Local author’s book published after 30 years

Irene Alexander

Irene Alexander loves to write and has been writing since her days attending a one-room country school. Alexander doesn’t just write about anything though, her writing has always had a message attached to it.

“I wrote a book about 30 years ago and it is based on my son,” Alexander said. “We had a lot of cats and we took care of the cats. It always seemed like we were getting more cats. I was a single mom and I couldn’t always afford the things his peers had. In this story, the little boy finds out that the most important things are not your possessions, but to understand character traits and qualities that are important in a person’s life.”

Alexander’s first published book is titled The Boy Who Had Nine Cats and is based on a boy named Adam, goes through the struggles of dealing with not having all of the “cool things” his friends have. Instead, a neighbor, Mr. Raintree challenges Adam to observe and photograph his cats. Through this lesson, Adam realizes that he has everything he needs.

The lessons that Alexander put into the story are the same lessons that she tried to instill in her own son. Alexander said rereading the book brings back memories of her and her son.

“I grew up on a farm and always had a love for animals,” Alexander said. “I always thought that he had a love for animals, too. One of the ways I wanted to teach him responsibility was to care for the rabbits we had, as well as the cats. I thought it was a good way for him to learn to be able to take care of something.”

Alexander tried for years to have her book published, but received many declines from publishing companies that said her book didn’t meet what they were looking for.

Alexander learned about a lady, Julie Casey, from St. Joseph that had recently opened her own publishing company, Amazing Things Press.

“I belong to the Maryville Writer’s Guild and we were looking for someone to come speak to us,” Alexander said. “I contacted Casey and she was publishing local authors. At the meeting, I showed her my manuscript and she said, ‘I’ll publish it.’ I was just so thrilled that she would do that.”

In addition to Alexander’s first book, Casey said that she would publish more of Alexander’s books.

Alexander taught for 30-plus years and was in Albany when she wrote her first book, The Boy Who Had Nine Cats and received some artistic help from a fellow teacher.

“I worked with an art teacher named Ann Hogue,” Alexander said. “She still teaches art at Albany and drew the art for my first book. She will also do the illustrations for my other books. She has such appealing illustrations that along with a story.”

Alexander is amazed by the support she has received for her first published book and looks forward to many more books.

However, writing is not the only thing that Alexander is involved with. She has worked with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Nodaway County for the past eight years and has found a lot of enjoyment out of teaching her “little sister” the same lessons that are in her book.

“I thought it would be something good to do and be helpful,” Alexander said. “Big Brothers Big Sisters was just coming into existence and I thought it would be a great opportunity.”

Alexander has been partnered with the same young lady for the last eight years and has enjoyed the time she has had with her “little sister.”

“It’s a great feeling, it feels like you are being very helpful that you can help someone else,” she said.