An Interview with George Linsenmeyer
Currently a practicing cardiologist with Vandalia Health in South Charleston, West Virginia.
Tell us the story of your book’s title. Was it easy to find, or did it take forever?
My wife and I have four wonderful boys. They were very active when they were young, and it was difficult to get them to settle down and go to sleep at night. I would make up and tell them bedtime stories. There was one particular story that I wrote down on paper, who knows why. The story sat in a file drawer for twenty-plus years. When my first grandchild was born, I revised the story and printed the story on my home computer and presented the story to my son and daughter-in-law. My sister-in-law obtained a copy; she had her husband’s niece illustrated the story and had it bound by a local printer and presented it to me for a birthday present. Thus, Sherri the Shrimp Saves the Day was born.
How did it feel when you first saw your book cover? Or when you first held your book in your hands?
Words cannot describe the feeling. Amazing!
Who/what made you want to write? Was there a particular person, or particular writers/works/art forms that influenced you?
Ideas just pop into my mind. I have no idea where the general plot comes from.
What other professions have you worked in? What’s something about you that your readers wouldn’t know?
I am a full time cardiologist. Work takes up a great deal of time, average eighty hours per week. I also serve on several national committees in association with professional organizations. The committees help to improve cardiovascular care for patients and help to promote healthier lifestyles.
What was the most rewarding/meaningful part of publishing your book?
My four books so far help children to appreciate that every human has different gifts to offer to help build a better world. Being different, looking different can be a good thing. How boring life would be if we were all the same!
If your book had a soundtrack, what are some songs that would be on it?
Good question. I’ve never really thought about it. Maybe Wooden Ships by Crosby, Stills and Nash, or Heart of Gold by Neil Young.
What is one thing you hope readers take away from reading your book? How do you envision your perfect reader?
Don’t judge other people by the way they look. Don’t tease other people. Teamwork is also very important. God gave us all different gifts. If we use these gifts in a good way, they can be very beneficial and synergistic.
What creative projects are you currently working on?
Book number five is titled Batter Up! A young boy is having trouble being a good baseball player, and finds help from an unexpectedly kind neighbor.
How was working with Atmosphere Press? What would you tell other writers who want to publish?
Be persistent! And keep being persistent! Learn from other authors.
Are you a writer, too? Submit your manuscript to Atmosphere Press.
Atmosphere Press is a selective hybrid publisher founded in 2015 on the principles of Honesty, Transparency, Professionalism, Kindness, and Making Your Book Awesome. Our books have won dozens of awards and sold tens of thousands of copies. If you’re interested in learning more, or seeking publication for your own work, please explore the links below.