Aren’t biographies the oddest things?  This has been, by far, the hardest thing I have ever had to write.  How can I possibly sum up my life in a few paragraphs?  I want you to get to know me on a more personal level.  Isn’t that the reason why you are reading this right now?  So, here goes…

I’m afraid of the dark, I absolutely hate ladybugs, I love to climb trees, I secretly eat butterballs when no one is looking, and I go around pretending I can speak in a British accent (when really all I can say is three words).

Now that you know some of my quirky eccentricities, hopefully you’ve gotten to know me on a deeper level; not just another author writing some books.  I want to share with you some of my achievements and some difficult struggles that I’ve had to go through in my lifetime that inspired me to write these stories.  I was reluctant to share a part of me that I have not shared with many, but I feel by telling my story through my characters you may be able to relate.  Through this sharing, you as well as your family, can grow along together with mine.  Some of these experiences are a reflection of me and possibly relatable to you.

I grew up in Rehoboth, Massachusetts, on a small hobby farm.  The gardens and fresh air were intoxicating.  The animals were amazing to watch as I grew with them.  My sister and I would try to lose ourselves in the woods.  It was our playground, but of course we both knew each inch like the back of our hands.  We would spend hours conjuring up all sorts of stories, and those stories soon became my treasures.  Years later, when I moved out, I left all those treasures in those woods where I felt they belonged.  Hidden and secluded for no one else to find but myself.  Now that I am older, I’ve selfishly stolen those treasures back from the woods.  I often found myself thinking of those moments, and now I want to share them with my children.

I had two true passions growing up: dancing and writing.  I started studying dance at the age of four at a small dance studio in Rumford, Rhode Island. I thank my mother immensely for finding me something that gave me such joy.  When realizing how much I loved it, she sacrificed so much for me to continue. She knew in her heart that I needed something, and at that moment in my life it was dance.

A few of my most unforgettable memories happened when I was a teenager.  When I was 15 years old, while myself and a few girls were dancing in Atlantic City, I met tap legend Gregory Hines!  The following year I had the privilege of dancing at Carnegie Hall.  I will never forget that feeling in my chest and the flutter in my belly.  Dancing on that stage was terrifying yet exhilarating.  The excitement and anticipation right before going on stage is indescribable.  When the routine was done, I felt relieved yet disappointed.  I wanted to go back onto the stage and do it better one more time.  I would do this with all my performances.  It didn’t matter where I was dancing.  I was chasing perfection.  Yet those dreams vanished when I realized none of us are.

Now that I’ve shared some of the good things let me share with you some negative experiences.  One of my biggest struggles in life has been dealing with my shyness and having the ability to speak to people comfortably.  It triggers so much anxiety.  I don’t feel myself.  I want to run away.  Dancing was a way for me to express myself without speaking.  While on stage I was able to express myself with the music.  Nothing else existed at that moment.  It was a form of therapy that I very much needed.

Writing did the same for me.  I was able to write about my troubles and dreams with ease. If I had something I needed to share I would do it through my writing.  At times I created a character based on my emotions, and this character would convey that feeling I was having.  In turn, I would incorporate that character in one of my stories for people to read, and I would grasp at the hope that someone would understand me in some way. Shyness has been such a daunting experience for me.  Some people may think it’s an endearing quality, but it isn’t at all.  It’s a life changer.  It molds who you are.  It has molded who I am.  Molded me into a person I feel I wasn’t born to be.  I always felt like I didn’t fit it.  I was different from everyone.  I turn red and can’t swallow if asked a question.  I feel awkward in my own skin.  I feel trapped and all I want to be is free.

I feel as if I have been writing my entire life.  I can’t remember a time when I didn’t write or conjure up a story, but I put my writing on hold for many years.  I married the love of my life, we both started careers, and we bought our first home.  It seemed that there wasn’t any time to do anything.  However, after having my children it came back out again.  Tons of ideas would flutter my mind.  I had pieces of paper all over the place with a verse that rhymed or an idea that I wanted to write about.  My husband is very honest and blunt, but in a very loving way of course.  One day, I showed him one of the stories I wrote, and he looked over at me and said, “This is really good.”  Just hearing that gave me the motivation to write more.  I started spitting out stories and continually he would say the same thing.  That’s when I did it!  With his constant encouragement I decided now is the time.  What do I have to lose?

So here I go…I finally published my first book, and I plan on publishing many more.  Each one of my stories are very special to me.  They are either about my childhood or about my children.  Therefore, I hold them very dear to my heart.  Today, we live in a small simple house in the smallest state in the country.  I have a handful of very close friends, and we are always there for each other.  My loving, supportive and dashing husband is my biggest fan, and supports me in all that I do. And to fully complete our lives we have two beautiful boys who are so very special in so many ways.  I’m writing these stories for them.  I want them to be able to read them and learn from all the good things that I’m sharing.

I’m so excited to share with you my first book “Monkey by the Sea” and I hope you are too.  I look forward to publishing many more books on different topics that I feel are very important for children to read.  Let’s see how our friend Monkey will get over his fear of the dark and see how Daddy Pig and Piglet will spend the day together and have a loving, memorable moment.  You won’t want to miss any of these.  If you have any questions, send me an email at Jessicalgervais@yahoo.com.