For her first book, Kristina Ashley followed Mark Twain’s sage advice to “write what you know.”

The elementary school teacher and mother of two wrote a book for children called “The Rescue,” centered on her childhood experience of adopting a shelter dog.

Ashley, 29, who taught third grade last year at John Reed Elementary and lives in Cotati, picked her topic on the advice of her husband, Micah, after struggling to find a topic that had not already been well-covered by other children’s books.

“I always wanted to write a book because I didn’t like reading when I was younger,” Ashley said. “I gravitated towards children’s books because they always had a piece of my heart.”

“The Rescue” is about a girl and her family finding out just how difficult it can be to adopt a pet. Sometimes it can take time to find the dog that is the perfect fit for a family’s personality, especially when there are so many to choose from.

Ashley, whose family has a dog named Billy, said she felt the topic was something her own children should learn about, and the book gave her a chance to reach a wider audience.

“There are just so many animals out there,” she said.

Writing the book was relatively easy, Ashley said.

“It took me a couple of days to write the entire thing,” she said.

Getting published was another matter.

“I submitted the book to about 50 different publishers,” she said. With no experience in writing or publishing it was tough going until a retired colleague helped get her in contact with Tate Publishing in Oklahoma.

Ashley provided the writing, and Tate took care of the art.

“I provided descriptions of what I wanted and then they sent me a proof and I loved it,” she said. “They created exactly what I wanted.”

The book was released April 23, and Ashley has been doing promotional work since, with book signings at Rohnert Park’s farmers market and other spots around town, as well as in Mill Valley.

For now writing is just a hobby and not a long-term goal.

“My heart is in teaching,” she said.

Ashley, who grew up in Petaluma, has been teaching in the Cotati-Rohnert Park school district for eight years.

While she enjoys teaching third-graders, her favorite grade is sixth because “they get my sarcasm.” Ashley read the book last year to a sixth-grade class and signed copies for them.

She has already written a second children’s book, “What Can I Be When I Grow Up?” It originated from conversations with her daughter, Savannah.

She hasn’t yet pitched the second book to her publisher, as she is busy promoting “The Rescue.”

You can get your own copy of “The Rescue” on Amazon.com or directly from Tate Publishing at TatePublishing.com.

1. Golden Bean – A hidden treasure in the Doubletree shopping area; they feature Blue Bottle coffee. 101 Golf Course Drive, Suite A-3, 585-6185.

2. Mocha Madness Drive Thru Espresso Bar – Great coffee for people on the go. 355 Southwest Boulevard, 664-8688.

3. Sonoma Valley Bagel – Great for a bagel and coffee. 350 Rohnert Park Expressway, 585-8095.

4. New York Bagel – They use coffee from Club Caffeine. 6400 Commerce Boulevard, 588-0414.

5. Starbucks – You can literally throw a rock from anywhere in town and find one. 6356 Commerce Boulevard, 969 Golf Course Drive, inside Safeway, 459 Rohnert Park Expressway, 1716 E. Cotati Ave.

Do you know of any great coffee spots we missed around Rohnert Park? Make sure to tell us in the comments.

Santa Rosa Symphony will be playing at the Green Music Center on Monday, June 17. At 8 p.m. in Weill Hall join conductor, Bruno Ferrandis and pianist, Philippe Bianconi for Resurgence and Symphony Number 2. Tickets are $76 to $525. 1801 East Cotati Avenue. 546-8742.

Windsor Dance will present “2013 Dancing Through the Year” at the Spreckels Performing Arts Theater on Monday, June 17 and Tuesday, June 18. Both performance will begin at 7 p.m. and feature 160 students, ages three to adult performing a variety of styles. Tickets are $18. 5409 Snyder Lane. 588-3400.

There will be a Jewelry Workshop for Teens, ages 12 to 19, on Wednesday, June 19 at the Rohnert Park, Cotati Library. This free workshop will be hosted by local artist, Julia Anthony and you will learn to create a set of earrings and a necklace. Seating is limited so call to register. 6250 Lynne Conde Way. 584-9121.

The Rohnert Park Chamber of Commerce After Hours Mixer will take place on Wednesday, June 19 at the Wedgewood Banquet Center at the Foxtail Golf Club. Joining the chamber is a great way to meet other business owners and network within the community. 100 Gold Course Drive. Call the chamber at 584-1415 to learn how to join.

It is time to “Sing-Along with Tim Cain” at the Rohnert Park-Cotati Library on Thursday, June 20. This presentation, as part of the Library Summer Reading Program is geared towards kids and families and will include plenty of fun. This event starts at 11 a.m. and is free. 6250 Lynne Conde Way. 584-9121.

Comedy Night at Sally Tomatoes is back! On Thursday, June 20 at 8:30 p.m. you can enjoy some of the best comics in the North Bay. Dinner is served until 9 p.m. and there is a no host bar until 11 p.m. for this free comedy event. Comics for this show include Eric Murphy, Sara Witmore, Josh Argyle and more. 1100 Valley House Drive. 665-9472.

The Friday Night Market is rocking at the Rohnert Park City Center. Crossfire will be playing on Friday, June 21 and the weather looks great. The market will run from 5 to 8 p.m. and is free. Food vendors, crafts, jumpees, a mechanical bull, face painting, animal petting and of course fresh produce will be on hand along with plenty of fun. 500 City Center Drive.

