Author debuts new book in Amherstburg

By Jolene Perron
An Amherstburg resident is turning her enjoyed hobby into a career option.

Robin Martin-Duttmann, 44, is waiting on the shipment of her children’s book Zoo on the Moon. She wrote the book 17 years ago, she said, but because of her full time job she has been able to pursue the book during the summer months.

“I didn’t pursue too much and then this summer I decided to get an agent,” said Martin-Duttmann. “Within two days of getting an agent the story was picked up.”

Martin-Duttmann works with the Roman Catholic District School Board as an educational assistant.  She is also married with two children of her own.

“It’s been so much fun,” said Martin-Duttmann. “I live to read and I want to foster the reading in kids. I think probably with the illustrator I’ve chosen kids are going to be excited to read it.”

Martin-Duttman said she tried soliciting the book herself, but didn’t see progress until she got an agent. Her agent put her in touch with Lightening Source Publishing, a sister company to Ingram Books. Through the company, she was given an illustrator, Kalpa Joshi, an award-winning illustrator from India.

The new author said the book has a lot of pictures which will appeal to children ages three to seven.

Within the next two months, the children’s book will appear online at Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble. Martin-Duttmann will also be distributing it locally in Amherstburg at Gumballs and Overalls and Trinkets and Treasures. She’s also hoping to get the book in at Target. Also within the next two months, the website zooonthemoon.com will be up and running where the book can also be purchased.

In addition to selling her book personally, Martin-Duttmann is planning charity events for the book where she’ll be selling it at a discounted price to the charity. In turn, the charity will bump the price back up and make a profit.

Martin-Duttmann plans to pursue this as a hobby and has many other children’s novels she hopes to distribute.