the CHRIS connection
CHRISTIAN KUENG
Q and A
Do you have any brothers and sisters?
I have three brothers, all younger than me. I'm
the good looking one in the picture here.
What school did you attend?
Actually I went to several different elementary
schools because we moved a lot when I was
young. I attended Bon View School, Longwood
School, Euclid School. Howard School, Mountain
View School, Castro Valley Elementary School,
and Tyrrell Junior High School. I graduated from
Ontario High School. All of these were in California.
What was your favorite and least favorite school
subjects?
My number one favorite subject was always art. Also, I enjoyed reading,
writing, and studying history. My least favorite subject was math.
What kind of student were you?
I was always an excellent student because I loved school and learning.
What was your favorite book when you were a child?
That's a tough one. I always liked to read. We had to write book reports
each week in my 5th and 6th grade classes so I always read biographies.
But the fantasy book that stands out the most was The Lion, the Witch,
and the Wardrobe. Again, because it was creative. I also remember
reading Island of the Blue Dolphins in 4th grade during our study of
California history.
What were you like when you were growing up?
It depends on where I was. At home, I was sure of myself (and probably
cocky). At school, however, I was more quiet and reserved because I
didn't want to get into trouble.
Did you always want to be a writer?
I always enjoyed writing, but I want to be a artist. I studied design and visual communications at Chaffey College and fine and studio arts at California State University at Fullerton. I wanted to be a cartoonist with my own comic strip that appeared in newspapers everyday.
So how did you go into teaching?
I got my teaching credential with my college degree so I could have a job while I worked on my comic strip. My first job was teaching art to elementary kids in grades 4, 5, and 6.
But I found I really enjoyed teaching and got my own class. During this time, I also got a master's degree in education from Azusa Pacific University and later got my doctorate in organizational leadership from the University of La Verne.
What other jobs did you have?
While in college I worked as a freelance artist and even modeled in drawing classes.
I also served as a public school administrator as a principal, a director, and even as an assistant superintendent. In addition, I taught at the college level.
What did you like best when you were a teacher?
The best times were when I worked with the kids. The little ones were quite entertaining. The best description of kindergartners and first graders is: "They talk too much; they can't sit still; they can't keep their hands off each other; they will tell on each other in a heart beat; AND they hug you."
I've written a children's book. How do I get it published?
I would recommend a few books to help you here:
1. The Essential Guide to Getting Your Book Published
by Arielle Eckstut and David Henry Sterry
2. Children's Writer's and Illustrator's Market
edited by Chuck Sambuchino
3. The Everything guide to Writing children's Books
by Lesley Bolton.
You can get these books through any on-line retailer
How can I contact you to purchase books, schedule an interview, or to schedule an author visit?
You may contact me through the following email addresses:
christian@thechrisconnection.com or
With my brothers in 1970.
We're the 4 Kuengs.
