‘Follow your dream’: Longtime teacher pens first children’s book at 77

By CAMERON MONTEMAYOR

Newfound author Carley Smith is proof that it’s never too late in life to pursue a dream.

“There was a saying my mom always said, ‘Do what you love and love what you do,’” Smith said.

After a long career as a special education teacher, the 77-year-old Smith is following her late mother’s wisdom and relishing her new calling in life as an author. The Bolckow, Missouri, resident recently published her first children’s book titled “Mice and the Ice Capade,” based on a poem she wrote in 2021.

The book — which is now available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble — tells the story of a poor family of mice, who, after a long season of exhausting work on a rice field, help put together a grand celebration.

“That’s where the Ice Capades come in. And so they have a parade first and they have food and they celebrate on the ice with a skating party,” she said. “The fact that they are a poor family, what they do is they go to a dump and they find things to make things out of for their party.”

Smith’s passion for writing and poetry dates back to when she was just 10 years old as she wrote poems whenever she had the chance growing up.

As she grew older, fellow friends, family and church members recognized the talent she had as a writer. Smith was asked to craft poems for a variety of people and occasions.

“I would write poetry for church activities sometimes,” she said. “I’ve written poems for people who just ask me to write a poem about somebody. And also some sometimes like after a death, you know, or for a funeral.”

After years of encouragement from fellow writers while participating in creative writing clubs and a message she received in a dream, Smith contacted Newman Springs Publishing looking to submit a manuscript. It was less than a week before the publisher reached out with a response.

“I got a phone call one evening in my kitchen as I was cooking supper, and this lady called and said, ‘I have good news for you. Your manuscript has been accepted.’” she said. “I just couldn’t believe it. I couldn’t hardly wait.”

After five months of back-and-forth discussions crafting illustrations with the publisher, Smith was overcome with emotion when she saw one particular illustration of a group of mice ice skating under moonlight on a dark night.

“It brought tears to my eyes. It was just awesome when I saw this … I thought, that has to be the cover,” she said.

The newfound author had her first book signing at the Savannah Rolling Hills Library in February. Smith isn’t planning to stop anytime soon after making her first venture into the world of professional writing. She has her sights set on publishing a book of numerous poems she’s written throughout the years.

“I was pretty happy and I guess really proud of myself, you know, for that I had finally accomplished what I had always wanted to do,” she said. “One thing I can just say is follow your dream, you know, And that’s happened to me, so it can happen to anybody.”

Like her mother before her, Smith is now encouraging students and writers to do what they love and follow their passion, especially writing. She delights in the opportunity to get to read her book for young students in schools in Andrew and Nodaway County.