'It's OK to be different': Hawthorne author shares important message of new book
HAWTHORNE — Gregory G. Allen said the story was lurking inside of him for some 30 years.
A monster who smells like cotton candy is confined to the basement of an old lady’s mansion and longs to live a normal existence with people — with actual human beings.
It is unthinkable for any monster of Toby’s ilk even to want to try to escape the basement.
But doing so eventually helps the 8-year-old protagonist grasp an important lesson by the end of Allen’s new book, “The Monsters of Marymount Mansion.”
“It’s OK to be different,” Allen said, underscoring the book’s positive message.
LAW & ORDER: Hawthorne man convicted of manslaughter for role in 2020 shooting
The story follows Toby during Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas, while the precocious monster breaks free of the 150-year-old mansion basement as each holiday pops up on the calendar.
Toby must wear costumes in public to blend in, except on Halloween. But when that does not go as planned, he seeks out the sage advice of another monster living in the basement.
Allen, 54, a borough resident and a native of Garland, Texas, said he first conceived of the story as a high school sophomore. It was originally written for the stage, he said.
“I wanted to be an actor,” Allen said. “I wasn’t into sports — I was into acting and singing, and I think it was my way of trying to share that story.”
Now he is sharing it all over again.
The 119-page chapter book, illustrated by Shelby Goodwin, a graphic designer from Hoboken, debuted last month. Allen introduced it with a public reading at the Passaic County Arts Center at the John W. Rea House on Goffle Road.
He then traveled to Puerto Vallarta, a resort city on the Pacific coast of Mexico, where he further spread the story to bookstore patrons and to children at a private school.
Allen, a filmmaker and the manager of Irvington Theater in Irvington, New York, said he has several book-signing events scheduled for this month.
He is also the author of “Chicken Boy” and its sequel, published in April 2012 and in May 2014, respectively. He said those stories were inspired by his godson, now 21, who has autism.
Copies of “The Monsters of Marymount Mansion” and Allen’s other children’s book titles are available for purchase on his website, gregsimagination.com.
Meet the author
Allen will be on hand to sign copies of “The Monsters of Marymount Mansion” at the following locations.
Wednesday from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. at West Caldwell Public Library, at 30 Clinton Road.
Nov. 19 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Jinglefest Craft Show at Wayne Hills High School, at 272 Berdan Ave.
Nov. 26 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Wayne PAL Holiday Flea Market & Gift Fair, at 1 PAL Drive.
Philip DeVencentis is a local reporter for NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to the most important news from your local community, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.
Email: devencentis@northjersey.com
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Self-acceptance main theme of Hawthorne NJ author's new book
