“Would you be interested in writing a children’s book with me?” I asked my niece, Megan.

I don’t recall her exact words, but they were something like, “Sure. That would be fun!”

I knew if Do You Like Peas? had any chance of becoming a children’s book, I would need an experienced children’s person to help with the words of the book. I believed Megan was perfect for the task mainly because she LOVES children. Megan teaches second grade, volunteers with the young girls at her church, is beloved by her two young nieces, and is a great writer. Strong credentials.

Equally important, Megan and I share two passions: we both love to write and we both love Jesus! I felt we would make a great team.

We decided to meet during Spring Break to conduct book research. We met with a variety of people who spend time with children so we could learn about book message and demographics of readers. By the end of the week our brains were full, but we had had a blast!

Not long after that, we began the writing process. Often, we wrote at coffee shops because we felt our creative juices flowed better there.  After long days and nights, our first draft was complete. We celebrated with dinner at a fancy restaurant.

In the subsequent months, we revised, edited, pondered, prayed, and laughed. Through this adventure we learned important stuff about each other, like we both prefer Coke over Pepsi. We grew accustomed to each other’s sense of humor and work ethic. We discovered and agreed an early bedtime works best for each of us.

I also discovered a few things about my sweet niece. Megan drinks coffee in the morning and pop in the afternoon. She furrows her eyebrows when she’s deep in thought. She likes ice cream but not tomatoes. And she loves colored pencils.

Ecclesiastes 4:9 says, “Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed.”

Do You Like Peas? could not have succeeded without the partnership of Megan’s words, experience and perspective. I’m grateful she came along with me on this adventure. One of the things I loved most about writing a book with my niece: it gave us a memory we can share forever. And at the end of the day, I think this is what makes life both wild & wonderful!

 

 

Imagine this:

What is something you prefer to do with someone rather than doing it alone?

 

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