We transmit positive values for children, universal values: respect for the beauty of nature, respect for older people, honesty, sincerity, cooperation.
The first collaboration occurs between Gerónimo Stilton and me, the person who writes his books. It all began 12 years ago; we had sold 74 million copies, in 40 countries all over the world. More than from the financial results, the satisfaction came from having made so many children happy.
This successful recipe contains three elements:
- Everything I write comes from my heart, when I write, I write for the readers, and I try to connect my heart to the hearts of my readers.
- When I write I am always content because I love what I do, I am happy. When I write my heart sings.
- When I write I have a whole team behind me contributing towards the success of our projects. Artists, illustrators, printers, distributors, booksellers... We all cooperate in this miracle of commercial success. Even in the crisis, Gerónimo Stilton is actually selling 10% more than before. This is because things related to happiness work.
We all have a responsibility to help the next generations build a hopeful future. We must transmit this concept to young people, because cooperation works better when we learn it as children.
Travel is a source of inspiration. I have written 280 books and I need ideas. I have climbed Kilimanjaro, I have earned my pilot’s licence, I have run a marathon in the desert and in New York, and done many other crazy things. I know people from different cultures, who eat different food, and speak many other languages. I participate in Abataka, a women’s project in Gambia for selling jewellery and getting ahead in life.
How was Gerónimo Stilton born? Many years ago I discovered that I could not have children. I then started to volunteer in children’s hospitals. I asked myself if there would be a happy ending in their life’s story, and in my life’s story. We all need a happy ending, to believe that there will be a happy ending. The only thing we need in life is hope. I understood something about myself: I was a mother because so many children read me, because there is a connection between them and me. We all need hope, not just children; we all need a co-, not just children. Let’s keep our hope for the future generations. Because we are all one.
