Local author shares story of hope in new children’s book
Michelle Weltz and her family were playing fetch with their black lab, Sky, having a fun Labor Day at the lake in 2014. When Sky brought back the ball covered in blood, they took her to the vet. Suddenly, their 8-year-old dog had a cancer diagnosis and was given 30 days to live.
Stage II oral cancer treatment was pretty well limited to surgery or chemotherapy. Neither seemed right for the family.
“We basically turned it over to God and said, ‘We’re going to have to have faith in this,’” Weltz said.
The vet saw Sky again and described her cancerous growth as ‘healed from the inside out.’ In 2015, she walked in the Bigfork Relay for Life, a survivor.
“It wasn’t until my dad was diagnosed with lung cancer and then I was like, ‘Okay, I’m going to sit down and type Sky’s story out,’” Weltz said.
In 2015, her father, David Kuehn, was battling lung cancer. When Weltz visited him in the hospital, she told him Sky’s story. It inspired her to write and illustrate a children’s book, “Miraculous Sky.”
“I remember with my niece it was, ‘Grandpa’s bedroom is at the hospital now...’ It’s just trying to explain how cancer affects a person. I think with a dog they can relate to that easier,” Weltz said.
Since Sky and Kuehn passed, Weltz has turned the book into something of a tribute, as well as a way to teach children to cope while watching a loved one deal with cancer. She started by drawing Sky and her second dog Tana as the main characters, and it grew from there. She taught herself Procreate and took a children’s book class, then joined the Society of Childrens Book Writers and Illustrators.
“I think you hit those points where you’re just not sure, not having the experience behind you to do that... Having created those resources with the book club and two people who really edited and gave me feedback on it, and just not being afraid to ask questions helped a lot,” Weltz said.
This April, her book was finally released online. Now, it is available in print.
“It’s like Christmas, you’re just waiting and waiting and being able to open that book in front of some friends... I see Sky... I can hold it, I can feel it, I can see it. It’s pretty exciting,” she said.
Bigfork Drug, which Weltz manages, is stocking the book, and she recently participated in children’s day at the Bigfork Farmers Market. In the future, she hopes to do more signings and sell her book around the Flathead Valley .
“I think if they’re looking for a book that provides hope and a positive message, this is a good one. I think it also teaches kids to cope with difficulties.”
Weltz’s book “Miraculous Sky” is available online at ambassador-international.com, christianbook.com and amazon.com.
Michelle Weltz and her dog Sky walk the Bigfork Relay for Life in 2015. (Courtesy photo)