An Author Interview: Phillip Ulrich

      Hey! This week I'm excited to post not one, but TWO author interviews. The first interview features Phillip Ulrich, one of the authors of the amazing Growly Books series!

    This is a personal milestone for me, because the first book in this series, Begin, was the first review I ever wrote and posted. If you're interested, you can read that HERE.

    I have slightly edited the interview to make it easier to read, without changing any of the author's answers. Like my interview with Livy Jarmusch, this review is also spoiler-free!

Branching Out: An Interview with Phillip Ulrich

December 8, 2020

What inspired you to write the Growly Books?

The idea for the Growly Books started with a half dream/idea as I (Phil) was falling asleep. It was a scene of a bear coming out of the forest and walking into a village. In the scene, he is very curious about what people are doing, and wants to try for himself. Everyone thinks he is just trying to help, and suddenly the whole village is carrying him on their shoulders and singing, “We Love You!” I woke up with the melody still in my mind and thought the scene would make a fun music video. Erin suggested there might be more of a story behind it: Where did the bear come from? Why did he suddenly appear? Where is he going? Erin said she thought it should be a book … and it has grown from there.

Did you have a favorite character in the series? Why or why not?

It started with Growly, so I do like him, but Ember came as a total surprise when we started writing Begin and I really like her character a lot. She has a great sense of humor and a mysterious backstory that has a lot to explore.

Often it can be difficult to co-write one book, much less a whole series! How do you make it work?

It can be very difficult. The best way to make it work, I think, is to learn each other’s strengths and weaknesses and allow space for the other to help shape the story. With our fifth book, Winter, that releases this month, I have taken over the writing process, with Erin stepping in as the official editor. Our daughters are in high school now, so with the extra demands of homeschooling them in this season, it is working much better this way.

Why did you mainly decide to write about animals (bears, monkeys, etc.) instead of people?

Because of the original idea for the story, we knew it would be the story of a bear. The idea of bears flying gliders just seemed like a fun world I would have wanted to visit as a child … and even now. 😊 As the story went on, there just seemed to be a lot more room with the animal characters to create cultures and histories that felt fresh and fun.

What is your favorite part about writing?

The surprise of meeting new characters and visiting new places, and then seeing other readers be able to encounter them too.

Do you tend to write for others or for yourself? Why?

Both. When I’m writing, I want to see the story unfold and come to a place where it is complete. After that, I love to hear of the enjoyment it brings to others.

When you’re not feeling motivated to write, what do you do?

Still do it. Feelings are very deceptive. Just because you don’t feel creative, it doesn’t mean that what you write won’t be good. It might just take a bit more effort to get past the emotions. I haven’t noticed a big difference in what is accomplished on “inspired” or “uninspired” days, as long as I get past my feelings.

What’s your opinion on self-publishing?

There is a lot of work involved beyond just writing the story: layout, artwork, setting up where you will sell, marketing, etc. It can definitely feel overwhelming. But there are a lot of tools available and information online that definitely makes the process easier. We were already helping other people self-publish when we started The Growly Books. Also, Erin had already co-written a book about the process, Self Publish: Moving from Idea to Product, so that really helped. Ultimately, self-publishing can give you a lot of freedom with the stories you create. 

At what point do you think someone should call themselves a writer?

Hmm. Well, in our society that would usually be when you make money off it, but I think if writing is what brings real satisfaction and joy to you, you’re probably more of a writer than many who do it for a living. 

What do you hope readers will learn or remember from your stories?

Innocent adventure. I hope families will remember laughing together as they read aloud, and that there will be a spark of courage and kindness in a world that is often not that way at all.

Do you have plans for any future projects?

Yes. We just released a brand new Growly Book, Winter, and there will be at least one more following that. In the beginning, I thought there would just be one or two Growly Books. I was planning toward some other books and a couple of series unrelated to Growly. I do hope to work on some of those other ideas in the future.

What hobbies other than writing do you have? 

I love the outdoors when I get a chance. The mountains and coast in South Carolina are great.

What was your favorite book as a child?

The Poky Little Puppy, then The Famous Five Series by Enid Blyton.

What are some of your favorite authors?

I like Charles Dickens, Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, etc. And I love the old adventure series I read as a child, like The Famous Five and Biggles.

What are some of your favorite books?

Lord of the Rings, Mere Christianity, and A Tale of Two Cities.

If you could have dinner with another author, who would you pick and why?

I would pick C.S. Lewis. I think the conversation would be both deep and fun all at the same time. I don’t think he enjoyed vegetables though, so I might have to grill.

What would you say is your happiest memory?

As a child, playing in the garden with my mom. As an adult, accepting Jesus, getting married, and our babies being born!

What would be your dream vacation and why?

Traveling around New Zealand with my family. It is such a beautiful country with so many different types of places: rainforests, deserts, beaches, glaciers, alps, etc.

If you were a dessert, what would you be?

Probably a Lamington. (Australian Desert) It is two small pieces of sponge cake with cream in the middle. Then it is dipped in chocolate sauce and covered in coconut. We used to make them when I was young.

What advice would you give to other writers?

Begin! For me, the writing process was terrifying. I would sit at my computer staring at a blank screen feeling like if it wasn’t perfect, I would ruin the whole story. You can feel like you need to know every detail before you start. But my advice would be, just write the chapter title, and then the first sentence … quickly, without thinking about it too much. Let the story flow, and worry about the details later. A lot of my favorite scenes and characters in The Growly Books often came as a surprise as I just started writing.

    I hope you enjoyed hearing from the author! A huge thanks to the Ulriches for being so welcoming, and for Phillip Ulrich for letting me interview him.

    Have you already read Begin, Haven, or any of the other Growly books? If so, what did you think about them? Let me know!

    As always, feel free to request book reviews! Just take a look at my Review Policy page to see what books I'm open to. I'd also love to hear if there are any authors you'd like to see future interviews with.

    On Friday, join me for a Christmas-themed interview featuring one of the books I've already reviewed on here! Feel free to guess which author it'll be with.