Q. When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

Audrey: I’ve always wanted to write stories. All through high school, I had plans for a massive fantasy series, but I never expected to write picture books. That changed when my oldest was a toddler because we were talking about animals that laid eggs. The conversation turned into a fun question and answer game, and I randomly decided to turn it into a book. That became my first book, Who Laid the Egg?, which I published a few months later.

 Q. What does your family think of your writing?

Audrey: My family has supported me so much—my husband pushes me to keep going when I get discouraged, and I get to test new stories with my kids. My oldest is always asking if I’m working on a new book again.

 Q. What was the most surprising thing you learned about creating books?

Audrey: The most surprising thing, for me, has been learning how much more work goes into a picture book compared with other books. When I started, I had friends who had published books, so I thought I knew what was involved, but it turns out that picture books are completely different. Yes, novels take a ton of work to edit, proofread, get a cover, and all, but picture books need all that, plus illustrations. They’re shorter, which makes some of the work (like proofreading!) easier, but the illustrations have to fit around the text, and most picture books are in color, so they need a different type of printing. All that adds a ton of extra details to sort out.

 Q. What do you think makes a good story?

Audrey: For me, a good story starts with a question—what happens if you give a mouse a cookie? Why don’t the Durselys like Harry? What might happen when a rocket flies to Mars? The story can’t just give any old answer, though. It needs to have an element of adventure or surprise as well. That’s what builds a satisfying ending—when you get to the end, and there’s that little bit more that fits just perfectly.

 Q. What advice do you have for writers?

Audrey: Read as much as you can. I know it’s a cliché, but it’s true! As a writer, you’ll need to read books about mundane details like marketing and managing a business, as well as books that inspire you and introduce you to new ideas. Both types are important if you want to grow as a writer.

I also highly recommend finding other writers, especially more experienced writers. With a writer’s group, you can see what’s possible and have someone to follow, while also sharing support and advice. I’ve found a group online that’s amazing, but many authors also meet up at libraries or coffee shops to talk in person.

Q. What type of books do you write?

Audrey: I write science and nature stories—not traditional nonfiction with a bunch of facts and sidebars, but nonfiction told as a story. I love storytelling, so for me, it makes sense to use storytelling to communicate with children.

Q. Tell us about your plans for the future? Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

Audrey: I plan to keep writing for a long time! Right now, I’m a stay-at-home mom with two kids, so it can be tricky to find time to work on things during the day. My oldest just started school, though, and it’s already getting a little easier to find the time. I’m hoping that will continue, and that I’ll be able to publish a series of nature stories over the next few years, along with a few other books I’m working on.

 Q. How did you become involved in the subject or theme of your book?

Audrey: So far, I’ve written books about things that I was already interested in, or that my family is interested in. My first book happened because I had a toddler who was interested in eggs and wants to figure out who laid eggs. My husband is fascinated by space flight. Once we started watching rocket launches with him, I started wondering about the process of getting people to Mars. I started playing with ideas for that, and that turned into The Rocket that Flew to Mars. I’ve always loved trees, now I’ve got a couple of books about trees that I’m working on.

 Q. Are you working on anything at the present that you would like to share with your readers about?

Audrey: For the past year or so, I’ve been working on a really fun story about a tree’s relationships—how different animals interact with it as it’s growing. I’m taking a bit of break from that this fall to work on a different, early-science story about trees and a second coloring book. I’m hoping those books go fairly quickly, and then I’ll get back to the other project.

 Q. Is there a message in your novel that you hope readers will grasp? 

Audrey: Go out and explore! I’ve started noticing so much about bugs since working on Bug, Bug, Spider. I’ll go outside with my kids and look through a pile of leaves to see what we can find, and there’s always something new. I want to inspire kids to explore too and to notice the world around us.