Still flying high from the success of her first children's book, a Grey Highlands women has published her second story, this one in rhyme, about the fairies she conjures in her daydreams.
Mari Sherkin's first self-published work, A Fairy On My Sleeve, was read by the Duchess of York, Sarah Ferguson, on the Storytime with Fergie and Friends YouTube channel, which was a thrilling day for Sherkin.
"Things really did take off," said Sherkin, who was interviewed by UK journalists after her book was read by the royal.
She also journeyed to London for King Charles' coronation and celebrated her 60th birthday while she was there.
Continuing on the success and the story in her first book, Sherkin returns to the fairy world for her second book, which she just published with Mascot Books.
The first book told the story of an adult woman who has lost her childhood belief in fairies until she encounters one in a forest. In her second book, Fairy Day Games, Sherkin tells the story of a fun day of games and dancing.
"It's about how everybody in the fairy community came together and helped make a beautiful party for a day," said Sherkin, who was inspired by an old movie that featured a country fair. "It made me think, 'well, how would the fairies do that?'"
Sherkin and her husband live in Epping where they enjoy a large property and where she keeps "a bit of an English garden" in memory of her Grandad and his garden.
She loves the outdoors and often wrote in a journal while she was raising her son. Now that he is grown, she's revisiting some of the writing to turn them into books, with illustrations by David Gnass.
"This is a very sweet and innocent story for young children," said Sherkin. "I think a lot of children grow up very quickly today, and I thought this was just a little happy place where they could stay ... and enjoy it."
One of her favourite parts of the book is the middle when all the characters dance together in a fairy ring.
"Every single character is different, and so it's actually a very inclusive story," said Sherkin.
Sherkin's books are available online through Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and via Mascot Kids, or through her own website, marisherkin.com.
