PORTLAND, Maine — Tonya Shevenell, an author and lifelong Mainer, has just published her third book for children, "The Moon Over Malibu Maine," and she can tell you in detail when she witnessed the encounter that inspired the story.
"It was one morning in May, and there was a turkey and a deer out near a bird feeder," she recalled. "They were hanging out, looking like they might know each other. And from there my wheels started turning."
What followed is a story, handsomely illustrated by Laura Winslow, about a groundhog that has never seen a full moon—not surprising since it lives in a burrow—and the turkey, deer and other animals that introduce it to the night sky.
Now here's a nice touch: Shevenell actually has video of that encounter between the deer and the turkey. (Watch our interview and you'll see it.) A sweet moment, but not the only one associated with this book.
"It's a magical moment when the truck arrives with the first printing." Shevenell wrote. "It's even more magical for me to think about you reading these words and meeting our friends inside."