The target age for my audio stories is 3-7. But young people of all ages, parents and grandparents alike have expressed joy at listening to them. As a writer of kid’s fiction I love to come up with way out story ideas that children might dream about experiencing. 

All I have to do is spend time around some rambunctious kids to get wonderful ideas for writing stories. I could easily spend days wracking my brain for the perfect plot when all it takes is a trip to the nearest playground for endless inspiration! I always carry a notepad wherever I go because I never know when it’s going to happen, and I want to be ready. I’m thrilled as a child turns a climber into a spaceship that’s blasting through the atmosphere as she hangs on for dear life! I’m amazed at the intensity of a group of kids as they create a real life treasure hunt scenario and madly dig through a sandbox searching for “gold nuggets and bones.”

Another favourite hangout for my audio children stories is the local grocery store. It takes me hours to finish my shopping because there are wonderful stories just waiting to unfold! For example, I’ll be completely distracted by a kid following behind his Mom in the produce department as his imagination kicks in and he is now dangerously swinging a long piece of sugar cane and using it as a sword……. YES! He’s a mad pirate on a small deserted island and he’s fighting off sharks!
A great benefit for me as a children’s writer is that I think like a child! I believe this is from working with young children for over 30 years. Silliness MUST be included in the process of creating my audio stories and the wilder the better!! The goal is to capture and spark the imagination of every child and what better way to change up conventional thinking than by making the ordinary extraordinary!