Welcome to SCBWI-MI's Book Birthday Blog!

Where we celebrate new books from Michigan's authors, illustrators and translators.

Congratulations to Mary Marthey on the release of The Captain

How did you come up with the idea for your book?

The idea forThe Captain came to me one day when I was thinking about how important our attitude is toward our overall happiness. I very much admire these sage words by Charles Swindoll, “Life is 10% what happens to you, and 90% how you react to it.” A plot stirred in my mind: An unhappy boy tries to flee from his problem. He takes out his sailboat. A storm comes up. He survives it. He is shipwrecked, survives that. Then he’s marooned. But instead of feeling anger and self-pity, he explores and has a grand time. He returns home. The problem is solved. In reality, the problem is not solved, the problem still exists. But he is looking at it differently now. He chooses happiness.

What inspires you to write?

I am inspired to write continuously. There isn’t anything that happens that can’t be turned into a story, and a fascinating one at that, no matter how mundane the event may seem at the time. Mainly, I have a desire to share inspiration. I do not have children, so writing books is satisfying in two ways. I can impart some token of information, or encouragement, to help a child. As well, my books are what I have to leave behind.

What was the most difficult part of writing the book?

The most difficult part of writing the book was not the actual writing of it. The Captain is the fastest book I’ve ever written. It took just a couple of hours. The challenge though, was working with an Italian illustrator who has no knowledge or familiarity with sailboats whatsoever. The time difference was no problem for us, each of us happily discovering the message the other had sent, every morning. But the nautical vocabulary, in addition to the language barrier, proved frustrating. The tiller for example, what is it and where is it? It behooves writers to verify the illustrator’s knowledge of the subject matter before embarking on a project together.

What is something you hope your readers take away from your book?

It is my sincere hope that the reader will take away the realization that problems exist in life, and we can’t run from them, but we can change our attitude toward them. In The Captain Donald is lost in a storm, problem! However, he fights the storm and comes through it. Then he is marooned, another problem! A huge one. But he is delighted with what he finds on the island. He explores and enjoys himself thoroughly. He has a new mindset. He is no longer a victim to circumstances. Juvenile literature does not have a ‘self-help’ category, so I don’t know how I will label this uplifting adventure tale. Seriously though, I hope it helps kids realize their problems aren’t so big after all.

You recently released another book. Are your marketing plans similar for your new book or do you have a different approach?

Marketing the book, as well as launching the book, are the true challenges for self-published authors. I’m proud that I’ve made my own website, using Wix. The website will be linked to my author’s page on Amazon. Also, I’ll try book readings in libraries this summer. Another, indie bookstores might appreciate having a local author’s book in their window. I live close to Lake Michigan, so The Captain will make a great summer read for kids.

A little bit about the book . . .

The title The Captain comes from the poem "Invictus"; ‘I am the captain of my soul.’ In The Captain we have Donald, a young boy who is disappointed by circumstances he can not control. He takes his sailboat out, thinking it will be a pleasure cruise, and a terrible storm appears. After fighting through it, his boat is washed up on shore and he is marooned on an island. He finds himself with three problems, the original one, the storm and now this! However, he explores and enjoys everything he discovers. In fact, he has a marvelous time on the island. Donald was able to concentrate on the good in the situation. He doesn’t realize he’s changed his attitude, but in time he wants to return home, and he’s looking forward to it. He stands at the helm of his boat and steers his life where he wants it to go.

Publisher: Books For Kids Publisher

A little bit about the author . . .

Originally Mary worked as a travel agent. This career enabled her to both help people plan their trips as well as enjoy her own. She did just that, traveling internationally for twenty years. It was indeed fulfilling, but in time she began to desire more meaningful work. She went back to college and acquired her teaching degree from Wayne State University. Mary then became an elementary teacher, specializing in teaching reading. It was the pleasure of reading picture books to students that inspired her to write them. Sometimes students who enjoyed art, drew pictures to accompany the stories. Today, Mary is a self-published author whose books are illustrated by professionals.

Website: https://www.booksforkidspublishing.com/