Q. Hi Alex, thanks for joining me. Firstly, how are you are your family fairing with the current pandemic at hand?
There have been times of stress and worry, plenty of tears. But also periods of great tenderness as we’ve come to accept the limitations of this period and to embrace what we have rather than focusing on what we’re forced to do without.
Q. The pandemic can be quite frighting, especially with the numbers at hand… How did you explain the current pandemic to your own children? Or did you use the book as a way to do that? And with that being said, are you hoping that others will use the book as a tool to explain it to their own children?
It was through the book. As an author, writing is how I make sense of the world and convey ideas and sitting down with my children, reading the book to them, discussing it with them, having them draw and write in the diary sections was extremely helpful. I hope it can helps families throughout the world as it has helped mine.
Q. You have included a journal at the end of the book for children, or their parents to write down their feelings at this time, what a great idea! How did you come up with the main concept of the book?
The central theme of the book is that we should always be hopeful and resilient, appreciate what we have and find joy in life’s simple pleasures. I’ve always tried to convey these values to my children in the hope that they can distinguish between what is trivial and what really matters in life. The pandemic has brought it all into perspective. The diary section was a way to reinforce those messages through active learning and participation and to also give each family an important historical record of how they coped with a global pandemic.
Q. ‘A New Day’ is beautifully illustrated, how did you come to meet the illustrator “name” and come to work together?
This illustrator is an old friend of mine and a very talented illustrator and designer. She did a beautiful job in bringing the story to life and injecting a sense of adventure and warmth.
Q. How long did it take you to go from the idea for the book to it being in bookstores?
It was pretty fast. The words came easily, Anna (the illustrator) worked fast and the editing and production process was expedited to get it to market. I want this book to help families through this difficult period so the usual pace at which books tend to move just couldn’t work here. I’m so pleased with how the book turned out.
Q.Being a political writer and historian, was this in a way, a means for you to document history?
I believe in the power of words and ideas and that applies whether I’m writing history or a children’s book. Certainly, I believe this book will stand up as an important historical record from a unique period in human history.
Thank you so much for your time!
Purchase ‘A New Day’ Here https://www.bookdepository.com/New-Day-Alex-Ryvchin/9780646817149
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