Follow Petunia, the backyard hen, through a hazardous world as she discovers hidden talents, a mischievous cat named Macy and encounters all things feathered and furious (synopsis) -------------------------------
Please tell us a bit about yourself.
I live in Seattle with my wonderful husband, Jonathan, who also illustrates my stories. I love animals, especially our Sheltie and 2 cats. I'm learning how to garden and am always on the look out for new music.
Could you tell us in short what this series is about?
The story centers around a backyard hen named Petunia who, to the chagrin of her flock, discovers she has a special talent. This takes her away from her home and her friends into the new and unfamiliar human world.
Which character was the easiest to write and which one was the hardest to write?
Petunia was probably the easiest, she's straightforward and wants to live life on her own terms. She loves her friends and her flock and wakes up every morning excited to spend time in her garden.
Macy, the resident cat, gave me the most trouble. He's a more mysterious character and you're not quite sure what he's going to do next.
With which character do you identify the most?
I don't feel I can choose just one. Each character has little parts I understand: Petunia wants to experience new things; Silkie, the human woman in the story, grapples with the reality of responsibility; Melaina, Petunia's chicken friend, says all of the sassy things that come into her head; and Macy gets to come and go as he pleases.
Are your characters based on people you know?
My lips are sealed! Really, though, they are all combinations of my various life experiences from things I see, hear and read.
Where did the inspiration for this series come from? Where do you generally draw your inspiration from?
My lips are sealed! Really, though, they are all combinations of my various life experiences from things I see, hear and read.
Where did the inspiration for this series come from? Where do you generally draw your inspiration from?
There's a line in the first chapter: "Science tells us that chickens can see many more colors than humans." It was from an article Jon read one day and that's where I got the idea. It started as a little one-page short story and grew from there.
As for inspiration, it comes from everywhere: people I know, places I've been,
our animals, our house, our garden, books, movies, television shows. In one scene Macy decides to harass the chickens by shaking the chicken coop. The impetus for that scene came from our little kitten, Penelope, who would hurl herself onto the cat scratch post, cling with her claws and proceed to shake it side to side while yowling at the top of her lungs.
What research did you do for this series?
I bought some books on chickens, read some blogs, visited farms. One of the most informative sources, however, was through a site that provided a 24-hour web cam on their chicken yard. I would sit with it open for hours and listen and watch the chickens while I worked.
Are there any other projects you are working on at the moment?
We have 2 more installments in the works. Impeccable Petunia Part II, will be titled, A Tale of Two Tails.
Do you have any writing quirks?
I don't know if this counts, but my husband says I subscribe to the "baby method," of writing: I must be rested, fed and comfortable in order for anything creative to happen.
What do you do when you’re not writing?
I love being outside, especially during our sunny summer months here in Seattle. I enjoy books, movies, music, television shows and finding great hole-in the wall places with the best food.
Are you a reader? What are you reading at the moment?
Reading has always been an important part of my life. My mother used to read to me every night as a child. We must have cleaned out the entire Newbery Award section at the library. Right now I'm reading Gore Vidal's The Golden Age.
Reading has always been an important part of my life. My mother used to read to me every night as a child. We must have cleaned out the entire Newbery Award section at the library. Right now I'm reading Gore Vidal's The Golden Age.
Is there anything you would like to add?
Thanks for having me!
Thanks for having me!
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Buy the book from Amazon
To find out more about the author and see more of the artwork used in the book go to the website Impeccable Petunia
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