BY CLIFF SMELLEY
Mikaeli Coleman drew something unexpected in her garden — the idea for a children’s book.
Proving that inspiration can hop out in front of you at any time, Coleman turned a seemingly random moment in life into “Mulch Toad Hits the Road,” which is available in softcover format at Amazon. Hardcover copies will be available via the end of the month via mikaelicolemanbooks.com.
Copies will also be available for purchasing and signing during a book-launch event on Saturday, April 13, from 4:30 p.m. until 6:30 p.m. at 550 S. Lawrence Blvd. in Keystone Heights (the park across from city hall). A limited number of free refreshments will be available, as well as craft projects, and Mulch Toad paraphernalia.
Coleman, a 2020 Keystone Heights High School graduate, described her book as the story of “a little lovable toad who chooses to be bold and brave in big ways.”
Writing books for children was something Coleman had already given thought to because of her job as a children’s librarian at Keystone Heights Public Library. She has worked at the library for three years.
“I’ve done hundreds and hundreds of storytimes and have read so many books,” she said. “I just specifically wanted to write books for the Keystone and Starke kids because they’re close to my heart.”
It was while putting mulch in her garden that writing a children’s book became more than just a thought.
“This little toad popped out (of the mulch pile),” Coleman said. “I was like, ‘Oh, where’d you come from?’ I started thinking about what his story could’ve been — all his adventures and such.
“That was kind of the inspiration.”
The premise of “Mulch Toad Hits the Road” is that his mulch pile, with him inside it, gets transported from one place to another by a woman in the back of her truck.
“I’m technically the mulch thief,” Coleman said.
Coleman approached her book by writing what she described as “a whole blurb of the whole thing” that, at that time, made no sense. It was the starting point, though, as she pulled pieces here and there from that blurb and turned them into a coherent, rhyming story.
“During (library) storytimes, I love rhyming books,” Coleman said. “They’re my favorite.”
Coleman said she’s “always been a bit of a writer,” but what she discovered in the process of making her book a reality is that she has a knack for drawing, too, as she provided the book with its illustrations. Her role at the library helped her tap into that artistic side.
“So much of being a children’s librarian with a very small budget is creating these displays and these things for children,” Coleman said, adding, “Then, I was like, “Maybe I’m pretty good at this. Maybe I should’ve started this earlier.’”
It was important to Coleman that the illustrations in the book be hers, which is how she came to self-publish it through Amazon.
“Early on, I was thinking about doing traditional publishing,” Coleman said, “but when I approached them, they said they don’t usually let the authors illustrate the books. That was kind of gut-wrenching for me because I really wanted to illustrate it.”
Coleman said in traditional publishing, she’d be giving up control over her work to others.
“This isn’t something I’m doing for money,” she said. “This is something I want to do to share with the people around me. When I hand my book to someone, I want it to be completely mine.”
Authors such as Sandra Boynton and James Dean inspired her book, Coleman said, noting that both authors also do their own illustrations. She especially wanted her book to have the “vibrant, cool, funny style” that Dean’s “Pete the Cat” books have.
Coleman made sure to add something distinctive to mulch toad’s look, which can serve as a discussion point when she reads the book to children.
“He has his green spot, even though most toads don’t have a green spot,” Coleman said. “I get to ask (children), ‘What do you think his green spot is?’ They all have very interesting opinions. Some kids have told me they think he has a tree frog in his lineage. Another one told me that he thought it was a fungus.”
Writing and illustrating “Mulch Toad Hits the Road” involved many long nights. Coleman said she normally goes to bed early, but she hasn’t done that in four months while working on her book.
“When I have an idea or a spark, I feel like I have to get it done in that moment,” she said. “I’ll be working on it and working on it. Then, I’ll look at the clock, and I’m like, ‘Oh, my gosh. It is the next day, and I have not slept.’”
Coleman received support throughout the process, especially from her library co-workers, her mother, Tiffiny Sanders, and her husband, Jeremiah. Jeremiah was a big help during the publishing process as well as bringing experience to advertising and promotion, which he learned from being in a band.
“He was able to sit down and really figure out how to do it,” Coleman said. “He was my editor, my graphic designer, my marketer — he was just awesome.”
Jeremiah was also good about encouraging Coleman during those times she got discouraged.
“I honestly don’t think I would’ve finished it (without him),” Coleman said.
It, of course, has been exciting to read the book to the children who see her at the library, though Coleman said the children now have to get used to seeing her in a different light.
“You know how kids are,” she said. “They have a certain version of you in their heads. I’m Mikaeli the story reader, not the story writer.”
Mikaeli the story writer plans on writing more books, saying that her toad character could be part of a series. In fact, she’s already mulling over ideas for a second book that she’s thinking of calling, “The Bold Mulch Toad.”
“I think that would be cute, but it’s still in the very beginning,” Coleman said. “In the back of my head. Not even a word yet on paper.”
