Smile Again
Pretty sure my spirit animal is a turtle because when it comes to getting things accomplished … ? well, errr, uh, I tend to take the long route
and I do mean L O N G.
For example, it was December, 1999 when I penned my story ‘SMILE’.
Yep.
& for those who have no idea what I’m speaking of …. here’s a brief lowdown …
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Put a little smile on your face and make it a happy day.
Those words popped into my head when my youngest sister was three, maybe four years old.
I attached a fancy little tune to them and I would sing my song quite often.
It made her giggle.
Every. Time
& sometimes Youngest Sister would sing my song to me
& I would smile.
Every. Time.
Those thirteen little words have followed me through the years.
I’d pull them out and sing them loud and proud when my children were feeling the grumps
& I’ve used them on Older Brother multiple times.
Still do
& to this day, try as he might, he is laughing by the time I get to the second verse.
Yes.
There is a second verse.
It’s the same as the first.
I love those words !
I love them so much I wrote a story around them.
The main character is a smile named Smile who goes on a determined adventure to hand big grins to the world, one person at a time
& Smile’s motto is … ? …
Yep.
You guessed it.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
& then came the idea to create an eBook, where I took my stories … Smile, Teardrop, Nicey, shy, Bubbles, Love, Collin and the Big Bald Tree … put them together and titled my compilation ‘I Am My Feelings’
& that was all fine and fine too. My tales, out in the universe. How awesome is that ???!???
but, something was missing and when people would comment, “Is it Illustrated ?? or Are there pictures ??” I’d hem and haw and maybe someday reply cause, remember, I’m a turtle and I move at a very S L O W pace . . . . .
Until one day, well by golly, here ! I’ll just show you !!!
& ! ! YaY ! ! Illustrated !!
Toby Mikle at MyBookIllustrator.com is the wonderful someone who took my thisclose to 20 year old scribbles and brought them to life ! and he will continue to be my sketch guy for each of my characters as they re-enter the universe as solo acts !! It might take another gazillion todays to get them there but, I promise !! Teardrop, Nicey, etcetera and I will most definitely !! get there !!
weeeeeee
& just so you know !! my ILLUSTRATED Smile is now available on
and
& a hard copy book will soon follow !! as I venture into self-publishing !!
Yippeeeeeee !!
& no worries !! I will keep you updated on Smile’s happenings because I know you’ll want to know and I’ll want to tell you !!
So YaY !! YaY Us !!
We DID IT !! Finally !! We have blasted off into the universe once more !! and if I could give each and every single one of you a BIG HUG for your unending support ??? ooooooh !! I would !! I WOULD !! and I hope you forever realize that YOU are my fuel !! and I love, love, LOVE you sooooooo !!
Yes. It has taken a LOT longer than I anticipated when I first wrote those happy, little syllables back in 1999. I have swayed and sidetracked and wandered this way and that but, hey ! Smile is HERE !! again and now
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
Ummm. Have I mentioned how much I adore turtles ??!??
🙂