By DAWNE LEIKER

dleiker@dailynews.net

She's known for more than a year her book would be distributed nationally in Cheerios boxes, but that didn't diminish the fun of seeing her book prominently displayed in the cereal aisle when Tammi Sauer shopped for groceries recently.

Her book, "Mostly Monsterly," illustrated by Scott Magoon, was selected by General Mills to be part of the 10th annual Cheerios Spoonfuls of Stories program. More than a million copies of the book are available in specially marked boxes of the cereal.

Five books are selected by General Mills annually. Sauer said the company searches for books kids want to read again and again, books that make kids smile and that open new worlds and experiences.

"I'm just really excited to be a part of the program," she said.

Sauer, a Victoria native who now resides in Edmond, Okla., has 11 children's books either published or under contract. She makes presentations of her books to schools throughout Kansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Arkansas and Texas. In addition, she speaks at writing conferences throughout the country.

Finding the time to continue writing while maintaining a busy travel schedule is a matter of balance for Sauer, who said it has become easier now that her children, in fifth and eighth grades, have grown a bit.

With inspiration that comes from the "weird stuff" in her life, Sauer encourages children at her school visits to celebrate the weird stuff in their own lives -- because it "is good material for stories."

Her latest book, "Me Want Pet," the story of a cave boy who goes in pursuit of the perfect prehistoric pet, will be released in March. Sauer shared an advance copy of the book with school children recently and was pleased to get their reaction.

"They loved it," she said. "It's really fun to read it to kids for the first time and get their reaction.

"That's who I want to appeal to and to be excited about it."