We had the good fortune of connecting with Hal Price and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Hal, can you tell us more about your background and the role it’s played in shaping who you are today?
My evolution and development as an artist has been a 69-year process of experiencing life, and slowly gravitating toward what makes my heart smile.

I grew up in a small, tight-knit community outside of Columbia, South Carolina.

As a child, I loved the bedtime ritual my mother created before we said our nightly prayers. Each evening as we snuggled, she grabbed my teddy bear, “Eli” and asked me to tell her about the favorite part of my day. Once settled, Mom proceeded to make up a silly poem about my day and afterward, she read one of my favorite Golden Books to me, and tucked me in for the night.

Fast-forward 57 years, my beloved storyteller was diagnosed with dementia/Alzheimer’s and was admitted to assisted living housing. I will never forget the day I first went to visit her, and she asked me, “Who are you?”

I was crushed! I thought, “How can I reach her to spark some small memory?” Then it hit me… bedtime stories!

I rushed to her house and climbed up into the attic where I found every Little Golden Book she had ever read to me, packed right beside my old teddy bear, Eli. I went to visit Mom the next day and asked her, “Mrs. Price, would you like to hear a story today?” I tucked Eli Bear under her arm and began reading, “Chicken Little” to her. To my surprise, Mom mouthed every word of the story. I looked at her, big tears in my eyes and said, “There you are!”

That was the day I truly understood the power and magic of children’s bedtime stories. Not long after that moment with Mom, I began writing my first children’s book called, “The Adventures of Eli Benjamin Bear: A Heart’s Journey Home.”

Looking back, I fully understand that Mom was planting the magical seeds of my passion to become a storyteller, a poet, an author, an artist, a songwriter, and a “heart-centered” creative force in the world.

This loving ritual was deeply embedded in me and became the catalyst for my desire to express my creativity in many forms.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
The origins of the creation of my company “Heroic Hearts Media” and the beginning of my new life was instantly birthed on the morning of Monday, February 24, 2014.

That was the morning I was yanked straight up in bed at 4:25 a.m. in Atlanta, Georgia with a pleading and overstressed heart asking me one inspired question….

“How badly do you want to stay on the planet to do what you really came here to do?”

As a recovering workaholic disguised as a highly successful Fortune 100 corporate branding and marketing executive, my 17-hour stress-filled workdays and my perfectionism/pleasing obsession resulted in my weight soaring to over 360 pounds!

All the while, I had unknowingly hidden my authentic self and creative gifts from the world most of my life!

After spending 40+ years using my gifts and talents in service to corporations, my heart knew it was time for me to move into my new life of inspired creativity, joy and giving back.

It was time to rescue my long-neglected inner child to begin to explore, embrace and return its joy, wisdom, and playfulness into a new world we would co-create together!

I began my new adventurous life of awakening to my joyous inner creativity and putting my heart in charge of my precious new life!

My newly awakened Heroic Heart now loves being in nature, taking photos, writing books and poems, telling stories, creating art, acting and doing improv, writing songs, playing Santa for the community, working with local literacy programs, supporting charities and loving my wife, Jodi.

My focus these next few years will be to continue working with school administrators, counselors and teachers to help Title 1 elementary school students learn how to find their own unique gifts, passion and purpose. My team will do this through our proven 2019 test pilot social emotional learning (SEL) curriculum. We were off to a great start with several test schools when Covid brought our work to a grinding halt. Now, we’re moving forward with curriculum to improve literacy rates and teach the power of sharing stories from the heart.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
There is so much to do, see and experience in Carpinteria, California. It has a population of just over 13,000 and has long been called, “The World’s Safest Beach”. The first time I stepped off the train in 2014, I was immediately captured by its charm and small town feel. I was able to walk the whole downtown area in less than an hour. I instantly knew that the town I called “Mayberry at the Beach’ would always hold a special place in my heart. It was easy to make friends, find great restaurants, photograph the local scenery, dance and experience all that this small beach town has to offer. Some of my favorite stops and rituals include:

1. Walking my choice of several glorious public beaches, salt marshes and our famous Bluffs. I love walking early in the morning to capture the fresh ocean breeze, take photos and have my picnic breakfast on one of the many wooden tables by the boardwalk.

2. My favorite restaurants and breweries include the local “artist-friendly” Zookers and Island Brewing Company. I also enjoy the outdoor vibe at The Spot hamburger stand, Teddy’s by the Sea, The Brass Bird and Jack’s Bistro & Famous Bagels.

3. To restore my spirit and rest my soul, I love going to The Sacred Space on Lillie Avenue in Summerland. Located just a few miles up the 101 North from Carpinteria, I can recharge and relax in the meditation gardens.

4. My MUST STOP is The Lynda Fairly Carpinteria Arts Center to check out local artists’ exhibits, attend free community cultural events, summer dance concerts, and to take art classes and workshops!

5. My MUST SEE is the historic 95-year-old Alcazar Theater on Carpinteria Avenue where you can catch a movie or play, attend weekly improv classes, and enjoy other great events and live concerts.

6. Finally, my newest joy is going to our local bookstore, Lantern Tree Books. They have a very unique interior with ancient tree branches covered in whimsical lights, and great local author events. (Stop in and pick up “A Heart’s Journey Home” or say hello to Eli Benjamin Bear in the children’s section.)

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would first like to give a GIANT Shoutout to my mentor, compadre and world class Walt Disney illustrator, Michael Bayouth, for his wise guidance in helping me create, launch and sustain high awareness of my multi-award winning, international bestselling children’s books.

His designs and beautiful illustrations of my poetic stories and his creation/design of the thousands of accompanying plush Eli Bears brought high national awareness of our book series to families around the world!

Additionally, his playful book cover helped us win, “Book Cover of the Year” from Bedside Reading in 2021 and catapulted, “A Heart’s Journey Home”, into international awareness!

Who else deserves a little credit and recognition in your story?

Obviously, the bulk of the credit goes to my mother who made up poems for me every night before I went to sleep. She taught me the magic of great storytelling and the majestic power of poetry to tie a great story together!

Additionally, I would be remiss if I did not give a big personal thank you to The Lynda Fairly Carpinteria Arts Center for being there for me during the developmental stages of exploring my artistic drive to be a photographer/artist and poet.

Website: BOOKS: https://www.elibearstories.com ART/PHOTOGRAPHY: https://halprice-creations.com

Instagram: @halprice.creations

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/HalPrice

Twitter: @HalPrice55

Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/halprice

Youtube: @HalPriceHeroicHeart

Other: https://bestsellingauthorsinternational.com/authorHalPrice

Image Credits
Doug Ellis, Kristy Guerrero, Fritz Olenberger, Jodi Wilson, Hailey Golich, Isaac Hernandez, Tracy Miller, Mark Sylvester, Hal Price selfies

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