Patches Explores Pagosa Springs: A Guide Dog’s Mountain Adventure follows a devoted guide dog and his blind best friend as they experience the sights, sounds, smells, and adventures of a Colorado mountain town. What inspired the setup of your story?

Patches and Sam came from a desire to create stories that give children more than entertainment. My goal is for them to learn and experience the heart behind them. I am not just trying to tell them a story. I am trying to build a relationship between the characters and the child, while also teachingthem.  In my first book, children learn the signs of the city for safety, compassion, and empathy for people who are blind. Patches Explores Pagosa Springs: A Guide Dog’s Mountain Adventure follows the first book and teaches children to notice their senses. First, learn how to navigate the world, then learn to experience it. It’s like Patches is teaching the children. 

Sam and Patches have become very special to me. I want Patches and Sam to feel like friends children can visit again and again. I want each adventure to leave them with something because their friendship shows children the beauty of trust, courage, kindness, and seeing the world through someone else’s eyes.

My dream is for Patches and Sam to become the kind of characters children grow up with. I would love them to visit more towns, discover new places, meet new people, and learn important lessons along the way. I want children to pick up a Patches and Sam book and feel that familiar excitement of going on an adventure with old friends. 

Why did you choose Pagosa Springs as the setting for Patches and Sam’s first travel adventure?

Pagosa Springs was the perfect place for Sam and Patches’ first travel adventure because it’s a small mountain town that offers so much to discover and experience through all five senses.   Pagosa Springs was also the perfect place for Sam and Patches to try out their new skills. I wanted Sam’s experience of Pagosa Springs to be about much more than sightseeing. Since he is blind, I could show children that experiencing a place doesn’t depend entirely on what you see. For example, when Sam catches his first fish in the San Juan River, it’s not about him seeing the fish. It’s about the excitement of feeling that fish on the line and then proudly holding up his catch. Those are the kinds of moments I wanted children to experience right along with him. 

I love the idea of introducing children to a place where adventure doesn’t have to mean traveling somewhere huge or famous. I want children to realize that they can discover God’s beauty and creation if they have a disability; I don’t want them to miss out on what God has to offer. I wanted to capture that feeling of discovering someplace new—the people, the sights, the little surprises along the way. It’s an adventure, but it’s also about slowing down and appreciating the wonderful places and people around us.  “Sometimes the greatest adventures are right in the communities around us.”

What did you most want young readers to understand about the relationship between a guide dog and the person he assists?

I would love for children to understand that Patches is much more than a dog who helps Sam walk from one place to another. Patches and Sam are a TEAM. There is an incredible amount of trust, communication, love, and responsibility in the relationship between a guide dog and the person he/she assists. Patches has an important job, and Sam has to trust him. At the same time, Patches trusts Sam. But underneath that working relationship is something very special–a friendship. I also would like children to understand that when a guide dog is working, we need to respect that job and not distract the dog by petting, calling to it, or playing with it without permission. Through Patches and Sam, I hope children develop empathy and compassion. I want them to understand that someone who is blind may do some things differently, but different doesn’t mean less capable, less adventurous, or less deserving of friendship. Sam and Patches are out there exploring, having fun, facing challenges, and making memories just like anyone else. 

How did you work with illustrator Ilya Fortuna to make sure the artwork captured both the adventure of the trip and the bond between Sam and Patches?

Working with Ilya Fortuna has been an incredible experience because he didn’t just illustrate the words I wrote—he understood the vision behind them.

There were so many times when he captured details I hadn’t even thought to explain to him.

For example, when Sam and Patches take their first hot-air-balloon ride, Ilya knew to put goggles on the person flying the balloon. I didn’t have to tell him. He understood that detail and knew it would make the scene feel authentic.

When Sam catches his very first fish in the San Juan River, Ilya illustrated him holding that fish up like a trophy. That expression and that pose capture Sam’s excitement and pride perfectly.

One of my favorite illustrations is when Patches leads Sam up the trail to Treasure Falls. Ilya gave Patches this serious, determined expression because he’s doing his job. You can see that Patches is focused on getting Sam safely along the trail.

Then they reach the falls, and everything changes. They’re both so happy. Ilya even put a little droplet of water from the falls on Patches’ tongue!

Those little details are what make the illustrations so special to me.

I feel like Ilya really got to know Patches and Sam. He understood that Patches is both a working guide dog and Sam’s best friend. He understood Sam’s curiosity and excitement. And he understood that sometimes the smallest moment between these two characters says the most.

I gave Ilya my story, but he brought his own vision to it, and he made Patches and Sam come alive in ways that went beyond what I had imagined.

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