Author Interview: Simon Camilleri

I get very excited when new Australian Christian children's books arrive on the scene. This is partly because there aren't very many of them. But it's also because those that do make it through the gauntlet of publishing hurdles are usually saying something rather special. They're looking at things from a slightly different angle, and the truths they explore can be powerful as a result. Simon Camilleri is a poet, speaker, graphic designer and the author of some of these types of books. I was grateful to be able to interview him in the midst of the whirlwind of launching his newest children's book, Read, Think, Pray, Do - a kid's guide to reading the Bible! 

​Penny: How would you sum up your 'author brand' and what do you believe your books offer your readers?
Simon: I have always had a passion for communicating big ideas in simple, engaging and winsome ways, whether that's through theatre, graphic design, public Bible reading or  songwriting. All of these creative pursuits have the potential not only to entertain, but also express deep truths about life, God and the gospel message. This is what I try to do in my writing also. I want people to want to spend time in the books I create and come back to them over and over, not because they are difficult to understand, but because they are deep. 
Also, as a dad who is trying to disciple his kids in the gospel, I have a heart for parents who want to do the same. My books are designed to be read together. They are for parents, for grandparents and for anyone involved in children's ministry. They are discipleship and evangelistic resources, packaged as timeless classic children's stories you would snuggle up and read to your kid before bedtime.
The evangelist Glen Schriver recently gave a very kind review of my latest book and he described it as "deceptively deep". I really like that phrase. It definitely expresses what I hope people will discover as they read and re-read the books I create.

"I want people to want to spend time in the books I create and come back to them over and over, not because they are difficult to understand, but because they are deep."
- Simon Camilleri

Penny: Does your Christian faith impact how you write, and if so, in what ways?
Simon: Back when I became a Christian in my late teens (30 years ago now), I was given three books by the Christian lady who had led me to Christ. They were a Bible, the autobiography God's Smuggler, and the novel In His Steps. The message of that third book was that all Christians should live their lives, and use their gifts asking the question, "What would Jesus do?" In fact, that book is where the cliché Christian phrase "WWJD" originated from. As I came to the end of my high school years, I reflected on the question for myself. If Jesus had my particular creative skills and love of the arts, what would he do with them? It seemed obvious to me that he would use them to love people by spreading the gospel message. The words of Paul to the Corinthians, "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God" (1 Corinthians 10:31), became my life motto. I wanted to use whatever gifts God has given me to point people to Him and share His kingdom. That goal has definitely shaped and fueled my choices over the last 30 years of walking with Christ. It defines what I desire to write about, the style with which I write, the purpose behind my books, and even my creative process. In fact, it often even prevents me from writing! I have many more ideas for writing projects than I have time to write them. I have to think wisely about how to use my time, allocating time to my creative ministry, as well as my regular job working as a graphic designer, and being a present husband and father to my two kids. It has taken me a while to work out that balance and I still struggle with it, but I have learned that resting in God and serving my family and my local church, brings great glory to God. 

Penny: Tell us about your most recent book and what you love most about it?
Simon: Read, Think, Pray, Do - a kid's guide to reading the Bible is the second in my Kid's Guide Books series. The first was Wow God! Thank You, Sorry, Please - a kid's guide to prayer. Both these books introduce kids to a basic Christian discipline, and around this educational message tell the story of a father spending time with his young daughter. In Wow God! they go on a walk together through the bush, which worked well for the topic of prayer. However, Read, Think, Pray, Do had the challenge of tackling a much more "indoorsy" activity: reading the Bible.
The book could have easily become much colder and more academic, but I didn't want that. I think reading the Bible with our kids can be an epic and exciting adventure. I wanted to capture that, so I added a fantastical/metaphorical element. The book portrays the journey of reading the Bible like riding the waves of the ocean. The ocean is scary and huge and difficult to navigate. The Bible can feel like that too. But like the ocean, the Bible is also deep and wonderful, filled with amazing discoveries. I love how the illustrator Dominic On and I were able to capture that!

Penny: What are your hopes for this book?
Simon: ​I hope both Wow God! and Read, Think, Pray, Do are tools that help parents disciple their kids in the faith and inspire conversations about prayer and Bible reading. I hope they are entertaining and a delight to read. But as much as I want my books to be re-readable, I would love if parents eventually put my books down down in favour of actually praying and reading the Bible with their kids. 
It warms my heart when my son asks for the David and Goliath story to be read from his children's Bible for the hundreth time, or my ten year old daughter begs me to continue reading 1 Samuel with her. The Bible is indeed a huge ocean. It can never be tamed. It can only be ridden and navigated, as we let its epic waves take us on an adventure. It is such a privilege to ride those waves alongside our kids and see them find the buried treasure along the way!
I hope that my books can help Christian families get to that stage. If they can, even in a small way, I will consider them a great success.

For more information about Simon and his book, visit: www.KidsGuideBooks.com 
To order a copy, pop over here.