Skatin’ Kay tried to warn him.

Tourist Tom tried to tell him as well.

But “Surfin’ Sam Will Just Not Listen.”

That is the title of a new book recently published, not by an established well-known author, but a determined Gulf Shores High School student who followed her dream to get her children’s book published.

Centered around Surfin’ Sam, a fun character who loves to try to catch the perfect wave in the waters off of Waikiki beach, the story teaches a life lesson about the importance of listening to good advice.

Kalyn Hudson, a senior member and captain of the Dolphin golf team, who is headed to Troy University next fall on a golf scholarship, wrote the book three years ago, following a family vacation to Hawaii. She was just 13 years old.

On vacation

“We had gone on vacation, and when we got back my dad said it would be neat if I wrote a story about our trip, so I sat down and wrote it, and wanted to get it published,” Hudson said.

Knowing that she wanted to see her book in print, she forwarded her manuscript to several publishers, hoping someone would want to produce her story.

“I got turned down a couple of times, and another company didn’t reply back,” Hudson said, “but I continued to persevere, and eventually, I found a company that wanted to publish it.”

That company was Tate Publishing in Oklahoma. Now, Hudson proudly sees her 24-page, fully illustrated children’s book lining shelves at local bookstores.

Target audience

Hudson recently spent some time reading her book to her target audience, students at Gulf Shores Elementary School.

In addition to sitting and reading her book to Mrs. Kirby’s kindergarten class and Mrs. Roberson’s second-grade class, Hudson, who says English is her favorite subject, took time to answer student’s questions about the process of writing and having a book published.

“Kalyn is an outstanding student and it has been my pleasure to work with her for the past couple of years,” said Gulf Shores High School Principal Ernie Rosado. “She is a great role model, not just at the school, but outside the school with her volunteer work and things she does at the church. And now she is going to Troy on a golf scholarship.”

Rosado said he is proud of what Hudson has done and looks forward to her coming back to the school to share her experiences in the future.

“I have served at three high schools and this is the first time I have seen a book get published my one of my students.”

‘Follow dreams’

Hudson encouraged her young audience, telling them they should follow their dreams.

“This was something that I wanted to do, that I knew I could do, so I set my mind to it and I did it.”

Hudson signed copies of her book to leave with the classes that she visited.

“Surfin’ Sam Just Will Not Listen” is available at local bookstores or on line at www.tatepublishing.com