#Read about Guest #Author Michelle Eastman

Hello, and thank you for the opportunity to introduce myself. I am Michelle Eastman, author of The Legend of Dust Bunnies, a Fairy’s Tale. I love kids’ books, especially children’s picture books. I enjoy getting lost in the magic of the words as they flow into the illustrations.

I published my first book in November 2014. My son is the inspiration behind the main character, Artie, who collects and cherishes items most of us would see as junk. Here’s a bit more about the story:

Artie has a hard time finding his place among the other Dust Fairies. He wants to be accepted, but he isn’t willing to change who he is to do that. Artie’s loneliness, and odd habit of collecting discarded debris, leads him to create something legendary. His legendary creation helps him find his own special place among the Dust Fairies.

I am new to indie publishing and blogging, and I am energized by both endeavors.

When I began my self-publishing journey, I didn’t know much about how publishing works, so I researched the industry for many months. I began to look for publishers and agents who accept unsolicited MS. Slowly, I realized there were not a lot of opportunities for 1^st time authors. Of the few houses accepting unsolicited submissions, many were not interested in rhyming picture books. I was a bit discouraged, but I knew it was not impossible. I researched how draft and send query letters. After working on the letters for a while, I asked myself if I wanted to do this for the next year or more, or do I want to make this book.

I switched gears began gathering information about self-publishing. As you may know, there is a wealth of information available. It was very time-consuming to collect and sift through the information and gather what I needed. But, I powered through and found a POD. I figured out the costs and compared it to what I’d likely be paid for a traditional publishing deal. In the end, I decided I could afford to self-publish and retain the book rights and my creative freedom. Working with illustrator, Kevin Richter, was an amazing experience. We are currently working on the 2^nd book in the Dust Fairy series. I chose the indie route for this book as well, and I am excited to travel this road again.

The Legend of Dust Bunnies, a Fairy’s Tale is a lighthearted story about a serious topic: Being Yourself.

The Legend of Dust Bunnies will open your eyes to a world of dirt and dust that you never knew could be so magical and fun! Did you know that Dust Fairies come into our homes at night and spread dust and spider webs, and even spit crumbs into the carpet? They do! It’s true! Well, not all fairies. Artie is different. He doesn’t like messes, and he doesn’t fit in. At first, Artie is lonely and unsure of what to do, but then he takes matters into his own hands. When given lemons you’re supposed to make lemonade, right? This story does one better, it turns DUST into DUST BUNNIES. The Legend of Dust Bunnies is the story about how and why a misfit Dust Fairy turns dust into cuddly dust bunnies and the joyful aftermath that follows. It will have families looking at dust bunnies in a new light, and may actually give kids an excuse NOT to clean their rooms.