Above is the cover of my book and printed below is My Official Book Blurb introducing you to, Why Me? Positive Verse for Loss and Sadness.
It’s been a big week here at my desk. Many of you don’t know that I am working to write and illustrate my past characters into storybooks. However, I am starting with a story that really doesn’t have any of my characters. It is a story I wrote in 2011 at the special request of the Dallas Chapter of the American Red Cross. Why Me? is designed to speak to loss and sadness.
The title is, Why Me? Positive Verse for Loss and Sadness.
I chose to self publish, keeping all rights and control with a group here in Texas. The book will be available late July on all platforms, and as a hard cover and a soft cover. There will be three versions: English only, Spanish only and an edition that has both languages displayed together on the same page.
The big news this week is two ISBN numbers were assigned one each going to the hard cover and soft cover.
Below is my official Book Blurb for Book Distributors, Amazon and Library Catalogs. Hopefully it will tell anyone interested in the book what the book is about enticing them into reading it.
My Official Book Blurb
Why Me? Positive Verse for Loss and Sadness eloquently guides both young and old readers through life’s sometimes catastrophic events. Using poetic free verse, Phebe Phillips leads her readers into an awareness that each of us is special and that indeed, each of us is loved.
Why Me? is designed to bring words of comfort to those affected by life-changing events from the cataclysmic such as a death, to the heart-breaking loss of a pet, or to a change in the family structure such as a divorce or another of life’s many challenges or disappointments.
Beautifully illustrated in chalk pastels, Phebe frees each reader to use their own imagination as she weaves her story to include diverse portrayals of ethnicity and gender while using animals in human form. Many illustrations hold a deeper meaning than what may be seen upon first glance, such as in the illustration for “Sometimes things leave…” which represents the ladder to the sky as a DNA double helix that is marked with hydrogen bonds.
This story was originally created at the suggestion of the Dallas Chapter of the American Red Cross to address positively the hard subjects of loss and sadness. Since its beginning 4000 copies have been placed in the American Red Cross’s Emergency Response Vehicles for distribution to those in need of comforting words. Why Me? is appropriate for all ages.
Phebe Phillips is best known for her creation of exquisite stuffed toys sold for twenty-five-years at Neiman Marcus and other retailers. Currently she’s bringing her imaginative characters and imagination to life through poetry, chalk pastel illustrations and 3D felt characters.
Way to go Phebe!
Phebe You have been an inspiration to me, after the loss of my dad who was 92 the last few months. I am too a childrens book author and also a silk painter artist amongst jewelry designer as well. I find that while my depression has been subsided from me, I have always thought of doing and adding one of my jewelry pieces amongst my silk work to my stories. One was the Dancing Butterfly . As many little children associate animals to their loved ones that have crossed over and many of them think that Wow, is that true that God lives inside a butterly? I had one student ask me, Is that God? I said of course he is, or she is, everyone has god inside them you do too, and the butterfly resembles the god in all of us, with her flowing wings and the way she stands with the gracious wing span and she moves like God will, like a cross. So I have decided to add one of my butterflies to one of my many stories.. to enlighten the hearts as one does. Like your story. Maybe If you add some sparkles or wisdom leaves to the child they can feel loved. No one likes to hear about death of a loved one, not even me, but you have inspired me to do and be whatever I wanted to be through your writing. thank you friend for helping me cope with loss, you are so very blessed.
Hi Linda,
Thank you so much for your kind words. Yes, God does live in butterflies, and us too!
With friendship,
Phebe
I can’t wait to get my hard copy. Sounds wonderful.
Hi Rebecca,
Thanks, It will be late July.
With friendship,
Phebe
Hi Phebe! Great to hear! It’s such an amazing feeling to put a book out into the world! Looking forward to it! Blessings and Congratulations <3
Hi Nicole,
Thanks for the encouragement. I am really looking forward to it.
Love You, Phebe