A story I wrote 27 years ago to comfort my 4 year-old daughter is about to be published.
Illustrated and designed by well-known blogger Jo Robinson, it’s titled “Myrtle the Purple Turtle”. It’s about a turtle who suddenly realizes she is different from her friends. She doesn’t like it, and tries to change.
The story is about difference, friendship, and overcoming obstacles.
It was inspired by an experience my daughter Lauren had one day when she brought her black doll to her nursery school.
I’d been producing children’s TV shows back then; that may be why I made up this story for Lauren. It immediately became her favourite. Soon she knew it by heart!
In fact, Myrtle’s story was improved each night, in response to Lauren’s questions and her father’s and older sister’s suggestions.
Early this year, egged on by my husband and Chris Graham, the popular British book blogger — and supported by my children — I decided to publish the story in book-form and asked Jo to illustrate it.
So, 27 years later, Myrtle will finally get her time in the sun!
Another interesting development: Lauren, now one of Canada’s brightest lights in digital media, has been helping to shepherd the book to publication, and will oversee its marketing.
Jo, meanwhile, has been working on the illustrations for several months, and is now adding the final design touches to the book.
I’ll share the book cover with you very soon.
Cynthia Reyes 