Bruce the Spruce follows a young tree who struggles to survive among his taller neighbors until Cedar offers the help she once needed herself. What was the inspiration for your story?

Growing up I’ve had so many positive influences in my life who helped me develop into who I am now: my parents and family, teachers and professors in school, coaches in sports growing up, and so many more. I think recognizing the importance of investing in and developing others, especially early in life, makes all the difference.  It can be as simple as helping someone who is struggling to find their way or learn something new.  It can be as nuanced as connecting with someone to find, or recreate a passion they may have lost.  It can also be equally important for people who need help to ask for it, as shown early in Bruce and Cedar’s friendship.

How does Bruce change because of Cedar’s friendship, and what does their relationship suggest about the role patience can play in helping someone grow?

Cedar’s friendship and help not only allows Bruce to grow within the forest, but also helps him realize how important it is to help others in need.  Cedar’s guidance and care for Bruce while Bruce is still growing clearly sticks with him and he, in turn, cares for CJ while she is in the same stages of early growth.  Their relationship symbolizes that patience and helping others in need is an important part of the circle of life, as the lessons we learn from those before us become part of us, and are important for us to pass down when it becomes our time to do so.

Why was it important that Bruce eventually becomes the one responsible for helping another young tree, and what do you hope children understand about carrying someone’s kindness forward after that person is no longer with them?

Bruce becoming the one that helps Cedar Jr. is important because he is carrying on Cedar’s legacy.  My aim for this book, and I hope the takeaway from it, is that paying forward patience, kindness, and the lessons we’ve learned from those before us is important, not only for individual growth, but establishing positive connections with each other and helping others succeed.  This is such an integral part of why we’re here.

Is this the first book in the series? If so, when is the next book coming out, and what can your fans expect in the next story?​

This is the first book in the series, another book is in the works and I’m hoping to have it complete early in 2027!

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