Greencastle author/illustrator hosting book release at PCPL Saturday

Wednesday, November 18, 2015
Troy Cummings (Photo by Rich Cameron)

Greencastle native Troy Cummings will be hosting a book release party at the Putnam County Public Library Saturday starting at 10:30 a.m.

Cummings, a 1990 Greencastle High School graduate, said in addition to him reading from his most recent project, he will also be teaching patrons to illustrate and build a story around it.

The event will kick off with a reading of children's book "Little Red Gliding Hood," which was illustrated by Cummings and written by Tara Lazar.

"Little Red Riding Hood ice skates and she needs to find a partner for the big state competition. She has trouble finding a partner. The dish and the spoon are partnered up, and all the rest of the fairy tale characters are paired up. She's worried she can't find a partner and she's being chased by the Big Bad Wolf," Cummings explained.

Following the reading, Cummings will also have several of his books on hand, including the series of chapter books, "Notebook of Doom."

He has written and illustrated 12 books and contributed illustrations to at least six books written by other authors.

"Then we will do some drawing games where we make up a character and make a little story to go around it," Cummings said about the book release party.

In addition, there will be other drawing activities, skating-themed games and snacks available. Cummings will also be signing copies of his books.

The books can be found at Eli's Books, which will be carrying all of his pieces of work including puzzles he has illustrated.

"It's (writing and illustrating) what I've wanted to do my whole life. For the last couple of years, I've been doing this pretty much full time," Cummings said.

He added this line of work forces him to spend a significant amount of time alone, so interacting with the youth is a fun change of pace.

I do school visits where I work with grateful kids and make up stories and make up characters. That's kind of the most fun because their ideas are great ... They can think of ideas faster and better than I can," Cummings said with a laugh.

Cummings said he is very excited to be a featured author in his home town.

"It's exciting for me to be doing this in my hometown, at my home library where I grew up with friends, family and people I know from my own town ... I get to do a lot of book events in other places, but it's exciting to be able to do something like this at my home," Cummings said.

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