Author Interview - Baby Barbells: The Dad's Guide to Fitness and Fathering by Joshua Levitt

Describe your book in five words or less.

Fitness and Fathering- Daddy’s Guide

How did the ideas for your books come to you?

I walked in the door, home after a long day seeing patients, and my wife thrusts our fussy baby into my arms and said “It’s your turn.” I lay down, dog tired, and perched the cranky baby on my chest. Then I lifted her up like a bench press- baby up, baby down, baby up…and behold, she smiled, she laughed…and I started to feel the burn in my triceps. That was it, Baby Barbells was born.

What is the hardest part of writing for you? What's the easiest?

Hardest: For me, unquestionably the hardest part of writing is in finding the time to write. Balancing life as a husband, father, doctor, and now author is tricky indeed.

Easiest: I write in a very casual, conversational tone… so the words flow onto the paper (or more accurately, the monitor) in the same way that they flow out of my big mouth.

What's next for you? Are you currently working on or have plans for future
projects?

I do have my wheels turning about follow-up books in a series…Stay tuned.

Why did you choose to write for specific genre?

As a father who understands the challenges of work/life balance first hand…I felt that new dads deserved something different. Baby Barbells is a chunky, funky board book for grown-ups who don’t have time to read a long, boring parenting book. This book was designed to kick around the living room, get drooled on, and get flipped open when daddy has a few minutes of playtime.

What's it like hearing that readers are eagerly awaiting your book's release date?

It is such a pleasure to have fans that are so enthusiastic about the book and the lifestyle that it represents.

What is one question that you've always wanted to be asked in an interview? How would you answer that question?

Unlike most authors- I always relish the opportunity to talk about my “day job.” I’m a naturopathic physician and I run a natural family medical office here in CT. I help patients find natural solutions to both common and complex medical problems.

What was your road to publications like?

The concept for Baby Barbells occurred to me when my first child was about six months
old. About six years and three kids later…I decided to get serious about turning my idea into reality. I wrote a proposal and pitched it to an author friend. He pitched it to his agent. His agent became my agent. After a few refinements, my agent pitched the publishers we agreed would be best- and presto… A book deal!!!


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Author Bio:

Joshua Levitt, ND is a naturopathic physician, an involved father of three, and a certified human jungle gym. He lives near New Haven, CT where he owns and runs a natural family medicine practice and teaches at the Yale School of Medicine.



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