Hope’s Cape of Courage follows a girl who, after someone destroys her fairy village, finds the courage to rebuild it and choose forgiveness. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?

The inspiration for Hope’s Cape of Courage came from both personal experiences in childhood and what I’ve observed in the lives of children and families around me. Over the years, I have seen how holding onto hurt or anger after a difficult event can have a lasting impact, especially for children who are just starting to understand and navigate their emotions. This is especially difficult if they are living with, or surrounded by adults who struggle to express their own emotions in a healthy way. I wanted to create a story that would help children see forgiveness not as simply excusing someone’s actions, but as a powerful act that can set them free to heal and grow.

Through Hope’s Cape of Courage and the introduction of Hope, the little girl whose healing journey allowed a powerful transformation, enabling her to see the world in a new way, through different eyes, I have created an entire curriculum of stories specifically designed to help children navigate their big feelings and become emotionally resilient. This curriculum is designed to “nip these patterns in the bud” by giving children tools to regulate their emotions and life’s inevitable challenges, long before they become cycles that burden and cripple adult lives. I hope that by reading Hope’s Cape of Courage and the books to follow, families will feel equipped to talk openly about tough emotions like anger, sadness, fear, jealousy, divorce, blending families, and many others, and help build the skills they need to move through those feelings in positive ways.

How did you decide when the fairies should explain forgiveness directly and when Hope’s actions could carry that lesson for young readers?​

When I was writing Hope’s Cape of Courage, finding the right balance between explicit teaching and lived experience was one of the most intentional choices I made. Here is how I approached that decision:

Why the fairies explain forgiveness directly-

Children’s emotional worlds are vast, but big concepts like unconditional love, gratitude, and understanding why hurt people hurt others can feel abstract or overwhelming. I created the fairies as gentle guides to give young readers the exact language they need to process these heavier themes. Having them explain forgiveness directly makes the lesson accessible and creates a natural bridge for meaningful post-reading conversations between kids and parents.

Why Hope’s actions carry the lesson-

Teaching the theory of forgiveness is only half of the story. Kids need to see what it looks like in practice. Hope’s physical choices, like going back into the woods, rebuilding the destroyed village, and actively choosing grace over bitterness, show that healing is a deliberate choice. The fairies provide the wisdom, but Hope shows the courage. Through her actions, young readers get to see that moving through grief, fear, and betrayal isn’t just something you talk about; it’s something you actively live through.

What conversations do you hope children and adults will have about Hope’s bitterness before she chooses to rebuild the village?​

Children are incredibly observant; they learn so much from what adults do, not just what we say. One of the most powerful ways adults can teach resilience and empathy is by modeling these qualities in their own lives. This means being open about our own challenges, showing that it’s okay to make mistakes, and talking about how we work through setbacks or disappointments. When kids see adults acknowledge difficult feelings and keep going, it gives them permission to do the same.

Why was it important for Hope to acknowledge the harm done as she chooses forgiveness, and what does her pink cape represent?​

It’s so important for kids to learn healthy ways to respond to anger because, at its core, anger is a normal and even necessary emotion; it tells us when something isn’t right. But children may not always have the language or coping skills to express their anger safely or productively. Without guidance, kids can become overwhelmed, act out, or even turn their feelings inward, which can affect their confidence and relationships. Through Hope’s Cape of Courage and the rest of the series, I aim to show children that it’s okay to feel angry or upset, and that there are healthy ways to deal with those big feelings. When we teach kids how to recognize what they’re feeling, talk about it, and choose responses that are kind to themselves and others, we are giving them tools they’ll use for the rest of their lives. These skills help children develop emotional intelligence, resilience, and empathy, qualities that not only help them handle difficult moments now, but will also support their mental wellness and relationships in the future. I believe that when children learn to process anger in a healthy way, it opens the door for forgiveness, growth, and deeper connections with others. Hope’s Cape is a representation of the freedom that comes from being connected with your heart, seeing through the lens of unconditional love, and how, when you release anger and unforgiveness, you give yourself, your heart, and your life the ability to reach their highest potential.

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