Local children’s book author Dominic Thrasher recently released his second book in his
“The Adventures of CeCe and The Sheriff” series. Set in the Michigan countryside, two Aussiedoodle puppies have amazing adventures—sharing valuable lessons about friendship and kindness for young readers.
In celebration of the new “The Adventures of Cece and The Sheriff: Case of the Missing Bone”
release, Thrasher has partnered with local businesses and organizations to host special reading and signing events at Sleepy Dog Books, Life Unplugged, Veteran’s Memorial Library, and more.
Andrea Graham, family event coordinator at Veterans Memorial Library, remarks, "His book is not only beautifully written and illustrated, but it also teaches valuable lessons about friendship and compassion that are important for children to learn."
Discover more about Thrasher, his books, podcast, and plans for the future, in this Q&A.
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Courtesy Dominic Thrasher
Epicenter Mt. Pleasant: What inspired you to write your “The Adventures of Cece and the Sheriff” children’s book series?
Dominic Thrasher: I found solace during the pandemic by turning to writing. As a professional actor for 25 years, I naturally sought a new creative outlet when I couldn't perform in 2020. My inspiration came from real-life Cece and Sheriff (Cece is my sister Kathleen's dog, and Sheriff is mine). Sitting with my computer in my lap, I watched the dogs play and interact, which led me to give them voices. Their strong personalities made it easy to start writing my first book. Six months later, I had completed a 10-book series.
Epicenter: Can you share with us about your podcast, too?
Thrasher: I reached out to Liz Muller and C.E. Simon, creators and founders of Pipe Dream Theater. Through their incredible company, we produced a 3-D theatrical, fully immersive podcast of the book. I've always loved the Playtone books and records of the 80s and the old-fashioned radio shows of the 40s and 50s. Combining these with today's technology, we crafted a beautifully acted and produced podcast. It can be found on Spotify.
Epicenter: How do the adventures you’ve personally lived come across in the stories you write?
Thrasher: One book specifically has a character named Bruce the Duck. He is based on me and my desire to go out and see the world. He deals with the fear of the unknown, the excitement of adventure, and having five younger siblings. My last book talks about the loss of a pet, and I tell the story of how I found out my own father passed away. I’ve realized that life is the inspiration for many different creative things. Especially storytelling. There is a character in another book that is Dorothy the Hummingbird, based on my grandmother, who said when she passed away, she always wanted to come back as a hummingbird. So, this is the way of making her desire and wish come true.
Epicenter: Will your friend and former Sacred Heart Academy high school classmate, Kara Albaugh, continue to create the hand-drawn and painted illustrations throughout the series? What’s it like working with her?
Thrasher: Yes! She will continue to illustrate all the books in the series. Working with her is a dream come true. We collaborate very well with each other, continuing to bring each book to life. I also appreciate the fact that all her illustrations are hand drawn and painted, as that is not a common medium anymore with children's books.
Epicenter: With your second book just released, and there being ten books in your series, when can we expect the next one to be published?
Thrasher: Our goal is to publish our third book by this summer. We’re in the early stages of production.
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Courtesy Chippewa River District LibraryAuthor Dominic Thrasher brings his new children's book to Veterans Memorial Library for a special reading and signing event on Sunday, Feb. 2, 2025.
Epicenter: People in the community have had the opportunity to meet you and discover some of these adventures at book events throughout Mt. Pleasant. Can you tell us more about those?
Thrasher: I have been lucky enough to have traveled all over Michigan, speaking at many different schools, libraries, colleges, and churches. Being able to spread my message of kindness, joy, facing your fears, and love with so many has been a true gift. I have a couple of events coming up. One at Saginaw Chippewa School was on February 6 and another at Emmanual Lutheran Church on February 18. I also had a wonderful event with a local business, Life Unplugged, where we paired up for The Adventure of CeCe and The Sheriff merchandise.
Epicenter: Lastly, what would you say to someone to inspire them to never stop dreaming and being creative in their life—your life’s motto?
Thrasher: "Never stop dreaming and never stop being creative" has been my life's motto. I've been blessed with a gift for creativity, and I aim to continue sharing it with the world. Entertaining people has been my life's work, and I love that I can do it in many ways.
All it takes is you sit down to write those first words, pick up the paintbrush, make the first stroke, sit at the piano, and pluck the first notes; that’s where it all begins. It takes a lot of hard work and effort, but it should never feel like work when you are doing what you love and being creative. If you can dream it and believe it, you can become it.