In 1996, I first conceived the idea of Bruno. I was living in the US and missed home. This was before the internet, so I called every tourist bureau across Canada to get each province and territory's catalogue! I wrote a few tales and outlines, but then had to put them away when I returned to school to become a teacher. 

I taught at the elementary level, then transitioned to middle school English language arts, and ultimately to high school English. As I taught my students about stories, my own stories filled my imagination. Over the years, I wrote about Bruno during the summer, over winter breaks, and during spring breaks. Finally, my first drafts were complete. 

I went to a children's literature writers and illustrators conference in Niagara Falls in 2012 to learn about sharing my work. I was told then that publishers wanted stories that would appeal to a more international market. Bruno would only reach a relatively small niche of readers. It would never be published, they said. I should find another idea.

I returned home disheartened and discouraged. I locked Bruno away in the closet, on floppy discs, and in my heart. I continued teaching, and then in 2016, I pursued a doctoral degree. I redirected my creative energy into academia.

While working for the Werklund School of Education at the University of Calgary, Bruno reemerged in my thoughts. I envisioned how Bruno could enliven the ELA and social studies curricula through innovative interdisciplinary units. I brushed off those old manuscripts.

I finally decided: Bruno is back!

I rewrote the tales, and this time I considered how they would fit into Canadian children's educational programming. I thought a nationwide writing contest would be a cool idea to encourage young Canadian writers to create their own beaver tales. I could highlight the winners right here on this website! And, of course, I would have to have plushies. :)

My journey has taught me to be patient. Sometimes you have to wait for the right timing for your ideas to come to fruition. But it also taught me that it is okay not to listen to the wisdom of others sometimes. As Bruno said, sometimes they're "full of beans". And sometimes, like Bruno, you have to have a few adventures of your own to find out who you truly are.