My most important book

My son, Michael and I wrote a book together. It’s available for sale as of today. This is my most important book, because of what it meant to produce something like that with Michael. It was a fun project to work on together. I’ve recently written a post on how you can do this too. The book can be purchased from most online retailers, including Amazon (US, AU, UK), Readings and Book Depository

Here we are seeing it for the first time. The eagle-eyed among you will notice in this proof copy Michael’s name isn’t on the cover. That’s because he insisted I leave it off as “Daddy had done all the hard work putting it together.” However, his Mum and I were eventually able to convince him his name belonged on there and this remains the only copy without it! Here’s the real cover:

Michael worked with me on the story, storyboard and feedback for the illustrator. He also chose the landscape design. Michael was so enthused when we received the proof copy that he spontaneously started reading it to his sister. The story is about Eddy the echidna who digs up a treasure chest and tries to get it open with his friends from the Australian bush. We set the book at Michael’s grandmother’s house in Peterborough, Victoria. We often go there for holidays and have seen all the animals in the book there at one time or another.

Later that night, instead of the usual reading we do, he wanted to write a sequel and began talking about writing a series of adventures starring the animal characters we’d created.

I’ve never seen my son write a story. I knew he could type a little bit from watching him put commands into Minecraft. However, this was the first time I’d seen him write imaginatively. To say it warmed my heart is an understatement. Writing is something I’m passionate about, and to see Michael enjoying something I love was one of those moments I dreamed I would have from the moment I knew I was going to be a parent. That’s why this book means so much to me.