John Claude Bemis and I talk about a little bit of everything: art, music, elementary education, and, of course, literature. He gives a preview of his class on revision in the second half of our conversation that every writer should hear and shares some fantastic tips for creating a great first draft. We also talk a lot about Pinocchio and his unique twist on the classic tale in his Davinci-Punk series OUT OF ABATON, focusing on the first book, THE WOODEN PRINCE.

An inspiring speaker and entertaining performer, John Claude Bemis is the author of THE WOODEN PRINCE, LORD OF MONSTERS, THE CLOCKWORK DARK trilogy, THE PRINCE WHO FELL FROM THE SKY, and FLORA AND THE RUNAWAY ROOSTER. He received the Excellence in Teaching Award from UNC Chapel Hill’s School of Education for his work in the schools as an author-educator and served as North Carolina’s Piedmont Laureate. John lives with his wife and daughter in Hillsborough, NC.