Featured Author: Bill Franklin

Recently I had the pleasure of making the acquaintance of author Bill Franklin. Bill has quite a bit of writing and publishing experience, but recently turned his talents to writing for children. His first children’s book, “We Might Win or We Might Lose” was released earlier this month and is available in both e-book and paperback editions.

We Might Win! … Fantastic! Ice cream! Pizza party!

… Or, We Might Lose! …We’ll just go home angry.

Sound familiar?

Some children

 think winning is the very best and losing is the absolute worst. But, are they? Reading this illustrated book of rhymes with them can help begin to put losing and winning in the proper perspective.

Sure, it’s fun to win! But kids need to learn: not everyone can win. Even champions don’t always win! On their way home from a soccer match, Donovan, Julie and Timmy talk with their dad about the issue.

If your child has ever suffered from losing an important game or match, this book will help. Its light story line and twenty illustrated rhymes will lead to some good talks about winning and losing, and growing and learning!

We grownups know that losing teaches lessons that winning doesn’t! A loss can create motivation to work harder to improve skills—in sports and other areas. When kids “get” that, they’ll better understand how to feel when they lose—and when they win.

Belle: What was your inspiration for We Might Win or We Might Lose?

Bill: The title was something I’ve said to my own kids (now grown) for a long time. My son used to ask, “Dad are we going to win?” That title was always my answer. He would always ask a follow-up, something like, “Okay, so why don’t we know if we will win?” I just answered, “Because we don’t know who will be the better team today.”

So I guess it was my son. He didn’t much like losing, and sometimes it wasn’t easy to tell him anything that would make him accept it. Some say it’s good that kids don’t accept losing, but I think it can go too far. Some kids just think they should win all the time! I wanted to give parents a way to help their kids understand that winning and losing is something they have to accept—it’s part of playing, always.

Belle: Always! What one thing do you hope kids will remember after reading this book?

Bill: I’m hoping they’ll remember the part about being good to the other guys whether they win OR lose. It’s important that they understand that they should be gracious when they lose and that they should not taunt or make fun of the others when they lose.

Belle: That’s a lesson even some adults could stand to learn! This book one in the Happier Kids series. What will the second book be about?

Bill: I’m thinking about a couple of titles. One might be, “Why Be Nice?” a little book about how it benefits a child to be nice, polite, and mannerly. Another might be “What’s Special About ME?” This one points out each child’s uniqueness from many angles – physical, emotional, intelligence, size – all those.

Belle: Those are both important topics for young kids! Why do you enjoy writing for children?

Bill: It’s actually fun! Enjoyable! After writing for businesses as a systems analyst, doing several how-to books, a couple of “message” novels, writing for kids is fun in the same way it’s fun to play with them in the park. For a little while, it’s possible to forget I’m an old man and put my brain into “happy child mode.” It’s as good as taking a nap!

I hope you will check out We Might Win or We Might Lose! It could be just what your child needs to start understanding sportsmanship and get a positive, healthy perspective on winning and losing in sports…and in life!