Stories & Sketches
A Little bit of Something more
Welcome to Stories and Sketches
This is a quiet space to share the stories behind the books.
A place for beginnings, early sketches, and the small moments that grow into something more.
Here you’ll find a little about where each story came from, the inspirations behind them, and how they slowly took shape along the way.
Bringing The Magic in the Garden to Life
Step into a quiet world of flowers, cherry trees, fairies, and childhood wonder. The Magic in the Garden is a gentle bilingual English–French picture book inspired by real memories of growing up in rural France. When I first started writing The Magic in the Garden, I thought I was simply making a children’s book.
The Stories Behind The Hidden Magic Stories
I grew up in Cornwall, surrounded by countryside, animals, and space to roam. My mum had horses, and life felt close to nature in a way that stays with you. When I was seven, we moved to France. Not exactly for adventure, but to keep our way of life.
Who is Henny?
Henny came into our lives when my youngest son, Ash, started school in France. At first, I thought she was simply one of his classmates. He would talk about playing with Tom, and with Henny, as naturally as anything. It never occurred to me that she might not be real. Until one day, I spoke to his teachers...
The dogs behind the stories
Stories inspired by the dogs who have been part of our lives, each one bringing its own personality, memories, and moments that have stayed with us.
The Story Behind Mrs Te-wit & Mr Te-woo
I nearly forgot about this little book. Mrs Te-wit & Mr Te-woo was made during one of those hazy, tender times when my children were babies, when the days blur a little and the nights feel strangely full of life.
The Story Behind the Sebby Spider Books
A look back at how the Sebby Spider stories first began, and the journey that brought them to life today. From early ideas to new beginnings, this is where it all started.
The Stories Behind the Stories
Not all stories begin with a plan. Some begin with a sentence a child says. Some begin with a feeling you don’t want to forget. And some begin quietly, as a moment you know you’ll want to hold onto, long after it has passed.