Racky’s Magic Letters follows a young raccoon struggling with his speech, who discovers a cave filled with letters and he learns how the shapes can come together to create sounds.What was the inspiration for your story?

Racky’s Magic Letters was inspired by my son’s journey working through a speech delay. He experienced a lot of frustration because he understood what he wanted to say, but he did not have the language to express himself. Around the same time, he discovered the alphabet and fell in love. He had some foam bath letters and a wooden alphabet puzzle that he played with for weeks, studying all the letters and sounds until he could name each and identify, if not produce, all the sounds. Soon after, his words started coming in a torrent, which led to sentences, and now he speaks non-stop.

What were some educational aspects that were important for you to include in this children’s book?

I was blown away by my son’s experience and it became important for me to show kids that the alphabet is more than just letters and sounds. I wanted to bring excitement to the entire concept of reading, showing kids the endless ways that letters come together to create all the different words we understand, speak, and read. My hope is for the book to become a tool for early literacy.

The art in this book is fantastic. What was the art collaboration process like with the illustrator Indira Muzbulakova?

Indira was a dream to work with and I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to benefit from her talent. I had a vision for each of the pages, which was then relayed to Indira (with the help of my wonderful production editor). Indria took my thoughts and the magic of the story to create something even better than I could have imagined. Her attention to detail added touches of whimsy and magic that I’d never thought of. Indira truly brought Racky’s story to life and I am so thrilled to share my vision through her work.

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?

Once Racky stepped into that cave, I knew there could be so much more magical fun. I hope to turn Racky’s Magic Letters into a series as I have several stories I would like to bring to life. While I do not have a timeline for the next book, yet, I do have a first draft! Hint: it will focus on another learning concept that most kids are introduced to along with the ABCs.

Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | Website