J. Arthur Moore has 42 years of experience as an educator … experience that led him to write an amazing Civil War story for young readers.

Now retired, Mr. Moore lives in Pennsylvania and enjoys spending time with his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Please welcome Mr. Moore to the first Alumni Spotlight of 2013 … a year where we will be commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation!

MCA: Welcome to the spotlight Arthur! Can you please tell us about what motivated you to create your book series, Journey into Darkness?
Arhur: I started Journey Into Darkness in high school. I kept working on it when I got to college to see if I could create a quality story related to the Civil War, probably as a result of a drummer boy story in The Saturday Evening Post.

The magazine had great fiction back then. It went on to become a project written for young readers to learn through the experience of a peer, and for adults to enjoy as well.

However, it would not have been completed had it not been for the challenge by Charley French: If I finished writing the story, he would be the photographic subject for Duane Kinkade. Thus, the story was written and Charley is Duane Kinkade.

MCA: Now that you have an award-winning book, what are your goals for the next year?
Arthur: It is an honor to be recognized by the Moms Choice Award. My goals for next year are to get the entire four-book  Journey Into Darkness series published and marketed.

I plan to submit two more of the books for the award so that the series can be recognized as a whole.

MCA: Wonderful! Its great to hear that you think so much of the award … but also that we get a chance to see how the story continues!

Could you share with our readers three ways your Mom’s Choice Award® will help you attain your goals.
Arthur: I believe the award will encourage visitors who come to the book’s website and Facebook page to linger and explore. The award is prominently placed on my book’s website home page and in the heading of its Facebook page.

I am hopeful that the battlefield parks related to the story will decide to add the book to their inventory and promote it to visitors. Additionally, I also hope that Journey into Darkness will help schools to decide to use the book as a tool for teaching middle schoolers about the Civil War through the experience of a boy their own age.

Just to make sure the book is noticed, I have added Award stickers to book covers, and the award has been added to bookmarks being given to libraries and individuals.

MCA: Can you share with us what you learned about yourself as an writer in creating your award-winning book?
Arthur: Journey Into Darkness is sort of a life’s work in that it was started in high school and college; set aside except for the telling of the story for more than 20 years; and then written in earnest at the request of the boy who became the photographic subject for Duane Kinkade.

I learned to create the story using facts through research, blended with the fictitious Duane Kinkade – and that it was great fun. Mostly, I learned that I could write an award-winning book!

Now it continues as a work after retirement, and I am able to travel and do events of which I never dreamed before.

MCA: Since launching the first book in the Journey into Darkness series, what has been your most rewarding experience in promoting or sharing it with the public? Do you have a favorite memory?
Arthur: Since Up From Corinth’s release, I have enjoyed great conversations at book signings with people interested in the subject, even if they didn’t buy the book. Most don’t.

I have also had the opportunity to present to groups, the stories of boys of the Civil War. The best was the opportunity to work with my granddaughter’s social studies teacher and re-enacter friends to introduce the study of the Civil War to an entire class of six sections of 8th grade, through the stories of boys and a girl their own age who served in the war.

MCA: As a new honoree, do you have any questions you’d like some of the “old hands” to answer for you?
Arthur: I am overwhelmed by all that is going on, and do not wish to miss any opportunities! I hope you “old hands” will help me to keep up.

I am still trying to learn how to handle the book’s Facebook page. A question no one has answered yet is, as administer of the page, what does it mean to add a page?

It would be great for the other Honorees to help me with opportunities that are offered but maybe I overlooked. That way I can revisit that which has been missed.

I have found that I cannot keep up with all the social media that has come my way – too many other activities including book signings, travel to promote the book [recently to Gettysburg, Antietam, and Perryville battlefields], creation of marketing material, work with the original publisher and a second publisher interested in publishing the entire 4-book story, daily email, bookkeeping, and more; not to mention as a single head of a 4-generation family — family matters, a model railroading hobby, and just plain housekeeping.

I have focused my energies on maintaining and updating the website which I can’t administer and must keep prodding and reminding the publisher of unfinished business, and the Facebook page which I can administer and requires constant updating from a myriad of events and informational updates.

I am so grateful for the opportunities that have come my way. Maybe some of you can help me better understand how to go from here. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

Great questions! Let us know how we can be of help in the New Year.

Mom’s Choice Awards® Honors

 

Contact, Connect, and Network with J. Arthur Moore

 

The Alumni Spotlight is a periodic feature on the official Mom’s Choice Awards® blog. It is part of our ongoing effort to “shine the spotlight” on you and your award-winning, family-friendly products, services, and media.