Any Gloria Estefan fans in the Hou/Galv area?

[GalvestonDuck]

Gloria Estefan makes writing debut

By Greg Barr
The Daily News

Published October 16, 2005

As a Grammy Award-winning songwriter, Gloria Estefan knows of the convoluted path that a hit single must follow.

Making a pop CD means working out charts, smoothing out melodies, programming computerized music tracks and writing lyrics, often in collaboration with some big-name artists. It’s a complicated, drawn-out process, often under the watchful gaze of impatient record label executives.

So when Estefan was asked to try writing in a novel way, she jumped at the chance. A sweet story about a family pet became the vehicle for the singer to express herself in a simple manner.

Estefan’s first children’s book, “The Magically Mysterious Adventures of Noelle the Bulldog,” reflects the singer’s return to a singular freedom of expression, uncluttered by music industry distractions. Published this month in English and Spanish editions, the book comes with an accompanying CD single.

“The writing came to me easier than I expected, but I wasn’t really surprised by it,” said Estefan, who will be signing copies of the book Wednesday at Hastings in Galveston. “A writer always has this interior process going on that makes this self-expression possible. Often when you are writing songs, you are going back and forth (with another writer) and it can be difficult to collaborate. So writing the book reveals more of your core when there is no one else involved.”

The subject of the book, illustrated by Michael Garland, is Estefan’s 2-year-old bulldog Noelle, who, like the singer, is something of a survivor. The themes in the story reflect the positive personal image and spiritual rebirth the singer experienced during her arduous recovery from a near-fatal highway accident while on tour in March 1990.

Estefan acquired the dog in Colombia as a gift to her son, but Noelle became deathly ill with a parasite-borne virus. When a veterinarian said the dog would likely die, Estefan purchased another animal and left Noelle in the hands of the vet, who was able to save her.

In the book, Noelle is a loveable canine taken in by a family, but she is different than the other dogs — a pack of rambunctious Dalmatians.

Noelle can’t keep up with the other dogs, and other animals she encounters are reluctant to embrace her. Eventually, she discovers her inner beauty, comes to the aid of the other animals and becomes an indispensable member of the family.

“The thoughts in the book are part of what I believe, that we are all connected somehow and need each other to get through life,” Estefan said. “Over time, we ultimately discover the importance of who you are and your gift to the world, when you uncover your true calling.”

The story had included a dramatic section about a giant sunflower that couldn’t protect itself from swooping birds plucking seeds from its face, but it was edited out. Still, Estefan is already working on the next Noelle installment, part of a three-book deal with HarperCollins, in which she will introduce more suspenseful elements.

“I’m starting (my writing career) with something very rudimentary that I hope will have an impact on children in a way that might affect them as an adult,” she said.

To complete her first foray into children’s books, Estefan enlisted the help of her daughter Emily, who was 10 when the book was written in December 2004.

Estefan began by writing the last line in the book, penned in a rhythmical style used throughout the book, a direct homage to the musings of Dr. Seuss: “And though viewed from the outside you couldn’t quite tell, there was never a dog like the dog named Noelle!”

She read the story to Emily every step of the way.

“She was very honest and really wanted to hear how it turned out,” Estefan said. “I wanted to write it so even the parents who were reading it — and you know kids want to hear these things over and over — could enjoy it.”

Besides writing children’s books, Estefan has several projects under way. Though she no longer tours to support her music, she is recording a Spanish CD of Cuban-influenced acoustic music. And she is also determined to bring — after several rewrites — a screenplay of the troubled life of pop singer Connie Francis to the big screen.

“I’m a communicator, regardless of the vehicle,” Estefan said.

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What: Gloria Estefan book signing for “The Magically Mysterious Adventures of Noelle the Bulldog”

When: 6 p.m. Wednesday.

Where: Hastings Books, Music & Video, 2711 61st St., Galveston, (409) 741-1924.