Feature

by Charis Patires

Local author releases first book

At the age of 81, Lake Ozark resident Janet Pruett is on a new adventure — writing children’s books. Coming out of retirement to become an author wasn’t something that was planned but has been a wonderful experience, she says.

Janet was born in Los Angeles, Calif. and worked in the women’s clothing industry. She also lived in Nevada and Illinois before settling down at Lake of the Ozarks a couple of years ago.

When her 54-year-old son Michael had a stroke in 2015, she went to California to take care of him. He always took a bag of cheese puffs in the bedroom with him along with a stuffed tiger named Carmichael that he had received as a gift.

“When he got up in the morning, Michael would laugh and say it was Carmichael getting into the cheese puffs. We had many laughs about it,” Janet said.

After Michael passed away, a friend suggested Janet write about the ongoing joke of the missing cheese puffs so she decided to turn it into a children’s book, “Michael and the Cheese Puffs.” The story is centered around Michael’s 4th birthday. He’s opening up all of his presents saying he likes birthday cake and ice cream but his favorite is cheese puffs. Michael blames Carmichael for the disappearing cheese puffs, which his mother doesn’t believe at first until the truth is finally revealed. The book’s message for children is about telling the truth.

Janet also hopes that the book provides inspiration for adults, too. She was reluctant at first to write the book and says after loosing sleep over it and running out of excuses she went ahead with it anyway.

“I hope people are inspired to keep on doing what they love to do no matter what their age is,” Janet said.

The book can be purchased from Stonecrest Book & Toy in Osage Beach, Amazon, Barns & Nobel and Halo Books International.

Janet has two more books that are being finalized which continue Carmichael’s adventures. She is currently working on a fourth book “Lucy the Lady Bug.”

Janet reading the book to Carmichael, a character in the book, and her dog.

Photos provided

BOOK SIGNING

April 2 at Stonecrest Book & Toy at the Stonecrest Mall (3797 Osage Beach Parkway), 1-3 p.m.