Behind the Scenes: The Power of Persistence

Bringing The Big Escape to life has been one of the most rewarding journeys of my life, but it certainly wasn't a straight line from A to B. If there is one thing I’ve learned throughout this process, it’s that you don’t need to have all the answers to start-you just need the courage to begin.

Embracing the Unknown

When I first sat down to turn my ideas into a book, I’ll admit I didn't entirely know where to start. There was no "perfect" roadmap for navigating the world of children’s publishing. I had to learn the ropes of everything from story pacing and character development to the technical side of formatting and working with an illustrator.

The Power of Mistakes

In the classroom, I always tell my students that mistakes are just "proof that you are trying." Writing this book forced me to live by those same words. I made my fair share of errors along the way-whether it was a plot point that didn't quite land or a logistical hurdle I hadn't expected.

But looking back, those mistakes were actually the most important part of the journey. They were the keys that unlocked a better version of the story. Each time I stumbled, I learned something new about the industry, about my own voice as an author, and about the resilience required to see a project through to the end.

The Final Result

Every character you see on this cover represents a moment of growth. Seeing them now, polished, vibrant, and ready to meet the world, is a reminder that the "messy" parts of the creative process are exactly what make the final result so special.

My hope is that when children read The Big Escape, they don't just see a finished book. I hope they see that with a bit of imagination and a lot of persistence, anything is possible-even if you have to figure it out as you go.