Snoodles in Space: Escape from Zoodletraz follows a Zoodle who breaks a rule by getting a pet, he winds up in a prison no one has ever escaped from. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?

The inspiration came from my illustrator, Andy Case.  In November 2023, he released his first album, Leap of Faith. There were three songs that came one after the other that set up the story in my head.  Literally, it was one song after the other! “Lost Souls in the Dark” had that guitar rift that remined me of U2’s “Sunday Bloody Sunday” but in a darting kind of way, and I pictured Snoodles flying through space to rescue our heroes. The next song “Break Free” had a slower guitar play and reminded me of a spaceship slowly rising from the planet. Then came “Should Have Sent a Card”.  It is a hysterically funny song about someone trying to write a love song and failed.  Because he failed, he sings out “I should have sent a card!” 

I then had a story to write!

In your story, Droodle meets some amazing new characters. What was your inspiration for their characters’ interactions and backstories?

Well, they are inspired by Pop Culture! Swifty Swoodle is definitely Tayor Swift. Grandfafoodle was inspired by the crazy father of Dick VanDyke in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.  The Trash Can Cats was inspired by seeing a bunch of cats around a trash can looking for mice in NYC. 

What were some goals you set for yourself as a writer in this book?

This is the fourth book in the series. I couldn’t write a book just to write a book knowing that it was not up to the first three.  I had to write something that would surpass them, and make the universe of character bigger and the story crazier.  I felt with this book, it was “mission Accomplished!”

I hope the series continues in other books. If so, where will the story take readers? 

We will find out that Cloodle did not come from the planet Zoodle!  Similar to the Superman story, Cloodle is a baby on a planet that is disintegrating because of global warming, and he is put in a small spaceship with his poodle, Krazoodle, and lands on the planet Zoodle.  Strap up because you will be in for quite a ride?

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