Author Chat with Dr. Dave Williams & Loredana Cunti (To Burp Or Not To Burp), Plus Giveaway!!

Today we’re excited to chat with Dr. Dave Williams & Loredana Cunti, 

authors of How To Burp Or Not To Burp! 

Below you’ll find more about the authors, their book, plus a giveaway!

 

 

 

YABC:   What gave you the inspiration to write this book?

 

As a physician I have always been interested in how the body adapts and functions in extreme environments. Whether exploring space, the undersea world, or the driest deserts, the human body is incredible in its ability to adapt. There are still so many scientific questions about how the human body works in space.  But researchers aren’t the only ones looking for answers.  Everyone, especially kids, is curious to know what happens to your body in zero gravity.

 

A few years ago, I was giving a presentation to students from grades 1 through 8.   After the talk, an eight-year-old boy got up to ask a question. He wondered whether gravity is required for food to go to your stomach. Great question! Before I could answer, he went on to say he had done an experiment to test whether gravity was necessary to swallow. He had gone to the playground and hung upside down from the monkey bars to see if he could swallow his apple juice or whether he would “hork it out my nose.” Needless to say he was very excited when he discovered he was able to swallow the juice while upside down.

 

The inquisitive student I had the pleasure of meeting was not only curious:, he developed a hypothesis, tested it and discovered something he did not know. A true scientist in the making! To Burp Or Not To Burp was written to excite the curiosity of young readers. Our goal was to write a book that would get kids asking more questions and thinking about what would happen if they were able to go to space.

 

 

 

YABC:   How did you choose the title for the book?

 

The tile for the book went through a number edits; the final title was a team effort. We wanted something that would inspire curiosity, something that would capture the imagination and be unique. There’s no question that the title inspires readers to ask why? And that’s really what we’re hoping to do.

 

 

 

YABC:   What is the most important thing you’ve learned as a writer during the process of writing this book?

 

I have learned that it is much harder to write less while bringing clarity to complex scientitic concepts. I also learned that similar to spaceflight, writing is a team activity and I am very appreciative of Loredana’s talents, those of our illustrator Theo Krynauw and the entire Annick team.

 

 

 

YABC:   What new release book are you looking most forward to in 2016?

 

I’m really looking forward to reading Into the Black  by Rowland White. It’s a remarkable story about the first flight of the Space Shuttle and the challenges associated with launching the most complex spacecraft of its time. The other book I’m very excited about is The Gene: An Intimate History by Siddhartha Mukherjee. His previous best seller The Emperor of All Maladies is a fantastic book that brought back many memories from my earlier career as a physician.

 

 

 

YABC:   What was your favorite book in 2015?

 

I really enjoyed reading On the Move by Oliver Sacks. As a physician and scientist he had a remarkable gift of helping his readers understand some of the most complex aspects of how the brain works. A few years ago I was very fortunate to have been able to chat with him about how the brain and body adapt to space. He was a remarkable individual and a compassionate physician who was able to share with all of us the stories of his patients.

 

 

 

YABC:   What’s up next for you? Will you be writing more books?

 

Loredana and I will be writing more books for young readers. Our second book, Go for Liftoff: How to Train Like and Astronaut, will be coming out early next year and we have a couple of other ideas for future books and maybe even a TV show that we’re excited about. Also, I have been discussing some ideas for a book with Simon and Schuster.

 

 

 

YABC:   Which was the most difficult concept to explain in a kid-accessible way?

 

Based on the rewrites and edits, I would say the section on microgravity or bone loss were probably the most difficult concepts to explain.

 

 

 

YABC:   What would you say is your superpower?

 

Superpowers sound like something that would apply to super heroes, but I was pretty much a totally average kid when I was growing up. When I was in school I doubt my teachers would have picked me out as the future physician astronaut. Over the course of my career I have found that passion, persistence, a willingness to work hard and learn from failure have all helped me achieve my dreams.

 

 

 

YABC:   Is there an organization or cause that is close to your heart?

 

Over the past few years I have had the opportunity to share my experiences with thousands of students through participation in We Day. This annual event focuses on empowering youth to take action on local and global issues. Craig and Marc Kielburger have created this incredibly inspirational event that tries to capture the imagination of today’s youth and motivate them to take action. In our own way, we hope that our book will inspire and motivate young readers to be curious and fuel their passion for knowledge.

 

 

 

 

 Meet To Burp Or Not To Burp!

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