Poe Avondet has a talent for writing, humor and finding ways to engage kids in colorful storytelling. The Herriman resident wrote the children’s book “The Heart Break,” which tells the story of Cupid trying to find his own true love. 

Released in January, it’s the second book in The Break Series, a set of colorful picture books based on “humor, imagination and a touch of magic.”

“It all starts with humor and fun,” Avondet said. “There’s a lot of chaos and silly things, but it always ends with a really fun lesson. Love takes its own time and be yourself.”

Avondet grew up in West Valley, graduated from Hunter High School and wrote two adult romantic thrillers (“Breathing Black” and “White Lies”) before turning to children’s books. She’s lived in Herriman since 2005 with her husband and three kids. 

Although she worked with a different illustrator for her first picture book, “The Dad Break,” Avondet partnered with Sandra Attema-Welte, an artist from the Netherlands, for “The Heart Break” and who will also illustrate the next several books in the series. 

Published in 2022 and inspired by a family joke, “The Dad Break” is about a dad who is taking too long in the bathroom. The next book in The Break Series, “The Witch Break,” will be published this fall, with “The Lucky Break” scheduled to come out next year. Avondet hopes to create at least eight books for the series. 

“I just naturally fell into children’s books and I love it so much,” she said. “It’s a fun place to write. I like going to schools and I really like writing funny things that can bring families and kids together. If I made you laugh at the end of reading my book, or if the kid asks to read it again and again as their bedtime story, I think that’s the ultimate goal.”

Avondet enjoys the tongue-twisty humor of Dr. Seuss and the read-aloud rhyming that younger children enjoy, so she incorporates those devices into her stories. She’s always enjoyed creative writing and poetry and found writing to be therapeutic. She often visits schools to discuss writing while encouraging students to discover their own stories. 

“It just starts with an idea,” she said. “It doesn’t have to be perfect, but everyone’s got a story to tell. I love showing kids that they can use any idea that they can come up with. They have a voice and they can write that into a story.”

Avondet has embraced independent publishing and the freedom it brings to authors who can control their own stories and manage their careers. She said it would be nice to secure a deal with a publishing company, but self-publishing has opened many doors for her. 

“It’s kind of like the gatekeepers are gone,” she said. “You think of how many amazing books are out there, but if they don’t get a lucky break, they’ll never see the light of day. It’s so cool that now you can create it yourself and how you want to tell the story.”

To learn more about Avondet and her books, visit authorpoeavondet.com.