There’s two reasons, really.  But first, let me back up and tell you about the books.  After some ups and downs – including a failed kickstarter, which is a whole other story to tell – I finally self-published the first book in the series, Nicky Is Stanced-Out.  (Direct Link) (Amazon Link)  This first story is about Nicky, a plucky sport compact type car (I picture him as a Nissan Sentra but he could be anything in that category) whose owner thinks he needs wheels too large for his economy-car chassis.  We’ve all seen these cars, and while the cartoonish, exaggerated look can earn style points, it isn’t always useful in the real world.  I think the dads here at LOD know a bit about the importance of utility in a vehicle and how quickly that becomes a priority over style at times. 🙂  Like the whole series, it’s a peek into the mind of the car enthusiast sub-culture, poking some light fun at the “stance” trend but still resolving with a positive message.  What really brings the whole story together are my friend Clint’s incredible illustrations that give the characters so much expression and life – the vivid pages are what has made this so much fun as a bedtime story.  I also really felt it was important that my stories touch more than just the kids who read them, so we’re donating a portion of every book’s sale to the Bleeding Disorder Foundation of Washington to help kids with hemophilia.

So why children’s books about this topic?  Well, first and foremost, I’m into this stuff and I want to share it!  I want all the kids in my life to grow up with an appreciation of cars as a hobby.  I think this will be especially important for this generation, as owning a car for transportation reasons may become less of a requirement or priority for them as our cities become more urban and options like Uber become more ubiquitous.  They may not crave their own set of wheels at 16 the way I did as a means to teenage freedom, so cars for them may be entirely hobby-based.  That’s why I think it’s important they can explore that hobby as it’s been such a valuable one for me and my friends.  There are so many ways to enjoy being a car enthusiast even as a child, from appreciating the art and artistry of classic car restoration, to weekend racing such as AutoX or karting, to being a spectator and fan of series like Nascar, F-1 or NHRA.  It’s an industry full of passion, creativity, competitiveness, and community, and I wouldn’t want the next generation to miss out on a chance to experience it because they don’t find a niche in it that suits them.

The second reason: I also have been watching a lot of children’s programming lately, as I’m sure a lot of you here on LOD have!  Movies, cartoons… YouTube videos of buses and fire trucks… you know what I mean.  😉  I noticed that most of the time, the way the automotive career path is presented to kids by Hollywood is largely focused on the job of race car driver.  An amazing, aspirational, exciting way to find a career in the auto industry, but one that’s largely unattainable or impractical for the majority of kids.  There can only be one Lightning McQueen but there can be thousands of weekend mechanics, custom builders, paint artists, amateur racers, show & shine winners…. even kit builders creating their own Lightning McQueen knock-off in their garage with an LS1 and a Fiero chassis. I really wanted kids to start seeing those as viable options – viable dreams, even – in addition to the eponymous race car driver, as ways to find an amazing career in cars.  Or even perhaps not a career, and just a fantastic weekend hobby that fulfills and enables them outside their regular job.

First shipment of books arrives from the printer!

It’s been an amazing process to develop kids’ books and I’ve learned so much about the publishing industry that I’ll share another time.  At this point, it’s mostly just thrilling to have the real books in my hands and be signing them for the kids in my life, hoping to inspire them and open doors for them in the future.

Nicky’s story is here, and in-stock on my site (TunersCare.com) and on Amazon (Amazon Link).  A portion of every sale goes to the Bleeding Disorder Foundation.  Book two is on the way in a few months (find out more here) and I couldn’t be more excited about the process, the impact, and the kids I get to meet as an author.  It’s amazing!