It’s often the simple things that make an impact on us. A cute signature at the end of an email inspired a children’s book, written and published by Biscoe author Wayne Adams.
“Laci the Ladybug” is a children’s story for youngsters ages 2 to 6, about Laci who decides one day to visit her friends. They each seem to have a problem and Laci helps them solve each one.
“The name Laci is from my daughter-in-law Laci Adams,” said Adams. “She and my son, David, have been married for 15 years. They reside in Ector, Texas. Laci would often sign her emails ‘Laci Bug.’ That gave me an idea but it was some time before I developed an idea for a children’s story. I wrote a rough draft of the story. After completion of the story I needed an illustrator.”
Adams has been employed as a Correctional Officer for 23 years at Southern Correctional Institute at Troy, N.C.
“One evening, at work, I noticed my co-worker, Shelly Kern, had drawn some interesting pictures on some paper,” he recounted. “I forget what she drew but it was good artwork. I began talking to her about my idea for a children’s book. She agreed to do the artwork. There is the saying that ‘Life is what happens when you have other plans.’ That is so true. Between sicknesses in her family and other obligations it took two years to get the drawings done.”
Once it was finished, Adams and his wife went to Staples in Albemarle to make 10 books. He then proceeded to show his books to children.
“I dropped one off at a day care, not far from my house, for the employees to read it to the children. Later, when I picked up the book, one of the employees informed me that the children were very enthusiastic about the book,” said Adams. “A friend of ours, Sue Boyd of Pekin, read the story to her Sunday School class and they enjoyed it so much they asked her to read it again. It was also read at Page Street Elementary School in Troy. The children enjoyed it.”
Convinced it was a book that children would enjoy, Adams submitted it to PublishAmerica of Frederick, Maryland. They accepted it. It is available on the online bookstore of PublishAmerica for $25. It is also for sale on Amazon Kindle.
“As mentioned before, I have 23 years of service with the Department of Corrections and Shelly Kern has 5 years,” said Adams. “Two items of trivia about us include the fact that I am originally from Texas and she is from Kentucky. We also share the same birthday: September 29th — in different decades that is.”
— Staff Writer Dawn M. Kurry can be reached at 910-997-3111, ext. 15, or by email at dkurry@heartlandpublications.com.
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