Stories and Characters are Born

For some people stories and characters come to them and seem to become part of their life.  And for certain people, those characters become their destiny and their purpose.

J.K. Rowling was given Harry Potter and his story in 1990.  It took her 5 years from receiving the idea for the world of Harry Potter and fully sketching out the outline for the 7 books. It then took her another 2 years to finish the first book and get it published. Over the next 10 years she would share the whole story in the series.

George Lucas was given the idea for the Star Wars stories and launched the first movie in 1977.  That story is still being unfolded today, 40 years later.

20 years ago three characters were born in my imagination as part of a journal box and story for kids to get their ideas down on paper.  But those 3 characters really seemed to be part of a larger group of friends, so four more characters joined what would be known to me as Daisy Button and her friends.

I could see them so clearly in my mind and the real life adventures that they would go on.  Over the years their story has clung to my heart and seemed to always be there.  As I worked with kids in my coaching practice, the Daisy Button characters seemed to resonate with the kids I was working with.  They wanted to make a difference in the world, they had a deep desire to help others and they wanted real life tools to make things happen.

I sketched out the first 3 books in the series many years ago, and self published the first in the DB Adventures series in 2011. It was a story about Social Enterprise, showing kids how they can create win/win situations. A way to make money and help others in their community. When it was done, it seemed like it should have a curriculum to accompany it, one developed online with games and engaging activities.  So I developed that as well, and sold it into 5 schools in New Jersey.

I thought that would be the time that Daisy Button and her friends would finally make their way into the hands of kids, but suddenly the doors stopped opening.

With everything that God creates, he has his own timing for when stories should be shared.

God had other plans first. He needed me to go through some very painful and personal experiences  before Daisy could float back into my life.  A few years later, I knew it was time.  But my life experiences changed my perspective on the path I wanted to take with Daisy and her friends.

This time I wanted to get the characters and tools directly in the hands of kids, and empower them to go out and make a difference, as I had done in my coaching practice. Only now they could utilize the technology that they love and pull their friends together to create their own real life adventures.