PUBLISHED AUTHOR AT 13
A 13 year old whiz kid from Long Island has much to celebrate. She wrote a book. She got it published. She got some good local press on it. Border's Bookstore heard about her and booked her for a book signing. She sold alot of books that night. It's the getting paid part that's turned out to be the hardest.
Mackenzie Lowry of Rockville Center, Long Island is a published author at 13 years old. You wouldn't know from looking at her that she's a whiz kid. She's a typical eighth-grader in many ways. She loves to stay in touch with her friends. Her fingers fly over her phone, busy texting. She's affectionate with her Mom and hangs with her little brother, Rudd. But most all, Mackenzie Lowry loves to write.
"All she does is write. She has her schoolwork and she writes all day," says her Mom Annie Lowrey.
So when Mackenzie wrote what turned out to be a book, her parents Annie and Kevin, thought it was a good enough story that it ought to be published.
"It's about a girl who gets to plan out her whole life before she's even born, then everything turns out wrong and it's the exact opposite of what she planned so she has to go through her whole life trying to find her purpose," said Mackenzie.
So they did self-publish it. Then Mackenzie got the idea she would donate any money she made from selling her books, to a charity. She got a list of charities from a friend and decided on one: The Bowery Mission Kids With A Promise. They run afterschool programs and camp for kids who wouldn't get to go otherwise.
The book and the fact that it's author was 13, started getting good press. A local radio station, KJOY had her on to talk about it. Then a woman from Border's called, would she want to do a book signing.
First Mackenzie had to check with her Mom, who loved the idea.
"I thought it was fabulous because it's fun for her, it's a great experience and when you do something it's nice to have the gratification."
Mackenzie sold alot of books the night of the book signing back in November. As they were leaving the woman from Border's promised them a check right away.
"She said, we'll send the check out, we have it, she confirmed the amount of books she sold, we were right on the money with the number of books so that wasn't an issue, then we followed up with an e-mail," said Annie.
Well, half a dozen e-mails and many months later, the Lowrey's were frusrated. Still no check.
"My concern is you're trying to teach your kids to do well and do the right thing in life and yet big corporations not following thru with their promises, it's a nominal amount in their eyes, that's nothing in their eyes, in hers its a lot and it's more of a lesson," said Annie.
That's when she called Help Me Howard.
We called Border's. They assured us they were mailing the check out.
And then the call came in from the Lowry's. They got the check, for the full amount of $197.
Mackenzie is excited she can follow through on her pledge to donate most of it to her Charity.
http://www.bowery.org
