Hello dear reader!

We are entering that circle of time once again. A brand new year and a brand new book for me to write.

As always, I am eager to start writing my draft. My ideas are swirling, and I’ve begun the ritual of taking down notes and reminders to visit the library for research. (Yes, I love the library! Any excuse to go, you know. 🙂 )

At home, I try to stay organized, though it’s a constant battle. My desk sits in a quiet corner next to a glass door that looks out onto the balcony. It sounds grand, I know, and in the morning, sipping my coffee and looking at my plants, it truly is. But even when everything is exactly as it should be, the words don’t always come easily. I know that some think that writing children’s stories is easy-peasy, but it is not. Care has to be taken when your book is for a specific age range, and also, as I have mentioned in an earlier post, you have to enjoy what you write, what you do.

It comes out in the story, whether it was done just to get out of a deadline, and it has been rushed. Your readership gets to know you through the stories you write. Every children’s book I read with my sons when they were little, we enjoyed. We enjoyed it because the author loved what they were doing. That magic spills out of the writer and onto the page.

With Leelu’s world, I take great care. The world is full of urban legends, scary stories, and ancient myths that have traveled the globe, changing slightly to fit whatever culture they land in. I love finding those roots.

I am often asked where the “magic” in Leelu’s stories comes from. While I haven’t yet delved into every specific gift in Witchville, the magic is always there. It doesn’t have to be grandiose or “glittery” to be believable. To work, it just needs an element of realism and a touch of whimsy. My stories revolve around so many stories my grandparents and aunts shared with me, siblings, and cousins when we were little. They revolve around all of the beautiful, haunting, funny legends I ever read as well.

I recently asked myself, why do I still keep writing about Leelu, her world, and her friends. And I realized her story is not finished yet. There are many stories to tell, many adventures. Leelu will grow up, not too fast, but yes, she will, little by little. We will see her learn new things, master new magic, all in the company of her cat and friends.

Oh! I can feel it now, the story is itching to get out into the pages, it’s time to put on the kettle and grab my pen, the ideas are flowing, and the time is ripe for writing.

Until I write again,

MGL🖊️📄📖🫖