In My Mom Era

Q&A with Richard Faith

After reading The Lion That Meowed, I had questions about the story behind the story! Richard kindly answered twelve questions about Old Doc Turtle, Leviathan, and what he hopes children take away from his books. Thank you to Richard and Helen for making this written interview possible! ❤️

Updated October 5, 2026. Responses lightly edited for spelling, capitalization, punctuation, and clarity.

Kelly: 1. I read that Old Doc Turtle began with a dream about a turtle bringing healing to animals around the world. Could you take us back to that night? What do you remember, and how did you turn that first image into a story?

Richard Faith: I had been contracting for many years, and my body was breaking down, forcing me to end my time as a contractor. It was on September 7th at 1:20 a.m. when I awoke with a start and the memory of the dream I had of my first Old Doc Turtle story. “The Little Owl Who Said What? Not Whoo.” I went to my desk and wrote the story. The title character was already trademarked, so I rewrote the title to “LT Owl Said What, Not Whoo.” It is a wonderful story of a hearing disability that had been resolved by the use of a hearing aid.

It was this fix that prompted the rest of the Old Doc Turtle series of books of which I have written 44 stories. All of these are lesson stories and are being turned into such to present to higher education.

Kelly: 2. Why a turtle? What made Doc the right character to become the healer and recurring presence in these books? Was his personality inspired by anyone in your life?

Richard Faith: The dream I had that brought my series of books to life was the reason for Old Doc Turtle. It was then that the longevity of turtles was the reason having one as the title character was the best image. The topic of LT Owl and his disability resonated and became the focus of the rest of the series. I cannot say at the time of the dream that anyone in particular inspired me about Old Doc Turtle.

Kelly: 3. What sparked the idea for The Lion That Meowed specifically? Did Leviathan arrive first, or did you begin with something you wanted to explore about being different?

Richard Faith: The idea of writing lesson stories for the series had me starting at the first letter of the alphabet for the character and then I looked at what lesson can be learned about that choice. A great lion that cannot roar, and the reason for it, I found was exactly the kind of lesson that needed to be told.

Kelly: 4. Leviathan’s voice changes because of an injury, rather than something he was born with. What led you to that choice, and what did it allow you to explore?

Richard Faith: It was the very reason for this lesson story: how was Leviathan going to react to his disability? It became a choice of determining who you are and how he will react.

Kelly: 5. Doc saves Leviathan’s life, but he cannot give him the roar others expect. What interested you about writing a healer who can help without being able to fix everything?

Richard Faith: Old Doc Turtle may have not been able to fix Leviathan’s throat, but he was able to show Leviathan, through his actions, that he should not have been so hard on himself all along. The lesson of this book says why. A life lesson learned by Leviathan that only Old Doc Turtle could have explained.

Kelly: 6. As a mother, I kept thinking about children who are teased for something they cannot change. What would you hope a parent and child might talk about together after reading Leviathan’s story?

Richard Faith: Everyone is different! Accept that and do not let anyone else try and define who you are or why you are.

Kelly: 7. Leviathan eventually steps forward when others need him. How did you approach that moment so his courage comes through without suggesting that someone must prove their usefulness to deserve acceptance?

Richard Faith: Leviathan had let the ridicule he faced determine who he was going to be. But, when he is challenged to act on behalf of his subjects being the King of the Jungle, he knew who he was and what he had to do.

Kelly: 8. Your books explore both caring for the natural world and caring for one another. How do those themes connect for you, and how do you keep the story engaging while making room for a meaningful message?

Richard Faith: I try to write to bring forth everyday issues and the lessons that are dealt with in them. When a child reads or has my stories read to them, they can read and see for themselves those everyday issues, and the fixes for the character.

Kelly: 9. You’ve spoken about the hope children gave you while you were driving a school bus. Is there a particular conversation or moment with a child that has stayed with you or influenced your writing?

Richard Faith: I love this question as I loved being a school bus driver. I watched those kids on my bus grow into the people I hoped they would be. Their dedication to becoming all they could was truly inspiring.

Kelly: 10. What has Todd Hobin brought to Old Doc Turtle’s world that surprised you? Is there an illustration in The Lion That Meowed that captures something especially well?

Richard Faith: Todd Hobin’s illustrations are amazing, as you can see. His detail to the animal characters is spot on. The look on Leviathan’s face when Old Doc Turtle explained what would have happened if he roared gives the lesson to the story. “Things happen; how you react determines who you are.” Leviathan’s reaction to Old Doc Turtle’s question gave Leviathan the reason to become who he is.

Kelly: 11. You’ve mentioned writing songs to accompany your stories. How does music fit into your creative process, and is there a song connected to Leviathan or Old Doc Turtle that readers can hear?

Richard Faith: It is in the story Bee Scared (reviewed in Forbes magazine) that I introduced music as a solution to a situation. When the honey bees found out the hive was going to be closed up to protect it from an unknown reason. The song “Flight of the Bumblebee” by Rachmaninoff was the very song needed to keep the bees busy as bees by dancing to the music. I also use this story and its sequel, “You’ll Bee Scared Too” as a fundraising tool for the nonprofit I am executive director of, Mother Nature Festival Live Inc. All profit from the sale of these two books will help me raise the funds I need to create a national bio-fertilizer to reinvigorate our soil for agriculture.

Related reading: “Teaching Our Young About Environmental Stewardship And Climate Change” by James Conca, which discusses Bee Scared. This copy is republished by Other News and credited to Forbes.

Kelly: 12. What’s next for Old Doc Turtle—and what do you hope children carry with them after spending time in his world?

Richard Faith: Todd and I agreed the next story should be truly relevant, so we are going to create the next Old Doc Turtle book entitled “Big Bad Bobby Bully.” I have a unique catch to the story.