Goldie Bird: The Book That Found Me First
Scroll to the end to see the official book trailed for Goldie Bird by Patty Ihm produced and filmed by Seth Deming of Anomaly Video.
Some books leave a mark on your heart; others become a part of it. For me, Goldie Bird is the latter. As both the editor and publisher of this work, my connection to this story runs deep—so deep, in fact, that at times, I wondered if I was too close to it. This book has been a four-year labor of love, and as it gets ready to take flight, I feel an overwhelming mix of pride, nostalgia, and gratitude.
I first met Patty, the incredible author of Goldie Bird, four years ago. She was one of the very first authors Our Galaxy Publishing connected with, and I couldn’t have known then how profoundly her story—and her character, Goldie—would impact me. From the very first draft, I felt an innate connection to Goldie, the introspective but strong protagonist.
I saw myself in Goldie.
I saw the little girl in me who often felt unsure of where she belonged. The girl who silenced her thoughts out of fear they wouldn’t be well-received. The girl who struggled to reconcile her identity with the absence of her father. The girl who felt like the world was always shifting too quickly for her to keep up.
Goldie reminded me of the child who carried more empathy for others than she ever gave herself. A child who felt lonely, misunderstood, and unseen by the adults around her—adults who didn’t realize how their lives shaped her. Like Goldie, I had to grow up faster than I wanted to, and the weight of that responsibility left me longing for a sense of stability and belonging.
Goldie’s story has been deeply personal for me. There were moments throughout these four years when I cried over her journey, unsure if I could do her justice as her editor. I even told Patty, more than once, that I wasn’t sure I was the right person for this job. I felt so protective of Goldie—her voice, her pain, her growth—that it was difficult to let go of anything that didn’t serve the story.
That’s part of why it took four years to get this book off the ground.
But now, as we prepare to introduce Goldie to the world, I can see the beauty in her journey and the magic Patty has woven into her story. Goldie, the reserved yet resilient young girl, learns to embrace change, find her strength, and carve out a place for herself in a world that feels uncertain. Her transformation holds so much emotional resonance, and every part of her journey captures the raw, authentic complexities of growing up.
And then there’s Patty.
Patty is my favorite living author, and I don’t say that lightly. Her ability to craft a story is unparalleled, but what moves me most is how she writes with such honesty, as if she sees the unspoken parts of me. At times, it feels like Patty is writing for a version of me that can’t quite find the words. She doesn’t just tell a story—she tells my story, in ways I never thought possible.
I’ve often told her that Goldie Bird feels too big for me. I’ve felt like I couldn’t give Goldie everything she needed, like she deserved an editor more skilled, more seasoned, more equipped. But what I’ve come to realize is that Goldie’s story wasn’t just meant for the world—it was meant for me, too. She’s taught me as much as I’ve helped shape her journey.
This book is important, not just because of Patty’s impeccable storytelling but because of the heart and humanity it holds. It’s a story for anyone who has ever felt out of place, for anyone who has struggled with change, and for anyone who has quietly found their strength along the way.
And as I prepare to let go and release Goldie Bird into the world, I carry a piece of her with me—a reminder of the little girl I once was, the woman I’ve become, and the stories that connect us all.
Thank you, Patty, for this journey. And thank you, Goldie, for showing me the power of finding your voice, no matter how long it takes.
“We were both quiet for a while. I mostly just looked out the window. I wondered why Kate had mentioned the idea of my dad. She did, though, know what it was like to wonder and to try to understand why parents do the things that they do. Maybe she was thinking about her dad. Maybe our questions and sadness were all mixing together.”
-Goldie
About Goldie Bird by Patty Ihm:
Eleven-year-old Goldie’s world is changing fast, and most of it is out of her control. Loneliness overcomes her as her beloved sister, Elise, goes off to college, and the recent loss of her great aunt consumes her mother’s emotions. Goldie feels adrift and out of place.
But when she joins her mother for a trip to Heritage where her late aunt lived, Goldie forms an unlikely friendship with Kip, a sweet boy with an infectious sense of adventure. Kip shows Goldie the carefree thrills of birch bending and secret caves where the two bond over common experiences and escape the complexities of the adults around them.
As she reluctantly returns to her life, Goldie must adjust to being a middle schooler as things at home become more challenging. Despite her deep love for her sister and mother, Goldie feels unsure of where she fits in their lives, forcing her to grapple with the bittersweet aspects of growing up and letting go of the way things used to be.
