By Tom Travis
Aspiring eight-year-old author, Taylor Grundy, carefully stacked a dozen or so of her books in a rack that sat on a long white table at the Flint Farmers’ Market. Straightening some matching bookmarks, she sat smiling with her mom, Leslie Grundy.
As bustling shoppers filed by, Taylor held up her pen with a bright, pink fuzzy puff ball on top, ready to autograph her new 24-page book, Taylor, Can You Help Me Tie My Shoes?
Author Taylor Grundy (left) with her mom Leslie Grundy at Flint Farmers Market. (Photo by Tom Travis)
Taylor’s book was published earlier this month, and she explains she has plans for at least two more books soon. One of the books will be How Me and My Cousin Became Friends and the other will be Lexi, Can You Help Me Ride a Bike?
Leslie, Taylor’s mom, said she was born and raised in Flint and graduated from Southwestern Academy. Leslie said they moved to Tennessee three years ago for a job opportunity.
Author Taylor Grundy. (Photo by Tom Travis)
Taylor said she got the idea to write a book from her teacher. “Because I really like reading, my teacher suggested, ‘Taylor, since you love reading so much, why don’t you write a book?'”
Working with her mom, Taylor asked her what she thought her book should be about. Leslie videoed Taylor as she outlined what she thought her book should be about.
Taylor’s mom suggested the character’s names, Lexi and Taylor, and suggested the book’s topic be about learning how to tie their shoes.
In the book the character Lexi is trying again and again to learn to tie her shoes. But finally on a playdate with her friend Taylor, who knew how to tie her shoes, Lexi asks for help to learn to tie her shoes.
Author Taylor Grundy. (Photo by Tom Travis)
Taylor said she hopes other kids write books too. “Don’t give up on your dream. I didn’t give up,” Taylor said she’d tell other young writers.
She said when she writes she doesn’t sit at a computer but instead chooses a pen and paper to write out her stories, “I write with my hand, it feels better.” Taylor said she has another author in the family, who she calls her Sweet Auntie.
Taylor’s book was available today (Tuesday) at the Farmers ‘ Market and at this link on Amazon or for $10 on CashApp $LeslieMichelleG.
EVM Managing Editor Tom Travis can be reached at tomntravis@gmail.com.
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