Evan's Stormy Voyage Book Tour Interview
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The Writer’s Life
Can you tell us what your book, Evan’s Stormy Voyage, is about?
Evan’s Stormy Voyage
by Karen Charles
Eight-year-old Evan has never crossed an ocean before.
When his parents tell him they are leaving New York for West Africa, everything familiar slips away in a blur of crowded docks, towering cargo ships, and tearful goodbyes beneath the Statue of Liberty. Soon, Evan finds himself aboard a freighter crossing the Atlantic—a floating world of roaring engines, endless water, mysterious passengers, and adventures around every corner.
At first, the voyage feels magical. Evan explores the ship’s library, watches flying fish skim the waves, spots whales from the bridge, and celebrates his birthday on the open deck, lit by strings of lights. But the journey grows far more complicated when Evan meets Mateo, a quiet boy with secrets of his own.
As storms pound the ship and hurricane-force winds churn the sea, the boys form an unlikely friendship over puzzles, model ships, and long conversations about leaving home behind. Yet when Evan’s treasured airplane kit suddenly disappears, suspicion threatens to destroy the bond they have built.
Far from home and surrounded by the vast Atlantic, Evan must learn that courage is not about being fearless. It is choosing kindness when hurt runs deep, forgiveness when trust is broken, and compassion when someone needs it most.
Filled with unforgettable characters, breathtaking ocean scenes, and heartfelt moments of friendship, Evan’s Stormy Voyage is a rich coming-of-age adventure that celebrates empathy, resilience, and the power of human connection across cultures. Perfect for readers who love emotionally rich adventure stories, this second book in the Evan’s Adventures in Africa series invites children into a world of discovery they will never forget.
Can you tell us a little about your main character and supporting characters?
The main character in Evan’s Stormy Voyage is eight-year-old Evan, a curious, adventurous boy traveling with his parents from New York to Africa aboard a freighter. Evan is excited about the voyage, but he also faces real challenges along the way—from a frightening storm at sea to learning to handle disagreements, admit mistakes, and forgive.
One of the most important supporting characters is Mateo, the boy who shares Evan’s cabin. Mateo is traveling to Ghana to live with his grandparents. Although the boys begin the voyage as strangers, they quickly become friends. Their friendship becomes the emotional heart of the story. They build a model pirate ship together, explore the freighter, share adventures, and experience a conflict that tests their friendship.
Evan’s parents are another important part of the story. They provide Evan with the security and encouragement he needs while still allowing him to experience the voyage and learn lessons for himself.
Captain Morales introduces the boys to the fascinating world of the ship. Through him, they get to visit the bridge, learn how the freighter operates, and discover what life at sea is really like.
I also think of the ship itself almost as a character. It carries Evan away from everything familiar and into a completely new world—across the Atlantic, through a dangerous storm, and eventually to West Africa’s coast.
What I especially love about these characters is that they offer young readers more than an adventure. Through Evan and Mateo, children see friendship, courage, honesty, forgiveness, and the experience of saying goodbye to someone they have grown to care about. At its heart, Evan’s Stormy Voyage is not only about crossing an ocean. It’s about how a journey can change us.
Where is your book set and why did you pick that location?
The Evan’s Adventures in Africa series is based on true stories from my childhood growing up in Africa.
How long did it take you to write your book?
Because I had to do my own illustrations, it took six months.
What was your favorite book as a child?
Enid Blyton’s children’s adventure series.
What kind of advice would you give to up-and-coming children’s book authors?
My first piece of advice to aspiring children’s book authors is never to underestimate children. Young readers are incredibly perceptive. They understand friendship, disappointment, fear, loneliness, courage, kindness, and forgiveness, sometimes more deeply than we realize. Give them a wonderful story and something meaningful to carry away.
I also strongly believe in writing from what you know and love. Evan’s Adventures in Africa grew out of my childhood experiences in Africa. Although the stories are fictionalized, many of the places, adventures, emotions, and cultural experiences come from memories that have stayed with me throughout my life. That personal connection gives me a strong foundation for the stories.
My years as an educator have also shaped how I write. I don’t want to preach to children. I would much rather let them experience it alongside the characters. In Evan’s Stormy Voyage, Evan learns about courage, friendship, honesty, forgiveness, and saying goodbye, but those lessons emerge naturally through his adventures.
I would also tell new authors not to be discouraged by rejection or by how long the process takes. Writing the story is only the beginning. There will be revisions, editing, illustrations, publishing decisions, and marketing—and plenty of moments when you wonder whether all the work is worth it. Keep going.
Most importantly, remember the child who will one day hold your book. Make that child laugh. Make them wonder what happens next. Let them travel somewhere they have never been. Give them a character to care about. And perhaps, somewhere in the adventure, give them an idea or a lesson that stays with them long after they close the book.
And I especially want to say this to anyone who thinks they waited too long to begin: You are never too old to start something new. I certainly didn’t begin this journey early in life, and I’m very glad I didn’t let that stop me.
Where to purchase the book: (links)
Where to find Karen: (links)
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