Hi there! My name is Alicia. I’m an author, photographer and adoptive mama. I’m so honored that Melanie gave me this opportunity to chat with you all about my book.
Written in the Stars: An Adoption Story is a book about adoption, love and family told through the magic of the night sky. This story started out as a love letter addressed to my future child. I was waiting in the adoption process, trying to stay positive and thinking about how I’d want to introduce the concept of adoption to my future child.
The idea for this story came to me in bits and pieces over the course of a year. Every time I thought about being matched with our future child’s birth family, I imaged the universe aligning in a magical way to bring our two families together. That is what gave me the idea to use the night sky as the canvas for this story.
My hope was to provide a gentle, magical way for families to start the conversation about adoption with their young children. It was important to me that this story highlighted the immense love that surrounds the child, from both their birth family and their adoptive family. And the last page of the book was created for families to write in their child’s own adoption story. I hope to help children foster a sense of belonging and create a deeper understanding of their individual journey.
This book is a piece of my heart and a manifestation of my perspective of the magic of adoption, written for a child I didn’t know at the time who now brings so much joy into our lives. If this book can be a resource for you, my heart is happy!
Thank you for taking the time to read about my story. If you’d like to connect, you can find me on Facebook and Instagram at @authoraliciahilsher. For more information about my book, go to www.aliciahilsher.com.
Lula the Luckiest Leprechaun is the star of my newest creation set to hit bookshelves this fall!
Lula wants to travel the world, but she's stuck at home making and mending shows for her twelve brothers. When she goes on an adventure to find her own rainbow, she discovers something much more valuable than a pot of gold. Subscribe and follow me for more Lula the Luckiest Leprechaun updates.
I am the author of “Maxwell, the Raindrop Who Wouldn’t Fall” and “Maxwell the Raindrop: Am I Still Me?” picture books. I recently moved to Ohio after having lived in Johnstown, PA for 20+ years. I still have a strong connection to the area as I created the Maxwell character and wrote both stories in Johnstown. When I decided to self-publish, I received a lot of valuable advice and direction from the Director at the Community Arts Center of Cambria County, and I even met my very talented illustrator Jaclyn Donnelly there.
Before the pandemic, I partnered with CACCC to offer scholarships for Kid’s Create camp. The purpose is to help several less fortunate elementary students from the area. Their art teachers would nominate them based on their life circumstances, interest in the arts, and their financial need. (The students must be eligible for the school lunch program). There were many touching stories from young people who really needed something positive in their lives, even if it was something as small as a week at an art class to discover some creative outlet in themselves. I really enjoyed the feeling of doing something positive for these students.
So many times, when I visited a school, I would ask if there were any artists in the room. Without fail, nearly every one of the young students would raise their hands. Most kids believe that they are an artist. Unfortunately, at some point, that feeling of being an artist begins to fade. I think that it’s important to find ways to encourage them to help them grow in the arts.
I’ve always believed that art is for everybody. All young people have the potential to find joy in creativity, but unfortunately, so many lack the ability to discover that because they don’t have the resources to attend classes and get the instruction, so I’m happy to bring the scholarships back this year. I’m grateful for the ability to help a few young people.
Both Maxwell books have positive messages that encourage self-acceptance. A portion of the sale of each of these books will go to the scholarship.
Community Arts Center will send student nomination forms to local schools.
If you would like to support the Scholarship, please donate at Kids Create (caccc.org), or purchase a book locally or online at www.maxwellraindrop.com. Book locations can be found at www.maxwellraindrop.com