WE HAVE A PUBLISHED AUTHOR IN THE HOUSE!!!

I know what you must be thinking...
You are insanely jealous of my obvious talent and success!
Or maybe you're thinking, "How can that dumb ass get published before me?" (which would be much more fitting).

Both of these would be incorrect. In the spirit of Mother's Day, I have decided to share with you some exciting news. I do have a published author in the house, but it's not me. It is my daughter Samantha.

Now you can be insanely jealous of her obvious talent and success, but I will kick some Mama-ass if you think the other.

Please take a moment to pause and reflect. How long have you been writing? Me? Since dinosaurs were still alive. How long has my daughter been writing? Well, she's only nine, so she's been going at it a little less. In the course of a week, her book was published, she was in the newspaper, she had a book release party, and she signed her first autographs. You realize that if I become a rich-and-famous-author that she will always be able to say, "Yeah, but I was published before she ever was!"

I am never going to live this down!!

She had to submit a writing sample to try out for the Writing Club at the beginning of the school year, and imagine my surprise when she was one of three chosen in her grade. (No, I did not help one little bit). Everyone in the club wrote a special poem about Colorado for their book and last week we received a copy of said published book.

The above photo was taken at the book release party. So, without further ado, I present to you...

"Red Fox"
By Samantha Railey

Sly, clever creatures
Pointy ears, white-tipped tail
Predators with sharp teeth and tricks!
Standing still, stalking and staring
Lightning-fast, pouncing on prey
Resting to hunt another day
Inside the den the cuddly cubs play!

AND she was in the local newspaper!! (Signing her autograph - LMAO!!! Do you know how often I practice mine? And hers still looks better!!)

PLEASE, if you're reading this, give my baby girl a shout out in the comment section below!!! She's our next author-in-the-making, and who knows? Maybe she can hook us up with her agent someday!!