Julie Rubini, founder of Claire s Day book festival, becomes an author

Julie Rubini looks at copies of the preliminary spreads of her new book, Hidden Ohio, at her home in Maumee. Enlarge

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Many people may know Julie Rubini only as Claire s mom co-founder of the Claire s Day free family book festival that she and her husband, Brad, created in honor of the 10-year-old daughter they lost nine years ago to a heart condition.

Mrs. Rubini is that and more, of course, with a newly inked entry in the more category: published author.

Her book will be released Saturday the eighth annual Claire s Day. Titled Hidden Ohio and priced at $18.95, it s a 32-page, exuberantly illustrated hardcover book aimed primarily at children in first through fifth grades. The publisher is Mackinac Island Press of Traverse City, Mich.

I love kids, I love sharing my passion for words and books with children, so this will be just another natural extension of how my life has evolved, Mrs. Rubini said, referring both to the book and the school presentations she hopes to begin throughout the state in the fall.

She will sign copies of Hidden Ohio at Saturday s festival, which takes place at the Maumee Library and features presentations by children s book authors and illustrators as well as storytellers, family entertainment, reading awards for children, and hands-on activities.

Mrs. Rubini s journey from literacy advocate to published author began at Claire s Day in May, 2007, when the lineup of speakers included children s author Anne Lewis. Ms. Lewis and her husband, Brian Lewis, own Mackinac Island Press although Mrs. Rubini wasn t aware of that at the time.

She remembers chatting with Ms. Lewis at Claire s Night, which is a fund-raiser at the Main Branch of the Toledo-Lucas County Public Library on the eve of the book festival. The next day, listening to Ms. Lewis presentation at the festival, she connected with her as a kindred spirit. She believes that basically we all can do whatever we put our minds to... I was really impressed with her, and apparently the feeling was mutual, Mrs. Rubini said.

Indeed it was, Brian Lewis said by phone from Traverse City. Anne was so impressed with Julie that she knew she wanted to work with her somehow, but didn t know exactly how at that point.

In August, 2007, Ms. Lewis called Mrs. Rubini and asked if she d be interested in writing Hidden Ohio.

As a parent who has tried to teach her children to stay open to all of life s opportunities, Mrs. Rubini could hardly have said no not that it ever crossed her mind to turn it down.

I was just floored. I was thrilled, she said.

Mrs. Rubini, 47, a native of Swanton who lives in Maumee, said she feels like everything I ve done in my life comes together in this project.

She has an associate degree in marketing, sales, and fashion merchandising from Owens Community College. She had planned to go on to earn a bachelor s degree, but a good job came along that changed her plans.

Mrs. Rubini sold advertising for what is now Cumulus Broadcasting for two years, then took a sales job with the Toledo Convention and Visitors Bureau. That led to a position as director of sales for SeaGate Convention Centre for 2 years.

By then Claire and another daughter, Kyle, had been born 19 months apart, and Mrs. Rubini left the job to be at home full-time. Kyle, now 17, is a junior at Maumee High School, and son Ian, 15, is a freshman.

Hidden Ohio isn t Mrs. Rubini s first experience as a published writer. Over the years she has written articles for newsletters, Toledo City Paper, and Toledo Area Parent News. She also has written children s stories and a memoir of the aftermath of Claire s death, all of which she hopes to see in print one day.

Hidden Ohio breaks the state into 15 regions. Short text boxes dot spaces around colorful illustrations that sprawl across each two-page spread. A small Ohio map off to one side shows where the featured region is located. A search-and-find exercise challenges children to look for hidden buckeyes and images in the illustrations.

It s meant to be something that s fun and interactive and educational, while the kids don t necessarily realize they re learning, Mr. Lewis said, adding that it will appeal to adults, too. If you love Ohio, you ll love this book, he said.

For a writer, one of the challenges of such a book is to pack in as much information as possible without overwhelming a young reader, Mrs. Rubini pointed out. Another is to make sure everything is accurate.

It all has been quadruple-checked and then some, she said.

The spread on northwest Ohio includes blurbs and illustrations about Toledo s glass-making history, the phrase Holy Toledo, the Mud Hens, Toledo Zoo, Sauder Village, the Butterfly House, Toledo Museum of Art Glass Pavilion, Spangler Candy Company, Fort Meigs, Etch A Sketch, and Sylvania s Fossil Park.

I wanted children to understand and appreciate how wonderful our state is, said Mrs. Rubini, who added that she hopes families and kids will be inspired to learn more about Ohio.

It certainly had me wanting to learn more.

Contact Ann Weber at: aweber@theblade.com or 419-724-6126.