First Steps
The story of Lily Pond started many years ago with the idea of a little pond who transformed into a cloud. The pond was surrounded by children and wildlife, deep in a wood. I saw the pond as something dynamic and changing. The personification of this little body of water was my way of engaging with young children, to show how nature is alive and, though we cannot communicate, we can commune.
In the summer of 2025, I began looking for an illustrator and kept coming back to the same portfolio. It belonged to a fellow Michigander, Glenn Becker. On looking at his illustrations, I just knew he would be a perfect match for my children's picture book.
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After an introduction and sharing my manuscript, and many weeks later, Glenn sent me a character sketch based on my very incomplete description. He had captured perfectly the child who would be the main focus of the book and the Pond's most special friend.
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You'll enjoy browsing over Glenn's work on his website here.
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Below are some of the thumbnail sketches that came later
