Bubble Gum Rocks follows three sisters spending a summer at their grandparents’ Kansas farm, who stumble into the long-forgotten magic of bubble gum rocks. What inspired the adventure the sisters go on?

The core inspiration for Bubble Gum Rocks is drawn directly from my own childhood, and it’s a very heartfelt, authentic memory for me. My grandparents own a farm that dates back to the 1800s, and for my sisters and me, that farm wasn’t just dirt and fields—it was a landscape of untapped magic.

The ‘bubble gum rocks’ themselves are very real. They are the rocks that look like chewed-up pieces of bubble gum that we would hunt for tirelessly. And when we found one, we would treat that rough diamond like it was pure gold. That simple act of discovery—the feeling of unearthing a secret treasure—became the foundation for the book’s central, forgotten magic.

But the adventure truly began with my uncle. My sisters and I were, let’s just say, wonderfully mischievous. We were constantly pushing the boundaries and getting into trouble. My uncle was the brilliant mind who channeled all that youthful energy. He would invent these elaborate, imaginative games to keep us entertained and, frankly, out of the way of farm work. It was his playful spirit and the inherent adventurous nature of exploring an ancient farm that inspired the sisters’ journey.

So, the book is really a love letter to that time: to the bond between sisters, to the creative genius of a loving adult, and to the idea that even the most ordinary-looking farm can hide the most extraordinary secrets if you just know where to dig.

What was your inspiration for the characters and their relationship?

My inspiration for the characters and their relationships is rooted in the most honest place possible: they are 100% real and based on my own family. While I’ve changed their names to ‘protect the innocent’—as the saying goes—their personalities, quirks, and the complex, wonderful dynamic between them are completely true to life.

For me, the personalities are the heart and soul of the book. I wouldn’t have had the amazing, adventure-filled childhood I did if it weren’t for the unique combination of my sisters, my uncle, my mom, dad, and my grandparents.

We’re a family that truly puts the ‘fun’ in ‘dysfunctional,’ and oh, what fun it is! You have:

• The older sister who tries to maintain order but is secretly the first one to break the rules.
• The middle sister, who is the creative, mischievous dreamer. (That’s often me!)
• The younger sister who looks up to the others but always surprises them with her free spirit and bravery.

It’s the way they tease each other, the way they fall back on each other when they’re in trouble, and the way they speak in their own little family code that brings the story to life. By basing the characters so closely on my family, I wasn’t just writing fiction; I was capturing the electricity of a real bond—a bond filled with deep love, playful rivalry, and shared mischief. That genuine relationship is what makes their on-page adventure feel so real and relatable.

What scene in the book did you have the most fun writing?

Without a doubt, the scene I had the most fun writing was the moment Avianna makes her wish, and the magic of the bubble gum rocks finally ignites.

It was a joy to write because it wasn’t just a turning point in the plot; it was the moment the book itself underwent a magical transformation. I envisioned the first part of the book in a kind of subdued, sepia-tone atmosphere—it represents the quiet, sometimes overlooked, reality of the farm and the mundane start to their summer.

Avianna makes that wish, and the long-forgotten magic truly awakens; the pages burst into beautiful, vibrant colors. Writing that shift felt like going from watching an old film clip to seeing the world in full HD.

It was the moment when the potential of the farm became reality. It’s where the secret Avianna was searching for finally manifests, and it felt incredibly rewarding to write. It’s where my real childhood memories of seeking treasure finally got to become a spectacular, larger-than-life fantasy on the page.

Will this book be the start of a series, or are you working on a different story?

I’m thrilled to confirm that Bubble Gum Rocks is the very first book in The Magical Farm Mysteries series!

When I finished writing the girls’ first adventure, I realized there was so much more untapped magic on that old Kansas farm that their story was far from over. The world felt too rich and the characters too real to leave behind after one summer.

I am already deep into planning and writing the next installment. Readers can certainly expect the three sisters to stumble into many other adventures with even more magic, unexpected twists, and fun new hidden secrets.  It’s an ongoing journey, and I can’t wait for readers to follow the girls as they uncover the full scope of their family’s magical legacy.

Author Links: GoodReads | X | Facebook | AMB Kids Books