Meet Papa Rick Harris
I'm Papa Rick Harris, host of Adventures in the Heart of Children's Book Authors — an award-winning podcast where I get to introduce children's book readers to published authors and their heartfelt stories, and help aspiring authors learn the writing, publishing, and business side of this wonderful world we all love.
My own journey into children's books started the way the best adventures do — with a grandchild's imagination. My oldest granddaughter Kyra and I spent countless days exploring the Rocky Mountains together, and out of those adventures came Kaboose — the bear at the heart of The Adventures of Kaboose the Rocky Mountain Bear, a children's book series I'm proud to co-write with my grandchildren. Written for kids ages 4 to 10, the series is really a love letter to outdoor adventure, family, community, and sharing — the things I hope every child carries with them.
Our second book grew out of another real family adventure, this one at a music festival with my granddaughter Bailey, her brother Leland, and their cousin Kyra. Watching that story become a book, the same way the first one did, reminded me why I started all of this in the first place — these adventures are meant to be shared.
That same spirit is what drives the podcast. Every conversation I have with an author, every story I get to pass along to a young reader, feels like an extension of what started on those mountain trails with my grandkids. We're closing in on our 100th episode, and all those conversations have me working on something new — a two-book series to help aspiring children's book authors find their own way into this world.
Whether you're a young reader looking for your next favorite story, or an aspiring author wondering if you have what it takes — welcome. Grab a seat by the fire. There's an adventure waiting for you here.