NORWOOD — A mother-daughter writing team have been hard at work on a continuation of “Runaway Turkeyette,” a story the pair adapted into a play for the Ansonia Theater in 2014. They even enlisted the help of Anson County children to provide feedback.
Dr. Amy Horne and her daughter, McKenzie, 13, have compl “Better Than My Dreams: Turkeyette’s Adventures in New York City.” The book is scheduled to be released next month.
In “Runaway Turkeyette,” Turkey decides to escape her farm and fate of becoming Thanksgiving dinner, choosing to run to New York. There, Turkey has a chance to meet with the Lockettes and is renamed Turkeyette.
“Better Than My Dreams” picks up where “Runaway Turkeyette” left off.
“She’s in Manhattan in the middle of the street with no game plan,” Horne said.
While “Runaway” was a 24-page book designed for children in kindergarten through fifth grade, “Better Than My Dreams” is a 10,500-word chapter book written for slightly older children.
Horne and her daughter began working on the second book last October.
“When we started writing, the story just flowed,” Horne said. “We of course, McKenzie and I, have had New York experiences, so that made it easier for Turkeyette to experience New York City.”
McKenzie and her sister, McCarter, 9, are both homeschooled, and Horne is married to Kenny. She and McKenzie were able to take one afternoon to visit Ansonville Elementary School for a “Turkeyette Talk” to get feedback from students.
Horne sent Anson County schools superintendent Michael Freeman an email asking for help finding willing students. The principal of Ansonville Elementary School responded to Horne, who sent a manuscript of the book to children selected by teachers. Horne and McKenzie then met the students for a feedback session. Each student signed a confidentiality agreement.
“Children are honest critics,” Horne said. “I didn’t have much time to take that, to implement that step in the writing process for, “Runaway Turkeyette” because we were still very much involved in doctors’ appointments, but for this, this step was a very valuable experience. We were able to answer questions and clarify the storyline.”
The session was such a large success that they decided not to follow through with plans to hold a similar event in Stanly County as the pair had all of the feedback they felt they needed.
“Runaway Turkeyette” was written when McKenzie, then 10, had suffered an infection and other medical issues. Horne had given her a turkey craft to keep her occupied and encouraged her to write. With that story, McKenzie took the lead, but this time, Horne has, she said. Without the burden of medical appointments, Horne said she is taking the time to be a “smarter businesswoman” this time, and that includes getting constructive criticism from the book’s intended audience.
Illustrator Jean Harrington accompanied Horne and McKenzie to the listening session.
“The purpose was to ensure our storyline for that audience, clarify any portion of the storyline, identify their favorite parts in the story, and ultimately to inspire the children to write,” Horne said. “And the children asked questions, McKenzie and I asked questions. We had certain spots in the story we wanted to make sure were clear. We wanted to make sure the children understood it, that we got feedback, their favorite parts, did they like it. That was really a beneficial talk, and it was in the format of an open discussion, just between the children and us. They even caught a few mistakes that I missed.”
Horne said students who had read “Runaway Turkeyette” followed the storyline well, and those who hadn’t asked questions that lead the authors to modify the book so that readers who haven’t seen the first book can follow along well.
“It was just some well-invested time for McKenzie and I, and too, the children were excited,” Horne said. “They got to speak to us, real authors, and Jean, a real illustrator.”
Harrington, who illustrated the new book, used to live in Anson County and now resides in Stanly County. Brent Vernon did the illustrations for “Runaway Tukeyette.”
Her granddaughters are friends with McKenzie and McCarter, and when Horne saw samples of Harrington’s work, she asked her to help.
Horne had purchased the rights to the illustrations of “Runaway Turkeyette” from Vernon, so some of those images appear in “Better Than My Dreams.” Vernon digitized Harrington’s work.
“Jean illustrates by hand and Brent by computer, and for this project, I needed both,” Horne said.
The book also includes photos of the family visiting New York when the girls were younger, and the images have been edited to show Turkeyette photobombing them.
Although Horne was the primary force behind this book, she said McKenzie was an active participant.
“I’ve taken the lead on this one, but certainly McKenzie has been very, very involved,” Horne said. “I capitalize on her creativity. She took the lead last time, and I took the lead this time.”
Even with all of the work put into it, the actual story came effortlessly.
“When the inspiration comes, we just capitalized on it,” Horne said. “When I sat down to write, the story flowed, and I couldn’t stop. I had to see what Turkeyette was doing next.”
The book will be published through the Horne’s company, Rockin Rhyme Storytime, in mid-August.
Each book will come with a wooden nickel designed to remind children to count their blessings. There are directions in the book instructing children to use the coin from Nov. 1-30 to meet their “Give Back Goal.” Children can keep the wooden nickel under their pillow to remember to count their blessings and give back. They can also pick a cup to place one real coin in each day as they list a blessing, then take their “cup of blessings” to a local food or literacy program. The Hornes will likely donate to their local food shelter.
The wooden nickel also appears in the story.
The pair hopes to schedule book signings soon, and encourages schools, churches or other organizations to contact them at ajhorne@hornwoodinc.com to schedule times.
Like the first book, this one will also be performed on the stage, this time in Stanly County. Advanced dancer Gretchen Castelloe with Albemarle Academy of Dance has choreographed the dances. Harrington and Stanly County artists Jennifer Smith will design the set. The location is being finalized and will be announced soon, but the performances are scheduled for Nov. 3 and 4.
With “Better Than My Dreams” still pending release, a sequel is already in the works.
“We’ve begun writing the next one after this because we see Turkeyette everywhere now,” Horne said. “We just got back from a Disney cruise, and the whole time were like, ‘Oh, we can see Turkeyette on a cruise.’ We still have ideas. We have the next one laid out and have begun writing, as well. The story just flows, but you can’t have a 40-chapter book, so we just kind of have it broken out.”
McKenzie said she is excited for the next book.
Announcements about the book and play will be made on the authors’ Facebook page, Runaway Turkeyette.
Both books and supplemental tools can be purchased at rockinrhymestorytime.bigcartel.com.
Reach reporter Imari Scarbrough at 704-994-5471 and follow her on Twitter @ImariScarbrough.
