Ethan Long Reflects on His Journey as a Children's Author and Illustrator

Long draws inspiration for his stories from various sources, including comments from his children, personal experiences, and moments of quiet reflection during drives or early mornings. He often finds innovative ideas in unexpected moments, noting that creativity can strike when least anticipated.

He occasionally shares his story ideas with his family, including his three children—one attending Florida State University and two in middle school. Long values their feedback, although he admits that his middle schoolers sometimes struggle to grasp the concepts of his stories.

When asked about the challenges of illustrating his own books, Long explains that while the process is enjoyable, making the time to work on them consistently can be difficult. He has experience in both writing and illustrating, often developing stories and characters from his initial sketches.

One book that resonates with Long is “Harold and the Purple Crayon,” which he admires for its magic and simplicity. He also discussed his book “My Dad, My Hero,” which reflects on his complex relationship with his father. This work evolved from a piece of art he created for his dad and represents a blend of his memories and feelings about fatherhood.

His character from “Tickle the Duck” symbolizes his own personality, illustrating a balance between anger and sweetness, serving as an outlet for his frustrations with the publishing industry. Long noted that this book, which took only a week to publish after several rejections, became his biggest seller.

In 2013, he was surprised to win the Theodor Seuss Geisel Award for “Up, Tall and High!” This recognition has been beneficial for his career, leading to increased visibility among educators and more school visits.

Long’s typical day starts early, with a morning walk followed by getting his children ready for school. He works from home using his childhood desk and dedicates time to writing and production on various projects, including freelance work for magazines like “Ranger Rick Jr.”

Originally from Pennsylvania and raised in Connecticut, Long moved to Orlando to be closer to a larger city after attending college in Sarasota. He appreciates the community feel of College Park, describing it as friendly and convenient.

Beyond writing, Long enjoys cooking, particularly Vietnamese dishes, and he crafts bird sculptures from natural materials. For aspiring writers, he advises persistence, echoing his father's words to do something small every day to move forward.