By Jason Wesseldyk
Sports Editor
As a clerk at the Otsego District Library for the past 13 years, Abby Lyne is regularly surrounded by thousands of books.
One of those books holds a special place in Lyne’s heart … and for good reason.
Lyne recently released the children’s book “My Aunt Has Tattoos,” for which ODL will host a special event on Saturday, Feb. 12, from 10 a.m. to noon.
“Working at the library, it’s really cool to see my book up on the shelf,” Lyne said.
In addition to a reading of the book by Lyne, the event will feature signed books available for purchase, a temporary tattoo station, snacks and a craft station where participants can make valentines.
“As someone who tries to advocate for literature and literacy, being able to do an event like this is awesome,” Lyne said.
“My Aunt Has Tattoos” tells the story of Jem, a young girl whose Aunt Amy comes home from the army with various tattoos, each one representing a different story.
The origins of this unique story idea came from a conversation Lyne had with an army veteran.
“She has sleeves of powerful tattoos and said that when she would be out in the field, they were the only things she had to help her through hard times,” Lyne said. “When I decided to start writing the book, I thought about how many people have tattoos and the many reasons for getting them, and the need for a way to tell those stories.”
Lyne is no stranger to tattoos, with three of her own.
“’My Aunt Has Tattoos’ helps children understand the importance of family connections and the uniqueness of each individual’s journey,” Lyne said. “It helps children recognize that many get tattoos as a sign of empowerment or a source of comfort for those who’ve lost loved ones.
“Tattoos can be a source of healing to those who’ve gone through painful experiences and a recognition of heritage for a people of rich history and powerful legacy. Tattoos can also be a funny reminder to proofread, or a great way to discover and imagine the world around us.”
Since releasing the book late in 2021, reviews have been nothing short of phenomenal. Among the user reviews on Amazon are:
- “I get teary eyed at some pages and chuckle at other parts. Families will enjoy reading and rereading this book together again and again.”
- “Very cute book! A clever and fun way to introduce the “Don’t judge what you don’t understand” concept to kids.”
- “I love that this book features a diversity of characters and tattoo art. So often our kids might not be exposed to these kinds of differences or might be unsure when they do see them. It is so important to have these types of conversations early and with love and care.”
Lyne began writing the book at a church camp on the shores of Lake Michigan.
“I would follow my then three-year-old around from sandpile to sandpile, writing along the way,” she said.
Writing and editing the book took two years, with another year to procure completed illustrations and graphic design edits.
Lyne described finding the right illustrator as a challenge. Eventually, that search ended in Vietnam.
“My husband and I solicited many test pages to see if the style of the illustrator was a good match,” she said. “After many trials we found Saang (Nguyen), who lives in Vietnam. He is an amazing illustrator and did a beautiful job bringing my book to life.
“The biggest challenge was the language barrier and communicating the emotion and some of the details in an effective way.”
Then came the publication process.
“Laborious is the first word that comes to mind,” Lyne said of getting the book published. “There were so many adjustments, resizing, revising, countless emails and hours of research that my husband took care of for me as a labor of love.”
And while “My Aunt Has Tattoos” is Lyne’s first book, she doesn’t plan on it being her last. Rather, she already has several ideas for new books and hopes to start working on one of them in the near future.
“I don’t have any formal experience in writing, but I’ve always had a very active imagination and have always enjoyed writing,” Lyne said.
“My Aunt Has Tattoos” can be purchased on Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/Aunt-Has-Tattoos-Abby-Lyne/dp/B09LGWWPXD/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=. You can also visit Lyne’s author page at https://www.facebook.com/abbylyne.author/.