Featured Interview With Wayne D. Kramer
Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
Go Hoosiers! I grew up and have always lived in the southern Indiana countryside. It’s hard for me to imagine living anywhere else, where the weather might not be prone to wild swings of hot, cold, rain, snow, and the occasional tornado just for fun. I endure this temperamental climate with my wife, Kaly, and our five daughters.
About me? I graduated in 2001 from Eastern High School in smalltown Pekin, Indiana and from the University of Louisville in 2005 with a Bachelor of Business Science. I’ve always had an enterprising spirit, which I fueled working for my parents’ company in medical equipment, business ventures in licensed products, my own business in medical equipment parts, and now as an indie author and publisher. I was one of two students voted “Most Likely to Succeed” out of our high-school class, so perhaps I’m living out a little test of fate. Through my business ventures, I’ve been blessed with opportunities to travel to much of the USA and dozens of countries throughout the world.
At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
It must have begun somewhere around the 2nd grade. One of the first “books” I remember writing was a haunted house mystery with Dr. Pig and Detective Penguin. Even back then, I apparently recognized the value of series, because over the course of a few school years I ended up writing second and third installments. Progressing through school, my stories were often chosen by my classmates for use in group projects (such as making little movies). I always gravitated toward sci-fi and fantasy, leaning especially hard toward fantasy as I consumed books like The Hobbit and the Redwall series by Brian Jacques.
One of my most ambitious projects actually started in my 8th grade year, when I began the Chrono Trigger Novel Project, which was the novelization of the video game by this name. I felt so strongly that I wanted to publish this story that the project continued in earnest through high school, college, and well into my adult years. The novel itself evolved from a game retelling to an epic-fantasy adaptation intended to be part of an entire series. It actually still exists to this day as something I’d still love to make happen if the rights can ever be worked out. Over my years in this project, I constantly made my work available for feedback from others, always improving and sharpening my craft.
Finally, I came to the realization that I really wanted to create my own series and brand—something I would fully own and thus was born the Heroes of Time series. This is my current series of YA fantasy novels and is actively in development. By the time I published my first novel, Heroes of Time Legends: Murdoch’s Choice in 2021, of course, I had kids, and those kids greatly influenced me to also write children’s books.
I brainstormed ideas with my kids over smoothies at a local coffee shop, and we all took an especially fond interest in these wonderful, gentle, tragically endangered animals called pangolins. The name “Penny Pangolin” came to me instantly and thus began my journey as an author of children’s books.
Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I am foremost a fan of fantasy. I enjoy books by authors like Michael J. Sullivan, Brian Jacques, Terry Brooks, J.R.R. Tolkien, and Patrick Rothfuss. My own writings are inspired by stories like these, my past work in Chrono Trigger, and the world I experience around me through travels, people, and daily life.
Tell us a little about your latest book?
The Penny Pangolin children’s book series is perfect for kids ages 3-8. The stories star animal characters and are themed around various virtues relevant to kids today, such as bullying, screentime, food sensitivity, friendship, responsibility, and sportsmanship. Educational details about animals and their environment are woven into the plots, and each book includes a fun seek-and-find to locate hidden critters throughout the illustrations. Free teaching resources and games are also available from my website. Endangered animals are given a special highlight in these books, including pangolins, red pandas, and others. The illustrations are beautifully done by Jade Zivanovic out of Australia. The hardcover books come with a free download, a huge value, as these are amazingly fun and narrated by David McCormack, the voice of Bandit Heeler (Bluey’s dad) in Bluey.
There are currently six books in the series (plus a coloring book):
Penny Pangolin and the Missing Ant Cake
Penny Pangolin Wants a Pet
Penny Pangolin and the Rock Soup
Penny Pangolin and the Baboon Bully
Penny Pangolin and the Tablet Turmoil
Penny Pangolin and the Termite Trophy
A ton of work went into these books and audiobooks to make them super high-quality. Visit PennyPangolin.com for more info and purchase links. I hope you check them out and enjoy!
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