GOAT’S BOAT WON’T FLOAT
Children’s author and Owatonna native Kim Larson will sign books this Saturday at The Little Professor Book Center, 110 West Park Square. Submitted photo
Owatonna native Kim Larson didn’t start out to become an author–much less to write a series of children’s books about a fainting goat.
A 1982 graduate of Owatonna High School, she grew up on a farm south of Owatonna near Pratt. Her mom and dad still live on the farm; she also has siblings living in the area.
Though she briefly considered becoming a writer in grade school, Larson studied fashion design at North Dakota State University. That path didn’t go far.
“It doesn’t really work out unless you’re living in New York,” she said.
Instead, Larson spent 23 years in the mortgage lending business. But when her two boys were little–they’re 31 and 34 now–she did start to do a little “dabbling” as a writer. When the housing bubble burst in 2010, she found herself laid off and thinking about a new career.
“My husband said I could pursue my dream of writing,” Larson said.
She started taking creative writing classes and in 2018 fell in love with children’s picture books. Larson joined the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, a nonprofit organization that provides networking and support for everyone involved with literature for young people. She also took a class online to learn how to write for early readers.
A visit with her step-grandchildren inspired the story for her first book in the genre, “Goat’s Boat Won’t Float.”
“I had never seen fainting goats before then,” Larson said. “I thought it was just hilarious.”
The American breed has a hereditary condition that causes them to faint or fall over whenever they’re excited or startled.
Larson’s Goat travels with a nervous turkey as they face the problem of loading too many oats in Goat’s boat. She has also written a book about a goat who is a private investigator, but that one hasn’t sold.
Larson landed an agent in 2022 who sold the first book, with an option for two more. Sadly, her agent passed away, but she is determined to find another.
“I have lots and lots of stories that I hope to get published,” she said.
She’s also hard at work on her second book, “Goat Clowns Around,” in which Goat goes to clown school. In the third book, Turkey will throw Goat a surprise party, which as you might imagine, doesn't go well for a fainting goat.
Larson enjoys writing picture books because “I don’t have to get too complicated with the drama and put the characters through so much turmoil. I also like the challenge of writing 500 words or less.”
“I probably have a child-like humor,” she added. “I have so. much fun writing these books. It just brings me joy."
Larson will be signing copies of “Goat’s Boat Won’t Float” at The Little Professor Bookstore in Owatonna on Oct. 25. If the weather holds, she’ll be outside the front door from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. with coloring sheets, handouts, and cookies to make it fun.