Poised to become a timeless classic for children big and small, ‘Our Picnic Surprise’ tells the story of Chef ReCee Jay and Carb. Their picnic is changed for the better following the addition of ‘Veggie’, who knows how kids should really eat.

Halifax, Nova Scotia -- (SBWire) -- 07/11/2012 --C.J. Williams is today, celebrating the debut of her children's book, the first in the ‘Chef ReCee Jay & Friends’ Series, titled Our Picnic Surprise.

This story features characters from C.J. Williams own comic, posted on her website and Facebook page. Loosely based around the author's own plights, the comic details the exploits of Williams balancing a healthier eating lifestyle while having to deal with all of the temptation around her.

As a military spouse, when her husband is away on deployments, Williams finds time to try out new recipes and enlists her daughters to help create healthy and balanced meals to prepare. The author explains, "It can be tough in a lifestyle where the bed calls your name just as much as your children, to go in the kitchen, and cook most nights!"

This children's story comes on the heels of the author's recent passing of her father due to Diabetes, which affects nearly 18.8 million that have been diagnosed in the United States alone. Her writings are not strictly based on Diabetes, but rather on the importance of trying to establish healthier eating habits.

She readily admits that obesity is not the only cause of Diabetes.

“I can appreciate the power that food has in our lives and each of us has something to offer to our children to make better choices. I love that Mrs. Obama initiated the 'Let's Move' campaign. It got so much visibility and I would love to be able to offer something that my family could be proud of, in memory of my father, to help spread the word about making better choices, and getting active,” she explains.

The book is already garnering rave reviews. Readers Favorite states that it:

"Presents health and nutrition in a way that is fresh and innovative. The illustrations are perfect and sure to catch the eye of a child. The characters are cute and fun. Her topic is both timely and relevant given the concerns with obesity in our country. The author offers a variety of healthy foods which would most likely appeal to young children. This is a great way to introduce healthy living to young readers. I recommend this book to parents and educators as a teaching tool."

C.J. Williams will be creating a crowd funding campaign to help fund her efforts with publishing costs and conference fees in order to shop her book around. More events and information will be available at her children’s book website.

Her progress can also be followed via the Official Carb Cocoa Monkey YouTube channel, as well as on Twitter and Facebook.

About the Author
C. J. Williams was born and raised in Chicago, IL. The United States Air Force transported her and her family to the East Coast, in New Jersey. She credits her writing inspirations from her experiences as a military spouse, mother to three children, college graduate, Government worker, silly daughter, and an overbearing older sister too many.

Her overall message is that she hopes to promote a healthy well-being and bring Diabetes awareness to her readers after losing her father to Diabetes and Kidney Failure.

She lives in Cherry Hill, NJ with three daughters and her youngest brother, who rounds this family out to a nice even six.