1) Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into writing?
I always wanted to write, but had actually only ever written for our family business (home inspection). When we realized so many people purchase homes with no idea how one works I wrote four seasonal newsletters to cover their first year of homeownership.
2) What inspired you to write your book?
I continued to write other newsletters, such as hiring a contractor and how to paint, and thought househould insect infestation might be another useful topic. However, after my initial investigation, including discovering way more insects than originally thought, I understood there was no way to whittle the information down to 4-6 pages. But, I was fascinated with what I was learning and kept going.
3) What theme or message do you hope readers will take away from your book?
I really hope people firstly understand insects are important and we need to actually ensure we have a diverse range of them in our gardens. Secondly, I hope they realize most infestations are not that difficult to get rid of. Very few infestations require the assistance of a pest-control company and their chemicals.
4) What is one thing or one fact about pest and insect infestation that the average home owner will get wrong when it comes to insects in general and how to proceed with removing them from your home?
Believing the inflammatory disinformation on the internet, perpetrated by people with an economic reason for you to stop by, and consequently wasting time on products that don’t work or getting conned into a contract to spray your house on a regular basis. The book indicates which insects can be dealt with and how, and which require the pros along with tips on hiring one.
5) What advice would you give to aspiring or just starting authors out there?
If you know absolutely nothing about composing a novel, start reading books that explain the process. Beyond that, explore your inner voice for what gets you excited, positively or negatively. Ruminate with different characters that come alive within that excitement.
6) What does the future hold in store for you? Any new books/projects on the horizon?
I’ve begun the planning stage for a novel. I’ve had two characters in my head for a couple of years and with Little Buggers! finished, I’m thrilled to now have time to devote to letting them come out and play.
Author Anthony Avina's Blog 