Aunt Haggis is a published author, photographer, and outdoor enthusiast. She literally grew up on the river studying nature, rafting wild whitewater rapids, basking in the sun, and sleeping under a canopy of brilliant constellations. When she wasn’t looking up to examine the stars at night, she was looking down by day to investigate the most intriguing of creatures… ants. You will find her discoveries in The Checkered War.
Aunt Haggis has previously written seven full-length screenplays, an adult fiction novel, an illustrated novelette (which was a recipient of the Benjamin Franklin Award), biographies (of famous river runners), and numerous magazine articles under a boring name she is required to use for business. The Checkered War is the debut of her first book for children and has received the N.N. Light Book Award Finalist for Children’s Fiction.
CONTACT INFORMATION:
Email: AuntHaggis@TheCheckeredWar.com
AUNT HAGGIS SPILLS THE BEANS ON WHY SHE WROTE THE CHECKERED WAR
I became fascinated with ants when I bought an ant farm for one of my kids for Christmas. The idea that my child could view and study these tiny, industrious creatures was intriguing. And I would be teaching him something new and fun.
So I thought.
But the box remained unopened. For two years.
One day while cleaning out his closet, I noticed the ant farm smothered in a pile of clothes on the floor. Apparently, he still wasn’t fascinated, intrigued or mildly interested.
But I was.
So I took the box to my downstairs home office and set up the ant farm. Then with the coupon I found inside, I sent away for my live harvester ants and impatiently waited.
Finally, the ants arrived, and I was elated! I carefully poured the contents of the plastic vile into the ant farm, not letting a single ant escape, and voila! Instant ant farm! After a brief awakening to their new home, the ants set to work.
I watched fascinated as nature’s tiniest engineers dug tunnels, built roads, and erected bridges. They built room after room, segregating their living space, and never quit working!
As I excitedly observed them day by day, I began to notice things they do that are just like humans, only better. They work together quietly, quickly and efficiently. Without training, classrooms, or the Internet, the ants figured out how to cooperate with each other, working as a unit to build a colony, find food, and take care of their young.
Simply stated: ants are pure inspiration.
And then I thought: “What if there was a book that readers assumed was about humans, but it was really about ants?”
