Exciting Kiddos About Marine Life // Andee the Aquanaut Trilogy

Author Interview

1. Did you always want to become a writer or did writing find you?

Writing found me. I am originally a product designer. I had designed a new character concept which was ‘Andee the Aquanaut’. I took him to a toy agent from Hasbro. We had a meeting regarding having him produced as a toy. The agent told me that Andee really needed a story behind him, in order for the toy to succeed. So, he asked me if I could write one. I said I had never written before and, also, that I am, in fact, dyslexic; I’d never written before. He said, “I think you can do it. Shut yourself away and go into Andee’s world.” He then added that a lot of famous writers are in fact dyslexic. I didn’t know this and was surprised and encouraged. So, I went away to write. And the rest, as they say, is history. I have written 5 books now and I’ve also co-written a screenplay. I’ve also just finished the first book in my new children’s series called Menosaurs, which will be a 6 to 12 book series (depending on how far my character takes me)!

2. When you started writing, were you quickly drawn to writing your stories for youth?

Not really. I think I just ‘fell’ into writing for youth. I love writing at a fast pace with never a dull moment, and I discovered that writing for kids gives me that thrill. I love the excitement of ‘make believe’, and also creating new ideas for characters and superheroes. The sky’s the limit; there’s so much you can tune into.

3. The Andee The Aquanaut Trilogy is for ages 6 to 12. What inspired you to write this trilogy? Did you set out to write the trilogy to support marine life?

Well, I think I have answered this question coincidentally in question one. But, also, Andee is such a strong character under the ocean, he’s a real eco-warrior, and the way he serves and protects the marine life; it just inspired me to consider donating to marine charities. I just think that Andee is a great young ambassador for the oceans; we need one at the rate we are losing our precious marine species today. Plus, I love the ocean and I surf regularly. I love being in the water. So, if I can save a shark and a dolphin (or two) then this would make me and Andee happy!

4. Proceeds from your Andee trilogy help support marine charity, Protectors of Dolphin and Whales. Can you tell us more about this cause?

The Protectors do a great job around the world in making the public aware of what’s happening to whales and dolphins being ‘over-fished’ and exploited. They’re slaughtered in inhumane ways via cruel hunting and killing methods and, also, those hunting them actually fuel the captive cetacean industry by providing cetaceans to marine parks. Dolphins might look happy as they have a permanent smile on their faces. But this is the illusion. I can assure they are not. In captivity they ‘work for food’, they become ill easily, are force-fed various drugs to keep their temperaments balanced and, most importantly, they have their freedom taken from them. Dolphins swim up to 100 miles per day, this is what they do. But in a tank they swim around in pools not much bigger than 10 to 20 meters in diameter. So, it’s the exploitation of these majestic animals that really needs to be brought to the attention of the public. Andee agrees, of course! In the wild, some orgs do a lot of research that often helps to prevent the beaching of dolphins and whales. Seismic testing and so on interferes with their sonar and can cause internal bleeding on the brain. Marine orgs work to put this to an end. They also work on issues like ‘incidental by-catch’ which is when small cetaceans and other marine mammals get entangled in fishing/trawling nets. Basically, Andee also takes care of issues like these with his super powers in the books!

5. With your love of marine life, is your character, Andee, based on a version of you as you grew up to love the marine world?

Totally, I love the ocean and have always been fascinated by it as a young boy. I was the seven-year-old kid in the face-mask and flippers, pretending to be the man from Atlantis looking for crabs and fish (oops, I’m showing my age now)! I also used to live in the swimming baths. I wouldn’t get out until I was a prune! The ocean has always fascinated me as we still know so little about it. We know more about space than we do about what’s down there in the depths of the oceans. And that’s why I love writing about it so much; there’s just so much to write about down there! Anything’s possible, and I can do this vicariously through Andee.

6. With Andee’s trilogy complete, what is in-store next? New books, events, another trilogy to support a new cause?

Actually, Andee’s full story is by no means finished. I will definitely be writing more about him in the future. In the meantime, it’s great that readers are getting to know him. I am currently writing, and have just finished the first book of my new children’s science fiction series called Menosaurs. Basically it’s about a superhuman race who were around on Earth before the dinosaurs. They have evolved over millions of years, becoming a highly-intelligent race, but they can change back into dinosaurs. They left the Earth when a meteor struck, but now they’re coming back. I love writing these books as I also love dinosaurs, and have done so ever since I was a small boy. They fascinate me, too. There is a great cast of characters in these books, and lots of humor in there, too. It’s something very different, and I am hoping the kids will love reading the books just as much as I love writing them. A percentage of these books will go towards saving the black rhino’s.

Author Simon J. House Bio

Simon James House was born in London. He has always been highly creative with a strong and vivid imagination. Simon spends most of his time now living in-between London and Sydney, Australia, where his passions are surfing and writing.

He constantly seeks new and creative ways to express himself; one of these ways being through writing fiction stories. His passion for writing motivates him to create inspiring works that are original and innovative, sparking the reader’s imagination, taking them on a journey into his world. Visit and learn more about Andee the Aquanaut on the website, Twitter and Facebook.

Simon is also the creator and president of the FreeForma clothing line and the inventor of the classic surf/skateboard FreeForma bike.