Stacey DuFord

Author Stacey DuFord moves from television
to children's books with The Fairy Painting

Please share a little about your background and career.
    I have a BA in English from Albion College.  I worked in public relations in auto racing, as a stand-up comedian, a morning radio personality, and a part-time television reporter.  I've been writing all along.

Who were/are the mentors in your life?
    I have been blessed with a wonderful, supportive friendly and fabulous, creative friends.  My high school English teacher, Tom Huggler, was probably the first teacher to encourage my writing.  He was able to attend my launch party; it was such an honor.  My dream would be to meet Stephen King; I devoured all of his books starting as a teenager.  I loved how he wrote like people thought and spoke.  Somehow that made the idea of being a writer seem that much more possible.  Right now I'm in a writers group with some fabulously intelligent women.  

You’re an on-air TV personality, a product spokesperson, now a published author  - and the mother of two. How do you keep it all together in the day-to-day?
    Probably not very well.  I just realized that I've already forgotten to call two people this week!  I suppose I do what everyone else does; choose what absolutely NEEDS to be done, then move on down the priority list.  There are some items on that list, like organizing my laundry room, that I may never get to.  Oh, and about once every four months I just break down and hire a cleaning service. When I get busy, cleaning the house is the first thing to go.  I think a sense of humor helps when you just feel like you're failing, or when your living room is filled with Spiderman Legos.

Where did you get the idea for The Fairy Painting and how did you develop it? Had you ever written for children before this?
    I was at a Fairy Tea Party with my mom and my daughter and an artist there had some fairy wings in a little box.  I got obsessed with the thought of fairy wings; and why there would be wings without a fairy.  I started writing the story to answer my own questions, then kept writing it for my daughter (who was nearly 6 at the time). I had it mostly worked out and mentioned it to a girlfriend, who has no kids, because I just couldn't get it out of my head.  She said "You have to write that down!" I've never written for kids before.  I wasn't even sure I was doing it right.  Luckily I had my daughter's reaction as a gauge.

Do you believe in fairies?
    Great question!  One thing I have learned is that just when I think something is absolute, I find out I'm wrong. So I believe in the possibility of fairies.  Though I have to admit, there is a part of me expecting a visit from a fairy who says, "Excuse me, but you got this part wrong!"

Is there something of you in the character Elise, or is she patterned after someone else?
    Elise has become like another daughter to me.  She is a little bit of my daughter - who can be very caring and funny.  I guess her stubbornness is more like me.  

What do you hope children take from this book? What about adults?
    I hope children take away the belief that if you open your heart and mind to possibility, anything can happen.  One thing I really tried to do was not "write down" just because it was a kids book.  I hope adults see that.  I hope everyone enjoys the little bit of humor and fun I tried to inject.

How did you connect with your publisher?
    Well, the book is published through Mackinac Island Press.  Anne, who owns it, is married to Brian, who used to own Sleeping Bear Press.  Sleeping Bear Press was located about an hour and half from me so I dressed up my 6-month old baby in his cutest outfit and drove my story out there.  I wanted to be noticed, and figured at the very least I would be the crazy woman who showed up with her baby.  I just didn't want my story to end up an anonymous pile - which is what happens at every publisher.   Anne apparently read the story and years later when she started her company she called me out of the blue!  I was quite stunned, and in fact looked out the window for a modern version of Candid Camera.

Where can people find the book? Any events or book signings coming up?
    The book should be in nearly every bookstore by now!  It's on Amazon.com and BN.com.

For more information, visit Stacey's Web site. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of The Fairy Painting will be donated to The International Rett Syndrome Association.