Curious Chris – Why No Flamingos? follows a curious young boy and his parents who decide it is time to get a family pet. What was the inspiration for your story?

The inspiration for Curious Chris-Why No Flamingos? was our son Chris who was very curious. He used the word, “falingmo,” for the word flamingo, and I wanted to find a way to use it in a story. I incorporated the way we got our dog, Charlie, from our local pet shelter, and thus the story was born.

What were some ideas that were important for you to share in this book?

As a former English teacher, I know how important it is to create engaging content, so young readers will want to read more. I want children to know that curiosity is encouraged, yet parents may need help sometimes. In addition, I want everyone to know that pet adoption is the best way for people to get a new pet. Finally, many times, children are not going to get their way, so I wanted to offer a story for young readers to see a child pivot when his/her dream isn’t available.

The collaboration with illustrator Sally Garland resulted in exceptional art in this book. How was the process managed, and what were some of the key factors that contributed to the successful outcome?

Sally Garland is an amazing illustrator, and she and I consulted prior to her illustrating my story. She wanted to create a scene where Chris dreamed of a perfect scenario of Chris and his falingmo which is how she created the swimming pool scene.

Is this the first book in the series? If so, when is the next book coming out, and what can your fans expect in the next story?

As of right now, this is the only book and not a series, and I have not thought of a follow-up book as of right now. However, I will never say never.

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