S3 EP 138: Refe Tuma, Children's Book Author of Frances and the Werewolves of the Black Forest

Hello Happy People,

Today Dianne shares her chat with the incredible children's book author, Refe Tuma.  Refe (pronounced Reef) not only has a unique name, but he and his wife Susan have built a fun and decidedly unique literary brand for themselves. As the creators of Dinovember and the What the Dinosaurs Did Series, they entertain their followers with their dino-antics while also inspiring families to come together and create their own dino-adventures at home.

According to Wikipedia, there are approximately 200,000 Dinovember followers, but there is a smaller group who go the extra mile to join in on the fun themselves. This month-long event has solidified a strong fanbase for the Tumas’ book series and secured them a place in American pop culture history.

The Tumas are currently working on their next book, What the Dinosaurs Did on Halloween. Their dinosaur series is not the only publishing endeavor that Refe has to his credit. Refe also branched out with a solo creation, a new middle-grade line of storybooks called the Frances Stenzel Series.

Inspired by popular stop-motion films like Coraline, Refe imagined a story about a child whose parents are workaholic scientists. They are so wrapped up in their work, they neglect to spend time with their child. Frustration leads the child to take drastic steps to get their parent’s attention.

As Refe thought about this story over the years, it evolved and changed until Frances Stenzel was a fully fleshed out character with a captivating story to tell. A number of reviewers have compared Frances and the Monster to Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. Others describe it as “colorful,” “captivating,” and even Kirkus Reviews called it a “remarkably original tale.”

In 2023, Frances and the Monster was followed by the highly anticipated second installment, Frances and the Werewolves of the Black Forest. This current installment has already earned a Bram Stoker Awards Nomination and is a 2024 Page Turner Awards Finalist. With two successful children’s book series in publication, it will be interesting to see what Refe will create next.

Refe's Website
Refe on Facebook
Refe on Instagram