Author brings home sweet tales

St. Charles author Rick Moser will be reading his new book "The Chocolate Story," at Graham's 318 Saturday. Moser is donating one dollar from each book sale to the International Cocoa Initiative, an organization dedicated to ending child labor in cocoa fields in West Africa. | H. Rick Bamman-hbamman@kcchronicle.com

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GENEVA – Over a cup of hot chocolate, Rick Moser wrote his first book that tells the tale of two chocolate loving youngsters and the lessons they learn while exploring the forest.

And on Saturday, Moser, a St. Charles resident and Elgin businessman, will share, “The Chocolate Story: A Sweet Little Fable,” from the same place he wrote it – in front of the fire place at Graham’s 318 in Geneva.

The first 10 children who show up to the 10 a.m. book reading and signing will receive a free copy of the book that Moser said evolved from a story he used to tell his chocolate loving children, two of whom, Nick and Emily, happen to be the book’s main characters.

“When my kids were younger, we used to take walks in forest preserves on the weekends,” Moser said. “It was during those family times that we used to talk and came up with the story.”

Moser’s 12-year-old son, Nick, will be at Saturday’s event, helping Moser show off the illustrations of the book. Geneva artist Rex Bohn designed the illustrations to appear as if they were carved out of chocolate, said Moser, who founded the graphic design firm, WideSpark Inc. in Elgin.

Writing his first book has been exciting, Moser said, adding that the fact his children are part

of it and a portion of the proceeds will go to a worthy cause makes it even better.

He is donating $1 from each book sale to the International Cocoa Initiative, an organization based in Geneva, Switzerland that works to end child and forced labor in West African cocoa growing.

And Moser’s tale that features a wise Chocolate man who teaches the kids a lesson about decision making isn’t the last fable for new author.

He’s already working on two more children’s books, including one that will focus on helping the homeless and another about the importance of mentoring, both of which he hopes to find a cause to go along with his lessons and illustrations.

See CHOCOLATE, page 6A

Moser said he is looking forward to Saturday’s book reading, where he will be able to “share the story with the children and see their reaction and their faces when show them the illustrations.”

In celebration of Moser’s book launch, Graham’s 318 owner Bob Untiedt said he will offer attendants a few varieties of hot chocolate that they can sip on while listening to the “The Chocolate Story.”

“Rick has been a customer for quite a while and I think the book is just great,” Untiedt said. “I love the illustrations and how they tie in with the story and it really teaches kids about decisions.”