August 7, 2012,  Linda L. (Allspach) Sheehan, originally of Mt. Pulaski, will appear at Lincoln College 7:00-8:30 p.m. Tuesday, August 7, to demonstrate how to use online tools to publish a book. All area writers and would-be writers are invited to this workshop.

Sheehan has self-published two books: “Animals and More Animals,” using Lulu.com, and “Five Cheetahs,” using createspace.com.

They are the first two books in a series called “Grandma Goes to South Africa.” At the workshop, Sheehan will use her computer and a projector to show how to use these publishing websites; how to obtain, adjust, and insert images into a manuscript; how to make a book suitable for Amazon; how to set a book price; and other self-publishing activities.

Linda and her husband, Dennis, grew up in Mt. Pulaski and farmed in that area until 1994. They served eleven years as missionaries in Jamaica and Poland before joining a humanitarian enterprise—a Howard G. Buffet Foundation agricultural research farm—in South Africa. They are now located in Arizona, at a branch research farm.

While in South Africa, the Sheehans encountered scores of unfamiliar animals and participated in new activities—like driving a gator (John Deere ATV) and fighting a bush fire. Linda longed to share these experiences with their grandchildren. She finally realized she could do that by arranging pictures and stories in book form.

Although Linda is producing this series of books with her grandchildren in mind, she has designed them as high-interest, informative books to be read by other children and used by schools and libraries. “Animals and More Animals” features large print and simple words for young readers. It also contains teaching tools like “new words” lists and questions about the story. “Five Cheetahs” is written for students in fourth through sixth grades with in-depth information and a conservation message.

Area writers with a story, some information, or a message to share are invited to this workshop in Room 104 of Gehlbach Hall on Hennepin Street to learn how to publish as many or as few books as they wish.