31/05/2026
Time for a story! ✨🚐
The spark for Tuesdays with Grandpa actually ignited a couple of years ago in my classroom. One of my students mentioned his weekly “cousin catch-ups.” When I asked him what that meant, he beamed and explained that his Nonno collected all the cousins from daycare/kindy/school, one by one, and took them back to his place until their parents finished work. They’d play, eat dinner together, and say goodbye until the following week.
I absolutely fell in love with that image. Around the same time, I released my first book, and a friend said to me, “I’ve been looking for a book that celebrates cousin friendships but I can’t find one. You should write it!” Those two moments merged, and the opening lines of this book were born. But, as life happens, the draft sat on the shelf while I worked on other projects.
Fast forward to October last year. I attended the inaugural Once Upon Con author conference, and I walked out absolutely bursting with renewed inspiration. I sat down and wrote this entire story from start to finish in just 3 to 4 days! 🚀
This book brings up all the emotions for me, pure excitement, happiness, and a deep sense of nostalgia for those simple, beautiful family rituals. I am so incredibly proud of it, and I just can’t wait for those same “feels” to hit you and your family when it officially hits the shelves! 🤗
