| A Little About Award Winning Children's Book Author Boots Hensel |
I hadn’t planned on being where I am today, that is an author. Growing up in Virginia Beach,
Virginia, I enjoyed the simple life. I always enjoyed writing, but never thought about that as a
career.
I studied Nursing at the College of Old Dominion but due to a few detours, I left that for a time.
I married my college sweetheart and traveled with him while he was in the United States Army.
After I shook the travel dust off my shoes, and we settled down, I was accepted to radiologic
technology school. I think that was the beginning of opening my creative can. After all, taking
X-rays is like photography. You want a great photo. I stayed with that career until we moved to
a small town in North Carolina. My husband took a position at the University there and I
followed him. The town was so small that there was only one hospital and they weren’t in
need of an X-ray technologist. So, I became a stay at home wife and mother.
Soon I found the highlight of my day was running down our hill to talk with our rural postman!
This was not a good sign. I needed something else to do. Now it was time to go back to
nursing school!
Virginia, I enjoyed the simple life. I always enjoyed writing, but never thought about that as a
career.
I studied Nursing at the College of Old Dominion but due to a few detours, I left that for a time.
I married my college sweetheart and traveled with him while he was in the United States Army.
After I shook the travel dust off my shoes, and we settled down, I was accepted to radiologic
technology school. I think that was the beginning of opening my creative can. After all, taking
X-rays is like photography. You want a great photo. I stayed with that career until we moved to
a small town in North Carolina. My husband took a position at the University there and I
followed him. The town was so small that there was only one hospital and they weren’t in
need of an X-ray technologist. So, I became a stay at home wife and mother.
Soon I found the highlight of my day was running down our hill to talk with our rural postman!
This was not a good sign. I needed something else to do. Now it was time to go back to
nursing school!
For the next several years I put my mind to the grindstone and finished nursing school. It was something I had set out to do many years
before, and now felt I had accomplished something.
We moved to Florida after that and I began working as a nurse. I truly loved taking care of my patients. I felt it was a gift to be able to
make someone feel a little better.
I had settled into my nursing routine and was enjoying life. I had two beautiful daughters by now and two grandchildren. Life was good.
Then, the sky fell out. My youngest daughter was diagnosed with cancer. She was 26 years old. It was devastating. After one year of
treatment, her valiant effort to beat the cancer came to a close. She passed away. It was 2004.
I couldn’t seem to think of anything else except what I had lost. It was the worst feeling. My sister-in-law called me one day and asked if
she could write a story about my daughters’ elephants. You see, she was a wonderful zookeeper of elephants, rhinos, giraffes, and
zebras. I told her absolutely and hung up the phone.
After a few minutes of thought, I realized I should be the one writing that story and here is where my new life begins.
This is where I found what I love to do. Where else can you interact with children who love your made up stories. They give you
unconditional love. And being able to work at home in my jammies is definitely a perk!
Now, I still have two beautiful daughters. One lives close by and the other is in Heaven. My grandchildren bring joy.
Life is good.
The Zoopendous Surprise was Boots' first children's book and traces zoo animals as they prepare a surprise for their friends the
elephants.
Ms. Hensel's second book, Johari's Joy traces the journey of a lonesome rhino in search of a friend like him only to discover an
unlikely comaraderie with a pig.
Both of these picture books contain lovely, colored illustrations to the delight of young children.
Boots' is just finishing her third book. Based on a real character, this chapter book is about the interesting adventures of a barnstorming
pilot who flew with his pet lion. Roscoe Turner: From Plows to Planes is soon to be released to be enjoyed by older children.
before, and now felt I had accomplished something.
We moved to Florida after that and I began working as a nurse. I truly loved taking care of my patients. I felt it was a gift to be able to
make someone feel a little better.
I had settled into my nursing routine and was enjoying life. I had two beautiful daughters by now and two grandchildren. Life was good.
Then, the sky fell out. My youngest daughter was diagnosed with cancer. She was 26 years old. It was devastating. After one year of
treatment, her valiant effort to beat the cancer came to a close. She passed away. It was 2004.
I couldn’t seem to think of anything else except what I had lost. It was the worst feeling. My sister-in-law called me one day and asked if
she could write a story about my daughters’ elephants. You see, she was a wonderful zookeeper of elephants, rhinos, giraffes, and
zebras. I told her absolutely and hung up the phone.
After a few minutes of thought, I realized I should be the one writing that story and here is where my new life begins.
This is where I found what I love to do. Where else can you interact with children who love your made up stories. They give you
unconditional love. And being able to work at home in my jammies is definitely a perk!
Now, I still have two beautiful daughters. One lives close by and the other is in Heaven. My grandchildren bring joy.
Life is good.
The Zoopendous Surprise was Boots' first children's book and traces zoo animals as they prepare a surprise for their friends the
elephants.
Ms. Hensel's second book, Johari's Joy traces the journey of a lonesome rhino in search of a friend like him only to discover an
unlikely comaraderie with a pig.
Both of these picture books contain lovely, colored illustrations to the delight of young children.
Boots' is just finishing her third book. Based on a real character, this chapter book is about the interesting adventures of a barnstorming
pilot who flew with his pet lion. Roscoe Turner: From Plows to Planes is soon to be released to be enjoyed by older children.
| Winner of the Silver Mom's Choice Award, the Eric Hoffer Finalist Award and the Indie Excellence Book Award. |