Confuchsia: An Early Bird's Tale: A Bedtime Story Reader

By Alan J. Paul and Ryan Dougherty

The story is about the ancestors of modern-day birds. Subtitled a "Bedtime Story Reader," the author initially wrote it for his then eight-year-old daughter, who asked one day if he would write her a story. Whenever the author finished a chapter he would read it to her before she went to bed. This experience of reading to his older child enriched both their lives, and from that point forward he encouraged friends with older children to continue reading them bedtime stories.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Dec 5, 2018
• ISBN: 9781543954999

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©2018 Alan J. Paul. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses

permitted by copyright law.

ISBN: 978-1-54395-498-2 (print)

ISBN: 978-1-54395-499-9 (ebook)

DEDICATIONS

To my daughter, Carolyn, for asking if I could write her a story;

To my mother, Ann, for her faith, love and countless prayers;

To my granddaughter, Ellis Rose, for the inspiration she brings;

And to my wife, Jan… for everything.

ABOUT THIS BOOK

When my daughter was about eight years old she asked me one day: Daddy, can you write about anything besides sports? Having been an editor and writer for many years, mostly for sports and fitness magazines, I still couldn’t help but be a little offended by the question. Finally, I said, Sure, Munchkin. I can write about other things. Why? Then she said, Could you write me a story?

This book, based upon a small article that I had read in The New York Times about the prehistoric ancestor to modern-day birds, is the result of that conversation. It was my attempt to prove to my daughter, and perhaps myself, that I could write about something besides sports. After I had finished each chapter, I would test it by reading the segment to my daughter before she went to bed. Judging by her reaction, I would either move on to writing the next, or further tinker with the last, until the manuscript was ultimately completed.

I purposely ended each chapter with a cliff-hanger in an attempt to maximize her interest. It worked. She could hardly wait for the next installment, and on reading nights I had no trouble getting her to go to bed.

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