Local author Sharon Bonesteel Mann has published a children’s book, “TWAS the Night Before: Holiday Stories for Parents and Children,” a collection of nine stories that celebrate the joy and diversity of the holiday season

Ms. Mann was encouraged by her author friend and motivational speaker Mark Matteson, who told her to send the book to his editor, Jason Liller, of Liller Creative. She also worked with artist Luke Scriven, who captured the spirit of her stories in his ink-pen and watercolor illustrations.

“The seaside town in the MacCabee’s Lighthouse story came from time I spent in Carmel and Tamales Bay in California,” stated Ms. Mann. “I did a quick sketch and sent it to Luke. Then he made it ten times better! In The King’s Birthday, the illustrations wind along just as the poetry flows, back and forth across the page, creating a visual whole in the book’s centerfold. This type of effort in text layout enhances the reading experience, especially as a parent reads to a child.”

Ms. Mann lives in Sun City with her retired husband and two cats. Her day job involves technical fire codes and battery safety standards for the Salt River Project. Writing helps satisfy her creative side and she is currently working on two projects: a young adult trilogy about diving and ocean ecology, and a murder mystery.

“TWAS the Night Before: Holiday Stories for Parents and Children” is available locally at R Bookmark in Youngtown, 11122 W. Alabama Ave., No. D1, and is available at Amazon: search TWAS_Bonesteel.

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