Poetess, author, storyteller & speaker who enjoys savoring the essence of life and communicating inspiration to others.
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Enjoy journeying through the world of dreaming about, planning, birthing a book, releasing it to the world, seeing the joy of it being received and the wonder of reading it aloud. Continue the journey as this very dear book finds its way into libraries, bookstores, cafes, people’s homes and hearts, living on through loved generations.
This is the work of my illustrator, Corinne Kelly Avery, in action. When sensing what the image on page 26 might be to show Grandma’s joy, she asked me to simply pretend I was alone and express gratitude and joy to Papa God. She then took photos, went home, dreamed, drew and painted…the joy.Original first two pages of early work on the book before re-writing some parts and upgrading some things. The sweet passion of the message can be seen early on…As I shared with my illustrator, Corinne, the original story of finding Katie’s wee shoe , I described our little white house in the village of Halfmoon. It was very similar to little white houses we had both seen while visiting Ireland. So, Corinne crafted a bit of Ireland into the story based on a photo she had taken, while expressing my very visible joy upon the tiny shoe’s return.“Grandma Searching” The words of the story continue to be birthed into images that carry the message into the visual realm… We realized the book was taking on a life of its own.The day that my first soft cover proof book arrived in the mail and all the hard work and dreaming took on substance and form in my hands. My husband captured this moment in my back yard. It seemed that Heaven and nature were singing.Signing my first book for the very first time. Verklempt.Book signings, physical distancing style.On book launch day… Hard cover, soft cover, the “little shoes” themselves, full-size image of my favorite illustration and what I chose for the cover, all near my computer where so much of the publishing journey took place.Book publishing and Launch Day.Illustrator, Corinne Kelly Avery, book – signing for the first time.My girls, LOEW, celebrating me. Pre covid.With my grandchildren… my favorite to read to.Safely distanced book signing in the Awakening Cafe’.Chili Public Library’s Children’s Display Case featured the creative process of birthing “The Wondrous Story of the Little Shoe” during the month of December. Author and Illustrator safely celebrate.In front of Arnett Branch Library in Rochester, NY as the Library Director photographs the joy of me holding my book which is now in circulation at that city library.The author’s grandson receives a Christmas present, a book about himself!Sharing the joy. Illustrator Corinne Avery listens as her mother-in-love reads and discovers The Wondrous Story of the little Shoe, a story for childlike hearts of all ages.Holding the book that has become her favorite bedtime reading ritual.A very satisfied customer who excitedly received her book in the mail and later posted and exclaimed on Facebook “Anyone who has grandchildren needs to buy this book!”Discovering the wonder in a story that has become a favorite to read at Grandma and Grandpa’s house.
