The fiction of Sarah Voskamp has not yet topped the New York Times Best Seller List, but she’s done quite nicely for a 10 year old.
The Forsyth County resident is traveling the northeast Georgia area and beyond, promoting sales of her book, “Filly Girls,” a children’s tale about horseback riding.
Voskamp made a stop on her book-signing tour Feb. 4 at Black’s Mill Elementary, where she read a selection of her prose and fielded questions from fellow elementary school students.
Some asked Voskamp about her inspiration for the book.
“Me and my friends one day challenged each other to try and write a book, so I went home and I started typing,” Voskamp said.
She said the story follows the lives of three “horseback riding best friends who get invited to a state equestrian show.”
The 77-page book has sold more than 300 copies since its December 2010 publication.
The Vickery Creek Elementary student said she’s “always been good at writing, but before my friends and I challenged each other to write the book, I wanted to be a professional swimmer.
“Now,” added Voskamp, “I’m going to stick with writing as a career I think.”
Black’s Mill teacher Stacy McGehee found Voskamp’s aspirations inspiring.
“We have lots of authors come to visit our school, but to have one this young talk to other kids her age, that sends a positive message to these students ... that they can achieve,” McGehee said.
Black’s Mill third grade student Seth Adams said he found inspiration in Voskamp’s abilities.
“It sounded like a good story,” Adams said. “I think it would be hard to write a story, but I might try one day.”
Nine-year-old Lilly Pruitt agreed that it sounded like “a very good story. I liked it.”