With her frequent letters from Kip and her new friend, Kate, by her side, Goldie tries to navigate all that comes her way on the quest for acceptance and belonging. In this timeless, coming-of-age novel, Goldie symbolizes the universal experience of deep familial connections, friendship, and self-identity.
Book Trailer by Seth Deming at Anomaly Video
About Patty Ihm:
Patty Ihm is a writer, former early intervention therapist, and teacher living in Illinois on a farmette where she is a mother to many; three biological, six adopted, and 18 children she and her husband have offered their home to as foster parents—some for a day and some to stay forever. Her debut middle-grade, coming-of-age novel, Goldie Bird, was published in 2024 by Our Galaxy Publishing. She is also the author of Isn’t That Enough? Musings of Motherhood and the Meaning of Life, a memoir published by Our Galaxy Publishing in 2022, and Ode to a Boy, a self-published work dedicated to her now-grown sons.
Fueled on coffee and the soul-cleansing therapy of the written word, Patty tends to thirty-something chickens, a mix of hens and roosters, nine bee hives, and a thriving garden. In the quiet parts of the day (and sometimes amidst the chaos of life), Patty finds pockets of time to write and share her experiences with others.
Learn more about Patty through Beyond the Narrative, Our Galaxy’s interview series amplifying the voices of women writers, Where Vulnerability Meets Creativity.
Read Isn’t That Enough? by Patty Ihm:
“This is a story of my family, and, really, the story of many families. It’s everyone’s story because we’re all human. We all experience the depths of true emotion as we are led along the path of our days. And maybe, we all end up back where we first began.”
Patty Ihm knows a thing or two about chaos. She’s laid with the disarray that ensues in the trenches of motherhood, pondered questions of worthiness when she thought no one was listening and ruminated in the dark as she examined the things that present themselves in the shadows. But she’s also learned to find the glory in ungracious things, the power of surrendering to that which is uncontrollable, and the truth in knowing what she loves will always come back to her.
Isn’t That Enough? Musings of Motherhood and the Meaning of Life is a memoir that openly discusses the challenges and revelations in parenting the children that have come to Patty’s family through the child welfare system. Her journal entries take readers through various snapshots in time and space where she stirs in the vulnerable complexities of life and the emotions that encourage her to embrace all that may always be unknown.
It stays with you like a guiding light on your shoulders; empathizing and validating, calling you to lean into your introspective thoughts, and supporting you to lead with the heart. Patty cuts her words free, vividly inviting you into her world as she expounds upon the revelations of her past to appreciate the beauty of all that is to come.
Looking to Publish Your Story? Let’s Build It Together
We work closely with authors at every stage of the process, whether you’re just beginning to shape your manuscript or preparing to publish. Our services are designed to support your vision with hands-on help in editing, design, publishing, and platform-building. Whether you’re writing a personal memoir, a poetry collection, or a children’s book, we offer strategic guidance rooted in care, creativity, and clarity.
We believe in helping authors tell stories that matter, and making sure they’re told well. If you're an author seeking guidance, support, or a collaborative publishing experience, we’re here for you every step of the way.
As Patricia Ihm shared about her own journey with Our Galaxy:
“This has been an incredible run with each interaction pretty much being a highlight. From our first contact, I was pulled in by Christine’s unbridled enthusiasm for her work and also by her ability to draw things from me that I did not know I had. During our phone conversations, we would always have little chats about kids or food or baseball or pretty much anything that came up. She knew exactly how to make me feel comfortable. Christine is a published poet and accomplished writer, but she is also a gifted communicator, organizer, planner, and businesswoman. Brilliant and well-read, Christine demonstrated her ability to see the highlights and flaws in a lengthy manuscript. With remarkable resilience and tenacity, she worked with me for four years to make sure that my finished novel was exactly what I had hoped it would be.”
If you have a story inside you and you’re ready to share it, we’d love to walk with you through the process of bringing it to life.
Our Galaxy Publishing is an educational and service-based platform that helps writers navigate the publishing industry with clarity, confidence, and creative control. Whether you’re self-publishing, seeking a literary agent, or still figuring out W T F you’re doing, we provide the tools, resources, and support to make your writing and publishing journey intentional, strategic, and powerful.