Taking Flight
Posted on November 30, 2018 by
Jamison seeing the book for the first time.
I was so excited to join Jamison’s first grade class in Raleigh, NC at the number one Magnet School in the country (or so I was told) – AB Combs Elementary. I was equally impressed with the children in their classroom’s attentiveness. But, (not that I am biased) I adored spending time with my grandson Jamison who is a main character in my new children’s book entitled “Taking Flight.” Illustrated by Julia Phillips, a local artist to Smith Mountain Lake, this story (as in all of my books) has an underlying message and this one is about eating well and fitness in children. Head elf, Gordy grows too large to ft into his elf suit so Jamison has to help deliver the Christmas gifts with Santa. Julia did a remarkable job of capturing the story with her renditions. Jack took some video footage of the day at the school that I edited together into a little story about the day. Each of our family members received a copy at Thanksgiving and there will be two book signings this weekend.
My other two books have a message as well. Cloudy with a Chance of Dreams features Jaxon (our oldest grand son). The story is about having trouble paying attention in school and the way his mother managed this including some reinforcements flying in an airplane. The book featuring Destiny Jayda (our grand daughter) is entitled Fly me Home and is about a girl who is having trouble making friends at school. She is being raised by a single (pilot) father who determines one way to manage her feelings about change and school is home schooling while she travels with him in the airplane. 
As a retired child development facility member, it’s just hard for me to NOT educate. Books are a great way to entertain and spend close time with a child. Through the story, the child can imagine themselves in the role. That in turn leads to conversations between parents or grandparents and children which can lead to solutions in their own lives. And airplanes? Jack is a pilot and we live on an airport. We sell these books in our Bed & Breakfast which is situated adjacent to the W91 airport. We need more young pilots in training of course so there is some airplane terminology also appearing in the books.
Lastly, this is our I have enjoyed not only honoring my grand children but to spend some of my retirement time. This year, we are being blessed with so many new babies, however that I am considering the next book to be about a GROUP of children including all of those precious ones who have been born (and will be born) the last 2 years…Lyla, RJ, Zahra, Emma Grace, Eliana, and (due in February), Gabe. And just maybe nieces Kendall, Jaylyn, and Charlotte will have starring roles as well as our family continues to grow! Wow!
Ho, ho ho and Merry Christmas!!!