— Send your Rohnert Park events to rparktowns@gmail.com.

Tee-off on either the North or South course at 4:45 p.m. or later and play nine holes for $15.  Players of all levels are welcome.

Reserve start times by calling the pro shop at 584-7766.

The bargain rates will continue on Mondays throughout the summer.

Foxtail is located at 100 Golf Course Drive in Rohnert Park.

This will be the first year for the Festa Italiana Sonoma, which is being billed as a day of fun and food along with all thing Italian. The event is a fundraiser for the Rotary Club of Rohnert Park-Cotati and should also be a very enjoyable event for the entire community.

According to Jeff Thomas, while this will be the first celebration, they hope to make it an annual event. The Rotary Club will also being accepting donations towards their Backpack for Kids program.

There will be a variety of musical acts, activities for kids, a car show and a Bocce ball tournament. For the Bocce ball tournament they recommend you arrive at 11 a.m. to register as they will only have 32 teams comprised of 2 members each. The tournament will run from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. with the top 3 teams receiving prizes.

For kids there will be their own contest area and fun zone with the following schedule of events:

• 11:30 Bubble Gum Contest
• 12:30 Hula Hoop Contest
• 1:30 Canoli Eating Contest
• 2:30 Cotton Ball Contest
• 3:30 Noodle Bowling
• 4:30 Minute to Win It
• 5:30 Minute to Win It

Live music will include Due Zigi Baci at 11:45 a.m., Coro Allegro at 1:30 p.m., The Hot Frittatas at 2:15 p.m. and then at 4:15 p.m. the Don Giovanni’s will finish the show. Other events include a wine raffle, a street chalk painting area and meatball eating contest sponsored by Mary’s Pizza Shack.

The Festa Italiana Sonoma will take place on Saturday, June 15 at the Rohnert Park Community Center at 5401 Snyder Lane from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Admission is free and food and beverages will be available to purchase during the day from vendors on site. For additional information, call 665-9472.

A new salon that specializes in children’s hair will be opening on Saturday, June 15. Cali Kids Hair Salon is a new venture by Summer Groves, 34, of Rohnert Park. This will be her first venture into the realm of small business, but Summer has been cutting hair for 16 years including her most recent stint at a kids’ salon in Santa Rosa.

“My salon is definitely very kid friendly with a beach-themed interior,” she said. There are also TV’s and video game consoles set up so kids can watch a video or play a game to keep them engaged while she works and even a race car styled chair.

“It is certainly something I have learned from my time in the business. After you have the kids comfortable and focused on something then it is very easy to trim hair.” This philosophy helps change the child’s perspective on the experience, in her opinion, which makes them more enthusiastic about their next haircut.

Currently it will just be Summer working at Cali Kids, but she has additional stations with hopes of expansion.

Cali Kids is located at 6408 Commerce Boulevard next to Ace Cleaners. It will be open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. You can schedule an appointment by calling 703-6227 or drop-in.

Paityn Rollag, five, of Rohnert Park with her doll collection, Friday June 7, 2013. (Kent Porter / Press Democrat)

Photo courtesy of the City of Rohnert Park Department of Public Safety

This Wednesday, June 12 from 5:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Rohnert Park Applebee’s, come join officers from Rohnert Park Public Safety, the CHP and Cotati Police Department as they raise money for our local Special Olympics. This is the last “Tip a Cop” for this season of Special Olympics.

The entire community is invited to come out and support our Sonoma County Athletes as they raise money for the Special Olympics, which are happening at the end of June on the UC Davis campus. Instead of investigating crimes, these officers will be serving food to everyone that stops by.

The “Tip a Cop” fundraiser has become an annual event at Applebee’s that has helped raise thousands of dollars for Special Olympics. Applebee’s is located at 501 Rohnert Park Expressway.

Senator Lois Wolk (D-Davis) who represents the 3rd District in the California Senate will have mobile office hours in Rohnert Park on Friday, June 14 to help Cotati and Rohnert Park residents with state-related issues.

From 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 a.m. at the Post Office at 150 Raley’s Towne Center, staff members will be on hand to help with questions, listen to concerns and provide guidance on issues such as disability, unemployment and other issues that fall under state control.

Senator Wolk will not be in attendance as she will be in session at the capital. She is currently serving her second term in the California Senate. For more information, contact Senator Wolk’s Vacaville district office at (707) 454-3808.

At first it sounded like someone making noise with a garbage can outside at 12:20 a.m. Then after the neighborhood dogs started barking a low rumble of thunder could be heard. At 12:50 a.m. lighting was flashing in the sky with thunder that was loud enough to rattle windows, at least on the east side of Rohnert Park.

Did you feel it?

A thunder warning is in effect in Sonoma County and the surrounding counties from 10 p.m. on Sunday, June 9 until 8 a.m. on Monday. Napa, Alameda, Contra Costa and Santa Clara counties are included in the warning area.

While some people enjoy the sound of thunder, for some people, children and pets it can be quite frightening. There is even a term for the fear, astraphobia, which affects just over 15% of people in the U.S. according to a report by Fox News.

So are you afraid of thunder? What do you do when you hear it? Tell us in the comments!