Face Time: Author Don Osborne brings us a turtle who wants to fly

Author Don Osborne. Submitted photo

Smalls is the name of a turtle who wants to learn how to fly and Don Osborne is the man who just might get him there.

Osborne, formerly of Lewiston, now living in Windham, is the author of “The Turtle Who Wanted To Fly,” a children’s book hailed as “a celebration of friendship, dreams and the beauty of Maine.”

For Osborne, a father and grandfather, this tale of a turtle with lofty ambitions is a debut novel — but he doesn’t expect it will be his last.

The book is set in a decidedly Maine landscape: “Smalls resides in the picturesque town of Monmouth, Maine,” according to a book press release, “surrounded by a host of charming animal friends, including Bunny, Squirrel, and his closest companion, Bare, a lovable little black bear. Ever since he was a hatchling, Smalls has yearned to take to the skies and soar freely like Talon, the great eagle, who regales him with captivating stories of adventure and the natural wonders of Maine. The book paints a vivid picture of this tight-knit community of animals who share not only their daily lives but also their dreams.”

The book can be found at Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other book sellers. The author can be found right here.

What made you decide to write your first book about a turtle? I wrote about a turtle because I love turtles and kids do too. I often see many turtles in Maine. I am an avid fisherman, so I see them a lot.

When did you start writing stories? I started writing poetry over a decade ago. I decided to try my hand at children’s stories. I started a few years ago.

What was your writing process like? My writing comes really easy. I come up with an idea and it just flows out pretty quickly. I get a lot of my imagination through my grandchildren. I love to read my latest stories to them. They are my best critics!

What was the hardest part about writing this book? The easiest? Hardest part was trying to get the illustrations to match my vision. The funnest was watching it come alive, with the beautiful illustrations!

Tell us about your family: I am a dad of a daughter, Leah, who is 29. I also have three stepchildren — Steven, Eric and Candis — and five grandchildren: Aurora, Allie, Audrey, Estelle and Orion.

What do you do when you’re not writing books? I am a family man. I spend a lot of time with family. We love to go hiking, sight seeing and explore our beautiful state. I am also a diehard fisherman. I love all kinds of fishing. My favorite is bass fishing!

Any plans to write more? I have more books ready right now. I am eager to get my second book going soon. Really this has been a long-time dream of mine. To get my writing out there. I want to share that anyone can pursue a dream they have. You just have to push through the fears and try. Never stop dreaming!