Why write a book?

 Just before the first lockdown in 2020, Wendy was unexpectedly diagnosed with cancer — a shock that turned her world upside down. In the midst of processing the news, she felt a powerful urge to put a very special story onto paper for her son, Zak. It was a story she had lovingly made up for him when he was just four years old — now, at twenty, it held even deeper meaning.

Determined and driven by a sense of urgency, Wendy began writing day and night. The creative process became both a comfort and a welcome distraction from the uncertainty that often comes with a cancer diagnosis. After undergoing surgery and radiotherapy, she found herself in a period of limbo until someone suggested she start keeping a daily journal. That small step soon evolved into writing down her cherished tale.

Thankfully, Wendy is now in remission. Completing the story brought her a deep sense of relief, renewed hope, and purpose for the future.

During her recovery, Wendy spent countless hours in her garden — grateful for fresh air, warm breezes, and the quiet company of nature during lockdown. Surrounded by animals busily carrying on with their routines while the world stood still, she found new inspiration. It was there that she began to dream of bringing her story to life with illustrations to match its magic.

 During the lockdowns of 2020 and 2021, the images from Wendy’s story grew increasingly vivid — almost as if they were fighting to come alive. She began sketching and collecting reference images online to capture the scenes in her imagination, but soon realized she needed a true artist to bring her vision to life.

One day, through the power of Facebook, Wendy discovered a beautiful painting from an artist’s daily lockdown diary — a project that would later become The Isolation Chronicles by Sue Prince. Instantly captivated by Sue’s distinctive style, Wendy felt she might have finally found the right person to illustrate her book.

Despite some initial hesitation about sharing such a personal project beyond family and friends, Wendy reached out — and to her delight, Sue was warm, approachable, and enthusiastic. She agreed to collaborate, transforming Wendy’s imagined world into the stunning illustrations that now accompany Phone Me When You’re Home!

 As Wendy’s story began to take shape, she started to wonder if it might be something others could enjoy, too. With renewed strength and purpose, her focus shifted toward learning how to bring her book to life through publishing.

She immersed herself in research, discovering a wealth of helpful advice online. One of the best suggestions she found was to share early drafts of Phone Me When You’re Home! with children — and to ask both the young readers and their parents for honest feedback.

Drawing on her own memories of spending hours in Waterstones choosing books for her son Zak, Wendy remembered how important it was for stories to engage both children and adults alike. She recalled how she always sought books that were not only enjoyable but also offered lessons, sparked curiosity, and encouraged learning. Inspired by this, Wendy began refining her story to include gentle elements of discovery, observation, and problem-solving.

In the early stages of drafting and experimenting with illustration ideas, Wendy invited two friends to share the first version of her story with their children. She remains deeply grateful to Norah (aged 4) and her mum Jamie, and to Nate (aged 7) and his mum Kate, for being her very first readers and critics.