Living the dream of writing...

I have uploaded the connection details for Kim Marie right up top because it helps to explain the title of today's blog post!

Kim Marie started creating her first book over 30 years ago, but as a single mom with a full time career--well, we all know how that goes right? There is not enough time in the day to do everything, let along write that book! However, she persisted with finishing the words and illustrations and put them in a binder. That binder sat on a shelf for a few years until she was about to become a grandmother. Then things changed.

Kim created a digital photo book of the work for a baby shower gift for her granddaughter. Several young moms at the shower saw the gift and said they wanted one and so it began!

I may be incorrect, but I believe that was A to Z Animal Picnic. Created over 30 years before when her son was three, Kim had realized that he could count and say the ABC's as well as identify shapes, colors, animals and letters. Her thoughts were that with only two years before he started kindergarten, what could she teach him now? 

She thought reading, but he first needed to know the sounds of the letters. She hunted for a book with an interesting story that would help bridge this gap but didn't find one. The options were books which featured pages with a letter and lots of disconnected words, or a cute story but only one word on the page that began with that letter.

She thought about writing one, but settled for Dr. Seuss' ABC Book. Then when her daughter reached that same stage she thought, "Darn, I should have written that book!" Again she was busy and settled for Dr. Seuss.  

Eventually, though, she started writing it down and kept it safe. Then started to add some illustrations. Kim is happy to report, however, that despite taking so long to write her book, her children have managed to grow up and learn to read.

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A to Z Animal Picnic is an alliterative adventure that will astound you! With charming illustrations and story segments dedicated to words beginning with each letter, it is not just an alphabet book!
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The story unfolds with animals participating in a potluck picnic! So there's a tale to follow encouraging reading and not just sounding out words.

Featuring end pages full of tongue twisters and more, you will also find counting activities as no picnic is complete without ants. More and more ants arrive on each page providing counting fun as well!

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A Giraffe Who Makes You Laugh will have you in giggles as the Giraffe really does make you laugh. Funny rhyming comparisons and brightly coloured illustrations make this one a winner for the kids as well!

This book took less time to come together than the 30 years Kim spent on the alphabet sounds story. She was thinking about words that are difficult to rhyme and the word "giraffe" popped into her head. When she realized that "giraffe" and "laugh" rhymed, she got to concocting and sure enough--out came a story! 

I asked Kim what she is working on next and she had a couple of projects in the works but another children's picture book she has titled Something is Different is in development.

For more on Author Kim Marie, please use the links in the image at the top of this blog post! You'll be glad you did!

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