GracieRGB

Gracie

Nickname:
Gracie-pants or Galumpalump
Best Friend:
Nancy
Best (Dog) Friend:
Rowdy- the cute boy next door!
Favorite Activities:
Dancing and finding interesting presents to bring home
Favorite Season:
Winter; I have too much hair for summer!

Books Featuring Gracie...

Spanish/English
French/English
German/English

The Making Of Gracie

Creating Gracie was a long process! After I decided to make the book, I wrote the text and started drawing my storyboard. But my pictures didn’t look like the Gracie I wanted to portray! So I started looking for an illustrator. It took awhile before I found a style that I really connected with… and that happened to be Anita’s! I just hoped she would like my idea and my character… and she did! She sent me her initial concept, we tweaked a few things, and then the character of Gracie was born!

Finding Gracie

It all started on a dark and stormy day. The house shuddered around me as lighting crackled through the night sky. There was a noise at the door. “thud.” Quiet at first, but then it grew louder. “THUD.” And more persistent. “THUD, THUD, THUD!” 
“No one’s home!” I yelled, as I threw a blanket over my head. One final “THUD!” and the door flew open with a CRASH! Shaking with fear, I peeked out from under my blanket. “No one’s here!” I squeaked at the dark creature looming in my doorway. The wind blew the creature’s long black hair this way and that.
I covered my eyes and tried to remain perfectly still. I could hear the heavy footsteps approaching me… stomp, stomp, stomp… until it stopped… right in front of me. 
Nss, nss, nss… I felt it’s nose exploring my blanket, sniffing me out. I’d been found! I threw off the blanket and jumped up on the couch. “Don’t eat me!!”
A large black dog with a white face looked up at me smiling… “Arf?”

JUST KIDDING!

I found Gracie just the way the story says! I was shopping for groceries with my mother, Nancy, and as I was putting groceries in the back of the truck, a large dog approached me in the parking lot. She used her nose to poke me in the behind! How rude! I turned around to discover a dancing, friendly dog wanting my attention! I looked for her owner, but no one claimed her. Animal Control was closed for the day, so we called and left messages for them, the local vets, and shelters. She was clearly hungry and tired, so my mother and I took her home with us. It was a small truck, so she had to sit in the front between us. She laid her head on my chest the whole ride home. And that was the beginning of our life together!

Fun Facts! About the Gracie Audio

Gracie's Bark

In the audio, the bark you hear after Gracie's introduction is actually...

Gracie's Real Bark!

Aunt Katie found an old video recording of Gracie and edited out Gracie's bark to use for the audio book!

The Cat's Meow

In the audio, the "meow" from the cat is an actual cat's meow from...

Aunt Katie's Cat!

Aunt Katie found an old recording of Monster the cat, who'd gone missing years before, and used it for the audio!

Two of a Kind

Aunt Katie isn't the only artistic one in her family. Who do you think wrote the music for the Gracie audio book?

Her Younger Brother!

Both of Aunt Katie's brothers are artists, writers, and musicians!

Sick As A Dog

Did you hear the message from Aunt Katie at the end of the audio book? She recorded it while...

She Was Sick!

At the time of the recording, Aunt Katie had a terrible sinus infection. She had to make multiple recordings because she kept having to stop and cough during the takes!

So Sad

The sad sighs you hear in the audio were created specifically for the audio book by...

Aunt Katie!

She recorded them in her living room. And she wasn't even sad at the time!