The Story Behind The Book

Behind every book there is a story.

Here is the story behind my first children’s book, Light as a Feather.

I've loved books my whole life, especially children's books. My mom read to me every night before bed and I read to my sons as well. There was always a little dream in my heart to write one of my own but first you need a story to tell and that special story hadn't found me, until it did. It arrived very unexpectedly.

I wasn't trying to think of ideas for stories, I was thinking about how parts of my life had begun to feel heavy. There were things I was holding onto and carrying around that kept me from doing what my heart was really craving. Most of those things were just old habits, imagined responsibilities, and ways of thinking that didn't really fit me anymore. I had also reached an age where I didn't have the same control over my body that I used to have. Worries about my looks and my weight were taking up too much of my energy. They were literally weighing me down.

At the same time, my husband and I had been doing more traveling than ever before and I had been teaching myself to pack lighter with each trip we went on. I love being able to hit the ground running and not be burdened with a big suitcase to lug around. So each time we returned home and I unpacked, I looked for items that I hadn't really used or needed while traveling and set them aside. So far I'm down to just a carry-on bag and a backpack. I still tend to pack too many art supplies!

If you know me, then you know how much I love birds. I find so much enjoyment just hanging out in the garden watching, feeding, drawing, and photographing them. They come and go throughout  the year, building their nests in my backyard and bringing their babies to the feeders. They are a constant inspiration for my art and for my soul. They represent lightness and freedom to me. Hope and possibility!

Well one day, in mid-summer, I was watching the birds from the window and reminiscing about our recent trip to Scotland. I was wishing it was easier to travel more often, if it wasn't for all the things we have to take care of, and suddenly, a little idea landed right in front of me! The fact is, a lot of those things I felt responsible for were not really that necessary. They were obligations and responsibilities that I had taken up years ago and just didn't know how to put down. And if you want to fly, you have to be free to take off.

You have to be as light as a feather!

I've been traveling down this creative path for a few years now and I meet people all the time who tell me how much they used to love to paint, or draw, or take photographs, or travel. I see their eyes light up when they talk about it. And I feel the weight they are carrying when they list all the reasons they are not doing those things that they love so much.

I really didn't write Light as a Feather for children. I wrote it as a reminder to myself.

I hope it will remind you too.

Pack light! It's time to fly!