politically correct
parents that...
How dare you?
I don't want my child to know about amputees.
Have you had any kind of negative feedback?
(17:16):
Not from parents per se, but I actually have talked to some other kids at school who just
who have actually read my book.
I do appreciate that.
They just asked, well, they just pretty much were asking why I made him lose the leg because
(17:38):
I thought that was super sad.
But I just really wanted to show kids that everything, bad things do happen in life, but
still we've got to go somewhere after those bad things happen.
I appreciate that.
(18:02):
It's not easy.
And again, damn immature.
What do you want kids to take away from your books?
This is both so far.
And we'll be getting to the big question later, but so far you've had two.
What do you want the kids to take away from your books?
Well, even if you're different, you should embrace it.
(18:26):
Your challenges are only going to make you stronger.
If you stand out and embrace it, let the world look at you as a light.
Let them see that light and let the other people know that they can overcome the challenges
too.
Well done, man.
Well done.
(18:47):
So what's next for you?
I mean, you said you've been taking college courses and obviously you're going to graduate
like a split if you're already taking college courses that will work for your degree.
What do you want to do?
I'm going to try and be an elementary school teacher.
So I'm going to try and stick around here at least close to my hometown.
(19:11):
I'm going to go to Wright State Lake campus to study there.
It's only like it's like right down the street from my house.
That's pretty nice.
That's nice.
Yeah.
Okay.
Now, do you have, well, you said your mother's been in education so you know, I mean, I
would assume that you've been picking up a lot of the hardships that teachers have to
(19:34):
go through.
One being a lack of pay and the other.
Yeah, all of those things.
So you're going to be ready for it.
Another question about your artwork because I look through your books and I just love
all the bold colors and hey, it is those are books that I would have read my kids when
they were of that age, you know, but do you sell any of your artwork?
Like you know, you're mentioning sculptor, sculpting or anything else that you've done.
(20:01):
Um, right now, well, during the school years, I typically just focus on art class and all
those pieces will stay at school until the art show, which is actually coming up next
week, I think.
But I have actually just sold a few things to people who've came to art shows, seen my
(20:22):
work and just wanted to buy it from me there.
But other than that, with just like individual pieces, I haven't like sold a bunch per se.
Well, it's just going to take time.
Yeah.
You know, I mean, it could be something you do on the side.
Obviously, it's more than just a hobby to you.
So have you ever considered doing freelance illustration work?
(20:44):
I mean, have you reached out to any of the big children's book companies and see if they're
looking for illustrators?
Uh, I actually did look into that.
But for right now, I actually like really like working with kids.
I do really want to do that as a job.
And I think kids would just really benefit from seeing somebody who was like just in their
(21:11):
shoes, not that long ago, running in all straying books, I can have those books in my classroom
and share that with them, just show them that they can do this stuff too.
Well, you've got a built in audience.
You never know.
Hey, I mean, that's the way what life is.
And you're going to be finding this.
You start in one direction and then you find little avenues or alleys to go off to.
(21:35):
And all of a sudden you've done a totally different route or at least you've brought
in your horizons and your road is no longer just a street.
It's a super highway.
So keep moving forward and trying to just do what you love.
It sounds like you're already going to be.
You already have plans to be doing that.
So speaking of going down highways and things, we are now going to the sound of the VW Beetle
(22:04):
mates.
It's time to shift gears with the road trip roundup.
Now, young guy, but I'm still going to ask you these questions.
I know you can fill them in.
One's going to trip you up though.
So five questions for you.
Okay.
All right.
When you're road tripping, do you tend to do fast food or local diners?
Local diners.
Really, I, you know, we're up to, we've got to be at least 80% of the guests we've had
(22:27):
on the show.
I'll go on that route and I will tell you, my wife Sue and I have picked up on that.
And we did a road trip recently with her sister and husband.
We drove from Wisconsin into Nashville and then we drove from Nashville to Memphis and
then Memphis up and we didn't stop it any fast food because I'm learning from the guests.
So thank you very much.
(22:49):
You're another one I'm learning from.
What's your dream car for road trip?
It could be something that your family has had or has for something that you're looking
forward to maybe be able to do a road trip within the future.
All my mom Chevy Traverse is really nice.
Got leather seats and stuff.
It's pretty big.
Okay.
(23:10):
So.
Okay.
All right.
Now this is where you might wonder and ask me what the heck I'm talking about, but I'll
ask them anyway.
Last cassette or CD that played while you were on a road trip.
Do you even know what those things are?
I know what a CD is.
Okay.
I don't think I've.
You don't know what a cassette is?
Oh, good.
(23:31):
Okay.
So obviously no, you might ask your parents to see what if they know what a cassette is.
Ask them that question.
What was the last cassette that they played ever, you know, could be in their car or whatever.
Ask them because they'll probably you'll be making them think back and they might start
having a chuckle.
So tell me what the last CD was at flight on a road trip or let's let's change this because
(23:52):
you're a young guy.
What was the last type of what type of music do you like to go to when you're on like
Sirius or something serious FM radio.
Um, I've always listened to country music when well, for most of my childhood, but recently
I've been listening to WBCO, which is a Christian channel and it's got some pretty great songs
(24:19):
on it.
Very cool.
All right.
Coca Pepsi.
Oh, I actually really don't drink pop.
So kind of unbiased.
Hey, you're like me.
You called it pop.
Yeah.
We are of a few people that call it pop.
(24:43):
So everybody out there that's laughing at us right now, tough luck, folks, you go ahead
and call it soda.
We will call it pop kale and I will still call it pop.
What do you go, buddy?
All right.
Um, sort of any vacation.
Yeah, man.
It's up to you.
All right.
When I was 13, we went to the Bahamas.
(25:07):
My grandparents took my whole family there.
It was really cool.
We went to this resort called Atlantis and really cool water parks, water slides, lots
of cool fish in the ocean, just awesome experience.
That's great with family, of course.
I mean, you can't beat that anything.
(25:28):
All of the guests have always responded and at least in some sort of threat with family.
So that's most important.
So what we're going to wrap it up, dude, stay on so we can talk for a little bit.
I just want to say challenge relax everybody and keep listening to life's a road trip.
(25:49):
Thanks for listening.
Check out previous episodes with new ones dropping each Tuesday.
If you don't see a synopsis of this show where you're listening, visit our website at life's
a roadtrip.podbean.com for more information on this week's guest.
This is your host Scott Martin reminding you that life's a road trip.
(26:25):
Support for you.
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