Rock Community Firefighter Lane Carl has published a book she hopes will inspire children to chase their dreams, no matter how far-fetched they may seem at first.
Carl, 39, wrote and illustrated a 39-page book titled, “Yeah, I can do that.”
The book tells the story of a middle school-aged girl named Indie who wants to work as a firefighter but doubts she can pursue her dream.
Carl, who lives in Moscow Mills, said the book draws on her own journey from switching careers from teaching art and physical education to firefighting.
“Besides her age, all of (the story) is autobiographical,” she said.
Carl is scheduled to sign copies of her book from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 7, at House 5, 3749 Telegraph Road, in Arnold.
She said 500 paperback books were published on Aug. 1 through Publishing Concepts, a self-publishing company, and she sold about 100 copies in the first month. The book may be purchased at ffindieadventures.com. The paperback costs $19.95 and an eBook version is available for $11 through the website publishingconceptsllc.com.
“I am very excited,” Carl said of the book signing. “I am kind of nervous because I don’t know what to expect. The fire community is the most supportive community I have ever seen. I have a feeling the guys will make a decent showing. I think it is going to be awesome.”
Carl’s story
Carl was a teacher for 12 years before switching career paths.
She began her career in education at Notre Dame High School in south St. Louis County as an art teacher.
“When I applied at Notre Dame, it was for a social studies position,” Carl said. “They looked at what they needed, and they said it was harder to find an art teacher, if I would be willing. I said, ‘Oh my gosh, yes.’ I have always loved art. I have always doodled and drawn, nothing on the magnitude of this project (the book).”
Carl said she taught at Notre Dame for three years before becoming a physical education teacher at St. Clair Junior High School, where she taught for two years before moving to Troy High School where she taught physical education for seven years.
“I was coaching volleyball and track at the time, and it was a lot being in a regular classroom,” Carl said. “The transition to the gym was something I loved, and it made life easier with the coaching duties that require missing some classes.”
While she was teaching there, Carl said she worked out at CrossFit gym in O’Fallon, and she became friends with some O’Fallon firefighters.
She said the firefighters often told her she should join the fire service, and one firefighter, Matt Chapman, was particularly encouraging.
“(He) was telling me, ‘You should do this. It is one of the best jobs in the world,’” Carl said. “I was like, ‘Whatever,’ and I pushed him off.”
However, she said the 2018-2019 school year was rough on her, and she decided to pursue a new career.
“I went up to (Chapman) one day and was like, ‘All right, what do I got to do?’” Carl said. “I put in my (teaching) letter of resignation about a month later and started EMT school the next week.”
Carl said everything fell in place perfectly for her transition from the classroom to the firehouse. She enrolled in an accelerated EMT course in May 2019 and completed that in July 2019. She then enrolled in the fire academy and graduated in December 2019.
Rock Community Fire was hiring EMTs shortly after she graduated from the academy, so she applied there while starting paramedic school in January 2020. She was hired at Rock Community in April 2020.
“It was meant to be,” Carl said. “There was zero downtime. It was great.”
The book
Carl’s husband, PJ Carl, encouraged her to create the children’s book recounting her journey to become a firefighter.
“He is my biggest fan and supporter,” Carl said. “He thinks I am talented. He said,’You should do this.’”
Carl said she was hesitant to write and illustrate the book because she was not adept at drawing in a cartoon style. However, much like her decision to become a firefighter, everything fell in place with both writing and illustrating the book.
“I created the character (Indie), and the story just fell together,” Carl said. “I knew nothing about children’s books. I came up with 32 pages, and when I started to talk to publishing companies, they were like, ‘Children’s book are typically 32 pages.’ I was like, ‘I have 32 pages for you.’ The pieces of the puzzle just fit together, and it turned out pretty darn well.”
Carl said it took about two years for her to complete the book.
The girl, Indie, looks a little like Carl.
“She has blue eyes and wears a side braid,” Carl said. “It is pretty spot on of me. Indie is like my little spirit animal.”
In the story, Indie becomes interested in firefighting when a firefighter talks to her class during a career day. However, Indie is not sure she has what it takes to make her dream a reality, even though her friends are encouraging her to be a firefighter.
When Indie goes to sleep, she dreams about the different tests she would need to pass to become a firefighter, and in her dream, she learns she can meet the physical challenges.
“(Indie) goes through the tests, and you can see her confidence build and her determination,” Carl said. “At the end, she is like, ‘Yeah, I can do this.’ It is kind of like how I felt at the fire academy. I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I had never done any of these things. I didn’t know anyone in the fire services except for these buddies who convinced me to do this wild and crazy thing.”
Carl said she hopes the book inspires children to pursue their dreams, even if they are unsure they can accomplish them.
“You don’t know if you can do things until you try it,” she said. “Most of the time, you will probably surprise yourself because you can.”
Carl said she is working on a second book that will focus on Indie after she’s become a firefighter but is training to be an engineer so she can drive firetrucks.
“It will have a bunch more (illustrations of) trucks, hoses, levers and pullies,” she said.
Carl said she may publish more books about Indie, but right now, she is focusing on trying to complete the second book in a two-year period.
“I am so far out of my comfort zone, we will see where it takes me,” she said of completing a series of Indie books. “I am really enjoying it.”
Carl said she often gets ideas for her children’s book when she’s out on calls.