The Inspiration For My First Children’s Picture Book
Often, I wonder what adventures may lay just beyond the horizon. What wild and amazing things are possible just outside my front door? Luckily, growing up in the country, there was no shortage of childhood adventure for me to find. But each night, as the sky darkened and the crickets began to sing, I found comfort in the glowing flood light that hung just above our garage, calling me home. So, it’s little wonder that when my three-year-old son asked me to explain why his dog chose to run away that morning, and thankfully, return home that afternoon, I got to thinking that maybe she wasn’t that different from me. I started piecing the story together in my mind, and ultimately, began the long journey of converting it into a children’s picture book.
In the story, Bailey, the black labrador puppy, takes to the wild seeking new adventures. But guided by the wisdom of nature in the form of a waterfall, a tree, and the very Earth herself (alongside a daunting encounter with a coyote) Bailey slowly begins to appreciate the comforts of home.
“This place is a bore! I want to explore
Where the wild things all abound.
There surely must be, beyond the far trees,
Adventures still yet to be found!”
The endearing images of farm and woodland animals are created by illustrator Sophie Mitchell and draw their inspiration from my youth spent in rural Alabama.
Bailey The Black Lab
The real-world Bailey, our feisty black labrador, came into our lives in 2008. Apparently, even as a puppy, she had been adventurous. Her owner had given her up because she repeatedly led the rest of her litter towards the highway. So, Bailey joined my wife and me as our first dependent.
As life got busier and our first son was born, Bailey got fewer belly-rubs, fewer walks, and even fewer baths. We were becoming concerned that we were no longer giving her the life she deserved when something special happened. That pesty pup met our son, Jack. The two quickly became best friends and still are to this day. So, what she lacks in adventure, she makes up for in hugs, kisses, and dinner table jackpots from her best friend. I hope you enjoy this simple tale of a dog, her thirst for adventure, and her better judgment to return home to her best friend. The rhyming children’s picture book, Wherever You Roam is set for release by Natchoo Press on September 18th, 2018.
Adventure abounds and often it sounds
Like the world is a pleasure to roam.
But Bailey felt right when Jack hugged her tight,
To lovingly welcome her home.
