Little Miss Mary Medley, The Garden Girl

Ok peeps, I've completed the little tale about my garden girl and sent out a query letter regarding this prospective picture book.  Well this one and Noknow, the know nothing boy.  Can't hurt to make as many waves as possible.  My motto is to never give up.  If writing is your dream ... do what it takes to make yourself known. 
 

Little Miss Mary Medley

The Garden Girl

By: Donna Danielle McCartney

Across the barren fields of forgotten farms was a tiny patch of much loved land.

 

And every day Little Miss Mary Medley could be found tending her garden greens.

In a time when vegetables were as good as gold, more precious than pearls, and more delicious than diamonds, Little Miss Mary Medley grew her veggies just to give them away.

Mother Nature’s magic rested in a willow basket, swinging from Little Miss Mary Medley’s arm as she skipped down the dusty trail.

Covering many a country mile, Little Miss Mary Medley made her way to the blacksmith.

She left him with a pocket full of potatoes and a smile.

Trotting beside a black beauty, Little Miss Mary Medley kicked the dust off her heels.

The little girl offered a bunch of broccoli, wrapped in ribbons, to the rider.

Dancing to a melody all her own, Little Miss Mary Medley twirled toward a southern belle.

She slipped a pack of peppy peppers into the hands of a lovely lady.

Little Miss Mary Medley chased after a man of the law with a tin badge and a ten gallon hat.

Leaving him the most crooked squash from her garden.

Continuing on her quest, Little Miss Mary Medley raced to a one room school house at the top of the hill.

And handed out carrots like they were candy sticks, to the children who giggled as they tried to contain the crunch.

Teaching a lesson to everyone, even the one who’d come to teach, Little Miss Mary Medley shared the goodness.

The garden girl left a tasty tomato on the teacher’s desk before heading home to a tiny patch of much loved land.

As the sun slipped below the trees, Little Miss Mary Medley whispered “Mother Nature’s magic is mighty powerful … best eat those garden greens!”

Character sketch: Little Miss Mary Medley is a black girl with bright green eyes with a blown back bonnet. 

The story setting is similar to Little House on the Prairie.

From Procrastination to Inspiration

I've been procrastinating on completing the nautical adventure that I set upon and ironically procrastination has led to inspiration on several other endeavors. 

The following works are under production: Noknow - the know nothing boy AND Legend of the Lunatic Mama.  Two very different shorts.  In Noknow the child doesn't learn a thing and ends quite sadly.  I envision a beautiful story with Native American influence in both the characters and overall style of the book.  While Legend of the Lunatic Mama is somewhat scary, as most folk tales are - with bizarre twists and turns.  The mother reigns supreme and her children live to mess up another day.  Both are in the hands of professional illustrators at this very moment. 

Last night I sent a shout out to Starbucks about my recent release of Coffee in the Bottle.  This baby should be gracing coffee countertops all across the country.  Written for moms everywhere who have children thirsting to fill bigger shoes. 

At present, I'm working on my first market influenced book.  This one was a struggle because it didn't start with pure inspiration but rather research into what type of book is selling.  I'm pushing myself to fill a need in the marketplace and let's face it - every author's dream is to SELL books.  Writing them is just the beginning ... but getting them into the hands of eager readers is key.  Anyway this one is a tale about Little Miss Mary Medley, the garden girl.  I'll post the text here once completed - just working through the story concept between bouts of working in the real world. 

Noknow - the know nothing boy

I woke up this morning and wrote a poem for my beloved Kevin, whom I love and miss very much.  My stubborn 18 yr old has decided to go it alone.  My dearest Kevin, I hope that you find your way in the great big sea.
 
Noknow – the know nothing boy
By: DD McCartney

Far, far away across the emerald sea,

On the jagged isle of fantasy -
Lived Noknow, the know nothing boy.

Each night when Noknow went to bed,

He forgot everything that his mother said –
And thus, always found himself in trouble.

His mother’s voice echoed in the night,

Singing of all that was right –
In the hopes that Noknow would learn.

Never go it alone,

Never take what isn’t your own,
For escaping to the sea –
Is never what you thought it’d be.

But little Noknow didn’t heed his mother’s words,

And flew away like a bird –
All alone, on his very own.

His travels took him to the far side of the isle,

Where no one cared about the child.
 'Noknow, come back!' Mama cried.

His mother’s voice echoed in the night,

Praying that her son was alright –
In the hopes that Noknow would return.

Never go it alone,

Never take what isn’t your own,
For escaping to the sea –
Is never what you thought it’d be.

And though she didn’t understand why,

Noknow wasn’t like the others …
The ones that listened to their mothers.

Noknow hadn’t learned a thing.

His head was full of absolutely nothing.

He had ventured out alone,
And now he was taking something that wasn’t his own – The king’s sacred stone. 

Noknow hid from the vultures in the sky,

And the king’s hounds - that had taken to the ground. 
His head was swimming as his heart started to pound. 

His mother’s voice echoed in the night.
Beneath the moon’s eerie light …
 
Never go it alone,
Never take what isn’t your own,
For escaping to the sea –
Is never what you thought it’d be.
 
Far, far away across the emerald sea,
On the jagged isle of fantasy -
A mother mourns for Noknow, the know nothing boy.