It was while listening to a sermon about people wearing different hats at South Side Christian Church in Munster that Diana Z. Gilbert conceived of the idea for her book "Guided by the Light" (PublishAmerica 2007).
"The church bulletin that day had a picture of a butterfly on it," recalls Gilbert who lives in Munster.
"So I went home and researched butterflies, and I also asked my family what type of hats they liked."
From the sermon, research and conversations, Gilbert crafted her children's book, which tells the story of the Sooners, Laters, and Nows, animals who are forced to leave their home in Dark in search of a place where food is plentiful called Light.
On the journey, Laters and Nows learn the importance of the special hats the Sooners wear and also to place their trust in God along the journey.
Gilbert, who frequently researches her family's genealogies and also wrote, for her family, a book on her grandmother, created butterflies as lead characters.
She credits her professor, Charlie Tinkham, at Purdue University Calumet with influencing her interest in writing.
"It was so exciting and fun doing this book," says Gilbert mentioning that she hopes to write another book soon.
ifyougo
Diana Gilbert will sign her book at Kolas Christian Book Store in Highland at 1 p.m. on July 28.
