Corporate attorney, endurance racer and now children’s book author – these are just a few of the roles that Jeff Dorrill balances while serving clients at Haynes Boone. Drawing on personal experiences and a passion for storytelling, his debut book delivers a heartwarming tale about resilience and the strength found in community.
Dorrill recently shared the journey of bringing this long-held dream to life, from rediscovering a 30-year-old manuscript to navigating the modern publishing world. Read on to learn more about the inspiration behind the book.
Q: What drove you to author a children’s book?
A: It’s an unusual story. A friend published a book a few years ago. I was proud of him, but I was disappointed in myself for not having done the same, as it was always something I was eager to accomplish. However, with a full-time career, endurance racing and raising a child, it felt impossible to add something else to my plate.
Then I remembered: I wrote this book over 30 years ago! Back then, there were only a handful of publishers. I mailed the manuscript to all of them. One publisher expressed interest but ultimately decided not to publish it – and the other publishers took a hard pass. After that, I gave up and tucked the manuscript away in a keepsake drawer.
Fast forward to now, and the publishing landscape has changed dramatically. There aren’t just a handful of publishers anymore – there are dozens, if not hundreds, of opportunities, including independent publishers, smaller publishers and hybrid publishers. I pulled out the manuscript and, to my surprise, it was better than I remembered. I updated it to make it current and emailed it to tons of publishers. This time, I received a smattering of interest and ultimately an offer. That’s all it takes: one yes. We negotiated a contract and the book was recently launched.
I am so incredibly proud of this book. There’s zero chance I could take on all my passions without both my beyond-patient and helpful spouse Melisa and the dedication of my colleagues at Haynes Boone.
Q: Tell us about the book. What is “Brunt and Eggbert” about?
A: When I was growing up, I had many caregivers over time. Although they varied in their role and devotion, each of them contributed something quite meaningful to my life. Even from the ones who perhaps weren’t the best, I was able to learn and take away something super helpful. That experience became the inspiration for this story.
The book follows a young boy who becomes unhoused and is raised by a community of people who come in and out of his life. Each person cares for him briefly – a week, a month or longer – and teaches him different skills. Later, the boy gets lost in the forest and encounters a monster. Surprisingly, the monster takes him in and raises him, continuing to teach him important lessons.
On its surface, “Brunt and Eggbert” is a fast-paced, hopefully clever and humorous plot-twister about this unusual boy being raised by a monster. But at its core, “Brunt and Eggbert” is about a child learning the best traits of each of his many caregivers, with traits we wish for all of our children – patience, drive, resiliency and the ability to solve problems as the inevitable arise.
One last note: Angeles Peinador, the illustrator for my book, created absolutely stunning art for this book and I’m thrilled that she will create the illustrations for the sequel.
Q: Was there any reasoning behind the names?
A: The names come from my childhood. When I was little, my mom and I would make up “Brunt and Eggbert” stories together. That’s where it all started. I used those early stories as inspiration and combined them with my personal experience of being raised by a number of different caregivers to develop the storyline.
“Brunt and Eggbert,” a heartwarming reminder that resilience and community can shape extraordinary lives, was published on Nov. 26, 2024.
