A few years ago, while presenting her work to an elementary school class, Author Susan Kirby noticed a student looking on as classmates portrayed characters in a book from Susan's Main Street Series. The little girl sighed. "I wish they would come to life," Susan overheard her say.
"That's how I felt as a child when my father shared stories of family ancestors. He brought the past to life for me, and I hope to do the same for my readers."
Susan grew up in Central Illinois on Route 66. The historic highway brought customers to the family maple sirup business. A harvest of books resulted from Susan's rural background and strong family bonds.
Beginning writers are urged, 'Write what you know.' Susan heeded that advice with her first children's book, Ike And Porker. The book was inspired by her father's pioneer stories. It won honors from Friends of American Writers. Susan coupled that advice with medical research in writing a novel for young adults. Entitled, Shadow Boy, the book won awards from Bank Street College in 1992, much to Susan's delight.
All these years later, she is just as pleased by the October 2010 release of her first illustrated book for children, A No-Fuss Christmas. It is a depression-era story. The plucky protagonist's yearning for relief from the stark poverty of those times gives the book a poignant authenticity.
Dedicated to Susan's grandchildren, A No-Fuss Christmas was a labor of love. "My mother is from upright salt-of-the-earth Oklahomans who endured the hardships of those hard times and kept their sweetness," says Susan of her maternal grandparents and great aunts.
Currently, Susan is working on a collection of stories inspired by young Kenyans in West Pokot, Africa.
