in·spi·ra·tion

What inspired you to write The Purple Girl? Audrey Kane answers:

The Purple Girl was born from a writer's block exercise. A fellow writer suggested I try an exercise that would force me to take off my editing hat. My job was to write for twenty-five minutes without stopping. And there were rules. I wasn’t allowed to erase a word, revise a sentence, or pause to collect my thoughts. The Purple Girl came to me . . . and I fell in love with her story.

Want me to dig deeper? The Purple Girl took root from a thousand pieces of life. As a child, I always had a book in hand; I loved fantastical escapes and stepping into new and  different worlds.

My art background definitely inspired me. As a writer, and also a designer of tapestries with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, it is only natural for me to weave visual stories. Somehow, color or art always seems to wriggle its way into my writing.

And children and adults that overcome obstacles inspire me daily. Always lingering in the back of my mind are amazing kids that feel lonely or different.

I didn’t set out to write for middle grade; I wrote for the love of writing, and middle grade sort of picked me. But what keeps me passionate about writing are those magical moments—like the moment a young reader discovers the right book. Or the moment a reluctant reader turns into bookworm. Or when I read a letter from a mom describing her child—a child that forgot to pack her lunch, homework and permission slip, but remembered to take my book!

Want to discover more? Visit: www.audreykane.com.

Or check it out on Amazon: http://amzn.com/0991028317

Illustrated by Tory & Norman Taber