Time to Reflect: A Year of Hop Lola Hop

As we turn the page to look at the next chapter in the Hop Lola Hop series, I would also like to take a moment to share a few thoughts on the last year since becoming an author.

“What do you think we should do next …?” Lola asked …

As with many other books, Hop Lola Hop started with a simple idea, inspired by the make-believe adventures I used to tell my daughter whenever we lost her favourite comfort toy.

At the time, I had been looking for similar books, but simply couldn’t find anything (or anything I liked).

There are of course stories about lost or missing toys that I have learned of since, yet in a way I’m glad I didn’t know much about any of these at the time.

They might have intimidated me or made me come to the conclusion that Lola’s story wasn’t worth to be told. I’m sure this is a notion I share with many new writers, and I am glad I found a way to cast any doubts aside as otherwise, I would have missed out on a most remarkable experience that allowed me to connect with so many readers.

At one of the school visits from last year, one student asked if I was 100% happy with my work or if I ever feel the need to change anything.

The short answer - Yes, I am very happy because you learn and you grow with every word you share and every decision you make with your writing.

But I am also a very picky person, even pickier with my book than anyone else - especially after having read it more than 250 times. I know every single word that is printed on its pages and yes, there is the odd word or line that I sometimes tweak at readings these days.

Despite some imperfections, I am 100% satisfied with what I’ve shared.

There’s a time in the publishing process when you realise no matter how much you tweak, add or delete, it won’t necessarily improve your work or the reading experience. In order to get your book into reader’s hands, there’s simply a deadline to meet too.

As cliche as it sounds - writing books really is a journey.  A year on - and it’s brought about so many beautiful memories, moments of joy but also lessons to learn from and naturally some tumbles too.

I have always loved telling stories. They offer endless possibilities, and I can’t wait to continue explore them with every little reader who shares my excitement for Lola and Ella.

To close - just take a look at the sketch - painted so beautifully by my illustrator Siski Kalla at the beginning of our collaboration.

It’s not 100% perfect - (Lola is still without pants and her fur is brown instead of grey) - but for all the reasons mentioned above, it still is one of my favourites for two reasons: it doesn’t just remind me how far we’ve come, it also makes me wonder where else we may still go:

“What do you think we should do next …?” Lola asked.

“I feel kinda hungry!” ….