Sometimes, a story finds you, and sometimes, you must find the story. My Perfect Birthday Wish is one of those stories I had to seek out.

One hot summer day, enjoying the comfort of my air-conditioned office with a hot cup of coffee in hand, I was listening to a literary agent speak at an online seminar. She shared valuable insights for children's book authors, but one comment stood out—she mentioned that the industry was lacking fresh, modern birthday stories. Whether she meant it as a challenge or not, that’s exactly how I took it.

I had no ideas for a birthday story, so I thought who would be better to give me an idea than children. For help, I called my cousin Lindsey, who is always busy grandmothering. Three days later, we were sitting at lunch with her three precious girls aged seven to nine. They excitedly shared details about today’s birthday traditions—parties, gifts, cake—but not one of them mentioned the birthday wish. When I asked, they confirmed that they still made a wish while blowing out their candles. But no one ever talked about their wish before or after their birthday, and no one ever asked if their wish came true.

Ah-ha! A tradition that already existed but needed depth, direction, and a little magic. Within a week, I had a rough draft of my story.

Then came a big challenge—illustrations. Reuben McHugh, the incredibly talented artist behind my last four books, was unavailable for this project. Over the next two years, I explored different artists and even tried AI, but nothing matched the magic of Reuben’s work. Finally, I reached out again; this time, he had room in his schedule. It was meant to be!

The story continued to evolve through the waiting, deepening into something even more enchanting. My Perfect Birthday Wish follows nine-year-old Fenn as he struggles to choose the perfect birthday wish. His journey will resonate with children ages four to ten as they recognize their own tendency to hold onto something they love and discover the joy of sharing it with others.

As with all my books, there’s a backstory encouraging children to get outdoors and embrace the wonders of nature. It includes the tale of how I met an old elf on my birthday bike ride—an elf who shared the secret to the perfect birthday wish with me.

As you prepare for your next family celebration, I would be honored if My Perfect Birthday Wish became part of your birthday traditions.

Wishes do come true