of October is Having a Party
The Story Behind
The Story
The inspiration behind our story came one October afternoon in 2020 when my girls and I decided to go for a walk along the Bog Trail right down the road from our home. I packed some snacks, the girls grabbed their “pack packs” and nature journals and we set off.
It was a picture-perfect autumn day in the Adirondacks, the sun was shining,
the cool breeze was blowing through the trees, the leaves were rustling on the ground, and we sat by the creek drawing in our nature journals and listening to the quiet.
As we were walking back along the trail we were listening to the birds in the trees when we realized the chickadees appeared to be following us! We laughed and watched and then we remembered we still had a little trail mix left in our bag.
I sprinkled a few nuts and cranberries into my five-year-old hands and before we knew it a chickadee flew down and landed on her hand, looked up at her curiously, selected a seed, and flew away, only to come back for another seed a few moments later!
At The Beginning
The Wonder of
a Moment
We continued to stand there listening and watching while over and over the chickadees would land on our hands and then fly away. We were enchanted! For me it was the pure joy of hearing my two-year-olds excited whisper as she watched and pointed out each chickadee as it flitted around. The patience and wonder of my five-year-old as she waited in anticipation for that breathtaking moment when those tiny feet would perch on her fingers, and with the softest brush of their wings fly off again, was simply magic. We could have stayed there for hours not wanting to break the spell or see this beautiful moment come to an end.
As we eventually walked back to the car and drove home the wonder followed us! My daughter was convinced one of the chickadees followed us home and immediately filled a bucket full of seeds and went out to sit in her chair and feed the birds in the backyard. We sat in the sunshine watching the chickadees and the little red squirrel and a story began to unfold in our minds. My daughter was completely inspired and kept suggesting different animals for the story and what they'd be doing. So, we started writing down ideas and making sketches. my mamma's heart and artistic mind were full of words and phrases, images and feelings,
the first lines of 'October is Having a Party' where formed that day....
On the chilly wind, he blew, whispers of excitement to share among the woods!
He rustled through the trees, they shivered and swayed and began to spread the news.
Swirling down among the falling leaves and invitation he sent...
You’re Invited, October Is Having A Party
The First Lines
The Book
For the next couple years I periodically worked on the story, fine tuning it until we realized it actually could be something good. I'm a watercolor artist though writing a book or becoming an author was never something I imagined so I was completely overwhelmed and intimidated by the idea of trying to get published and had no idea where to start. My one prayer was that if God had a plan here and this story was meant to be a book someday, I asked that it could happen while my girls were still little enough to sit in my lap while I read it to them.
For a couple of years I would occasionally do some research or look up articles but never really went anywhere until one evening in October 2022 I came across a free writers guide on a publishing website. I downloaded the guide flipped through it but then forgot about it. Then the week before Christmas I got a phone call, text and email from that same publishing company asking to hear about my book! we set a submission date and I spent the next month and a half painting what would become the first illustrations for October is Having a Party'.
Jumping ahead my manuscript and illustrations were accepted but we ended up turning that contract down, it was the push I needed to take the plunge and begin the process but it didn't feel like the right fit. I was scared we were making a mistake but in the midst of praying for clear direction I felt God continuing to whisper, "trust me it'll be ok" And you know what friends, God is so faithful!
He honored that first prayer and one week after turning down that first contract, through a series of prompting from a friend and making a couple phone calls He opened the door to another publishing company!!! The first person I spoke to was a publishing agent from North Country Books, who immediately fell in love with my story and illustrations and sent everything on to his manager and editorial board. I submitted the completed manuscript and illustrations and received an instant unanimous vote, on May 2nd 2023 I signed the publishing contract for 'October is Having a Party'
Each step of the way God has continued to open door after door, and exactly four years from when the first lines were inspired this story will be on shelves everywhere books are sold! I don't know what I'm doing, but I'm learning a lot I'm not sure where this journey is going but God has a plan for this story and I'm excited to watch it unfold!
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