Hunnie Bunny’s Christmas Wish follows a young bunny enjoying the first snow of the season who encounters a pair of cardinals, and together, they plan a tree decorating for all the animals of the forest. What was the inspiration for your story?

After writing the third book in the series, Hunnie Bunny’s Special Gift, which takes place in the fall with the characters preparing for winter, Hunnie Bunny wanted to tell a story about how the woodland animals would celebrate Christmas. It was important to show the true meaning of Christmas through her eyes and actions by decorating the tree with items from the woods and spending quality time with friends. Also, I wanted to include the possibility that wishes can come true during the holiday season.

If you were to write a spin-off about a side character, which would you pick?

I would choose Mrs. Owl for a spin-off book because she is wise and would offer counsel and support to the woodland animals who come to her for help. Also, children love owls and find them fascinating. (She will appear again in the book Hunnie Bunny’s Great Escape.)

What is the most valuable piece of advice you’ve been given about writing?

When I was in college, I did a mini-term project with the head of the Creative Writing department. He gave me some advice that I have never forgotten: “After you write your first draft, put it aside for a few days and come back to it with a fresh set of eyes and perspective. Also, be prepared to edit and re-edit your work many times until you are confident that it has been completed to the best of your ability.”

What types of questions do you ask yourself when planning a new book?

In the Hunnie Bunny series, Hunnie Bunny has guided me on the journey for each book. I ask myself what Hunnie Bunny would do in a particular situation, what types of characters children like, and then Hunnie Bunny takes the story from there. For example, there are two books with new characters, a woodland fairy and a unicorn, which can ignite a child’s curiosity and imagination. Also, I want the books to be educational as well as entertaining, so I make sure that a lot of the content is factual whenever possible, and most of the books offer a moral lesson that parents can discuss with their children. This is important to me since Hunnie Bunny seems to have become a positive role model.

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