I find it difficult to write a story from a plan. If I sit down to think of a story idea, nothing happens. Luckily ideas come to me while I’m doing other things, and then I have to stop whatever I am doing and write the story before it disappears from my mind!

Brave Brian was inspired by a TV documentary. The programme showed the work of the Ol Pejeta Conservancy. The organisation worked with a zoo in the Czech Republic to release a captive rhino into the wild. The programme is now available on Amazon Prime. It is called Return of the White Rhino if you want to watch it. Let me know if it inspires your creativity too.

After watching the documentary, I grabbed a notebook and pen and wrote the story in one sitting. I knew I wanted to do something with Brave Brian, but it took me many years and so far two different editors, before it was finally ready to be made into a book.

My first editor gave me some great feedback on rhyming meters, story endings and book formatting styles. The second editor made me doubt my very existence and question writing a book which is just for the fun of reading, no hidden message (although if you want to find a message, it’s there). And that was when I put the story away and lost confidence.

I put the story and editor’s notes to one side for a couple of months until one day, when trying to write something else, Brave Brian popped into my head and I turned my attention to re-writing his story. The beginning of the poem evolved to have a different stanza, which meant I then had to alter the entire story to fit with the new (and definitely improved) rhythm. However, I still wasn’t happy and put the story aside again.

Finally, in 2026, Brave Brian is complete and ready for the next stage. I need to work now on bringing Brave Brian to life as a picture book and am currently in discussion with an illustrator.