Deal Sharing Aunt: The Tuttle Twins Learn About The Law by Connor Boyack $100 Giveaway & Interview

Thursday, July 3, 2014

The Tuttle Twins Learn About The Law by Connor Boyack $100 Giveaway & Interview

The Tuttle Twins Learn About The Law Tuttle Twins, #1 by Connor Boyack Paperback, 62 pages Published April 23rd 2014 by Libertas Press ISBN 9780989291

Summary
Children are often taught that government protects our life, liberty, and property, but could it be true that some laws actually allow people to hurt us and take our things? Join Ethan and Emily Tuttle as they learn about property, pirates, and plunder. With the help of their neighbor Fred, the twins will need to figure out what they can do to stop the bad guys in government! Amazon* Goodreads

About The Author

Connor Boyack is president of Libertas Institute, a public policy think tank in Utah. He is the author of several books on politics and religion, along with hundreds of columns and articles championing individual liberty. His work has been featured on international, national, and local TV, radio, and other forms of media. A California native and Brigham Young University graduate, Connor currently resides in Lehi, Utah, with his wife and two children. Facebook * Twitter

Interview

What books have most influenced your life most?
Setting aside the scriptures to make it a tougher question, I'd have to say reading Orwell's 1984 was an inspiring call to action for me. While dystopian fiction is meant to paint a picture of a future society we can scarcely imagine, it has its basis in reality, so it shows us what can happen if we don't take action today to stop the trend from heading in that direction. I run a political organization, Libertas Institute, so my full time job is fighting for freedom. It's probably of no surprise, then, that I point to a political book as being so influential in my life!

If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?
I'd probably have to pick Tom Woods, a historian who has written a handful of books. His writing style is informative and highly persuasive, and early in my writing career I realized that that was the combination I was striving for. Many authors write to entertain or inspire. Others write to educate, but to be effective at that you can't be boring, you can't ramble, and you can't make presumptions about the reader's knowledge or ignorance. It's tough work, and Tom is one of the best at it.

What book are you reading now?
I juggle books, reading around 10 at a time in bits and pieces as I'm able. But the book that's on the top of the pile on my desk is Dragnet Nation: A Quest for Privacy, Security, and Freedom in a World of Relentless Surveillance. Anybody upset with NSA's spying on innocent individuals would find this book both alarming and fascinating.

Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest?
Sadly, no. I spend all my free time producing my own material, so has dramatically reduced my time to pick up new literature to read. (Hence the large, neglected pile of books on my desk…)

What are your current projects?
This latest book I've written, The Tuttle Twins Learn about The Law, is the first in a new series of books that will teach children about the various aspects of liberty. We've already begun work on the second book, and recently announced what it will be about. The first book is selling very, very well so we have our "mandate" from our readers to keep producing more. When I first started working on this book I shopped it around to various agents and publishers. The children's book companies didn't want to consider it because they didn't do politically-oriented topics, and the political publishers didn't do children's books. I quickly realized that I was working in a niche that has almost zero competition, and thus zero support structure. So we're trudging forward ourselves, and are quickly finding that the demand for this type of material is very high. Many parents want their children to learn about liberty, but have lacked the resources to do so. We're happy to fill the void and provide this material, even if it's creating some large bags under my eyes in the process!

Name one entity that you feel supported you outside of family members.
I'd have to say my audience. I use social media heavily, and often given updates about my "behind the scenes" work to keep people interested, spreading the word, and anticipating the final result. This turns them into cheerleaders, anxiously awaiting what I'm working on and repeatedly expressing interest in what I'm up to—it's great motivation to keep the work going. I think authors should be very transparent about their work, share their challenges, ask for public input, etc. It'll pay huge dividends in the long run by building a community around your book.

Do you see writing as a career?
Not at all. Few authors can make writing work financially. For me, it's about educating others. It's worth the heavy investment of time and energy, just knowing that I'll change somebody's mind or introduce a person to an idea they would have never considered otherwise. That can be much more rewarding than money. (Though, making money sure would be nice…)

If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book?
Not a thing. This is my fourth book, so I like to think that I've learned from past mistakes!

What would you like my readers to know?
It will, I think, be helpful to understand the background of my book. A French economist named Frédéric Bastiat wrote The Law in 1850. Bastiat was a classical liberal (not to be confused with the modern types of liberals); I often call him "the Thomas Jefferson of France." His book has been absolutely instrumental in helping people learn about the proper role of government (in the style of the founding fathers) and what laws are or are not just. It's a short read, but very persuasive. My book is an attempt to distill these core concepts down to an elementary level so that young children can learn about liberty and begin to understand the ideas that will have many implications for their lives ahead. We're super excited to see how well it's sold, and how many parents are sending in positive reviews about what their kids are learning. I hope your readers consider picking up a copy!

Book blitz on July 4th.

Both include a rafflecopter $100 giveaway!

Week One
6/30/2014- My Book a Day- Review
7/1/2014- Doodles Doodles Everywhere- Guest Post
7/2-2014- I Am A Reader- Tens List
7/3/2014- Deal Sharing Aunt- Interview
7/4/2014- Book Blitz
7/7/2014- Dorine White- Review
7/8/2014- Little Red Reads- Review

Week Two
7/14/2014-The Joy of Homemaking- Review
7/15/2014- Libby's Library- Guest Post
7/16/2014-CBY Book Club- Interview
7/17/2014-Chocolate on my Cranium- Guest Post
7/18/2014-Brooke Blogs- Review
7/21/2014- Sher A Hart: Written Art- Review
7/24/2014- Tara C. Allred -Guest Post
7/24/2014-The Canticle- Review