From childhood handmade books to a collaboration with artist Hermione Sky.

I’ve written poems and children’s stories since I was in fifth grade. I used to make my own books with felt and watercolor, keep the originals, and make copies to give to people. I always wanted to create tactile books for children.

That dream stayed with me, even as life took me in other directions. I worked in the magazine industry for a while, had my children, and continued writing.

A few years ago, during COVID, I took a Stanford continuing education class on how to publish your own book. That helped me begin turning a longtime dream into something real.

Another important part of the story was meeting artist Hermione Sky.

My partner, Lenny, and I first saw Hermione’s loom artwork in the lobby of a hotel in New York. We loved it and thought a piece like that would be beautiful in the entryway of our home. We reached out to Hermione and commissioned a piece, and she came from England to work on it.

We became very close friends, and Hermione agreed to illustrate To the Little One I Love.

I’ve described her artwork as mystical and magical. It brought something to the book that I couldn’t have created with my own illustrations.

Hermione and I are now working together on future books, too. I’m grateful that a chance encounter with her artwork led to both a friendship and this creative collaboration.