Behind-the-Scenes Writing Process

In a quaint corner of Phoenixville, where fireflies dance and stars wink knowingly, an enchanted tale unfolds.

Here, nestled in a garden that seems to breathe with life, 83-year-old Opa (as the grandkids kids affectionately call him) weaves stories that make the flowers lean in to listen.

It all began with a birdhouse – not just any birdhouse, mind you, but one crafted with love by Opa’s grandson, Ian.

“The moment I hung it in the garden,” Opa recalls, his eyes twinkling, “I swear I heard the whisper of wings and the giggle of unseen creatures.”

And so, with a mug of steaming hot chocolate by his side and the birdhouse standing sentinel outside his window, Opa began to write.

As morning dew glistened on spider webs and squirrels chattered their daily gossip, characters sprang to life beneath his pen. Flapjack the Bird, with his penchant for mimicry and adventure, took his first flight across the page. Aliyah the Turtle, wise beyond her years, emerged from the pond of Opa’s imagination.

“Sometimes,” Opa confides with a mischievous grin, “I’d look up from my writing to see a curious rabbit peering in through the window, or a butterfly landing on my notepad.

It was as if the garden itself was eager to be part of the story.”
Each tale in “Bedtime Stories under the Moonlight” carries a sprinkle of stardust and a dash of real-life wisdom. Opa chuckles as he remembers crafting Wiggly the Caterpillar’stransformative journey. “I watched a caterpillar in the garden for weeks. The day it emerged as a butterfly, I knew I had the perfect story about embracing change.”

Now, as the stories await their visual companion, Opa collaborates with an illustrator Alice whose paintbrush seems dipped in liquid imagination.

“We’re creating magic together,” Opa says, his voice filled with childlike excitement. “By August 1st 2025, these characters will dance off the page, ready to spark wonder in little hearts everywhere.”

As twilight falls and the first stars peek out, Opa often takes his manuscript into the garden. He reads aloud, and those who listen closely swear they can hear the flowers sigh contentedly and the trees rustle in applause.

“Bedtime Stories under the Moonlight” isn’t just a book; it’s a key to a secret world that exists in every backyard, every garden, every patch of green. It’s an invitation to see the extraordinary in the ordinary, to find friendship in unexpected places, and to believe, wholeheartedly, in the magic that surrounds us all.

As Opa says, with a wink that holds the secrets of the universe, “Every child knows that the best adventures happen just when you’re supposed to be going to sleep. These stories? They’re just the beginning.”

The name “Opa” – the German word for grandpa – is more than just a nickname. It’s a nod to Opa’s German heritage, a part of his identity that weaves its way into his stories, adding a touch of Old World charm to the magic of his American backyard.

“In Germany,” Opa explains with a warm smile, “Opa is more than just a name. It’s a title of honor, of wisdom, of stories passed down through generations. And that’s what I hope to be for these children – their Opa, their storyteller, their guide to the magic that’s all around us.”