Author Sydney Sinclair visits High Cotton Arts
ATHENS-An author who fights dyslexia and overcame doubts she could write stories people wanted to read because of her learning disability has launched a 50-book series about the Tooth Fairy.
The first book in the series on the Alabama Tooth Fairy is set in downtown Athens, Ala.
Like her creator, Avery, the Alabama Tooth Fairy, struggles with doubts. Avery, who has served as the state fairy since Alabama gained statehood in 1819, worries she has enough magic and time to serve all the state’s children because the population continues to grow.
Northern Kentucky author Sydney Sinclair, creator of The Tooth Fairy Network book series, recently visited Athens to scout iconic locations she plans use in her Alabama Tooth Fairy book. Avery’s magical fairy door will be at High Cotton Arts, a non-profit downtown art incubator operated by Athens Arts League. Athens Arts League is a committee of Spirit of Athens, a nationally-accredited Main Street organization.
Sinclair, who works as a deputy county clerk, began creating stories about the Tooth Fairy when her daughter Chase started losing teeth. Katra, the Kentucky Tooth Fairy, would leave Chase a special prize and note. The notes for each tooth captured what was occurring in Chase’s life, and Sinclair’s family started asking to read the letters.
Her first book, The Curse of Crion, was published September 2013 by Tate Publishing. This book showcases characters in Fyedybar, the name of Fairyland.
High Cotton Arts
Sinclair said throughout her life she has fought to “rise above the ‘I can’t’ stigma associated with dyslexia.” She encourages those with a learning disability to not only dream but to work hard.
“It will pay off in the end,” she said.
Her ambition to write this 50-book series is her way of refusing to let dyslexia hinder her aspirations. Likewise, Avery the Alabama Tooth Fairy faces obstacles such as getting a fairy door installed in time and breaking a special gift meant for a boy who lost his tooth. Avery tackles these obstacles in downtown Athens, where the main family of the book lives in the historic Greenhaw home on Jefferson Street.
Athens became the book’s location when Sinclair started researching the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, where the father of the family works.
“I wanted a suburb of Huntsville for the family’s home,” she said. “When I found Athens, which starts with the letter ‘A’ I knew Avery the Alabama Tooth Fairy needed to live in Athens, Alabama.”
Sinclair said Athens-Limestone Tourism Association pitched High Cotton Arts to her for a unique fairy door location. Avery travels through the magical fairy door and through downtown Athens to bring a special gift for the family’s son, who has lost his first tooth.
Sinclair said she loved the name High Cotton Arts and set up a meeting with Athens Arts League Chairwoman Debby Smith.
“What an incredible day it has been,” Sinclair wrote on her Facebook page, which is followed by her hometown supporters. “We (Sinclair and her daughter) arrived in the beautiful City of Athens, Alabama, a little early and were able to go to a local burger place called Dub’s Burgers. We had a great time.”
Sinclair and her daughter Chase also visited stores in downtown Athens, the Kreme Delite and the Greenhaw home. She was impressed with the Greenhaw home’s porch, ornate staircase, pocket doors and hidden staircase, and that owner Lanier Greenhaw was swinging in one of the porch swings, waiting to meet her.
Greenhaw Home
“I really look forward to finishing the Alabama Tooth Fairy book,” she wrote.
Magical creativity has evolved from the collaboration between Sinclair and High Cotton Arts. Smith said Athens Arts League is hosting the 2016 Fairy Door Competition and Exhibit to fund projects for the arts incubator and to further efforts to enrich the community through art.
There are various age group categories from age 6 through adult. Cash prizes will be awarded to the winners with the grand prize winner receiving $100 and consideration by Sinclair for the grand prize fairy door to be featured on the cover of her Alabama Tooth Fairy book.
Applications are due Aug. 31, and fairy door entries are due on Sept. 2 and 3 at High Cotton Arts. The doors will be on exhibit from Sept. 7 through Oct. 1. Contest information and applications are available at http://www.athensartsleague.com/ and click on “Upcoming Events.”
Once the book is published, High Cotton Arts will sell copies and offer a coupon to children who buy the book so they can get a free fairy ice cream at Kreme Delite.
“Fairy ice cream has to have sprinkles,” Smith said.
Children not only love ice cream but technology, so Sinclair plans to include GPS coordinates for each state’s fairy doors so children can use their cellphones and laptops to search for them. She said a fairy door contest, incorporating technology and using sites children can visit help make reading fun for children of all abilities.
“Sydney Sinclair has an incredible story about overcoming dyslexia, and she is using her talents to encourage children to overcome learning disabilities through imagination and determination,” said Athens Mayor Ronnie Marks, who met Sinclair during her Athens visit. “The City of Athens is honored to be chosen for her book, and we look forward to this collaboration with Athens Arts League helping inspire a love of reading, the arts and learning.”
Alabama Tooth Fairy Tidbits
- Sydney Sinclair’s website with more information about the Alabama Tooth Fairy book is:
http://www.sydney-sinclair.com/
- Athens Arts League’s website with more information about the Fairy Door Competition and Exhibit is:
http://www.athensartsleague.com/ and click on “Upcoming Events”
- The Tooth Fairy Network book series is on Facebook at:
https://www.facebook.com/worldoffyedybar
Downtown Athens sites that will be part of the Alabama Tooth Fairy book include:
- High Cotton Arts – 103 West Washington Street
- Kreme Delite – 401 West Washington Street
- Greenhaw home – 121 North Jefferson Street
- The trains that rumble through downtown Athens on the CSX track
The Alabama Tooth Fairy – Book and Fairy Door Contest
Ms. Ballard has chosen High Cotton Arts as the actual home of the tooth fairy in her book. Other iconic downtown Athens locations are also to be included in the book.
Athens Arts League invites children and adults to create a magical door that will be used by this tooth fairy. Ms. Ballard has said she will consider including the winning door creation for the cover of her book. The Grand Prize winner will have this opportunity as well as receive $100. The remaining two age categories will receive $50 cash prizes. Age categories are 6-11, 12-17, and 18 and above.
Submit your application form and $10 fee to enter to High Cotton Arts, 103 W. Washington Street, Athens, AL. as early as possible but no later than August 31st.
Delivery of your completed Fairy Door creations will be, September 2nd or 3rd.
Download the application form here for more details and get busy on your creations today!
