Carol Doss, executive director of Keep Southwest Virginia Beautiful as well as the Upper Tennessee River Roundtable, publishes book on recycling.

Inspired by her passion for recycling, Carol Doss, the executive director of Upper Tennessee River Roundtable and Keep Southwest Virginia Beautiful, has published a fictional children’s book.

Doss said her son encouraged her in 2017 to participate in National Novel Writing Month, an Internet-based creative writing project that takes place in November. According to the National Novel Writing Month website, “participants attempt to write a 50,000-word manuscript between Nov. 1 and Nov. 30.”

“I wrote about two-thirds of the book that month. I picked it up again in January and worked on and off until finishing the book this fall,” said Doss.

The book is titled “Project Bellville: Let’s Recycle!: The First Adventure of the Bellville Conservation Champions.” The fictional main character, Sarah Sweetie, is a young teen who becomes inspired to recycle and tries to influence others in her community to join in her dream of saving the Earth. The fictional town of Bellville was named after Doss’ best friend in high school whose last name is Bell.

She noted that she wanted to “write a fictional children’s book that will inspire people to recycle and conserve natural resources while also encouraging youth to take action when they are passionate about something because they can make a difference.”

The book is print on demand and uses Ryman Eco font, which uses 33% less ink than standard fonts. It is now available on Amazon and on her website. 

Doss added that she has already penned the beginning of a sequel, which will feature Sarah planning an America Recycles Day event! 

By: Kaitlyn Lauer