The Journey Series--A Trip to the Dentist

And sooooo, I break my two front teeth. And as I'm sitting in the dentist chair, drill spinning, lower teeth aching from the cold water, my dentist/friend says, "Did you know that some people go through this without Novacaine?"

I roll my eyes because speaking isn't an option. More impressions, more Novacaine, and he says, "Really! There are some people who feel no pain in their mouths!'

I'm at the point where I want to vomit. I've been in this chair for over two hours. I've nothing else to do, and to distract myself from the pain, I start thinking about writing. In between spitting, drooling, and jaw aches, I jot down notes.

I wrote my first children's book way back when my kids were small.

Journeys sprang from my need to explain the process of life and death to my children. Basically, the book chronicles the life, death, and rebirth of a leaf and her best friend, Twig. I submitted the book to Phyllis Galde who at that time, worked for Llewelling Publishing. She was just about to step out on her own and form her own publishing company. She loved my story and took it with her when she went into business.


"Ah, Louann?" My dentist BFF asks.

"Mumble mumble."

"Please move your head toward me."

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The Gathering of the Winds came next. This story is about a small cloud who is invited to The Great Hall of the Winds. Wur is asked to choose which wind he will join, the East Wind, the North Wind, the South Wind, or the West Wind. Now, Wur, isn't big on joining with anyone. He prefers to tackle life on his own. The Gathering of the Winds follows Wur as he struggles with life. He eventually understands that becoming a part of something greater than yourself does not mean losing your identity.

"Can you sit up? There you go. I'm just going to put some of this icky blue stuff in your mouth to make another impression."

"Mumble mumble."

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The Meadow came next. This is the story of Blade. He's determined to be perfect. He is so anxious to achieve perfection that he pushes everyone away from him. Before long, he has no friends and has to face a punishing existence where deer poop on him, snow buries him, and water evaporates. It is only when he grows tall enough that he realizes that perfection comes from the whole, and not from the broken, spotty, greenish brown blades that live around him.  

"There you go." My dentist BFF sits back, admiring his work. "Almost done now. Do you need more Novacaine?"

"Mumble mumble." I think, that makes shot number eight.

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The Reluctant Reader--Jack hates to read. Jack is also my grandson who hated to read. I wrote this book for him. Now, several years later, Jack LOVES to read. In fact, he has a bookshelf in his room filled with all kinds of books on all kinds of subjects, just like the Jack in The Reluctant Reader. Now, my Jack, of course, didn't win the Pulitzer Prize, but Jack in this book did!


"Good girl! Now we're going to put in the temporaries. Don't bite with them, brush them carefully, and don't floss. Got that?" He studies me closely, big eyes peering through magnifying goggles.

"Mumble mumble."

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The Listening Rock.

Familes come in all shapes, sizes, and colors. One of my grandsons has to split his time between his mom and dad. On a beautiful snowy Sunday morning my little guy had to say good-bye to his grandma and papa. He started to cry. Frantic, I looked around my yard, filled with rocks, of course. I grabbed a half geode and wiped it off on my jeans. 

"Here!" I said to my sobbing grandson. "Put it up to your ear!"

At three, he wasn't quite used to an abnormal grandmother. Already his step-mother was staring at me, wondering why I'd want him to put a dirty rock next to his ear.

"Just do it!" I cried, giving him a hug.

He put the rock next to his ear.

"I love you,"  I said softly, next to his ear. 

"I heared you!' he cried. "I heared you." He wiped his eyes.

"Whenever you miss me or want to hear my voice, just put that rock next to your ear."

My son called me when they got home. Seems my little one heard me and continues to hear me still. Now all my grandchildren have listening rocks, and while some have outgrown them, I'll always have this book to remind them of the fun times we've had.

The Journey series is my heart--my wish to children everywhere that they would grow with confidence and without fear.

My dentist BFF says, "All done now. When you get famous, don't forget to tell everyone who your dentist is."

I'm going to take some Vicodin. My missing teeth are killing me. Oh, and by the way, thank you Mark Winger, DDS extraordinaire!

*Illustrations done by Louann Carroll

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