Straight From The Mouth Of Shane Cloonan, author of Journey To The Cross

Thanks for letting us interrogate you!  Can you give us a go-for-the-gut answer as to why you wanted to be an author?

I have always really enjoyed writing, and I dreamed of being able to share my creations with others. 


Tell us (we won’t tell promise!) is it all it’s cracked up to be?  I mean what are the perks and what are the demands?

I have gone to a lot of schools for book signings, and since I am 14 years old one of the biggest perks is to see the little kids and how excited they are to see me and ask me questions. It’s cool to have me referred to as an author and sign copies of my book.  With school work and outside activities it can get demanding, but I am enjoying every minute.


Which route did you take – traditional or self-published – and can you give us the nitty gritty low down on what’s that like?

 Traditional. My 2nd grade Art teacher (Richard Browning) who did all the drawings for my book, recommended State Street Publishing.  He had a friend that used him and thought highly of him. State Street Publishing is a small publishing company in our area.


What’s the snarkiest thing you can say about the publishing industry (e.g. rejections, the long wait, etc.)

It’s a very slow and drawn out process


Tell us for real what your family feels about you spending so much time getting your book written, polished, edited, formatted, published, what have you?

It really does have its trying moments, you think your moving forward, and then it gets set back. Thankfully I am blessed with 2 supportive and helpful parents who are the reason my dream came true.


What was the craziest or insane thing that happened to you in the book publishing process?

When you think something is perfect in your mind, and revisions have to be made, even in the artwork changes have to be made to fit the text, it gets frustrating.


How about the social networks?  Which ones do you believe help and which ones do you wish you could avoid?

I think twitter, facebook, and linkedin are all a great way to reach potential readers.  I haven’t really encountered any that I think should be avoided yet.


Book sales.  Don’t you just love them (or lack of?)?  How are you making the sales happen for you?

We have done a lot of book sales through schools, booksignings, and amazon. I have been in the newspaper, and 2 radio interviews which I think also helped,  along with facebook, and twitter.


What is one thing you’d like to jump on the rooftop and scream about?

The little things my parents do every day to make this all possible.  They’re persistence paid off and I’m so thankful for all they do for me.


Can you tell us what you love about being a published author and how all those things above doesn’t matter because it’s all part of the whole scheme of things and you wouldn’t have it any other way?

I love signing books, meeting new people, and above all else, I love the fact that I can hold my book and tell myself that I made it happen.  I know I can do it again, and I want others to realize that they can too. Age doesn’t matter. The long process is all part of it.  It makes it that much more rewarding when it’s finished.  I know that in order to make it happen, you must have patience and go through the process.




Inside the Book:





Title: Journey to the Cross
Author: Shane Cloonan
Publisher: State Street Publishing
Publication Date: September 11, 2015
Pages: 35
Genre: Children's Christian Fiction


Book Description: 

This is the story of the Jesus donkey, a fictional tale that takes readers on a journey from our Lord's birth to his ultimate crucifixion. Though written and illustrated for young readers, this book is perfect for people of all ages who want a fresh, youthful perspective on the life of Jesus. The book's message is imbued in the strength and simplicity of hearts that are linked to other hearts by Jesus. Journey to the Cross follows the light of hope that first appeared on that special night in Bethlehem.


For More Information:
Journey to the Cross is available at AmazonBarnes & Noble


Meet the Author




Shane Cloonan is a resident of Elgin, Illinois and a high school freshman. This book, his first, started out as a grade school writing project. Shane is an avid outdoorsman. He also is an accomplished woodcarver. Shane took third place in his age group and category two years ago at the Ward World Championships Wildfowl Carving Competition in Maryland, then followed that up with a first-place finish in the International Woodcarvers Congress competition in Iowa.

You can visit Shane’s website at www.shanecloonan.com


For More Information:


Virtual Book Tour 






No comments: