Hoagie & Katie Series
Press Kit
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The Hoagie & Katie series are chapter books written and narrated by Rio Koviak, with colorful illustrations by Ian Koviak. The books chronicle the adventures of Hoagie, a feisty hamster, and his gentle and brave cohort Katie, a Costa Rican Capybara.
The books are an ideal choice for children ages 4-9 who are learning to read yet still enjoy a traditional picture book. They are paced in a way that allows it to be enjoyed in parts, thereby allowing kids to connect with the characters and look forward to reading further chapters. The vibrant color illustrations featured in the Hoagie & Katie series are different from most children's books as they depict actual photographs of the animals set in richly illustrated colorful backgrounds, striking a intriguing blend of realism and fantasy that will appeal to budding readers. The Hoagie & Katie audiobooks are narrated by the author, giving the characters a distinctive voice all their own, which children will thoroughly enjoy! Hoagie & Katie (Book 1) Hoagie finds himself in a strange world after his hamster ball rolls a bit too far from home. Adventure ensues as Hoagie makes an unlikely friendship with Katie, the capybara, who has also wandered away from her family. The two buddies embark on a journey that leads them through wonder, danger, and surprise, as they meet a memorable roster of characters on their way home! Hoagie & Katie in Space (Book 2) Best friends Hoagie the hamster, and Katie the capybara find themselves in a fantastic new world where they must choose between safety and adventure, loyalty and fame, instinct and acceptance. Hoagie & Katie Take Flight (Book 3) In this final installment of the Hoagie and Katie series, our friends go on their most daring adventure yet. Joining forces with Flamingo Joe and a cast of colorful critters, the two are ready to take on new challenges and make tough choices. The group goes forth and finds the answers to the mysteries of the world beyond home. |
BOOK SPECIFICATIONS
TITLE: Hoagie & Katie Series AUTHOR/NARRATOR: Rio Koviak PUBLISHER: Lumadix Press SIZE: 5.5"X8.25" FULL COLOR ILLUSTRATIONS: 24-35 PAGES: 60-200 DATE OF PUBLICATION: 2016-2021 RETAIL PRICE: $12.99 US (Paperback) eBOOK PRICE: $8.99 US AUDIOBOOK (only first in series) PRICE: $3.95 US 
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Q&A with Rio
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Tell us a little bit about your background as a writer.
When I was around 6 yrs old, I started writing, performing, and recording my own stories on my mother’s 8-track stereo. By the time I was seven, I became obsessed with observing people (basically, spying), and every chance I got, I would log my findings in a locked diary which I kept hidden beneath my bookshelf. Soon, I graduated to journaling about my observations of others, as well as chronicling my own experiences (both pleasant and woeful). Recently, I found some of these journals dating back to when I was in junior high; I was surprised at the large volume of journals I have amassed! What was your inspiration for writing Hoagie and Katie? Years ago, I had written a children’s book which was erased by my iPad and never recovered. I couldn’t get my head around re-writing it, so instead, I thought about creating a new book that actually featured my original character, Flamingo Joe. At the same time, I was dabbling in recording audio books, and realized I wanted to record character voices for children’s fiction. I figured, why not start with my own characters and my own book? Thus, Hoagie and Katie was born! My inspiration for choosing the main characters for this particular book was due to my curious love of capybaras (I have even fantasized about moving back to California just so I could live in a climate that is conducive to raising one as my own, but my husband's not a big fan of the idea!). How did you find time to write as a parent of young children? I really had to isolate myself in order to focus and create without any distractions beyond my own self. I was able to spend some time alone at a friend’s beach cottage which gave me the solitude that I needed to feed my soul, and in essence, fuel the creativity for the book. Eventually, Hoagie & Katie became a force all on its own, and I was just the vehicle. What were some ways you were able to stay motivated and inspired? Being able to write with a window overlooking nature, for one thing. I can’t stare at four walls and be inspired, that’s for sure! I need to see trees, flowers, hummingbirds, eagles, the ocean, etc. Oh, and knowing that my reward was waiting for me if I worked steadily through the morning (my 12 o’clock piece of pie or frosty beer, depending on the weather). What influences came into play throughout the writing process? Well, I am definitely influenced by my experience working in the animal industry, training and observing exotic animals. Not only do I have profound respect for them, I have also witnessed aspects of their personalities and behaviors that endear me to them and fill me with awe. |
Do you have any favorite children's book writers?
