Elaine Bourret

In the spring of 2018, in my Michigan bedroom (enemy territory, as I'm an Ohio native), I woke from a dead, dreamless sleep with a picture of a little red-headed boy wearing a too-big trench coat and the words “Hector the Inspector and the Quest for Kindness” taking up all of the little brain space I have left. I instantly knew who Hector was as a character. Initially, I was going to go back to sleep and think about it later, but I couldn’t. So I picked up a pen and some paper and wrote down that first title (which, by the by, is now my second title). More titles flowed unexpectedly out of my pen, and, by the time I was finished, I realized I had a children’s book series in my hands. Huh. That was totally unexpected.

Since then, my family and I have moved across the country (the Front Range is a beautiful place to live), planned and executed a wedding for the eldest of my six children, and come up with the idea for another children's book character that will have nothing to do with Hector (though I wouldn't rule out a little cameo). It's been crazy, but I'm so thankful I'm finally able to publish. Hopefully the next books won't take as long to write and get to print.

As I mentioned, my husband and I are the parents of six children: two adults, two seasoned teenagers, and two who are just entering the teenage years. I have been homeschooling my children for forever. I mean, I send them off for high school, but with six kids and a not-quite-10-year age difference between the oldest and the youngest, I've been homeschooling for forever and have at least one more year to go.

I figure chances are high that I'll be a grandmother in the next few years, and I don't quilt. So my books, if nothing else, will be something to create and leave behind for my grandchildren. I hope others enjoy them as well, but If my progeny appreciate my books? Then I will count my publishing endeavors a success.

You can keep up with Hector and any future writing projects on my website, ProbityPublishing.org, or my Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/ProbityPublishing/ .