Zeke Comes Out of His Shell follows a young hermit crab living in Southern California who is swept away from home during a storm and must find his way home. What was the inspiration for your story?

Zeke Comes Out of His Shell came to me as a surprise. I am not a children’s author by any means—and I am still learning the ins and outs of writing a book for a younger audience—but writing a children’s book has always been something I’ve wanted to do. This story in particular was inspired by a stuffed animal that I’ve had in my room—a hermit crab! The story’s setting was greatly inspired by San Diego and Southern California in general, as that is where I live.

What scene in the book did you have the most fun writing?

Particularly with children’s stories, I’ve always enjoyed writing the first page. To me, that’s the most important part of the story—at least for drawing in young readers. The same goes for this book as well. Writing the descriptions of the tide pools and the ocean waves, and introducing the characters, was the best part.

What educational aspects were important for you to include in this children’s book?

To me, I felt that keeping the book as factual as possible was very important. I included details such as how hermit crabs find and replace their shells, as well as little references as to what they eat and how they live. Other than that, as the book is for a younger audience, I allowed my imagination to take forth!

Is this the first book in the series? If so, when is the next book coming out, and what can your fans expect in the next story?

For now, I don’t have definite plans to write another book in this series—with that being said, continuing the journeys of Zeke and his friends is something I would like to do in the future.

Author Links: GoodReads | X (Twitter) | Website | Amazon

Are you ready to explore the ocean? Join Zeke, a young hermit crab from the sunny coast of Southern California, on his quest to return home after being swept away during a storm. Along the way, he will meet new friends and discover a bravery inside himself that he never knew was there—and maybe you will too.

Zeke Comes Out of His Shell is the perfect adventure for budding readers, lovers of the ocean and the creatures that inhabit it, and those still trying to come out of their shells.

Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2024/09/08/inspired-by-a-stuffed-animal/