In Candace’s Big Audition, a young cow seeks the advice of her barnyard friends when she decides to audition for a singing competition that pits her against her best friend. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?

The inspiration for this story was based on a personal experience I had in 8th grade. Five of us girls wanted to participate in the 4 x 4 relay at an upcoming track meet. One of our group was my best friend. Our coach didn’t know what to do, so he told us to walk to the railroad tracks, which were about a mile down the road, and run back to school. The first four to get back to school would run the relay.

As we were running back, I started to think. You see, I was the top shot put thrower in our area and won first place every meet we participated in. I realized that I had an area of excellence in track, but my best friend did not. As I ran, I decided that I wanted my friend to have this honor, especially since I already had an event that I excelled in. I never told anyone because we were raised to be humble, selfless, and giving. This was an opportunity to put those values into practice, so I did. It was not without consequences, though. I chose to live with the stigma of being the slowest so that my friend could be a part of a winning team.

Halfway through the track meet, one of the other girls sprained her ankle in another event. The result was that I was able to run the 4 x 4 relay anyway. My best friend was runner # 1, and I was runner # 2. After I received the baton, I passed a runner, which put our team in first place. We stayed there for the rest of the race. Not only did I get to run the race, but I was able to participate with my best friend.

I combined my experience with the fact that I grew up on a dairy farm, and studied vocal music in college.

Do you have a favorite character in this second book in the Adventures on Apple Orchard Farm series?

It should be obvious now that the character of Candace is me. Even though I identify mostly with her, I really appreciate the character of Professor Owl. I love how he supports Candace without telling her what to do. He allows her to struggle but gives insight to her character and the decision-making process. It’s because of this that Candace not only makes her decision on her own, but she also 100% accepts the consequences of her decision.

What is one thing you hope young readers take away from Candace’s experience?

I hope young readers learn to consider others before making a decision. I’m not saying the decision Candace made was the only one she could have made, but it was the right one for her at that time. It’s human nature to be selfish and to act before thinking. My hope is that readers will take a moment to ‘read the room’ and consider the feelings of others and how their decisions will affect others.

What does the next book in this series have in store for readers?

The next book in this series is called Pretty Penelope. Penelope is a porcupine who looks at her reflection in the pond water and doesn’t like what she sees. She wishes she had fur or feathers like all of the other animals on Apple Orchard Farm instead of sharp quills sticking out of her face.

After making new friends and aiding in saving one of the chickens from a coyote attack, Penelope learns the value of her assets and that she is not only valued for what she looks like but for who she is.

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