Sweet Dreems Children's Books
Cynthia is a preschool music teacher, the creator and founder of her hometown's annual Christmas Tree Festival (fundraiser for the local Senior Resource Center), a black-belt in Isshinryu Karate, and a retired trial attorney. She is also an award-winning Christmas-tree decorator. In fact, the inspiration for “Merry Stirring Mice” was a tree she created for the Tree Festival several years ago, adorned with mice uncharacteristically stirring on Christmas Eve. During class trips to the Festival, Meyer invented a story to go with the tree about Santa's secret team of mice, stirring all over the world to make candy for the stockings. Children and teachers loved the story, encouraged Meyer to write it down, and that's how it all got started.
Here's one of the mice on the tree that inspired "Merry Stirring Mice"
On a recent trip to Budapest, Cynthia was apprised of the local folk wisdom that good luck is bestowed upon authors who touch the pen of this statue in the courtyard of Vajdahunyad Castle, so of course she did just that! The evocative statue depicts a famous, but nameless, storyteller whose work provided insight into life in medieval Hungary. The sculptor protrayed "Anonymous" by hiding his (or perhaps her) face under a hood.
Cynthia's grandfather reading
"The Night Before Christmas"
to her (right) and her sister in the 1960's.
A Family Tradition
Reading "The Night Before Christmas" is a tradition honored by Cynthia's family as far back as she can remember. When Cynthia was young, her Grandfather read it to her and her sister. When she was grown with her own family, her husband read it to their children. The old-time poem was a perfect jumping-off-point for "Merry Stirring Mice."
Cynthia's husband reading
"The Night Before Christmas"
to their son and puppy.
Marina Saumell
Marina is the illustrator of Gregory the Spider: Romping through the Year, and Merry Stirring Mice: Santa's Secret Team. She has been working as a children's book illustrator for ten years and has completed over 30 books. Her technique is based on the use of light to model shapes and create textures. She previously worked as an architect. She lives in Mar del Plata, Argentina with her husband and their two children. More information about Marina and her work is available on her
