Welcome to #TheQuickSixInterview with Kristin Haynes!
It’s lovely to welcome author, Kristin Haynes, to the blog, to share her beloved Weimaraner dog stories in her picture book series, Hendrix and Rocket. Following the first title, Being Brave, the second tale, Mad Monday, entertains with humorous and relatable themes where uncontrolled frustration leads to misbehaviour … with calamitous consequences! The disappointment of Mum seemingly neglecting to treat her furry pals to their usual Monday morning routine leaves a sour taste in Hendrix’s mouth, in turn leaving him brazenly mouthing on all the family’s favourite belongings. With a firm paw, it’s his pal, Rocket, who enlightens Hendrix on how to make amends. Kristin’s narrative is told with a mix of descriptive emotion and dialogue between characters, gently guiding readers with strategic calming strategies through the canines’ story. Paired with the varied layouts and expressive qualities of the cheeky pups through bright, textured hand-drawn and digital illustrations by Anna Thompson, there’s plenty of mischief, mayhem and musings to ponder in each furry tale.
Thank you and congratulations on your romping series, Kristin! 🙂
About the Author
Kristin Haynes is the proud mum behind the Hendrix and Rocket series. Inspired by her beloved Weimaraners, Kristin wants to help young readers discover and fall in love with this beautiful breed.
Kristin calls the southernmost part of Australia, Tasmania, her home. Here, she balances her time between writing, running her own consultancy and raising two human children. When she’s not driving around Hobart with her two noisy woofers, she wages a losing battle with her husband’s ever-growing guitar collection, adding a touch of music to their household chaos.
Please find Kristin Haynes at her website: Kristin Haynes and on Facebook | Storytime Pup on YouTube.
The Hendrix and Rocket series is available for purchase through Kristin’s website and Amazon.
WHO wrote, illustrated and published this book?
The book was written by me, Kristin Haynes, illustrated by Anna Thompson and self-published under my business name, Senyah Projects (Senyah is my last name spelt backwards).
WHAT is it about?
The book delves into the topic of anger management and is aimed at appealing to kids and parents alike. Through the perspective of our hero, Hendrix, readers are invited on a journey of self-discovery and emotional growth. This is the second book in the series, intended to help children recognise and understand the impact of anger while reinforcing the power of making amends.
What is your favourite part of this book?
My husband is an avid guitar collector and when I showed him the page of Hendrix chewing the guitar strap, he was mortified. Every time I look at this page in the book now, it makes me smile. I have to remind him that the dogs love his guitar (with this picture as evidence).
WHEN did you begin writing this book?
I first decided to make my children’s book project a reality in mid-2023. There were several ‘early learning’ themes I’d identified and wanted to explore. I then decided on the theme for my first book while also working on the second.
When is its release / launch date?
Hendrix and Rocket: Mad Monday launched March 11, 2025. I launched Hendrix and Rocket: Being Brave on December 2nd, 2024.
WHERE did the inspiration for this book come from?
As parents, I think we spend an inordinate amount of time trying to teach our children how to navigate the world. I’ve always found with my kids that they tend to be more receptive to life’s lessons when I don’t make it directly about them. My inspiration for the story came from wanting to highlight some of the common challenges we as parents face, but tell the story in a fun way which hopefully children can relate to and learn from. In addition, I love the role that Bluey has played in raising the profile of Blue Heelers and Pig the Pug has been fantastic at highlighting the gorgeous Pug breed. For me, I’ve been a Weimaraner mum for over 15 years and part of several Weimaraner communities on Facebook. I’ve always felt there was a gap in the children’s book market for a story where a Weimaraner was the hero. So, with the Hendrix and Rocket series, I’ve been given the opportunity to tell stories about some common kiddo themes and hopefully raise the profile of the gorgeous Weimaraner breed at the same time.
WHY is this book meaningful to you?
Gratitude has always been a guiding principle in my life. It’s about intentionally taking a moment to recognise and cherish the aspects of your world that are working, even on days when everything feels out of place. But embracing gratitude isn’t always easy (especially when your part of that sandwich generation managing kiddo challenges and watching parents grow old). That’s why I find endless inspiration in dogs—their unwavering presence, their pure joy in the simplest moments. Hendrix and Rocket, who sit at my feet as I work each day, constantly remind me of the beauty in slowing down and appreciating life. When I embarked on creating a children’s book series, it was only natural for me to tell these stories through the lens of a dog’s perspective. Their simple, heartfelt view of the world resonates in a way that is both profound and accessible, and I think (and hope) that in featuring my beloved boys, I can tell these stories in a meaningful and authentic way.
Why would its message resonate with readers?
I have over 25 book themes that I’ve developed for the Hendrix and Rocket series. None of these are unique to my family or particularly new, but rather they reflect the challenges I’ve encountered as a mum. I’m also the first to admit that I’ve never solved these challenges on my own and that it has always been with the input of others on this parenting journey, be it teachers or other parents. Over the years, I have taken something from everyone and now I’m trying to tell some simple little stories that I hope parents and kids can enjoy and relate to.
HOW do you feel about the illustrations / cover design? How do they convey the feeling or mood you envisioned?
I am so happy with what Anna (Thompson) has created. I’m incapable of drawing a stick figure and so I would create a number of AI images that I would send to Anna and ask, “Can you use this as a base, but make Hendrix’s expression more like this, with colours that depict frustration and find a way of making Rocket look in control but disengaged”. Haha. Anna always got it.
From this ……………………………………………………………………….> To this
I am so happy with how the final illustrations and cover turned out. I wanted my covers to serve as an end point (showing how our hero evolves). I think that Anna has captured this beautifully. Hendrix finds his courage on the cover of Being Brave and then he finds calm on the cover of Mad Monday.
How have you promoted this book and how can we find it?
My primary form of promotion has been through the various Weimaraner groups I am a part of on Facebook (there are over 250,0000 people who, like me, are crazy Weimaraner lovers). I asked my husband to develop some memes that also resonated quite well with this market, which I was also able to use for some Facebook advertising (which is a whole other world that I am still trying to navigate).
I also developed a website (hendrixrocket.com) where I plan to showcase the entire series. My website takes you through to Amazon where you can purchase the book. Another form of promotion that I added into the mix was to offer a FREE item. In my first book, this was some colouring pages and for Mad Monday I have created a poster, which shows the steps that Hendrix takes to find calm. When people purchase the book, they are directed to a site to enter their details and download the FREE item. These promotions will ideally aid in building some loyal Hendrix and Rocket subscribers.
OTHER information or experiences you’d like to share?
My family and I moved from Sydney to Hobart in 2023 after having fallen in love with Tasmania in the early 2000’s. As an ode to my adopted homeland, I try to inject a little bit of Tassie into each book. In Being Brave, I feature a Red Spotted Hand Fish and Mad Monday pays tribute to the Blue Gum flower.
My next book will be Halloween themed and so I’m currently researching the type of uniquely (and spooky) Tassie flora and fauna I might be able to inject into the story. Very happy to take on any recommendations!
Hendrix and Rocket are such cool pups! Thanks so much for sharing them with us, Kristin! 🙂
#thequicksixinterview #hendrixandrocket #beingbrave #madmonday #picturebooks #justkidslit
