Celebrate NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) with the Charles County Public Library this year by checking out some of our local authors, as part of our Local Author Virtual Showcase! All of the authors showcased in this series responded to a call for submissions we placed over this summer, to highlight their work throughout the month of November. At CCPL we value the contributions our local authors make in sharing their knowledge and passion with our community.  Make sure to check out our Local Author’s collection located at the Waldorf West Library. 

LuzMarie Mercado

Furry Frights

Amazon

(from Amazon: “Jade is a hamster who is afraid to sleep in her bed at night. Read to find out if she faces her fears.”).

Furry Frights is a story about a hamster named Jade. 

She is afraid to sleep in her own room at night because she’s afraid there might be monsters  trying to eat her. 

Let’s read the book together to find out if she is brave enough to face her fears and sleep in her room on her own.

Fun Fact: Jade is a fictional character, inspired by my real pet hamster!

How it all started

“For Christmas, my grandmother bought me an awesome book writing kit. Since I love to use my imagination to draw pictures, my grandma thought it would be a great idea to add some words and write a book. That’s exactly what I did! 

During quarantine because of COVID-19, I had a lot of time to think about my book, the characters, the setting of the book and most importantly, my problem and solution.  

My mom helped me put my thoughts together and turned it into a reality. All of the words and ideas for the illustrations were my very own!

My Why: 

Psst! I have a little secret… up until a few years ago, I was afraid to sleep in my own room at night because I was scared of the noises  I heard from my room. 

I wrote this book because I want to encourage children like us who struggle with the same fear I did, to sleep in their rooms! “

LuzMarie Mercado was born in The Bronx, New York and moved to Maryland with her mom when she was just 3 years old. She is 10 years old and in the 5th grade and her favorite subjects are ELA and Science. She is also Co-Founder of LA Spa Creations.  

Fun fact: I love gymnastics and dancing. ( She’s been dancing since she was 2 years old).