My first cookbook was published in 1980, launching an exciting career in the world of food. I taught cooking classes and traveled all over as a featured speaker and guest on radio and TV shows. I even appeared on the Regis Philbin show. (That’s really my biggest claim to fame.) The result was a total of seven successful cookbooks and a totally burned-out author. So, I decided it was time to slow down and enjoy the wonderful time of life I fondly refer to as “grandmotherhood”.
All was peaceful, until three years ago…
My new career started on an ordinary day, in an ordinary way. I was simply brushing my twin granddaughters’ hair. One of the girls was distressed about the mass of knots and tangles in her beautiful, but very curly tresses. I found myself doing something that having ten grandchildren has taught me to do well - making up stories to divert the girls’ attention. I told the twins about a tiny fairy who flies into children’s rooms at night and delights in tangling their hair. It worked! No more tears and no more tangles. Later that day the girls and I sat down together, wrote the entire story and decided to call it The Knot Fairy. I never imagined that this was the beginning of a new and very exciting adventure. The adventure actually catapulted into a career a few days later when I innocently said to the girls, “Why don’t we turn this story into a book?” Oops, that just slipped out. I didn’t mean to say it. Now what? I couldn’t back out. I could never disappoint my grandkids. And so, a fairy tale was born.
Anyway, this seemed like the perfect time to re-invent my career. My bachelor’s degree in education and my minor in children’s literature were calling to me to re-enter the book world. As I fast-forward to today, three years later, and only one year after the release of The Knot Fairy, I am happy to report that the book has been the recipient of two children’s book awards and a selection on the esteemed BookSense Childrens’ Pick List. In addition, the book is now a finalist in the ForeWord Magazine Book of the Year Awards. It seems that the mystery of tangled hair is a popular dilemma that crosses all ages and ethnic boundaries.
Now, in keeping with my theme of explaining some of the deeper mysteries of life, I am pleased to announce that my second book., The Sock Fairy will be arriving this Spring. Yes, everyone has been visited by this mischievous little sprite. He’s the one (yes, a little boy fairy) who is responsible for missing socks, mismatched socks, and the occasional hole in the toe.
So, just remember - when life’s little mysteries have you baffled – who better to blame it on than a fairy?
