Throughout my writing journey, so many of my readers have come to me and asked: “Why chipmunks? Why did you decide to write about chipmunks? Why not other animals?” Why had I decided to craft a magical kingdom of chipmunks, where they live in giant, glowing trees? What’s the story behind The Lavender Dawn Saga?
Well, dear reader, to answer your question, we have to go back in time to when I wrote my first “story” at five years old.
My First Story
Little 5-year-old me pulled down the large bucket of crayons off the shelf, standing on tiptoes to reach them. I then slid out my tiny chair, sat at my tiny table, and laid a few sheets of blank paper on the tabletop. As my small fingers curled around the chunky crayon in my hand, my imagination began to run wild.
I once heard vlogger Abbie Emmons explain that, by the way our brains develop, people are the most creative at 5 years old. I don’t doubt that, given how many little ones I’ve encountered and talked to. Just the other evening, I was telling a story to some children I was babysitting, and they both eagerly cut in to share their parts of the story. Our story started out with two squirrels having a tea party, and then the poor squirrels fell into a pond while ice-skating, got chased by a wolf, were almost eaten by a giant, and then ended the day baking acorn-banana muffins. It was quite the adventure for those two squirrels, thanks to the imaginations of those children.
And so, with the thick, musty-smelling crayon, I scribbled out the pictures that would form my very first story. “First,” I decided. “This story is going to be about a bunny. And her name is Cara, because it sounds like carrots.” I explained to my mom, who stood by, observing me. “And then Cara is going to have a birthday party with all her friends.” Oh, but it wasn’t any old birthday party; it was going to be a ‘Rapunzel’ themed birthday party. (You see, the movie had just recently come out, and after seeing it in theaters, I was quite obsessed.) As I drew the pictures, I dictated to my mom what each page should say. After I was finished, I drew a cover, then watched proudly as my mom stapled the pages together and handed them over. Little did I know that this story would change my life.
My Love for Animals
Now, let’s fast-forward to when I was 12 years old, a tall, gangly, skinny girl who loved animals and dreamed of becoming a veterinarian. You may be wondering, “But wait, didn’t you want to be a writer?” Don’t worry, I still loved stories, and I continued to whisper stories to my stuffed animals under the sheets at night. At this time, however, I was obsessed with animals. I studied zoology in school, read books about animal doctors, and pestered my veterinarian aunt with all sorts of questions. (Speaking of, shout out to that aunt. When you write about animals, it is SO helpful to have someone to come to with questions!)
As time went on, my stomach nerves decided that I couldn’t handle anything with blood, and I switched to simply observing animals instead. Animals are so fascinating to watch and wonder about! Have you ever wondered if squirrels communicate by flicking their tails? Or if birds have a secret code they use depending on how they chirp? Are cats really evil super-geniuses plotting to one day take over the world?
How My Journey as an Author Started
I never really considered writing about animals until my brother handed me two books to read: The Green Ember by S. D. Smith and Redwall by Brian Jaques. After I read these books, I got sucked into their worlds. Where the good animals bravely fight back against the darkness of the world. The stories had characters that make you laugh, themes that encourage you to hope, and plots that draw you in.
That’s when I knew I wanted to write a story, specifically about animals. Now I understand why God had given me a love for small furry creatures and a fascination for His creation. (Did I just make that rhyme? Aha, I’m a poet and I didn’t even know it. 😉)
Why Chipmunks?
“Where did you come up with the idea to write about chipmunks?” Simple! I wanted to write about an animal that you don’t normally hear of being in a fantasy series. And so, with a little brainstorming, and help from friends, I came up with chipmunks!
Here we are today, from little me writing about bunnies having birthday parties, to where I am now, with the wonderful world of The Lavender Dawn Saga. A magical kingdom of chipmunks fighting back against the darkness to bring hope and restore the Lavender Dawn.
P.S. Did you see that the second book in the Lavender Dawn Saga came out? It’s called The Journey of the Guardians, and it’s now available on Amazon! I cannot wait for you to read this new adventure with the Guardians!
See you on the next page!
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