A LOVE FOR STORYTELLING
Local children's author savoring her status
Springfield insurance agent's picture book is slated for release in April.
Monday, February 18, 2008
SPRINGFIELD — Leatha Backus describes having a "happy feeling on her shoulders" lately.
The Springfield insurance agent is savoring her status as a soon to be published children's author.
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Her picture book, "Annie and Timmy's Magic Pebbles," will be released by PublishAmerica in the first week of April. The story follows a brother and sister who meet a group of special friends through the discovery of some magic pebbles.
The story came to Backus in an instant, she said.
"I woke up at 5 a.m. with the story line in my head, character's names, everything," she explained. "I got up, grabbed my notepad and started jotting it all down."
Backus sent the finished manuscript to four different publishers. To her surprise, each publisher showed an interest in her book. After settling on PublishAmerica, Backus was told she would need to find an illustrator.
Enter Doug Toles at the Clark State Community College graphic design department. Toles and his students took on the task of creating illustrations as a class project.
When Backus and her husband, Donnie, met with the students to see the completed project, the results surpassed all expectations. Backus listened as a student read her manuscript while the illustrations were projected overhead.
"I looked over at my husband and his face was just beaming," said Backus. "The whole book just came to life when we put the two together."
She credits her mother for instilling in her a love of storytelling.
"I was brought up with books in the home, the Bible being the main one," said Backus. "My mom loved telling stories to little kids. I think I got that little edge from her."
"Annie and Timmy's Magic Pebbles" will be available on Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.com at the end of March.
In the meantime, Backus is already mulling over ideas for a second book featuring the same characters.
