The Trouble with Hector is a playful rhyming children’s book about a lovable lizard whose fiery breath causes hilarious trouble at home and school. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?

Like most writers and dreamers, I often ask, “What if?” and follow wherever the possibilities lead. If I find myself carried along by the scenes I imagine, I keep going. In the case of The Trouble With Hector, my starting point was the pet store, which was one of the usual outings when my children were little (and even now). After all, when you bring home a pet, how do you really know what you’re getting? Case in point: When my children were young, we adopted an adorable rescue puppy. She was always loved and well cared for, but she turned out to be a holy terror who barely tolerated us. What might have gone wrong if we had brought home a different kind of pet, a lizard, for example?

Did you imagine the story as a comedy from the beginning?

Absolutely. I love to laugh, so I write stories that keep me laughing. This one naturally called for bouncy rhyming couplets, and the rhythm of the story lent itself to fun and silliness.

How did you decide which everyday situations would become chaotic?

The story centered on the boy, so I chose places familiar to kids: home, the classroom, the school cafeteria, and the playground. Because these settings make up much of a child’s world, they were natural places for chaos to unfold.

Are there more adventures ahead for Hector?

We’ll have to wait and see. Stay tuned…

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