Q&A with Children’s Author Geoff Rodkey

Geoff Rodkey is the author of the Chronicles of Egg middle grade adventure-comedy series and the Emmy-nominated screenwriter of such hit films as “Daddy Day Care,” “RV, and the Disney Channel’s “Good Luck Charlie, It’s Christmas.” His newest Chronicles of Egg book, “Blue Sea Burning,” will be released in April 2014.

Did you have a day job? What was it and how did it influence your writing?
The last day job I had was walking an Upper East Side billionaire’s two golden retrievers around the Central Park Reservoir on weekday mornings. You know the stereotype of the spoiled rich kid? These were spoiled rich dogs. They were fed—I am not lying about this—filet mignon and Evian water. And once when the billionaire was at his estate in Florida and decided he missed his dogs, he sent a limo to pick them up and take them to the airport, where they flew alone by private jet down to Florida.

The dogs needed a personal walker because while they were friendly enough to humans, they HATED other dogs, and attacked any one that came within 10 feet of them. Since they were very large and very strong, and there are a LOT of other dogs walking around Central Park on weekday mornings, this was a constant and terrifying problem for me.

The bigger one once snapped his leash and chased a Dalmatian across Fifth Avenue in traffic. I’m pretty sure the Dalmatian also belonged to a billionaire, so if one of them had been hit by a bus, I’d probably still be dealing with the financial and legal repercussions 20 years later.

Having that job influenced my writing in the sense that it motivated me to sell something so I could quit. The money was great, but psychologically, I just couldn’t handle it.

Why should people come listen to you talk about your book?
People should come to hear me talk about the Chronicles of Egg series for two reasons.

First, because the books themselves—a mix of adventure, humor, mystery, drama, and age-appropriate puppy love—are more fun than a person should be allowed to have between two covers of a book.

And second, because I am hilarious in person.

Hilarious, I tell you!

Unless I’m having an off day.

Then, not so much.

But I promise it won’t be an off day.

Probably.

Why children’s books?
I didn’t set out to write children’s books. With the Chronicles of Egg series, I wrote the books I wanted to read: adventure stories with a lot of comedy but also some emotional heft, set in an exotic location that’s not quite of our world.

Then I found out adults don’t read books like that. Only kids do.

So basically, I wound up writing children’s books because I have the literary taste of a 12-year-old.

I’m okay with that. But it does make me wonder about the other adults.

Why write?
I write because I’ve found there’s no greater feeling in life than the one that comes from creating something which gives other people joy.

And since I’m tone deaf, can barely draw stick figures, and am a lousy cook, the only things I’m any good at creating for other people are stories.

Writing is the most efficient delivery vehicle for those stories, so I write.

Also, on a more mercenary level, I have to admit that getting paid to make stuff up is a pretty great scam.