Ethan’s STEM Adventures: I Can Be a Scientist!
by Louis J. Desforges
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GENRE: Children’s
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BLURB:
Like the infinite-shade of colors, the richness of life is enhanced by our natural inclination, as creative beings, to hold distinct perspectives on just about any subject. Collectively, however, I believe we all appreciate the profound significance of all the things that influenced and molded us from an early age—the moments and events that are weaved intricately into our memories.
Who amongst us cannot recall a story, no matter what artistic form used to bring it to life: a book, a show, a play, a comic, a song, a movie, or even a real-life character (that family member, teacher, coach, or friend) who shaped the lens with which we view the world then, now, and always.
For this very reason, I believe children should see themselves represented in all areas of human endeavors, cementing deep within their framework the possibilities that await, regardless of prevailing circumstances.
My hope is to bridge the diversity gap in STEM by creating excitement around Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math through diverse representation.
“I see me, therefore I can be.”
So it remains, like the infinite shades of color, the richness of life is enhanced by the stories and experiences that holds us.
-Louis J. Desforges
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Excerpt One:
Of all the paths I can explore,
Of all the subjects I adore,
The world of science excites me more.
Science helps us see
What was, what is, and what can be
You’ll get a million questions from me!
I observe, I explore…
I’ll get to the core, that’s for sure.
What will I find…maybe a cure?
Or a giant fossil
Of a DINOSAUR!
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Interview:
Tell us about your book? How did it get started?
I believe that we learn as children to adopt false narratives such as the perception that aspirations are “unattainable,” “far-fetched,” or “unrealistic” simply because they seem out of reach for whatever reason at the time. We aren’t taught to look at failures as a success waiting to happen, or to look at barriers as a challenge that will instead teach us more of what we need to know to succeed.
Telling stories is an excellent way to inspire children. Stories provide children with a view into new and exciting world of characters, places, cultures, and traditions.
Storytelling enhances creativity, inspires curiosity, and broadens a child’s immigration – making them more open to new ideas and concepts while teaching them about life, themselves, and others.
Sadly, children along all dimensions of diversity rarely see themselves represented in the characters of the books that they read.
My purpose is to be intentional about creating more diverse, equitable and inclusive stories that will inspire and cement deep within a child’s framework the confidence to achieve their dreams, regardless of their prevailing circumstances.
“I see me, therefore I can be”
What inspires and what got you started in writing?
I have always been intrigued and captivated by great storytelling. Growing up, I never travelled beyond my Brooklyn neighborhood – except the occasional school trip; and so, I essentially lived my entire childhood vicariously through the exciting adventures I read about.
Although I always remained fascinated by the people and places those stories introduced me to, I was far more intrigued by how the stories were told.
From an early age, I recognized the complexity and difficulty of writing something that can excite, intrigue, inspire and impact others – and so, I maintained a high level of admiration for writers.
I am inspired by writers who are witty, mischievous with their play on words, writers that can tap into a deep well of knowledge and very subtly pull from multiple subjects to illustrate a point or to set the stage.
I am a very curious person, so a good book for me is one that poetically provides a crash course in any or all subjects that intrigues me – anthropology, psychology, astronomy, world civilization, evolution, politics, art history, theology, world cultures and traditions.
Where do you write? Is there something you need in order to write (music, drinks?)
The writing process for me has always been a challenging mental health journey. The creative process has never been a pleasant experience – regardless of the medium.
Forget about the images you may have seen of a writer at some far-off destination or in a picturesque local, with a glass of wine/whiskey and writing to their hearts desire against the rising or setting sun….my story is more like a scene from the exorcist.
That is because I edit as I write. I am both the actor and director in real time. Every word, every sentence is analyzed, critiqued, and judged in the moment. I can go through an entire legal pad full of crunched paper to just complete a full paragraph.
To settle my mind, I clean – I love cleaning. I find cleaning to be cleansing. Cleaning helps me remove mental blocks, relieve stress, reorients me and helps me get grounded. I am most reflective and able to work through the most complex life situations after a full day cleaning marathon – literally from morning to early evening. The thing is, I am a minimalist, and my living space, my office, my car, is always spotless – so it’s really about the process of cleaning that helps to cleanse my spirit and opens the portal to my creative side – so that’s my ritual.
What do you like to read?
My first reading adventure was the encyclopedia Britannica. I am aging myself, but I can clearly remember the door-to-door salesman sitting in our living room talking with my parents, I remember the huge, beautiful burgundy leather-bound books with glossy heavy bounded pages…I was in heaven.
This was my childhood version of Google or Wikipedia. I was maybe 6 or 7 exploring so many worlds and concepts that may or may not have been age appropriate.
Then and now, I read everything. Some I glide over and others I dive into the rabbit hole. I am intrigued by the occult and supernatural. I love spy novels – full of espionage, the global chess game.
I am a very curious person, so a good book for me is one that poetically provides a crash course in any or all of the subjects that intrigues me – anthropology, psychology, astronomy, world civilization, evolution, politics, art history, theology, world cultures and traditions to name a few.
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Having endless curiosity, Louis has always been enthralled by the inner workings of everything around him.
With a natural and insatiable drive to build, explore, and understand, one of his fondest childhood memories is harvesting toasters, microwaves, TVs, and other discarded electronics in his Brooklyn neighborhood so he could take apart and rebuild them, or scavenge parts to build his own remote-controlled cars or planes.
He is the first to admit that nothing ever worked as intended, or at all, for that matter, but that never really mattered to him. As long as he was dissecting, constructing, exploring and learning, his cup was always full.
Today, his tinkering looks very different. Louis spends countless hours building and rebuilding Lego sets with his four-year-old son.
With any free time left after work and family life (usually late at night), you can find Louis in his workshop (any available free space with a flat surface) writing, painting, sculpting or toiling over his photography; nonetheless, his deep love for STEM remains, and at its core feeds his endless curiosity and desire to understand the inner workings of everything.
CONNECT WITH LOUIS
WEBSITE: https://louisdesforgesbooks.com/
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/louisdesforgesbooks/
GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21739120.Louis_Desforges
PURCHASE LINKS
AMAZON.COM
https://amazon.com/dp/0228843596
BOOKSHOP
https://bookshop.org/books/ethan-s-stem-adventures-i-can-be-a-scientist-9780228843603/9780228843597
BARNES & NOBLE
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/ethans-stem-adventures-louis-desforges/1139990249
BOOK DEPOSITORY
https://www.bookdepository.com/Ethans-STEM-Adventures-Louis-Desforges/9780228843597
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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE
Louis J. Desforges will be awarding a $15 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
3 comments
Thanks for hosting!
Sounds like a good read.
Sounds like a good read.