By Kimberly Gasuras

Many local residents remember Kim Ten Eyck Workman for operating her family’s local business, Ten Eyck’s Bridal and Floral Shop and greenhouse, but today, Kim is becoming well-known for something else.

Under the pen name of KJ Ten Eyck, Kim has written a book titled, “When It Rains.”

“I was writing about a dream house. It started off small then I kept adding rooms and thought it would be cool to add a secret room. Then I remembered the underground railroad, which I was always fascinated with, that runs under Bucyrus,” said Kim. “The story just kind of took on a life of its own and it became a book.”

Kim spent a lot of time writing descriptions for the bridal and floral items at the flower shop located at 1300 N. Sandusky Avenue.

“My great-grandparents had a greenhouse on Route 4 North. It was my grandparents who then built the greenhouse on North Sandusky Avenue,” Kim said.

Kim’s parents took over the business in 1959.

“It was just a greenhouse. They were wholesalers and sold retail plants until my grandmother and my father went to floral design school in Chicago,” Kim said.

The business grew into a flower shop and the bridal part of the store opened in 1975. The business closed in 1998.

In 2002, Kim moved to Waco, Texas, when her husband, Robert Workman, became the minister of a church there.

“I will always love Bucyrus and Ohio. I may live in Texas, but I am forever a Buckeye,” said Kim.

The main character in Kim’s book, Stephanotis “Steph” Weatherby, inherits a farm that is located in a small town in Ohio. She moves from Boston to the farm that turns out to be a mansion full of clutter memoirs from the past. A relative tries to stake their claim to the inheritance and suspicious things begin to happen.

“The book is a mystery romance,” Kim said.

Kim said she had so much fun writing the book and is excited to share it with others.

“When It Rains,” is available at all major bookstores and online.

“I will be holding a book signing at Barnes and Noble in Mansfield on Saturday,” Kim said.

The event will be held from 3 to 5 p.m.

“Books will be available to buy that day or you can bring one you’ve already purchased so it can be signed,” Kim said. “Other authors will be at the event so it should be lots of fun.”

For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/KJTenEyck.