Author to debut children’s book on boating safety

Selicia Kennedy-Ross

NEWPORT BEACH -- After receiving rejection letters for 10 years, author Dee Cache’s children’s book finally is in print.

The 60-year-old Newport Beach resident will sign copies of her book,

“Captain Tugalong,” from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday at Barnes & Noble at Fashion

Island.

She wrote the full-color illustrated book, which teaches boating safety

to children, in the early 1980s.

Released in September, the 32-page book tells the story of Captain

Tugalong, an old tugboat that is falling apart in the water. It took

Cache four years to research international maritime law to ensure the

book’s accuracy.

“I’m pretty proud of this book,” Cache said. “It took a long time to

research because I wanted it to be technically correct all over the

world. I just know it will save lives someday.”

The book contains a mini-glossary of boating terms that are italicized

and defined at the bottom of the page.

“I’ve gotten a lot of response from adults about the book because, even

though the book is for children, they are learning about boating, too,”

Cache said.

A former pedicurist and office manager, Cache wrote the book after

searching unsuccessfully for children’s books on boating safety.

“I’ve always been concerned with boating safety,” she said. “When I

couldn’t find any books on the subject, I sort of joked that someday I

would have to write one myself.”

The single mother of four wrote and researched the book on weekends while

she raised her children.

Cache endured 10 years of rejection letters before the book was accepted

by Cornell Maritime Press.

In February and March, she will be a featured writer in the

Author-in-Residence program for three school districts, including

Newport-Mesa, Westminster and Long Beach.

A retiree, Cache now is working on a second children’s book about boating

safety.

FYI

Newport Beach author Dee Cache will sign copies of her children’s book on

boating safety, “Captain Tugalong,” from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday at Barnes &

Noble at Fashion Island.