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

Hi Aaron, do you have a favorite quote or affirmation?
“I Promised Me”. It’s actually a Kermit The Frog quote from the original Muppet Movie. I have it tattooed on my arm. Ironically, this quote didn’t really resonate with me until I was much older and I had reached a point in my career where I thought I was letting down the people around me. I’ve always been someone that has put the success of others before my own. My therapist would be very happy to hear me say that. This quote grounded me. It made me realize that the promises you make to yourself are the most important to keep. You can put your goals and dreams first and you won’t be letting anyone down.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
For me, the answer to each of the above questions is the same, I allowed myself to play. When we are children, we don’t limit our imaginations. We don’t pretend to be doctors, we pretend to be ninja alien doctors operating on a dinosaur that we will ride to storm a castle to become ruler of Mars. What I am most proud of, what has allowed me to get to where I am today, was letting go of the chains adulthood binds us with. Responsibility still exists, but I have found the happiness that I had as a child when I was creating. The 10+ books I’ve written span a wide range of genres, the 200+ art pieces I’ve created can be categorized in different styles. The challenge I face is perhaps a lack of consistency in my work. A reader that enjoyed my sci-fi book, might not be a fan of the children’s book I release next, but as I learned while setting up my booth at the most recent LA Times Festival of Books, I am the brand. What I represent is an entertaining variety of books and art that will challenge your views on reality.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I would break up the itinerary into the various areas of LA. On the Westside day I would take them for a hike on the Whoops Trail, where on a clear winter day you can see the ocean and snow capped mountains. Then take some acai bowls to the Getty Villa and catch the sunset on the beach in the Palisades. The next day we would go to Culver City where we’d explore the Museum of Jurassic Technology, head to Father’s Office for some burgers, and get drinks at the Culver Hotel. The next day would be central LA, starting off at the Petersen Museum, grabbing lunch at the Grove Farmer’s Market, exploring the Griffith Observatory, and finishing the night with milkshakes at Swingers. The next day I would show them what living in LA is all about. It’s mid-June and the marine layer keeps the Westside 50 degrees. We leave Santa Monica at 3pm to try to get to Dodger Stadium by 7pm. We sit in traffic on the 405 and 101, and finally park at the stadium by 7:30. It’s 98 degrees at the stadium, but by 9pm its down to 62 degrees. We leave in the 8th inning to try to beat traffic, but still end up taking 3 hours to get home. On the last day they are here, I take them to my favorite place in LA, the Hollywood Bowl.

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?
The list of people and influences I could give would be incredibly long, and in my opinion, it wouldn’t be fair to single out any one person. I have been very fortunate to have had friends and family that have been supportive through my life. So as unconventional as this might sound, I wan’t to give credit to my dog, Raze. They say that dogs take after their owners, but I think that it can go both ways. He has taught me that even as an adult, its okay to play, Over the last few months I have allowed myself to play and live without guilt, and this has led to me being incredibly happy. Since I have been living in this state of mind I have become more creative and productive.

Website: https://www.aarondenius.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aarondenius/

Image Credits
Picket line photo: J.W. Hendricks

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