About Book And Author
Mr. Peaches was found in August 2019 at approximately 3-4 weeks old. He had some fur so we knew he wasn’t a newborn, but he was abandoned. We took him in to keep him safe. He lived in our Florida room for eight months. During that time, he would come into the house and help himself to nuts and fruits. We had a chance to bond with him. He became very used to us and would cuddle and play and come when we called him. He even became friends with our dog Jake.
All of my friends, family, and neighbors took to the little guy and we’re excited to hold and play with a baby squirrel….what a unique experience. He was given the name Mr. Peaches because of his love for the fruit.
At first, he lived and slept in a wicker drawer in the Florida room. As he became older, he started to climb and investigate his surroundings. My father made him a pagoda made of wood and we hung it from the ceilings. We put towels and this and it quickly became his home. At about eight months, he chewed a hole in the screen and escaped. We were all heartbroken but knew in our hearts that he belonged in the wild, jumping from tree to tree. Two days later, I went to the Florida room and found him relaxing in his pagoda. I was so ecstatic. to see him and play with him again. To this day he continues to come and go as he pleases. He has the best of both worlds.
Several weeks later, I was learning marketing and social media on a Zoom call with my instructor Marcos Kwasniewski when Mr. Peaches crawled up my leg and sat on my shoulder. Marcos was amazed, to say the least, and said that I should put a video of Mr. Peaches on Instagram. The response was overwhelming and I decided to put a video on TikTok. The video went viral and shortly later I was contacted by “The Dodo” who wanted to feature Mr. Peaches on a video.
Mr. Peaches became an overnight sensation. Several of the followers suggested that I write a children’s book based on his life. I decided to take on the challenge. Writing the book was easy, it was a collaborative effort. Real experiences were used to form the verses. Marcos, my instructor, ultimately became the illustrator. That was the easy part, self-publishing was another story. I researched several companies and finally decided on 360 Ghost Writers and worked with Fred McKenzie. It was a long process and I was ready to give up several times. Everything that could go wrong did! I persevered and I am pleased with the outcome. I couldn’t be more proud of the final product.
Because of the overwhelming interest in Mr. Peaches and the sales of the book, I decided to form a company in his honor, Mr. Peaches LLC was born. I currently have several speaking engagements and book signings coming up. I go to schools and teach children about squirrels and of course read them the book. This has enriched my life tremendously. What started out as a simple rescue of the squirrel became a life-changing experience for myself and my family. It has taken me down roads that I never expected to travel in my life. I am grateful for my little friend Mr. Peaches and I can honestly say ….. LIFE IS PEACHY