People often ask where story ideas come from, and for me, the answer is often surprisingly simple: real life.

Some of my favourite ideas haven’t appeared while I’ve been sitting at my desk trying to think of something clever to write. They’ve started with ordinary moments—spending time with family, watching animals play, doing jobs around a farm, or simply noticing something that makes me wonder…

What if?

Two of my picture books, Lucy Lost Her Spots and Where’s Teddy?, began exactly this way. Behind both stories are very real dogs, very real memories and two little ideas that grew into books.

The Real Lucy Behind Lucy Lost Her Spots

Lucy Lost Her Spots began with a very real—and very spotted—dog.

Lucy is my mother-in-law’s Dalmatian. She’s big, playful, incredibly loving and has the sort of sweet nature that makes it very easy to become attached to her.

A few years ago, I had the chance to look after Lucy for more than a month while my mother-in-law was away. During that time, I wasn’t only dog-sitting. I also took over some of the daily jobs around their lifestyle block, including feeding the horses and chickens.

And wherever I went, Lucy came too.

She would follow me around while I did the jobs, exploring the property alongside me and occasionally abandoning her position as my faithful assistant when a rabbit proved far too tempting not to chase.

Over those weeks, Lucy and I developed a beautiful bond.

Somewhere amongst feeding horses, checking on chickens, wandering around the paddocks and watching this big spotted dog race around the property, a little idea began to form.

What if Lucy woke up one morning and all of her spots had disappeared?

It was such a simple thought, but my imagination immediately started running with it.

Where could her spots have gone? What if they had somehow ended up on the other animals around the farm? And how would Lucy get them back?

Before long, the real Lucy and the lifestyle block around us had inspired the beginnings of Lucy Lost Her Spots—the story that would eventually become my very first published picture book.

There’s something particularly special to me about knowing that my journey as an author began with a dog I loved, a place I knew and an ordinary part of everyday life.

The Real Teddy (and Sophie!) Behind Where’s Teddy?

My second book also began with a real-life moment—this time involving my own Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Teddy, and my niece, Sophie.

When Sophie came to visit, she and Teddy became immediate best friends.

They would play together, snuggle together and happily follow one another around. Watching their little friendship develop was truly adorable.

And once again, it got my imagination going.

I started wondering how cute it would be if Sophie and Teddy could play a game of hide-and-seek together.

Then came the next thought.

Teddy is a ruby Cavalier, with beautiful rich red fur. What sorts of things could he hide amongst that would camouflage him?

That was all it took.

I started imagining Teddy cleverly blending into different places while Sophie searched for him, and suddenly I had the beginnings of another story.

Where’s Teddy? grew into a simple game of hide-and-seek between a little girl and her beloved dog, with young readers able to join Sophie in trying to spot Teddy along the way.

But behind the searching, hiding and camouflage is something very real: the sweet friendship I watched develop between Sophie and Teddy.

I think that’s one of the reasons the story means so much to me.

Sometimes the Best Stories Start Small

Looking back at these two books, I’ve realised there is a pattern in the way many of my ideas begin.

Neither started with a grand plan to write a book.

There was no carefully constructed concept or hours spent trying to dream up the perfect children’s story.

There was simply Lucy following me around the farm.

And Sophie cuddled up with Teddy.

They were small, ordinary moments that could easily have passed by unnoticed. But both made me stop and wonder.

What if Lucy lost her spots?

What if Sophie and Teddy played hide-and-seek?

Those two little questions eventually became two very real books.

Perhaps that’s one of my favourite things about writing for children. Their world is already full of possibility. A dog isn’t necessarily just a dog. She might wake up without her spots. A game of hide-and-seek isn’t necessarily an ordinary game. Perhaps the dog is particularly good at camouflage and is hiding right under your nose.

You just have to let your imagination wander a little.

Inspired by the Animals Around Me

Animals have always had a special place in my life, so perhaps it’s not surprising that they continue to find their way into my stories.

Today, I have my two Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, Teddy and Ellie, who provide plenty of companionship, entertainment and distraction—and I’m sure there are many more story ideas waiting to be discovered amongst their adventures.

That’s the wonderful thing about inspiration. I’ve learned that I don’t necessarily need to go looking very far for it.

Sometimes it’s running through a paddock chasing rabbits.

Sometimes it’s curled up beside a little girl.

And sometimes, I suspect, it’s sitting right beside me, waiting for me to notice.

I just have to remember to ask… what if?