"Honor thy father and thy mother, as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee; that thy days may be prolonged, and that it may go well with thee, in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee." – Deuteronomy 5:16
Orange Beach businessman-turned-author Chris Guess has published the first in a series of faith-based children's books.
"The Adventures of Kazoo and Gus" will transport children into the tiny world of bugs and teach them important character traits and life lessons they can carry into adulthood.
Guess considers himself "semi-retired," but there is no evidence he is slowing down.
After 12 years of telling nighttime stories to his 10 grandchildren, Guess decided to share those stories at the urging of his grandson.
"I've been pretty creative in the stories that I tell, and it got to be where I was telling the same stories over and over," Guess said. "One of my grandsons basically said, 'Granddaddy, why don't you write a book? That way, when you're not here, we can read it to ourselves.' And I'm like, 'Well, that's a pretty smart idea for a seven-year-old."
Guess said he was also inspired by inappropriate books he had heard about in some local libraries. He wanted to offer a children's book that taught children a moral lesson. But why stop with one book? Guess is working on eight.
The first book, "I'm a Bug Who Loves to Hug," tells the story of Kazoo, a sweet little bug who truly loves to hug. But he finds himself in a little crisis when he doesn't obey his parents. In the end, the very affectionate Kazoo learns that if he had listened to his mom and dad, he wouldn't have lost his way. He also meets his friend Gus, who will be a main character in the series.
"It teaches a neat little lesson that kids can understand and hopefully get something out of it that will go with them for the rest of their lives," Guess said.
The second book has yet to be published, but Guess said it teaches children to treat others as they want to be treated.
Bible scriptures are quoted in each book.
Even after he finishes publishing the eight-part series, Guess said he doesn't plan to stop. He is already thinking about his next series.
"It's fun to do and I enjoy it," Guess said. "I want to create a brand that when a kid goes to a store or gets on Amazon, they're looking for Kazoo and Gus. And I can guarantee that it's going to teach them a lesson – a good character-building lesson."
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