Today we’d like to introduce you to Andy Amendola.
Andy, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Formula 1 racing has taken the US by storm. And our family got swept up. We became fanatics after watching the Netflix series, Drive to Survive and the epic 2021 racing season. The kids loved it, too.
When my wife and I started looking for kids’ books about F1 to fuel that passion, we realized there wasn’t much out there. So I did something crazy and created my own.
I had become fascinated with the science and engineering behind Formula 1, listening to podcasts and watching videos online, and I knew it could be a great way to introduce STEM concepts to kids, as well. So, the idea for Red Racer Books was born.
A lot of research and love went into creating the Red Racer brand and first book. The actual writing of the book was the fun and easier part – my kids even helped me come up with racing concepts to include for different letters of the alphabet. It was truly a family affair! I had a clear vision of the design style for the books, so I spent months trying to find the perfect illustrator. I was lucky to finally be able to find a great partner in Wei Ren, who brought my vision to life beautifully.
After countless rounds of design and editing, we had a finished book.
A lot of work went into my method of publishing too, and in the end I decided to self-publish and launch with a Kickstarter.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. Self-publishing means you are taking on a lot of the risk yourself and dealing with upfront costs. Since I’m totally new to the publishing world, it was challenging to navigate. Fortunately, I found there are many others out there in the same boat and have made a lot of great connections. I have received valuable feedback, tips and support from various Facebook Groups made up of illustrators, authors and others looking to publish their own kids’ books. It’s really remarkable how helpful these have been and I’m grateful for all of the people who were willing to help me along the way.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
I come from an advertising and marketing background and have worked in that space for over 20 years. Storytelling was always part of that, but my new venture is another form of storytelling that is rooted in our mission – to give kids in the US and beyond a global perspective on sportsmanship, diversity, science and technology.
Motorsports, particularly Formula One, has the potential to engage a global audience in conversations that matter to all of us excite children about science, math, and physics while entertaining them about the fast-paced world of racing.
I’m looking to create a whole series of books around racing and the characters, Red Racer and Roxy the Engineer starting with non-fiction and then fiction books and beyond.
Since racing, specifically Formula 1, is rapidly growing in popularity in the US, with Drive to Survive Season 4 launching in March and a new Grand Prix in Miami in May, we knew this was the perfect time to start.
Here are some of the ways that I am developing the Red Racer Books series so that they stand out from everyday books:
1. Entertaining Education – Our books are made to inspire and spark curiosity.
2. For Kids and Parents Alike – Made with the adult reader in mind – no zoning out!
3. Multicultural and Multilingual – We start with English and Spanish, but more languages to come.
4. Full Representation – Cars aren’t just for boys. We want to engage all genders.
5. Beyond the books – Build a community for families and keep the conversation going on social (with the help of parents).
Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
Networking has been critical to launching this new venture, and especially since we launched with Kickstarter, which is an amazing platform but requires a lot of personal promotion, something that I’ve never been fully comfortable with.
My advice and this is something I’m just starting to do myself, to be fully transparent, is to just ask for what you want. In the entrepreneurial space, and particularly in today’s remote working “Great Resignation” world, you will find that many people want to help.
Making this book series and new content venture has really been a community effort. I have been bringing in friends, family, strangers, podcast hosts and Twitter friends – all sorts of people – into the creative and development process. Once you ask people to contribute to something you are building together, it is a lot easier than asking people to buy something you made all by yourself.
It’s been an incredibly humbling process as I have received tremendous feedback from people inside and outside my networks and everyone has been incredibly supportive of me starting something new.
Pricing:
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www.RedRacerBooks.com – ABCs of Racing in English and Spanish, each is $19.99
The books are also available at Books & Books, Minds of Tomorrow and My Little Owly.
Contact Info:
- Email: hello@redracerbooks.com
- Website: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/redracerbooks/red-racer-books-a-new-kids-book-series-about-racing
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/redracerbooks/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RedRacerBooks/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/RedRacerBooks
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7yyJQho1SEXThmPKOy5-XQ
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@redracerdad
Image Credits
Illustrations by Rei Wen
