What will Kentucky Book Festival visitors find on your table? They will find copies of my second novel, WHAT THE SEAHORSE TOLD ME. Bookmarks. Possibly seahorse and sea turtle refrigerator magnets. Fascinating Seahorse Fact sheets and/or puzzles. For parents and teachers, there will be activity sheets of fun things to do with your kiddos when reading WHAT THE SEAHORSE TOLD ME as a family or a class.
Whom do you invite to stop by? All people of all ages! Families! Friends! Upper elementary / middle school readers! Teachers!
Who will benefit from reading your book? Anyone who loves seahorses, sea turtles, not-too-scary hauntings, appealing characters with mysterious abilities, and a good adventure–all set at a summer camp where the spirit of aloha reigns. (Think Moana meets Percy Jackson.) Families and classrooms reading the book together will also benefit from themes of dealing with change and loss, the power of forgiveness, the gift of our differences, and the value of putting oneself in another’s shoes…or paws…or fins.
Could you please tell us something curious about you and/or your book? Growing up, I was a sensitive child just like the protagonist in my book, and as such, picked up on lots of things that others did not notice- -including being extremely aware of the feelings and experiences of others. This can be a curse and a blessing, as you will see in my main character, Sophie, who can empathize and communicate with animals. As an adult, I’ve learned to harness this power of empathy in my writing, but Sophie is much more courageous! She uses her abilities to foil a gang of black market thieves and even “calls” a shark!
Is this your first time participating in Kentucky Book Festival? If yes – what are you looking forward to the most? If you’ve participated before – what was your favorite experience at the Festival? I participated once before when my debut novel, SAVING WONDER, was first published. The favorite part of my experience, which I’m looking forward to again, is meeting my future readers. Also, there is something magical about dozens of authors coming together in the same place with books they have created and hope others will love. It’s a celebration of the written word and the power of story, and we get to meet the people behind the words.
