Linda Marie Romeril
When my daughter was little (which now seems like forever ago!) I thought it would be fun to write stories for kids. I even took a 6 week course at the community college, focused on writing books for children. Life was busy though, and as a self-employed, work-at-home, single mom, there never seemed to be enough time to do anything about it, and the dream (along with a lot of other things I thought I’d like to do one day) got put on the back burner of reality.
I remember a few years later going in search of a special little book I wanted to buy for a new baby, and much to my surprise the kind of little book I had in mind, was nowhere to be found! I laughingly remarked to the sales associate at the bookstore, that since I had my heart set on giving it as a gift, I was going to have to write the book myself! I laughed again as I wondered where on earth I was going to find the time.
Over the years life remained busy, but the same thought continued to cross my mind… “one day I’ll have time, and when that day comes, I’ll write that little book I wasn’t able to find.”
As I was anticipating the birth of my first grandchild, I finally decided to make the time. I wrote that little “nowhere to be found” book, and printed a single copy as a “welcome to the world” gift for my grandson, Felix. My heart was bursting with love for this little guy who would soon be making an appearance, and I was inspired to write him a story each night before I went to bed. Some of the stories were about the wonders he would discover as he explored his ever expanding world, and some of them were full of fun things I imagined he’d like to experience in his everyday little kid world. Each story was written to remind him that life is always going to be an adventure, a good attitude goes a long way, and if we’ll just show up and be ourselves, wonderful things can happen. I wanted to introduce him to the power of positive thinking and the magic of believing in happy surprises, and I wanted him to grow up knowing that when we look for the ”rainbows” in life, we’re very likely going to find them.
That was 7 years ago, and I always wondered if one day I’d publish those stories. A good friend of mine recently gave me a nudge to do exactly that, and when I thought about it, I agreed it was time. In the first book I chose to publish, Felix meets Rainbow the Clown, and becomes part of the magic of an already happy day…..
This book is also a tribute to my mom. Putting smiles on the faces of children has always been part of her heart’s work, and as “Rainbow the Clown” she’s volunteered countless hours to bring a burst of colour and a little bit of magic to the children’s ward at the hospital, as well as being a very popular and playful presence at many family gatherings and community events. As you’ll see when you read the story, a happy outlook in life will almost always lead you in the direction of delightful experiences that can turn into lifelong memories. And who knows, if you look, you might even find a “Rainbow” ♥
