Michigan authors Cameron, Julian stop by Cheboygan, read their books to children

CHEBOYGAN — One’s from the West Michigan area. The other’s a Northern Michigan person at heart.

Either way you look at it, children were in luck on Thursday as two authors made their way to Cheboygan and read their books at The Book Store on Main Street.

Reaching Cheboygan just before noon was author Pamela Cameron, a Greenville native and current Kalamazoo resident who read her book, "Sport: Ship Dog of the Great Lakes," to children inside The Book Store.

The story focuses on Sport, a puppy rescued from the Milwaukee River waters by the crew of the Lake Michigan lighthouse tender ship in 1914. The dog was named Sport by the crew following the rescue. Drawing from historical papers and photos, Cameron recounts the documented escapades of the dog who became a recognizable mascot of the lake — as a helpful crew member who towed the ropes to shore, helped maintain safety buoys and carry supplies to the lighthouses, and even played on the crew’s baseball team. Sport's adventures teach readers about life on America’s inland seas and share the story of how lighthouse ships helped keep the Great Lakes safe. Illustrations from the book were made by Renée Graef.

“I realized there was a need for non-fiction, true books for kids in the Great Lakes,” Cameron said. “It’s a story of his life. Just for fun, over the last day or two, PBS said they’re going to do a program and show on Sport.

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“Sure, I wrote it for kids, but I never knew all the stories that kids and adults have told me – as my husband said, it’s brought joy to the world," Cameron added. "Teachers have really latched onto it and enjoyed it in the classroom, because I taught third and fourth grade. This is the only book I’ve written.”

Before Cameron arrived in Cheboygan, Kristie Julian, a Mackinaw City High School graduate and author, read one of her many children’s books to young ones in attendance.

After living in Dallas, Julian eventually made her return to Michigan with her children. Being the creative person she’s been her entire life, Julian always wanted to make a kid’s book one day. Lo and behold, her first one came in 2020 and she’s been at it ever since.

“When I had my first kid, I would change the stories so that they rhymed and sounded better, and I thought I should make a kid’s book one day, so when I moved back to Mackinaw to raise my three kids, I decided to just do it,” Julian said. “Over Covid, I hate to say it was fantastic for me, but I figured out how to write my first kid’s book.”

Since then, it’s been 10 books written by Julian, who self-publishes and does illustrations and photos of her books, something she takes great pride in. The first of her books was, "Hey Momma, did you see that?," which focuses on the adventures between a mother and son who go out in the woods.

“I absolutely love it when someone holds the book in their hand,” Julian said. “If I do it for someone else, I get more excited about it than they do. They’re all adventure, outdoors based.”

As she continues to write books, Julian, who works at Cheboygan Middle School, said she’ll continue to encourage kids to be creative and perhaps write their own book someday.

“I will say we have a lot of talent here with our kids, here in Cheboygan,” Julian said. “They come to me all the time and I’m like, ‘Let’s start your graphic novel. You draw 10 times better than I do,’ so I’m always encouraging kids. They’re showing me their drawings and journals.”