My friends, I'm so excited I'm about to bust.
My brand new book, written especially for children and starring my dear friend Flash, will be out on October 1!
(Pause for nervous giggles!)
Here is the official synopsis:
"A Stray donkey with a penchant for inventions is taken in by a mismatched collection of barnyard friends. Flash the Donkey Makes New Friends is the heartwarming story of a not-so ordinary donkey who needs a special place to belong. Flash is the inquisitive type who loves to invent things and solve problems, but his curiosity sometimes gets him into trouble! With the help of his new-found friends–Jed the goat, Carson the pig, and Ruby the chicken–Flash manages to turn problems into adventures and learns valuable lessons along the way.
Inspired by Rachel Anne Ridge's memoir, Flash, names one of Publishers Weekly's Best Summer Books of 2015, kids will fall in love with this endearing donkey as they learn to appreciate the value of true friendship."
This book was both harder (and more fun) than I could have imagined. As a mural artist, I went into it thinking, "Pfff, how hard can it be to create 9x10 inch pages?"
Turns out, pretty hard.
I drew and re-drew. I painted and repainted. I Photoshopped and re-Photoshopped.
I obsessed. Fretted. Gave myself hip bursitis from sitting in my chair for weeks on end.
And of course, I fell in love with my characters.
Above all, I wanted to create a story that kids would genuinely LIKE. One that pulled them in and made them laugh. I wanted a book that parents would enjoy reading out loud, possibly over and over again. You know how that goes, right? LOL
Between now and October 1, I'll introduce you to the characters and tell you why I chose them!
Until then, here is one of my favorite pictures of Flash:
You can pre-order Flash the Donkey Makes New Friends on Amazon – and I'll be honest, I'll love it if you do! Buy it for your kids, grandkids, students, and friends. You can even buy it for yourself, just because you know Flash personally and should probably have one of your own!
Here's a link to a bit more about the book. Flash the Donkey Makes New Friends.
