Sandra Rose Hughes

A few years ago, I began writing my first children's book. I have revised it a few times since, and have gotten a lot of good feedback from my family and friends. I am happy with it as my first endeavor. Here is the first half of the first chapter. Chapter 1 “The humans are not coming back, Macie,” squeaked Donner as he pushed his plastic house up against the wall of their cage, “We might have to--” “Don’t say it! Don’t say it!” Squealed Macie, “No, no, no, no, no!” Her big black eyes started to tear up and she curled up sadly on the floor of their cage. Donner and Macie were two glossy, sweet-smelling guinea pigs, or as they thought of themselves, “Cavies.” 1 They lived together in a large cage with a spacious purple plastic house and lots of wood shavings. They had been a bonded pair for almost two years. 2 Donner and Macie loved each other very much. The guinea pigs were used to getting everything they needed from their humans, and they were very happy. In fact, they were a...

The sunflowers I planted after you left us are now taller than I am. Three months have passed. Yesterday, I thought of the too-long walk I put you through- I didn't really understand how close you were to slipping away- And for the first time, I didn't feel quite so much of that deep, embarassed guilty pain. It was more like a throb than a stab. The sunflowers will bloom soon. Their roots are deep, their stalks are thick. They hardly even need the stakes anymore. You have been gone longer than I realized.