Mother and daughter both have books published, inspire others

KELOWNA – They already shared the special bond of being mother and daughter. Now two former Okanagan residents have another reason to feel close. They are both published authors.

Jenny Story has quite a fitting name. The 22-year-old just had her first book published.

“It’s exciting, surreal,” says Story.

The fantasy book is called “Outcasts in a Distant Moon”. It’s the first of what Story hopes will be a trilogy centred around a make-believe planet called Dysnomia. The idea came to her while she was asleep.

“From a dream basically,” says Story.

While writing a book and getting it published is hard enough, this accomplishment is even more extraordinary considering what Story has been through. She was diagnosed with autism when she was three, and doctors told her mom the outlook wasn’t good.

“They said she wouldn’t talk well, do well in school, don’t expect to go where her peers are, she will never work in a bank, she will never get married, she won’t do this, she won’t do that,” says Janet Walmsley.

However, with hard work and plenty of early childhood therapy, Jenny proved them all wrong. On top of her first published book, the honours student just graduated Vancouver Film School’s animation program and is slated to work on a documentary film for Super Channel this fall.

When asked if she sees herself as inspirational Story says “I guess, I just see myself as Jenny Story, just following her dreams really.”

Her life story so inspirational, it prompted her mom Janet Walmsley to do something she’s never done before either, write her own book. But this one is no fiction.

“It’s from when she was born to when we knew something was going on and where did Jenny go,” says Walmsley.

What makes the story special is that Walmsley’s book was also recently published. Called “the Autistic Author and Animator”, the book describes Story’s triumphs and tribulations through a parent’s eyes.

“For autistic families to see that it’s ok. You will make it through, there will be beautiful rainbows but I also want the average person to see the heart of an autistic family and the individual, what they go through,” says Walmsley.

The family lived in Vernon for 17 years but moved to Vancouver so Story could attend the Vancouver Film School. The pair is in Kelowna for two book signings. The first takes place Saturday, June 27 at the Film Factory from 1 p.m. until 3 p.m. The two will then be signing books at the Chapters in Kelowna on Sunday, June 28 also from 1 p.m. until 3 p.m.

The books can also be purchased online through sites such as Amazon and Barnes and Noble.