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Glenshire students to get book publishing lesson

Andrew Cristancho
Sierra Sun
Emma Garrard/Sierra SunKaren Frances, a local illustrator and artist, sits on the couch with her bloodhound Thelma Rose while holding her the book, The Secret of the Wizard's Wand, she illustrated inside her Glenshire home Tuesday. Frances will be giving a presentation on illustration for Glenshire Elementary School 5th graders next week.
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Glenshire students will learn what it takes to illustrate a children’s book next week.

Karen Frances, a 53-year-old local artist, is scheduled to speak with three different groups of Glenshire Elementary School students about her experiences as a published illustrator, said school librarian Teresa Ketron.

Frances is learning about the field herself. “The Secret of the Wizard’s Wand” is the first children’s book she has illustrated and only the second book in which she has been published.



Frances used her three grandchildren as models, and they all appear in the book, she said. The two oldest attend school in Glenshire.

The Glenshire resident teamed up with Reno author Terry Lowey to create the first in a series of books for children focusing on the power of positive thought.



The duo released “The Secret of the Wizard’s Wand” in August 2007 ” the first book in a series of 45 that Lowey has been working on for three years.

“The message of this first book is that you can change how you feel by changing how you think,” Lowey, a full-time marriage and family therapist said. “And learning that changed my life.”

The duo teamed up after being introduced by the publisher of We Connect magazine in which Lowey was a columnist, Lowey said.

“I got into her house and saw her self-portrait and said, ‘oh my God, I can’t believe I found this person,'” Lowey said of Frances.

The team is self-publishing the book.

“It’s discouragingly difficult to publish kids books and I would not have been able to pick my illustrator,” she said. “Her work conveys emotion.”

Lowey and Frances have had a few book signings in the Truckee area and plan on more local speaking engagements with small groups of families.

In keeping with her family therapy roots, Lowey feels the message of her books are more important than book sales. So far advertising has consisted of “word of mouth,” she said.

Education Matters ” a partnership between the Tahoe Truckee Unified School District, the Excellence in Education Foundation and The Truckee Tahoe Community Foundation ” asked 800 local residents what is important in local education.

One of the eight priorities established was called “Whole Child,” which refers to character development, a respect for diversity, and other qualities that a child can be taught to help him or her become responsible and productive citizens. Lowey said her books fit that description exactly.

Illustrator Karen Frances will speak with three groups of elementary school students on Feb. 25 and 26 at 1 p.m. and Feb. 29 at 2:40 p.m.

Author Terry Lowey will hold a book signing with Frances at a Woman’s History Month celebration at Rainbow Bridge in Tahoe City on March 22 from 4 to 7 p.m.

“The Secret of the Wizard’s Wand,” is for sale locally at the Bookshelf, Tahoe Yoga and Wellness Center, For Goodness Sake and Vista Gallery.


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