A Witch’s Lesson follows two young friends from a small town who, on Halloween night, encounter a Witch who wants to stop the holiday from being celebrated. What was the inspiration for your story?

The inspiration for A Witch’s Lesson came from my desire to create a Halloween story that not only entertained but also carried a meaningful moral lesson, and I wanted it to rhyme because, as a kid, I enjoyed books that rhymed. I wanted to share a tale that emphasized the value of sharing and showed that positive change is possible, even in individuals who may initially seem unkind or malicious. Additionally, I aimed to showcase the importance of standing up for what is right, even when faced with the possibility of personal sacrifice, such as losing one’s candy. Ultimately, I wanted to create a story that would resonate with young readers while imparting important life lessons in a fun and engaging way.

What were some ideas that were important for you to share in this book?

In A Witch’s Lesson A Halloween Story, several key ideas were important for me to share. First and foremost, I wanted to convey the idea that kindness and empathy have the power to transform even the seemingly unlikable characters. Through the character of the witch, I wanted to show that it’s never too late to change and choose a path of compassion.

Additionally, I aimed to emphasize the value of friendship and cooperation. Mary, Gary, and let’s add Andy as well to show how friendship plays a central role in the story, demonstrating how working together and supporting one another can lead to positive outcomes, even in challenging situations.

Lastly, I wanted to celebrate the magic and fun of Halloween while encouraging children to think about the deeper meanings of the holiday. A Witch’s Lesson combines the excitement of trick-or-treating while encouraging sharing, courage, and standing up for what’s right.

Ultimately, my goal was to create a story that not only entertains but also imparts important life lessons that children can carry with them long after Halloween is over.

The art in this book is fantastic. What was the art collaboration process like with illustrator Rizwan Jani?

It went fine. I found him on Fiverr, and I used him on my book The Selfish Cat Who Learned How To Share And liked him so much that I used him again. He was easy to work with

Do you have more stories planned for Mary and Gary? If not, what is the next book that you are working on, and when is that book due out?

Well lately I have been working on a book series for kids called A Cat Named Puppy it’s like a first-chapter book with black and white images. I currently have 3 books in the series A Cat Named Puppy Goes To School, A Cat Named Puppy Halloween Adventure, and A Cat Named Puppy And The Christmas Mystery. The 2 cats who are the main characters in those books are based off my real life pet cats Puppy and Stitch. Stitch just passed away so its been good therapy including him in a story. But the goal is to include a lot of pictures and yes some of the pictures are of the real life puppy and stitch so the child dose not feel like they are reading as much because the kids I know when they have to pick out a book they look to see if it has pictures. I guess it makes them feel like they are reading less however these books are a whole story. And of course I am still writing my rhyming books as well I just released The Horse And The Magic Carrot.

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