A Qualicum Beach woman has recently published a ‘coming-of-age’ story for youngsters to enjoy during the pandemic, with two sequels to follow.
In her first published book, author Sally de la Rue Browne’s The Fairy Hollow Chronicles is part one of a three-part series that she hopes will provide children with a fun and adventurous story about goal setting.
“I wanted to make it a happy story because we’re in the pandemic and not-so-happy times. I wanted to show kids because they’ve been so affected by the pandemic, that they can still set goals and achieve them,” she said.
The story follows four fairies as they undertake a quest before receiving their wings at a coming-of-age ceremony.
Her own daughter’s love for fairies as a child inspired her to start The Fairy Hollow Chronicles.
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She even named two key characters in the story after her children; Mayor Dale for her son; and Christy the fairy for her daughter.
As an early reader book, the target audience is youngsters in Grades 1-3, but Browne believes children even younger than that can still enjoy it.
“My great-niece, who’s only four, loved the book. She wanted her mom to read it from start to finish,” she said with a chuckle.
It took Browne approximately six to eight months to finish the first book, but she anticipates the sequels taking less time. The follow up to The Fairy Hollow Chronicles is currently being edited, with the third installment slated for release in the fall.
Both sequels will be illustrated by the same artist, Barbara Warwick, as Browne said she enjoys how Warwick brought her characters to life.
The Fairy Hollow Chronicles can be purchased from Browne’s website www.sallydelaruebrowne.com.