Sparkle Schoolhouse

Sparkle Weekly Wonderings: A Story About 'Windward Ho'

I want to tell you a story. It’s a story about our new collection of stories called “Windward Ho!” I want to tell you this because it is an excellent example of how we do what we do. So once upon a time a young Sparkle Listener asked if we would write some more pirate stories. I noted that request and did what I do when we get such requests: I set an intention for pirate stories to find me. And then I forgot about it (essential when setting story intentions).

Then, several months later, a Sparkle Parent reached out and made a request for more stories with girls as the central figure - and not old school fairy tale princess kinds of girl characters, but a wide variety of girl characters - strong girls, brave girls, dynamic girls, smart girls as well as gentle girls, kind girls and caring girls. Then I made a connect: girls and pirates. And I forgot about it (essential when making story connections).

Several months later I saw the movie “Christopher Robin” and cried the whole way through. Why did I do this? Because I missed my friends Winnie, Piglet, Eeyore, and Tigger. I hadn’t realized I missed them but it turns out I missed them very much.

And then - quite suddenly as if the ‘missing’ became an invitation, the girl pirate story series came to me. I say “came to me” because that is how it works: the stories arrive. I don’t imagine them or create them or craft them - at least not at first. No, they come when they are ready to come. And they did.

Then I met Periwinkle “Wink” MacKenzie, nine year old superfan of the “Windward Chronicles” series of chapter books … and she introduced me to Billie Dabardalaben, the author, her crew: Harriet, Val, Martha, Jessica and the twins Polly and Bonny. All I had to do that that point was listen. And write as fast as I could.

Then once I found their voices (some easier to find than others - like Reg the Koala Bear) the eleven stories of our new collection “Windward Ho!” fell sweepingly into place. It has been thrilling to land these stories of high seas adventures - I hope you all find them as much of a thrill to listen to them!