Children Serve As Inspiration: My little "co-workers!"

I think one of the biggest aides in becoming a Children's Author is having children to help you along the way! I have been blessed with little brothers, nieces, and nephews that I use as testers for my stories! It's during these times that I find myself being the most creative. Especially with my niece and nephew! They love to be read too, but even more so, they love when they visit me because they know if they beg enough, I will tell them stories!

Many nights we have laid next to each, snuggle up... lost in the world of the stories I tell. You can see in their little faces that they are imagining themselves in the magical worlds I create. It's an amazing experience as a writer to be there for that... to watch them hold on to every word that escapes from your mouth. To witness the sudden fits of giggles break through the air! All of it serves as inspiration that I wish I could capture in a jar and save for later... for the moments when inspiration runs low. But instead, I store away the memories... grateful for my little co-workers. Grateful for those moments... because in that time... we are all three away on an adventure... discovering roads that we create as we go along. And when their eyes grow heavy with sleepiness, and soon they are off in their own dreamlands... I remain there, thinking of how easy it was to tell a story on the spot!

After I am sure they are sleeping, I sneak out, tucking them in before I go… and I record my evenings “work.” If you can call it work! To me, children are my biggest inspiration; after all, they are your best customer in the end!