Krystal Winkle and the Peacemaker of Kigali follows a little girl who moves to Africa and faces danger as she fights injustice and tries to find out who she really is. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?

The inspiration for this story: Firstly, for my birthday years ago, my husband and I traveled to Africa, trekked into the Virunga Volcanoes Park of Rwanda, and visited a large family of Mountain Gorillas. Seeing these majestic animals in their natural environment impacted me. My hope is that through Krystal’s eyes, I can shed light on how important it is that we protect them and their habitat. The research that Dian Fossey did there so many years ago is invaluable. Today, with the help of researchers, animal activists, conservationists, tourism, and the people of Rwanda, the future of the wild Mountain Gorillas is bright. Second, my hope is that Krystal can inspire young people to feel confident about who they really are because it’s empowering.

Krystal Winkle is an intriguing and well developed character. What were some driving ideals behind her character’s development?

I hope to empower young people to embrace who they are, tap into their inner core of what makes them tick, be independent adults and achieve what motivates them. William Shakespeare said it best: “It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves.”

What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?

Strong friendships, loyalty to yourself and others, self-reliance, never give up, determination, seek happiness.

Do you have more books planned that feature Krystal Winkle?

Yes! Krystal Winkle and Galloping Giuseppe comes out at 2022/2023. This story features a Lipizzaner, a rare horse that nearly went extinct at the end of WWII because they made such a great war horse. General George Patton is one of a few credited for saving this amazing species. Today, Lipizzaner’s are on the domesticated endangered list. My goal is to create an entire series by taking my readers around the world. Through fantasy adventure, I hope to expose my reader to a place they’ve never been while bringing awareness to a special animal that Krystal befriends.

Author Website: krystalwinkle.com

Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2022/09/17/i-hope-to-empower-young-people/