This is a tricky question as there are so many different genres in children’s literature, and the age range, attention span, and personality of the child will determine which books will be cherished during a child’s life . Personally, I grew up reading many different types of books beginning with typical rhyming books (Seuss), to first readers like Mercer Mayer, to Roger Hargreaves, Gene Zion, E.B. White, and Beatrix Potter. I then developed a love of fables such as Johnny Gruel’s Raggedy Ann & Andy, and of course, A.A. Milne’s Winnie- the-Pooh. I reveled in the great fantasy genre authors: L. Frank Baum, C.S. Lewis, and J.R.R. Tolkien, dabbled in reading comics (Bill Watterson, Gary Larson, and Schultz). I eventually exchanged humor for more thought-provoking moral tales such as Anne of Green Gables, Watership Down, Lord of the Flies, and Animal Farm. In my opinion, all of these authors paved the way for the many creative minds of today, which are too many to list. Where there challenges that made you think twice about writing? It can be very difficult to keep up the discipline of focusing on the project every day, whether it be the writing, marketing, or doing interviews! It is also challenging for me to have the patience of waiting for a project to come to fruition (I want to see it published now!) I was also rather surprised at how much money it would cost just to see my little hobby transformed into an actual book, much less recording costs, etc. What plans do you have for promoting Hoagie and Katie? We live in a social media world now, so I have to learn how to navigate in that arena in order for the book to do well. I am planning to do a lot of readings and puppet shows at local bookstores, libraries, toy stores, zoos, and schools. I would also love to create a YouTube channel for those who are not able to attend the readings, as well as manufacture stuffed animal characters to sell them on my website: www.riokoviak.com Do you plan to keep writing children's books? Yes, definitely! I have plans to serialize the Hoagie books in the future, introducing supporting characters who will eventually become the main characters in their own stories. I also would love to adapt the Hoagie series into theatrical children’s plays. When will the book come out? I’m hoping for an official distribution date by November 25, 2016 (Black Friday), in hopes that buyers will have the opportunity to purchase their books in time for the holiday season! In what ways do you hope the book will connect with the readers? I feel that the book has a lot of potential to speak to a wide range of readers. The universal themes of friendship, loyalty, and empathy will resonate with adults reading to their kids/grandkids; the more text will challenge early readers; and the pictures will endear young children to the characters and fantasize about the land in which the characters live. I also hope that the unique characters will prompt conversations about the animals and their habitat, inciting wonder and a lifelong respect for animals and the world in general. |
Reviews
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"A sweetly illustrated, charming tale of adventure and discovery, family, and surprising friendships among the denizens of an enchanted swamp."
—MARK BURSTEIN, President Emeritus of The Lewis Carroll Society of North America "I just read Hoagie & Katie with my niece, Laila, who is 8. She laughed a lot! Hoagie is a very funny character, and the images are beautiful. This book is perfect for any kid who likes animals and humor." —MONIQUE SORGEN, Author, Screenwriter, Director http://moniquesorgen.tumblr.com/ |
"Really enjoyed it. It has delightfully stylized art and a wonderful message running throughout".
—MARC ROSE, Actor, Producer, Owner of Fuse Audio Design "Bravo! A great first for Rio Koviak. Heart-warming, feisty, and packed with memorable characters. Just the right amount of adventure, wonder and laugh-out-loud moments to keep the kiddos engaged." —ALAN HEBEL, Book Production Manager |
…[a] good book to challenge young readers to move beyond their favorite picture books, and wanting to read more ‘chapter books’.
The author concludes this first adventure on a positive note with some good lessons learned.
I look forward to the next adventure of Katie and Hoagie. Young readers who are
really into animals will find this to be an enjoyable book.
--PORTLAND BOOK REVIEW, 4 STARS
The author concludes this first adventure on a positive note with some good lessons learned.
I look forward to the next adventure of Katie and Hoagie. Young readers who are
really into animals will find this to be an enjoyable book.
--PORTLAND BOOK REVIEW, 4 STARS
