Not even a rainy day could dampen the joy and excitement at Lacy Elementary School in Princeton, TX! Recently, I had the absolute pleasure of visiting over 100 bright and curious students from 1st to 4th grade as part of their Career Day celebration.
From the moment I walked through the doors, I was greeted with beaming smiles, eager hands waving, and excited chatter about books, dreams, and storytelling. As the rain gently tapped on the windows, the classrooms became warm, magical spaces filled with imagination and inspiration.
I shared a few of my children’s books with the students, and we talked about how stories are created—from idea to illustration to the printed page. I also gave them a behind-the-scenes look at my work as a children’s book author and publisher and spoke about the importance of literacy, representation, and following your passion.
The questions these students asked reminded me just how powerful young minds can be:
✨ “Can you write a book about me?”
✨ “Why did you start writing children’s books?”
✨ “How many books have you written?”
✨ “Can anyone become an author?”
One student’s question truly touched my heart:
“Why did you start writing children’s books?”
I told them about my journey—how losing my husband led me to create my very first book to help my grandchildren deal with grief. That experience helped me discover not just the power of storytelling, but the importance of creating stories where every child can see themselves.
I want to send a heartfelt thank you to Mrs. Love, the school counselor who extended the invitation. Her vision for a Career Day where students can connect with community leaders is exactly the kind of work that plants seeds of possibility in young hearts.
Despite the rain outside, inside Lacy Elementary was a garden of dreams, questions, and future authors. I left inspired, hopeful, and reminded of why this work matters so much.
To the students of Lacy Elementary:
Keep dreaming big. Keep asking questions. And never stop believing that your story matters.