Linda J Chapman, from the sunshine State of Florida, is the author of an enchanting children's story - Best Friends Forever The Adventures of Freddie & Stumper - about the friendship between an eight-year-old boy and an injured bull frog. But she didn't always plan to be a writer. This is her story ...
Linda’s first book, Beyond the Eyes of God was published in 2012. It tells of her traumatic early life and is a story of survival, as well as a search for love in her own family.
"At age five I was kidnapped by my own mother and thrown into a world of mental and physical abuse that followed me through much of my adult life," she says. "My book has changed my life, I knew that my life wasn't the life most children live. I knew there had to be something good in the world although my childhood was stolen from me."
Becoming a children's writer was an unexpected turn in Linda's life. "Never having a childhood myself, I never could have imagined taking on a project of thinking or dreaming as a child," she said. "But after writing my memoir Beyond the Eyes of God, my mind opened to other ideas."
Linda’s first book, Beyond the Eyes of God was published in 2012. It tells of her traumatic early life and is a story of survival, as well as a search for love in her own family.
"At age five I was kidnapped by my own mother and thrown into a world of mental and physical abuse that followed me through much of my adult life," she says. "My book has changed my life, I knew that my life wasn't the life most children live. I knew there had to be something good in the world although my childhood was stolen from me."
Becoming a children's writer was an unexpected turn in Linda's life. "Never having a childhood myself, I never could have imagined taking on a project of thinking or dreaming as a child," she said. "But after writing my memoir Beyond the Eyes of God, my mind opened to other ideas."
Best Friends Forever The Adventures of Freddie & Stumper is a story about a boy who lives near a swamp with his parents who befriends an injured bull frog. It's a heart warming story of friendship and compassion for each other and their continued adventures with one another throughout their lives.
This is the first in a planned series of books. Book two is in the process of being illustrated.
Inspiration for the story came from something Linda heard while out for a walk early one foggy morning.
"All the sudden I heard this forlorn Croak Croak, it sounded like an injured frog as it kept croaking repeatedly sounding like it were miles away," she said. "Looking around I finally realized the sound was coming out of a culvert drain pipe. Looking through the holes of the grate I saw nothing and soon the sound was gone.
"It bothered me walking home. How was that frog going to get out of there? I thought. But the next morning and repeated mornings the frog continued its croaking sounding as if it were in yet another drain. At home I'd lie in bed at night thinking about how to rescue him and that’s what inspired me to write this story.
"The child and imagination has come pouring out every since."
Linda penned Best Friends Forever The Adventures of Freddie & Stumper with fellow author Mary Lois Sanders. Illustrations are by Charlene Meeker. The book can be purchased on Amazon and Kindle. ISBN 13:978-1492871088 // ISBN 10:1492871087
You can find out more about Linda on her website at:
http://thecircleoffriends.weebly.com/
This is the first in a planned series of books. Book two is in the process of being illustrated.
Inspiration for the story came from something Linda heard while out for a walk early one foggy morning.
"All the sudden I heard this forlorn Croak Croak, it sounded like an injured frog as it kept croaking repeatedly sounding like it were miles away," she said. "Looking around I finally realized the sound was coming out of a culvert drain pipe. Looking through the holes of the grate I saw nothing and soon the sound was gone.
"It bothered me walking home. How was that frog going to get out of there? I thought. But the next morning and repeated mornings the frog continued its croaking sounding as if it were in yet another drain. At home I'd lie in bed at night thinking about how to rescue him and that’s what inspired me to write this story.
"The child and imagination has come pouring out every since."
Linda penned Best Friends Forever The Adventures of Freddie & Stumper with fellow author Mary Lois Sanders. Illustrations are by Charlene Meeker. The book can be purchased on Amazon and Kindle. ISBN 13:978-1492871088 // ISBN 10:1492871087
You can find out more about Linda on her website at:
http://thecircleoffriends.weebly.com/
Bye for now. But wherever you are on your Earth Walk, always try to Reach For The Stars.
You'll be surprised just what you can achieve!
You'll be surprised just what you can achieve!
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