Q&A With Fellow Expat & Aspiring Children's Author, Quentin Cable

I'm very delighted to introduce my first Q&A with someone I've known for a number of years. We met in the U.K. through mutual friends and is a good friend of mine. He wears many hats as an IT Support Engineer, a husband, a dad, an entrepreneur, a writer and an aspiring children's author, introducing Quentin G Cable.

Thank you for joining me as my first guest, it's an absolute pleasure to have you!

Please tell us a bit about yourself and how long you have been a writing?

I am a South African born Capetonian and moved to London many years ago. I have been writing for a few years but have been planning the children' book for more than a few years. My aim is to deliver a positive message and play a small role in helping to improve the quality of everyday life for the next generation of teachers, leaders, and influencers.

What first inspired you to start writing books?

I have wanted to create a children’s book that sends a positive message about diversity and inclusion, something that I feel passionate about. As someone who was born in the apartheid era, it is something I have always wanted to help with and the best place to start is with kids because they don't judge and they don't see colour and they are incredibly impressionable. If we can portrait an image of unity and fellowship with children through reading, they can help to be the change we all want to see in many years to come.

"I'd like to make a small contribution to help effect positive change for everyone through storytelling."

You’ve written a number of books that covers a range of topics, but what made you want to write a children’s book?

With words, you can change the way kids look at other kids and it tees up nicely to my point to your previous question, and that is that children are receptive to things and if they are told we are all the same from young, this could change the mindset of a generation to come. I can't change what's going on in the world right now with regard to racial injustice, but I'd like to make a small contribution to help effect positive change for everyone through storytelling.

Please tell us more about the book itself?

The book is called For Love Of the Wool.

I have chosen sheep to be the characters as every kid can relate to a soft furry animal.

Sheep just have a natural innocence about themselves and they are relatable, which in my opinion makes them the perfect storybook characters. The story sends the message that we are all the same no matter the colour we are. Not wanting to give away too much, but at the end of the book, I have put a few questions to ask the child, just to ensure that the message did get across and if the parent or teacher read the story, they will have an opportunity to explain to the child what the main theme of the story is all about.

Being a dad of two wonderful boys, how are you managing to cope with the work/life balance?

Parenting is the hardest job in the world, I thank the lord I had 2 amazing parents that instilled into me values I have now passed onto my kids. The work-life balance is hard but work will always come second and family first. Even when I am working, I am always open to my kids approaching me and asking me anything. I will also make sure I take my hour lunch and do activities with them. I want to build a bond with them that will last a lifetime.

"The only reason I could have possibly achieved this is because of the incredible support I get from my wife, who shares the workload with me, she is amazing."

Quentin with family on holiday

Book sales may not have set the world alight, but there are some great comments from readers, does that motivate you to want to write anymore?

Yes, I am always looking for a new topic to write about but it took a long time to get the last book onto paper so I am not sure how long it will be before the next one. I must say, it was hard work getting everything done but I am delighted with my achievement. What has inspired me the most was how proud my wife and kids are because I have fulfilled a dream of mine. The only reason I could have possibly achieved this is because of the incredible support I get from my wife, who shares the workload with me, she is amazing.

Any final comments?

Check out the book on Amazon, For Love Of the Wool by QG Cable, it’s available on Kindle and paperback. Thanks for your time.