Pablo follows a beloved dog who is separated from his family and embarks on an unexpected journey home, forming an unlikely friendship and discovering the meaning of love, courage, and belonging along the way. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?

The inspiration for the setup of Pablo’s story was one that just hit me all at once in a flash! A good friend of mine challenged me to write something, and I had long pondered that conversation – even debating with myself on what I wanted to write. Then the idea for Pablo hit me like a lightning bolt. I literally had the entire story laid out in my head in a flash of creative sorcery. It was remarkable! As I started flushing the idea out further, and being that PABLO is a Mexican dog, I had the idea to write PABLO in English with Spanish words and phrases. So children can learn some Spanish while reading the book. Then, when my mother suddenly passed away, I was grieving and had the idea to incorporate the Five Stages of Grief into the book to help parents and educators openly discuss grief and loss with children. I thought to myself, “If I can help one child deal with what I’m dealing with right now, it will all be worth it”. The response has been amazing. The grief component is really resonating with librarians and parents alike, and I’m very thankful for that.

The story combines comedy, adventure, and moments of grief. How did you balance those very different emotional tones for young readers?

The comedic and adventure components of PABLO can naturally flow while flushing out the story. The grief component was far more challenging. I wanted to subtly weave the Five Stages of grief into the book without forcing the Five Stages down readers’ throats. I wanted to make sure I handled all the stages of grief properly, but subtly, to make sure each stage was easily accessible to children and parents/educators. The lesson plan at the back of the book encourages open discussion about grief and loss with children, and the work Missy did with us on that is invaluable. There are also further lesson plan materials on our website at www.kidstori.com

How did you and illustrator Irvin Walkes work together to develop the visual world of Pablo?

Irvin did a remarkable job with the art on PABLO. It took almost three years to complete, as every page was hand-drawn and painted. Our process was not unlike Disney films of old, with the art. I always wanted to create a 1070’s throwback feel with a modern twist, and Irvin accomplished all that and more! There was Irvin the artist, Jason (Publisher), Rob (designer), and I getting together weekly to review and work on all the art. Some panels magically worked right away, while others took years of revisions. Irvin would board the panel, and we would tweak the art tirelessly to make sure it was perfect before we advanced to color or texture. If we did not like something, even the smallest little detail, Irvin went back to the drawing board, starting the panel from scratch until we all felt it was just right. We have thousands of iterations of the different panels of art in the book.

Do you see more adventures ahead for Pablo and his family?

Well… There may just be an easter egg in PABLO setting up a sequel… See if you can find it. 🙂

OH! – And when you finish reading PABLO, don’t forget to play PABLO: The Video Game! We spent three years working on that as well, and we feel it is a wonderful complement to the book!