The Inspiration Behind THE ADVENTURES OF SHERIFF WILLIKER
THE INSPIRATION FOR 'THE ADVENTURES OF SHERIFF WILLIKER:' The Adventures of Sheriff Williker was inspired by the author's childhood memories growing up in a small community in northwest Iowa. Kim named the sheriff after a saying her mom often used, ‘gee whiz willikers!’ Kim's grandparents were the picture perfect ‘Norman Rockwell’ grandpa and grandma. Her grandpa was a U.S. Marshal and her grandma was the town’s ‘doctor’. Kim would sit and listen in amazement at the stories they told her about the early days--'LONG before there were automobiles...our transportation was a horse and buggy. A kerosene lamp lit our way.' Her grandma would make house calls to deliver babies, many times traveling in freezing temperatures through snowdrifts. When Kim was sick, her grandma would always make her feel better by giving Kim one of her homemade remedies--warm lemon juice, honey--and lots of love!
Kim's grandma loved to knit, crochet, and make quilts. She was also the cook at the local high school in Superior, Iowa. Her grandparents were in a band and often played at ‘barn parties’ on the weekends. Her grandpa played the banjo and harmonica and her grandma played the piano and sang. When Kim's grandparents retired, they spent their time gardening. They LOVED to spend time in their garden and grew everything from flowers, to raspberry bushes, to vegetables, to rhubarb--and even popcorn! Her grandpa also LOVED to fish. His casual clothes were blue jean overalls and a BIG baseball cap. He carried a pitchfork with him when he worked in the garden. Her grandma had white, long hair, which she rolled up and pinned to the back of her head in a bun. She wore flowered printed dresses, an apron, and stockings--rolled down to her ankles. If she wasn't in the garden, you could find her in the kitchen. She was always baking pies or canning with the fresh fruits or vegetables they gathered from their garden. The canned preserves lined the shelves in their storm cellar. Kim's uncle was the town’s blacksmith. His wife was the editor of the local newspaper. They also had a large garden and huge apple orchard. You could always count on Kim's aunt serving her guests a slice of freshly baked apple pie. Kim's other uncle was retired from the Navy and LOVED to fish. Come rain, wind, sleet or snow, you could find him out on the lake fishing, even ice fishing! Kim's grandparents had one daughter--Kim's mother--who was the youngest of four siblings. She was just as loving, caring, and hard working as her grandparents. Kim's mom worked for the local newspaper office. In her spare time, she loved to garden. You could often find her in the kitchen with Kim's grandma baking or canning. On the weekends, all of Kim's family would get together for Sunday dinner at each other’s houses, or often times gathered at the lake for picnics and games. Everyone brought tons of food--homemade salads and desserts using fresh vegetables and fruit from their very own garden. "I hope you enjoy THE ADVENTURES OF SHERIFF WILLIKER , as much as I enjoyed reliving my childhood writing and illustrating this series of children's books." -- Kim Hansen
