Smarties, today I am happy to introduce you to Shelby Trenchkelbach, beloved children’s author and she grew up right here in Charlotte. Her last name can be a mouthful, so she uses pen names for her books. My oldest is currently reading Of Giants and Ice, The Ever Afters, alongside her required reading for school, and says that it is not fair that she cannot devote more time to Ms. Shelby’s book. Shelby has been so very kind to sign five hardback copies of Always Neverland and five copies of, Of Giants and Ice The Ever Afters for some very lucky Smarties to add to their children’s own book collection. Get to know Shelby and remember to sign up for this pre-season giveaway treat! Thank you Shelby for sharing your memories and favorite past times of growing up in Charlotte.
To enter to win one of Shelby’s books: Comment below sharing your favorite moment reading with your child.
Charlotte is your hometown but where do you currently reside and why?
I wanted to explore someplace I’d never been before, so I left the East Coast. – As a writer, I’m always trying to see something new; knowing more about the world gives me richer material for my books. The reason that I chose to stop in Portland, OR was purely for research purposes – back in early 2010, I’d picked that city as the setting for a pivotal scene in The Ever Afters 3. But as soon as I drove in, I kind of fell in love with it and decided to stay.
It’s funny, though – some of my favorite things about Portland are also my favorite things about Charlotte. It has the close-knit community, historic areas, and laid-back pace of a small town, but size-wise, it has all the resources and perks of a larger city: public transit, cute boutiques, a ton of tasty restaurants. Just like in Charlotte, people here are dedicated first and foremost to living good lives, being good citizens, and raising happy children. – During my travels, I realized those qualities were a lot more rare than I could have guessed after growing up in Charlotte.
