We had the good fortune of connecting with James Metts and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi James, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
My mind naturally thinks of creative things to get involved in every day. My being able to create something from whatever I might be thinking about is fun, and it has built up my confidence in my abilities as well. I had a rather interesting question that inspired me to pursue a creative career. The question was: what would a boy living on another planet think about how we live? This question was the single most difficult task I had ever undertaken. Seven years I spent toiling to answer that question. I guess you could say I was on a quest.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Well, I have only written one book, Planet Storyland. This book is written specifically for students, their parents, teachers and librarians. I was persistent. I had to prove to myself that I could answer my question that inspired me to write the book. It was not at all easy. It was frustrating trying to write each sentence, each paragraph, and each chapter so that it was an easy read, it flowed and that it made sense. Patience and faith in my abilities were the lessons. There is nothing better than being alive so take out a pen and paper, and let your questions be your guide.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I would take him to play pickleball with the large group of people I play with. I would have him join me on a bike ride with the people I ride with. I would take him to eat at a particular Italian restaurant, a Mexican restaurant and French restaurant. I would drive him around the city to sightsee.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My mother was a stay at home mom. I was her first child and she taught me how to write and pronounce the alphabet. My mother read a lot of stories to me. She took me to the library when I was six.

Website: planetstoryland.com

Instagram: jamessmetts

Twitter: @MettsSherwood

Facebook: James Sherwood Metts

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutDFW is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.