Today we’d like to introduce you to Davon Miller.
Davon, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
My story starts with my mother, Sandra Miller. While being in her womb before I was born, she would read various children’s stories to me. As a young preschooler, I would illustrate with what was presented to me on my television screen. Eventually, it led to me writing stories about characters I grew up viewing due to my fascination. I became very much in love with writing and illustrating that I found myself writing 100-page books at the age of eight. That part of me, writing and illustrating, never outgrew me.
At the age of eleven, I published my first book titled “Mr. Tickety-Toc Clock: Goodnight Mr. Clock,” which is about a clock trying to go to sleep. Mr. Tickety-Toc Clock eventually spawned into a children’s book series, with five books in the series so far. With my series, I do a lot of local school and community visits to children, encouraging them to read because reading is at the core of the “Mr. Tickety-Toc Clock” series.
As an infant, I was diagnosed with severe asthma, which forced me at times to be in and out of All Children’s Hospital. Because of my asthma as a young child, I donate some proceeds from my book signings to John Hopkins All Children’s Hospital in support of asthma.
In 2020, I started a campaign titled #IMAGINE2020CHILDRENSTORIES, a campaign to help indie and self-published African American children’s authors during the rise of #BlackLivesMatter after the death of George Floyd. The goal was to raise $2020, and it was proven a success. After my campaign, I was given the opportunity to be a radio correspondent for Joy on Paper. Once a month I discuss the latest children’s books, especially indie and self-published children’s books, to showcase new and unheard-of voices.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
My journey has not been a smooth road. The earliest struggle I can recall was figuring out how to publish a book. I remember meeting a lady who was my substitute teacher at the time, leading us to my editor, and then I eventually was led to another children’s author who navigated me on how to publish a book.
After the publication of my first book, we, my mother, father and I, didn’t know in the beginning of how to keep the momentum going for my books. It was a struggle in the beginning on how to further reach kids with my books, and it eventually led from a slow process to reaching out to individuals so I could impact children.
Impacting children through my #IMAGINE2020CHILDRENSTORIES campaign was probably the biggest struggle because I’ve never done a campaign before. It didn’t turn out how I planned in terms of reaching children, however, looking back on it now, the books donated would impact many children to come that would enroll in the schools that I donated books to.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am a young, published children’s author and illustrator. I’m best known to be the author and illustrator of the “Mr. Tickety-Toc Clock” children’s book series. I’m most proud of how far I’ve reached in terms of my writing and illustrating, and I’m very proud to continue making an impact in my community through my books. I’m also proud to donate some proceeds in benefit of asthma to the local children’s hospital through my books.
What sets me apart from others is that I started out very young, with my first book published at the age of eleven. Another aspect that sets me apart are my illustrations. My illustrations are done with crayon and colored pencil as opposed to digital art because it’s how I’ve conveyed my writing for so long. My illustrations also give kids a connection to how they might draw and color and possibly encourage them to write and illustrate stories as well.
If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
Growing up, I was very creative. When writing and illustrating for myself, I would rip out pages from a spiral notebook that I wrote and drew on and then staple them together so it would feel like an actual book. Interest-wise, I was highly fascinated with cartoons, animation, and any films or television shows that specifically targeted preschoolers, children, and tweens that interested me. I was also a bit of a shy kid. However, after doing school visits and interviews, I’ve become more outspoken than I thought I would become.
Pricing:
- Mr. Tickety-Toc Clock: Goodnight Mr. Clock – $9.95
- Mr. Tickety-Toc Clock: Clockworker David – $9.95
- Mr. Tickety-Toc Clock: The Travel to Washington – $9.95
- Mr. Tickety-Toc Clock: It’s Time to Read – $10.20
- Mr. Tickety-Toc Clock and the Magic Library – $10.20
Contact Info:
- Website: https://davonmiller.wixsite.com/author
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authordavonmiller/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authordavonmiller
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/davonmiller
