Bella & Chantey: Mama Wants a Blue Mushroom follows a pig and her macaw sidekick as they set out on a rainforest adventure to find a rare mushroom. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?

We work with the Ngäbe people who live on the Comarca or reservation where I had the story take place. The children do not have children’s books per se, and I wanted to write some stories for them and include their environment.

What is it that draws you to write children’s literature?

I love to watch young children learn about new places, different countries, and people in the world. I also enjoy seeing children being entertained and laughing over stories. I place educational material in the backmatter of my books to educate the children besides giving them an entertaining story. I also try to have a universal theme of love, family, or learning experience that children can see themselves in or identify with the story.

The artwork in your book is wonderful. What was the collaboration with illustrator César Meléndez like?

César is excellent to work with. He has unique ideas for illustrations and is very realistic in his drawings. He has emotions in animal faces and does a fantastic job with water scenes. He asks for suggestions and always asks if they are ok. An excellent fit between author and illustrator- we think alike.

Can fans expect to see more adventures featuring Bella and Chantey? What are you currently working on?

I am working on a chapter book with main characters from the Ngäbe Comarca, Double Trouble on the Comarca. Benny the Boa is an adapted Ngäbe folklore story, which is almost completed, and yes, a second book with Bella and Chantey, also taking place on the Comarca.

I had some people from a nearby church ask if I could write a children’s bible story picture book, so I have done that, and it is currently at a traditional editor to see whether they will accept it. Another editor I work with said if it’s not accepted, go ahead and self-publish it because she likes the story.

Author Links: GoodReads | Amazon

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