Tony Robles' debut children's picture book, Joey Gonzalez, Great American, challenges the idea of "affirmative action." In this interview he talks about his inspiration for the book and what compelled him to write such a story. 

When did you decide you wanted to become an author? Do you have another job besides writing?

I’m a retired customs agent. I never dreamed I would write a children’s book. I found World Ahead Publishing and the Kids Ahead line of conservative children’s books and I was intrigued by the notion of teaching conservative values through children’s literature. That’s what inspired me to write the story of Joey Gonzalez, Great American. I believed World Ahead would have the vision and the courage to handle a kid’s book that challenged affirmative action.

Tell us a bit about your book, and what inspired you to write such a story.

My children’s book, Joey Gonzalez, Great American is a response to the affirmative action mentality that presumes all black and Hispanic people (children included) are inherently inferior and cannot succeed without special preferences. I believe many of our kids are absorbing that belief and in effect becoming prejudiced against themselves. My book gives kids an alternative to that poisonous mentality. It teaches ethnic pride and self reliance and shows kids they all have the potential for greatness because they have the greatness of their ancestors inside them. It’s a sweet little story with lovable characters and it’s a book that every black and Hispanic parent will want to read to their children.

How would you describe your creative process while writing this book? Was it stream-of-consciousness writing, or did you first write an outline?

This story had been cooking in my subconscious for years if not decades. It just needed a catalyst to bring it to the surface. When I sat down to write, I simply created the characters and set up the confrontation. From that point the story told itself.

From the moment you conceived the idea for the story, to the published book, how long did it take?

I wrote and submitted the story in November 2005. I heard back from World Ahead December 16, 2005. It was published March 25, 2008. So, it was about two and a half years from idea to publication.