After writing poetry for 11 years, Jerry Welch was joined by his wife, Janet, to help illustrate his first book. It is a children’s book, “Illume and the Moon,” featuring a poetic conversation between a star and the moon.
The colorful book is filled with 17 pictures, painted with acrylics. Janet did some of the art, including the pages showing the planets and constellations, Jerry said.
Jerry explained how he decided to write this poem. “I was out on the balcony one morning drinking coffee, and right there in the eastern sky was the remnants of the star and the moon from the night before in the early light. It made me wonder where the star and the moon go from here - how they travel to a different zone where there is night.”
He chose the name “Illume,” because it is “short for ‘illuminating the conversation between the two.”
In the book, the star is asking the moon, “Why in the dark of night do we shine so bright? Then we dim and fade away. Where do we go? Where is our glow when night becomes the day?”
The moon answers in rhyme, “Where we go, I only know. God is at the helm.”
Jerry said when he started writing poetry, “I developed this strange rhythm. It causes me to run with a cadence. I will write while I’m out jogging, and then will come home a write it down.” He delayed writing a book with the poem, he added, until “I was 100 percent satisfied with the rhythm.”
Jerry’s mother, Marietta Welch, has been a member of the Hannibal Writers Club for many years.
“I think I got my ability from my mother, who has written many poems and many writings,” he said. “I’ve read a lot of what she’s written, and she’s got that rhythm that I like.”
Jerry and Janet, who own and operate American Decor, enjoyed this joint book project. “I’d like to say how much fun Janet and I had doing this together,” he said.
When he first suggested it, she asked how they would do it. “And we sat down and started doing it. It was fun, it was satisfying, and it turned out pretty neat.”
Although he suggested the book is for children age 5 and up, it also appeals to older youth, he said. “A group of teen-agers saw it at a party and loved it.”
He noted that both his daughters-in-law are prolific readers, “and when I showed my daughter-in-law, Amelia, her comment was ‘I’m flabbergasted. This is beyond good.’” His family includes sons Jerrod and wife, Lauren; and Neil and wife, Amelia.
He showed it to his family to “get input and pick up pointers,” Jerry said. “I don’t object to taking advice.”
Since he began putting copies of the book together, Jerry said, “I have shown it to probably 100 kids and mothers. It has been my pleasure as they go through and read it to watch facial expressions. And I’ve been very pleased so far with all the responses and have never had much negative feedback.”
To date, only a few copies of the book have been completed, but the Welches are looking for a publisher. “Now that we have the prototypes done, I am shopping options and just started to choose a publisher,” Jerry said.
He may decide to self-publish the book, “depending on price and quality. With my first children’s book, that is my best option at this point, but I can take this publication and submit it to other publishers who might pick up on it.” When and where it will be available will be announced on his Web site, americandecor.net.
He already has the poetry for his next book written, Jerry said. This book is mentioned at the end of the first book. It says, “Watch for the adventures of Caylee the comet, coming soon.”
“Janet and I intend to write and illustrate five books in 2009,” Jerry said. “The first is completed, and (the second) ‘Caylee and the Comet,’ is in production.
‘Mumphrey the Meteorite’ has been written, and we will soon start illustrating it.”
“I Wish I Were a Fish” has been written. The first three books are set in space, but the third is about living in the river. The first verse includes: “Where I fish I’d make this wish, to live in the river, not on a dish.” The fifth book will be decided later.
“Applications have been filed, and we have filed a copyright application for the pseudonym, Peace on Earth Manuscripts (POEM).”
