I told my first story in pre-school. At five years old I convinced my teacher that my dad had died in a terrible accident, and that my mom was in mourning. Pickup time was awkward that day as my mother explained the truth to that sweet young lady—I liked to tell stories.
After years of "planning to write" and "thinking about writing," I finally decided to put some words on a page and out came Marlee Foxglove and the Dragon. It started as a bedtime project for my two daughters. I wanted them to have a hero they could identify with and be inspired by, the same way they inspire me.
Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD), ADHD, OCD, Dyslexia, and Anxiety are everpresent in our home. They are features, not bugs. They are things my daughters, my wife, and I live with every day, and therefore, so too shall my characters.
The way I portray these things are based on personal experience and not as some dodgy attempt to profit from mental and emotional challenges. Some of the lines in this story are from actual conversations my wife and I have had with our daughters; challenges we've faced. If you struggle with these things, I hope that this story brings you the comfort of knowing you are not alone and you are seen. Allow yourself to feel what you feel, whatever that might be.
To quote the Morrigan, "Forward, my child—Always Forward."
-R.W.P.
