MARYSVILLE — This year’s Marysville HomeGrown festival will include a local author with inspiring stories for all ages.

Marysville resident Sharon Standish will be signing copies of her illustrated children’s book, “Ganly Delivers Parcel and Post,” at HomeGrown on Third Street from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Aug. 13 and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Aug. 14.

Standish was inspired to write about Ganly, the hedgehog letter-carrier who helps out his fellow animals, after she became more focused on both writing and quilting in the wake of being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease close to three years ago.

Standish, 46, credits her flourishing creativity to the fact that she found solace in drawing, writing and quilting. After discovering the Parkinson Disease Foundation’s website, she learned about the organization’s Parkinson’s quilt, which is intended to raise awareness of the disease.

Standish threw herself into creating an intricate landscape panel for the quilt. The pastoral scene of pastel-colored skies, clouds, trees, grass and flowers was coupled with panels of inspirational messages paying tribute to her doctor, her family, her friends and her faith.

In both her writing and her quilting, Standish hopes to show others that she’s still able to do what she loves in spite of having Parkinson’s disease.

“I wanted to use my talent in order to help make a difference,” Standish said.