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Lucky always knew how to draw a crowd. Author and artist Maureen Beat chronicled her journey with Lucky, her rescue beagle who passed away at 13, after 10 years with Beat and her family, in her recently released children’s book, Letters to Lucky. Lucky had an impact beyond the Beat family, becoming a favorite among neighborhood children. Beat even set up a mailbox in her yard in which the youngsters would drop off letters to the canine companion. Some of those letters appear in the back of Beat’s book. The book is currently available at the Bookworm, 2501 S. 90th Street in Omaha, as well as several other locations including the Nebraska Humane Society in Omaha, Rosie Jane at 50th and Leavenworth, and the most popular online retailers. “Lucky became so popular that this beagle had her own mailbox! She received fan mail from the children in the neighborhood,” reads the book’s description. “The rhyming verse format makes Lucky's story even more appealing to younger children, especially for early readers in primary grades. Hidden "easter eggs" are found within the beautiful watercolor illustrations.” In addition to writing the story, Beat, a freelance artist, illustrated the book. “What I enjoyed most about writing the book was the freedom to express myself. I was totally motivated because I did the book for ME and it was not artwork for hire,” Beat said. “I started the manuscript in June 2020 (the week after Lucky died). I visualized every single illustration as I was writing.” Revisions were part of the process for both the words and the illustrations. “I am my own worst critic, and repainted three of the illustrations so they met my standards,” Beat said. “I revised the story line many times, so it would make sense to the reader. I also decided to add 2 more parts while illustrating the book.” Lucky proved to be a crowd favorite again, as Beat’s book signing drew a large crowd at the Bookworm, on May 29, 2021. “I was very pleased with the turnout for the book signing event,” Beat said. “There was a steady line of customers for the two-hour duration. Most of the people were friends, (Letters to Lucky FB) members, and people who had simply read about the event in the Omaha World Herald.” Beat, who works in the Office of Student Retention at Creighton University as well as a freelance artist (check out her website at www.artexpressionsltd.com), attracted support from her Bluejay colleagues at the signing. “I had at least 12 people with Creighton connections, either current or past,” she said. Beat promoted the signing well in advance and worked with Hannah Amrollahi, the Bookworm’s Children’s and Young Adult Department Manager, to come up with a unique concept for the signing, the bookstore’s first in-person event coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic. “‘I specifically asked for the Saturday before Memorial day as that would be the one year anniversary of Lucky's death. Hannah suggested it be a 'celebration of life' so it would put a positive spin on the event,” Beat explained. “Hannah was inspired by the block party illustration (in the book), so that is where the theme came from. We recreated that scene with the tent and checkered cloth table and treats. We also had puppy chow and cookies which were placed in the actual mailbox.” Amrollahi could not have been more pleased with the event. “The crowd truly felt like a neighborhood that had gotten together to celebrate Maureen's book and a sweet and loveable dog,” she said. “She did a great job of advertising the event across many channels and tapping into her personal network. Working with us well ahead of the event, having a proposal, and a marketing plan meant it was well organized and smooth to execute. When you are a self-published author you are your own marketing department and agent so it is important to understand this work will continue as long as you want to connect with readers.” Beat is hard at work on another children’s book, Go Gizmo, Go - The Life of a Puppy. “It's another true story about our new mini schnauzer, Gizmo,” she said. “I'm writing/saving the couplets in my phone as I think of them, and keeping an album of pictures for reference material.” Some of Beat’s other artwork, as well as Letters to Lucky, can be purchased through her Etsy store at www.artexpressionsltd.com.
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AuthorI am a professional communicator with experience in journalism, public relations, marketing, advertising, and technical writing. I strive to tell the great story regardless of the medium. Archives
April 2022
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