Last week brought a super exciting event! My dear friend Jaimie Valentini, founder of the Chicagoland non-profit Rising Lights Project, hosted an inclusive playdate at Happy Hooves Therapeutic Farm, and our crew got to be a part of the fun. Families gathered in the stables and all over the Happy Hooves grounds to meet goats, chickens, pigs, bunnies and horses…
… including this pretty one, Elsie.
Wait, Elsie?
Yes, ELSIE! The name of the main character in my debut picture book DANCING WITH DADDY, illustrated by Ziyue Chen (new pub date, Dec. 1, 2021). This day at Happy Hooves marked my very first story time, ever! To see an Elsie, right before I read about my Elsie, felt like more than a coincidence.
When Jaimie and Rising Lights Project invited me to read DANCING WITH DADDY at its inclusive playdate, I couldn’t say yes fast enough! DANCING WITH DADDY is inspired by my family. The main character, Elsie, has Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome, just like my oldest daughter.
I’m always excited to be a part of events that support disability awareness and foster friendship (such as The Nora Project - read about it here!). This playdate was exactly these things. Jaimie introduced me, sharing a bit about my upcoming books (including WILLOW & BUNNY, illustrated by Christopher Denise), plus my favorite color, favorite animal and love of musicals.
A huge thanks to my sister Betsy and best friends Heather, Chaz and Kate for snapping pictures of the day! I chatted about the cover and revealed the special alternate cover UNDER the jacket - one of my favorite surprises in the book. Then I read DANCING WITH DADDY from this sweet rocking chair. I couldn’t believe that seat was for me! (Am I a real author now?)
The story time audience included disabled children, who use the very tools that Elsie uses in DANCING WITH DADDY, including a wheelchair, alternative and augmentative communication, feeding tubes and syringes. I hope with all my heart that these young readers and their parents were able to see themselves in the story and its characters.
One of the scenes in DANCING WITH DADDY includes a G-tube feed. So after I finished reading the story, I demonstrated how a G-tube extension and syringe connect and deliver food directly into the stomach. Whenever my daughter is eating in public, her G-tube feeds always catch the attention of children, who are curious to know what we are doing and how it works. It was SO nice to talk about this important part of our family life in such a positive, welcoming atmosphere, among new friends. (You’ll notice my girls aren’t watching - they’ve seen this about a million times, LOL!)
Speaking of my girls (who inspired the characters Elsie, Rosalie and Daphne in DANCING WITH DADDY), they were the VERY best audience and coaches as I prepared for the read aloud and toyed with a few interactive elements. As the Beach Boys say, God only knows what I’d be without you, girlies!
Also in the crowd were the Jarvises! Miss E and Miss L are classmates. But more than that, the Jarvises are family. We walk the Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome journey together in near-lockstep.
Hillary also happens to be my fitness instructor via her amazing online Hillary J HIIT workouts. Check her out here! Her Patreon platform got me through quarantine, without a doubt. And now she’s up for the cover of MUSCLE & FITNESS HERS. Yes, Hillary is amazing! Vote for her HERE - if Hillary wins Ms. Muscle & Fitness, she’s buying a new wheelchair accessible van for her family!
The event with Rising Lights Project is the first of three live-and-in-person read alouds I’ll be a part of this month - yay! So if you didn’t make this one at Happy Hooves, and would like a sneak peak at DANCING WITH DADDY (which publishes Dec. 1), please come to the one at Swedish Days Kids Day in Geneva, IL!
From 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., on Friday, June 25, right outside of the Geneva Public Library, nine regional authors will read their picture books and meet young readers. Don’t miss it! Creators attending include Jacob Grant, Norene Paulson, Sarah Aronson, Lori Degman, Sara Shacter, Ruth Spiro, Patricia Toht and Kira Bigwood… and me! (I hyperlinked everyone’s name to their website, so you can check out their work.) I’m so excited to see these incredible children’s book makers in real life again. If you live in the area, please come out and say hello!
If you haven’t had a chance to pre-order DANCING WITH DADDY, you can message independent bookstore Harvey’s Tales in Geneva, IL, and request a signed copy HERE. Or you can order one HERE, as well. Your support has completely blown me away. Thank you!
Happy summer - catch you back here soon!