My next adventure is approaching and I am elated to share the news with you! The short story: I am now a children’s book author and am launching my book this April! AH! It feels so good to let that secret out!
Before I tell you details about the book, it is absolutely important to tell you how I got here.
Three years ago, my daughter started to get into the habit of asking me to make up stories at bedtime. The thing was, every day I needed to produce new stories. (Kind of like, “Make me a bicycle clown!” style for reference. Ha!) After telling literally HUNDREDS of made up stories on demand, there were admittedly some pretty crappy stories and there were also some pretty great ones, too. But there was one story that felt really special.
I kept coming back to this particular story at bedtime, convincing her to let me change it ever-so-slightly so I could tell it again. I would add new details, characters and was telling the story in incredible detail compared to any of the other stories. I could see the story coming to life and I knew it was fate when she could, too. Even after bedtime she would ask me about the characters. I would find myself driving in the car day dreaming about the story and not-so-casually asking the kids what their favorite ocean animals were.
The summer of 2023 my three best friends from College and I met up for a little getaway at a beach close to our alma mater. We were sitting at the beach around a campfire with our toes in the sand, talking and listening to the waves. I had a heart-to-heart with them about the story, my dream to make it into a children’s book and I asked them what they thought about the concept. It seemed all too serendipitous that while the four of us are seldom all together, not only were we were together, but we were sitting near an ocean-like setting as we were having this conversation. (I’ll get to that part later!) They were really excited about the story and gave me the confidence to go after this dream. After I talked to them and the more I dreamt about it, the more I knew it absolutely had to become a reality.
The first step was plain and simple – to get the story out of my head and onto paper. It felt like the words were just flowing onto the page all too quickly. I had a blast figuring out how to make the story come alive while also making each stanza into a rhyme. I finished the first draft within a couple of hours and was filled with excitement. A thousand thoughts ran through my mind. “Did I just write a children’s book? Can I really do this? How the heck do I do this? What if people don’t like it? No, Jack. What would happen if they love it?”
Nearly every night after the kids went to bed I was researching about publishing, looking up authors I could contact and was pulling out my kids books to study my favorite ones dissecting why I liked them so much. The more I learned about the process it was equally as scary as it was exciting. It was something I’ve never done before, I don’t know anyone in this business and I had no clue which path I wanted to take to get started – because let me tell you, there are so many paths you can take when writing a children’s book.
Over the past three years I have learned a ton about publishing and bookstores; have heard a lot of “no’s” or no responses at all; and encountered a whole mountain of obstacles. If I let any of it stop me, I would not be writing this blog post right now. I’ve always known at heart that I am a writer and a storyteller, but to be able to add “author” onto that is something I’m really stinkin’ proud of.
So if you’re still reading this, thank you so much for being invested in me and my story! And congratulations are also in order because you are one of the very first people to learn all about my book!
The Book
So, without further adieu, I introduce to you “Tidal Tails: Demi the Dolphin’s Day at the Bay.” Demi the Dolphin invites her pals, the Tidal Tails, along her journey to the greatest surprise (and trick!) in history. Together, they are the best of friends and love the Earth.
Reading this book will help teach kids about friendship, kindness, how to be a helper and (arguably) most importantly, an ally to our Earth. It’s silly, fun, educational and a little bit of everything wrapped up in one.
While I initially wanted to write this book for my kids, my friends and family and my community, it was also always going to be for the Earth, too. That being said, a portion of the proceeds of every book sold will go towards a non-profit organization to help protect our oceans!
Launch Party
I would love for you to join in on the fun! I am hosting a launch party on April 5, 2025 from 10-12 p.m. at the BECPL Audubon Branch – Amherst Public Library located at 350 John James Audubon Pkwy, Buffalo, NY 14228. In addition to a dynamic book reading at 11 a.m. there will also be crafts, face painting, giveaways and if you have pre-ordered a book prior to the event, there will be pre-order book pickups. It will be a ton of fun for the whole family! Mark your calendars!
Thank you again for all the love and support over the years! I’m so excited for this next adventure together! Love you all!
Follow the Tidal Tails Instagram account!
Yayyy! What an amazing achievement, so excited for you! 🙂