Many children grow up with an empty space where one of their parents should be. But even for the luckiest child, one with an intact family, a safe home, a welcoming neighborhood, growing up can be heartbreaking.

The idea for Washashore grew organically—yes, from my life experiences, but more importantly from my feelings about my life experiences. Its inspiration was deeply authentic. It came not from wanting to be a writer but from having a story I wanted to share and an instinctive sense of how and with whom I wanted to share it.

It came from a feeling.

Wouldn’t it be great if time could move both ways, giving us wisdom and experience but allowing us to retain our sense of play and wonder?