The American Ina Claire Frischholz, 83, has proven it is never too late to pursue a dream as she has become a first-time published author at her age.
"This is the greatest thrill of my life, getting it published. The only thing that would thrill me more is if it got to be a pop-up book,” Frischholz said.
Sitting in an apartment decorated with a collection of dolls and figurines lining shelves, Frischholz had a copy of the paperback book 'Salty’s Great Adventure' in her hands. The illustrated children’s book tells a Christmas tale of a lonely puppet named Salty who finds purpose in life with the help of Santa Claus, Columbustelegram.com reported.
The book was released last month through Christian Faith Publishing Inc. and is available online.
Frischholz came up with the story years ago in a writing class. It is based on a puppet she used in the classroom while teaching first grade at Robbins Elementary School in Omaha, a career she had for 38 years. The stick puppet was named Salty after Salzburg, Austria, where Frischholz purchased the puppet.
Though it was written decades ago, she recently decided to try to get the story published, partly to help herself financially, and also to achieve a dream of becoming an author.
Frischholz hopes she is an inspiration to others to continue to work toward goals. Despite having a few health problems including arthritis and neuropathy, Frischholz is hoping to get more of her work published. She already has a few ideas, including a collection of stories about her days as a teacher.
Frischholz is a Columbus native and graduated high school there before getting a degree in teaching. She always had a love for writing and was the editor of her college newspaper. While teaching, she also wrote for programs held at the school.
While getting published is a dream come true, Frischholz said one of the most gratifying parts of the experience is seeing how her journey and the book have impacted others.
"I like that it has provided pleasure for other people. They are happy about it," she said.
