I wrote my first novel at the tender age of eight, although I wasn’t all that tender. The story was about a young girl who lost her parents, lived in a cave, and was raised by bears. I’m not sure why I went all Disney and killed off my parents from the get-go, but it seemed to be an important part of my adventure.
Maybe because this story was about finding courage, strength, and power. At the time of the writing, I was home alone nursing a bad case of Mononucleosis and a few other things.
I needed to feel brave.
In the story, I was my own hero. I lived courageously, sleeping in dark caves and playing with predators. I gathered my own food and made my own decisions and didn’t do much with my hair, since that was true in the real world as well.
My novel was eighteen pages, front and back, and I can’t for the life of me remember how it ended. What I can tell you is that my life was influenced by characters like Pippi Longstocking and Miss Piggle-Wiggle, women who refused to live by the expectations set by a society that defined girls as “sugar and spice and everything nice.”
And now, my story lives on in Glitter Girl, my new book on Amazon.
Written for the young girl in all of us, the story shares the importance of being who we are, no matter what expectations are set by society.
I was inspired to write this story after reading a book to my very young great-niece . . .
The children’s story I read to my great-niece was about a young female whose biggest dream was to be a bridesmaid. I felt a need to add some substance to this story, lest my listener decide her greatest value was being some kind of flowery appendage encased by a really bad dress.
So my reading went something like this [with my additions in bold]-
“All Susie wanted to do was be a bridesmaid and wear a pretty dress. At least until she attends law school, where she will fight for the rights of women everywhere.”
While I admit that it does take courage to wear some bridesmaid dresses, I didn’t find much else in the story that had any shine to it. Sharing my disdain for the content, my niece asked, “Aunt Donna, why don’t you write a story for young girls?” I love a woman with a solution.
So, I did.
The name of the book is Glitter Girl . . .
Young girls are natural leaders until they hit a certain age. That used to be puberty, when they start getting attention from the opposite sex. Now the age is 3rd grade, which is both shocking and the reason I wrote this book at that reading level.
Third grade was my favorite year, not because I got new lipstick or started a diet, but because my best friend and I rode bikes and roller-skated, and took off on amazing adventures together.
This story is written not just for young girls, but for the Glitter Girl inside all of us.
The women I know too often get lost in the needs of others, and in the goals of spouses, and in the care of parents.We lose our mojo in a place where staying young and being thin seems to have become our most important qualities
Let’s get our Glitter GIrl back. Here’s the book. Please share the story. And, if you purchase it, I’d love a review on Amazon. I want to make a difference with this book, and you can help me!!
Order here: Glitter Girl by Donna Strother Highfill
2 comments. Leave new
Yay!! I’m a Glitter Girl too! Just ordered my copy and can’t wait to read it. 🙂 You’re pretty badass, you know that?
Thank you, Triffany!! I appreciate you ordering it and you’re right. I AM pretty badass. 🙂 As are you, my friend.