Local Author Invited to Share Children’s Book at Irish Castle That Inspired It

Catherine Bacik and illustrator Genevieve Elise will sign copies of The Shepherd Boy and His Flute in Winchester on October 17, ahead of planned storytelling workshops at the historic Irish castle that inspired the book.

What began with a chance encounter at a stoplight on a rainy night in Ireland has turned into a children’s book series, a local book signing, and an unexpected invitation to bring the stories back to the castle that inspired them.

Author Catherine Bacik recently visited the Royal Examiner studio to share the latest developments surrounding her children’s book, The Castle by the Stoplight: The Shepherd Boy and His Flute.

Bacik has two exciting announcements. The first is close to home: She and illustrator Genevieve Elise will appear at the Winchester Book Gallery on the downtown Walking Mall on Saturday, October 17, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Visitors can purchase copies of the book, meet both the author and illustrator, and have their books signed. Children can also pick up stickers and activity pages that encourage them to draw their own castles and create stories.

But the second announcement takes Bacik across the Atlantic.

After spending much of the summer and fall reaching out to organizations to promote her book, Bacik contacted the Fingal Library System in County Dublin, Ireland. She hoped to introduce her work to the community surrounding Swords Castle, the historic landmark that inspired her series.

The response exceeded her expectations.

The library system’s event coordinator invited her to Ireland to run workshops featuring her book, with sessions planned at Swords Castle itself.

“The second part of the good news just had me literally dancing with joy,” Bacik said.

For an author whose entire series began with a fascination for that castle, the invitation offers a chance to bring her imagination full circle.

A Castle at a Stoplight

The inspiration for Bacik’s books came during her first visit to Ireland.

She and a friend stood at a bus stop on a dark, stormy evening, trying to figure out how to get back to Dublin. When she looked up, she noticed something extraordinary.

There, illuminated near a traffic light at an intersection, stood the walls of a medieval castle.

“I looked at my friend, and I’m like, ‘Is that actually a castle right there?'” she recalled.

Her friend seemed unimpressed. In Ireland, where centuries-old castles dot the countryside and towns, the sight was hardly unusual.

But Bacik couldn’t stop thinking about it.

When she returned to Ireland the following year, she made a point of visiting Swords Castle. Built around the beginning of the 13th century for the Archbishop of Dublin, the castle had stood for roughly 800 years.

Parts of the structure remain in ruins, while other sections have been restored.

For Bacik, its appeal wasn’t its size or grandeur. It was the idea that those walls held centuries of human experience.

She began imagining the stories the castle might tell if it could speak.

“I decided I was going to make the castle the character,” she explained. “The castle can talk. The castle can tell stories.”

That idea became the foundation of The Castle by the Stoplight series.

Bringing History to Life for Young Readers

The first book introduces Michael, a young boy who recently moved to the area and hasn’t made friends yet.

Curious about the castle, Michael begins exploring and discovers that the ancient structure has stories to share.

In The Shepherd Boy and His Flute, the castle tells Michael about Seán, a young shepherd whose flute playing brings peace to the castle’s king.

But when the music suddenly stops, the mystery begins.

Bacik doesn’t want to reveal too much about the ending. She hopes children will discover what happens by reading the story themselves.

Although the characters and events are fictional, the books are rooted in historical settings.

Illustrator Genevieve Elise researches the time periods depicted in the stories, paying close attention to clothing and other details so the watercolor illustrations reflect the era.

Bacik said the project balances imagination with historical research.

The stories may be made up, but they invite children to think about the people who lived centuries ago and the lives they might have led.

And the adventures won’t end with the shepherd boy.

Bacik has completed the first draft of the series’ second book. Michael and the Castle will return, introducing readers to another character and another story from the castle’s imagined past.

She hopes to release the next installment by late next summer.

Finding Stories in the Past

For Bacik, historic places offer more than a glimpse into the past. They let us imagine the lives of the people who came before us.

Her fascination with Swords Castle comes partly from knowing that people walked through its halls and touched its stone walls hundreds of years ago.

“People built this before you. People lived their lives before you. People walked in these steps before you,” she said.

She believes that same curiosity can lead people to discover fascinating stories much closer to home.

Front Royal’s historic buildings, family histories, and community archives offer opportunities to learn about earlier generations. Bacik expressed particular appreciation for the Warren Heritage Society and its work preserving local history.

For her, exploring history is not simply about memorizing names and dates. It is about understanding that real people lived, worked, struggled, and celebrated in the same places we know today.

That curiosity also shapes her writing.

“Everybody has a story to tell,” she said.

Those stories might come from personal experiences, family history, or imagination. Sometimes, the most interesting stories combine elements of all three.

Bacik has been writing since childhood, partly inspired by an older sister who also loved writing. What began as a childhood interest has continued throughout her life.

Now, with one published book, another underway, and an invitation to share her work in Ireland, she has plenty of reasons to keep writing.

Meet the Author and Illustrator

Readers interested in meeting Bacik and Elise can attend their book signing at the Winchester Book Gallery on Saturday, October 17, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The event gives families a chance to meet the creators, buy signed copies, and enjoy activities inspired by the story.

Those unable to attend can also buy The Shepherd Boy and His Flute on Amazon in paperback and Kindle editions.

Bacik hopes the book will become one that children ask their parents and grandparents to read again and again.

With more stories already taking shape, the castle at the stoplight still has plenty to say.

Town Talk, sponsored by National Media Services, Inc., is a Royal Examiner series that introduces you to local entrepreneurs, business owners, nonprofit leaders, and public officials who help shape Warren County. Conversations cover a wide range of topics about our community and the people making a difference.